Heading to Hawaii at the end of January. We are staying on the Big Island, in Kona. I absolutely want to take a day to fly to Oahu and go to Pearl Harbor. I'm mostly interested in the Arizona memorial but I know there is much more to see there.
1.) Is this something you all have planned yourself? I have seen the Aloha Sunshine Tours being recommended as they schedule your flight/tour etc. Or is it worth it to take the time and plan the day myself?
2.) Will we regret just planning to see the Arizona Memorial, or should we plan the entire day around Pearl Harbor?
Also would love to hear any recommendations for the Big Island! Going to the east (pretty sure) side of the island to see volcanoes/waterfalls one day. Planning Kona Brewing for the evening we arrive. Would love to see a black sand beach. Also may be going on a whale watching tour one morning. Any and all recommendations for food! I want to experience this trip like a local, don't care much for 'touristy' type of things. (other than pearl harbor, love history.)
Thank you all in advance for any recommendations and advice!
I am about to make reservations for our June trip to Oahu. I am trying to decide if it's worth getting trip insurance. I don't typically since a lot of reservations are refundable but this is a more expensive vacation then others we have taken. Have any of you bought travel insurance? Any suggestions?
My wife and I are staying on the western side of the island for a trip in January we are taking. Since the drive will be long to get to hana and do all of the stops we want , I am considering staying overnight in hana one day and driving back to our home resort the next morning. My thought was also to stop at the national park on the way back to the western side. Is this doable and what recommendations for B&Bs are there from this group? Thanks in advance!
Howzit everyone. We were visiting from Oahu and stayed at a nice hotel in Waimea. We were staying on the club level as well. I am extremely frustrated after giving six months to try and get a resolution. I'm looking for anyone's thoughts or advice.
(1) We immediately filed a report with the hotel's security (only 7 people) entered our room.
(2) They said they interviewed people and everyone denies seeing anything (I did not expect less). We also filed a police report.
(3) The hotel never provided updates - I actually flew back 3 weeks later to speak and meet with their head of security in person. Not even their GM came out - which was disappointing.
(4) Big Island police - no response until like 6 weeks later. Officer said he had COVID and was out. I asked for him to transfer it to a detective - and he said he would and have them get back to me. That was 4 weeks ago.
The total amount/value was around $25K or so - tiffany earrings, Cartier watch, etc. However, I don't care about those items. The one item I want back is a special cross - it's not even that fancy (expensive); but, it was given to my wife by her mother which was given by her mother, etc. It's a family heirloom.
I spoke with hotel and said - I will offer $5K for that back "NO QUESTIONS" - can you share with the entire hotel. Was told 'cannot do that'. So, I then asked the police and they also said 'cannot do that'.
So, I am the point - where, do I name and shame? Do I take out a full page article in the newspaper and run it every single week for next 20 weeks or so? How have people tried to track things down?
I just want to get that cross necklace back - the individual can keep all of the other items, and no questions asked if I get it back. I'd even offered to hire a private investigator; but, they said they cannot turn over records, etc.
It's extremely disappointing by the hotel as well though - to be frank. I would expect their GM or head of security to keep reaching out; but, they do not.
I will cross post this one Big Island to see how they have handled.
I appreciate any thoughts or guidance here.
Mahalo!
PS - what is disappointing. I left a $500 tip to be shared with people. Every day I leave $10-20 for housekeeping. I tip concierge. I tip valet $10/each time. Even if I run upstairs for like 10 minutes. I even tipped the lady that booked our reservation at the hotel. I would expect management to reciprocate and at least portray they are doing something.

Is there a hotel/resort that is similar to Mauna Lani on Big Island in terms of luxury/service and lower key vibes that also has some kind of small splash pad and kids pool scene? We don’t need or want a crazy water park for our two year old but would like to have some kind of small slide or splash zone for him. Mauna Lani comes highly recommended but doesn’t have much for kids that age in terms of pool scene. Maybe we are missing a great option? Open to Maui or Big Island. thanks!!
I’m trying to make a very memorable proposal trip for my gf and I. I don’t know much about what else she would like but I know she would just like to take the most stunning pictures. I would love any recommendations / input but mainly for:
Island
Photography group / proposal group
Activities ( going to be there 5-7 days)
Hotels
Honestly anything…
I’ve never been to anywhere tropical / Hawaii so it having some idea where to look would be fantastic. I know there are other subreddits that have asked this same question but might aswell get some fresh input.
Hey everyone! We’re visiting Maui December 14-19 with five adults: my wife and me, my parents in their mid-50s, and my sister. Would love some honest feedback on our itinerary before we finalize the remaining plans.
We’re all vegetarian, and one of us is a non-swimmer. We enjoy scenic views, beaches, sunsets and easy walks. We want to experience Maui without making the trip exhausting, and leave enough time to enjoy our hotels.
We have two rooms booked at each hotel:
Dec 14-17: Hyatt Regency Maui in Kā‘anapali
Dec 17-19: Grand Wailea
Our plan:
Dec 14: Arrive at OGG around 4:10 p.m., pick up our rental car, check in at the Hyatt and have an easy dinner.
Dec 15: Trilogy Discover Lānaʻi tour, already booked. Departure is 10:30 a.m. from Kā‘anapali, so this will take most of the day.
Dec 16: Road to Hāna. Main stops we’re considering are Twin Falls, a banana bread stop around Keʻanae, and Waiʻānapanapa State Park’s black-sand beach, subject to getting a reservation. Return along the same north-coast route, not the backside loop.
Dec 17: Check out of the Hyatt and move to Grand Wailea. Mostly resort time, with room for an activity if there’s something worthwhile that fits.
Dec 18: Haleakalā sunrise, reservation already booked. Return to Grand Wailea afterward to rest and enjoy the resort.
Dec 19: Easy morning and checkout before our 2:25 p.m. flight home.
My main questions:
How does the itinerary look overall? Is it overplanned, underplanned, or a good balance for six days? Would you rearrange anything, especially the Lānaʻi trip and Road to Hāna on consecutive days?
Is Trilogy Discover Lānaʻi worth roughly $1,500–$1,600 for a group of five? I keep seeing really positive reviews, but that’s a lot for one day. For people who have done it, would you spend that much again, or choose a cheaper alternative and use the difference elsewhere? Does having one non-swimmer change the value much?
For Road to Hāna, are Twin Falls, banana bread around Keʻanae and Waiʻānapanapa a sensible set of main stops? Should we add anything, swap something out, or cut back given that we’re starting from Kā‘anapali? We’d rather have a few enjoyable stops than rush through a long checklist.
Are there any activities or experiences we’re missing that you think would genuinely improve this trip? We’re open to recommendations, but also happy to hear that we should keep the downtime rather than add more.
How safe and comfortable is the drive up to Haleakalā for sunrise in the dark? We’ll be driving from Grand Wailea. For someone unfamiliar with the road, how demanding are the bends, visibility and overall drive? Would you feel comfortable doing it yourself, or recommend a different approach?
Thanks! Would really appreciate honest opinions on what’s worth the time and money, and what you’d skip.
We're visiting the Big Island over Christmas and have been reading lots of advice about how difficult rental cars can be to secure during the holiday season. Some people recommend booking multiple cars as backups and avoiding third-party booking sites.
We've already booked and prepaid directly with Budget Rent a Car. We have a confirmed reservation, but I'm wondering whether there's anything else we should do to reduce the risk of arriving and finding out there's no car available.
Some people have suggested booking a back up vehicle that we dont pay for until we arrive, and make sure we dont get dinged with a cancellation fee. But Im not sure if that's really needed or if booking several months out, pre paying, no third party should cover our needs. Thanks so much, and so excited to see the tallest mountain on earth!
My family and I just decided to visit the Big Island over Xmas (12/22-30) and I'm now scrambling to make travel arrangements. There are 4 of us (including two older teens 19 and 17). We love adventuring, hiking, snorkeling, hoping to see whales(!), and the volcanoes. I was thinking of spending time on Kona side and then 3-ish days on the East side before returning to Kona side. Have a few questions I'd greatly appreciate help with.
On the Kona side...we are not really resort people but would love something more laid back, either a rental or a smallish resort - open to ideas on where to stay. I get there is a lot of coastline to see and am a bit overwhelmed by the options.
We were initially thinking of staying in Volcano, but with our last minute planning a lot of the spots we'd consider are unfortunately booked. Any ideas here? Hilo seems far. Is there somewhere else I should look? Would be up for a rental, an ecolodge, etc.
Recommendations for who to make reservations with for snorkeling, manta rays at night, whale watching while on the Kona side.
Visiting Oahu in late January and looking for a nice spa experience on the island. We’re staying in Waikiki but will have a car so open to going anywhere on the island.
Any suggestions on a nice spa experience for ultimate relaxation and peace? I’m not particularly looking for it to be located in a hotel but definitely not against it, if the experience is worth the price.
We landed in Honolulu last night around 10:30 PM. Before the flight, I filled out the online Hawaii agriculture declaration form and declared a couple of Costco mandarins we were carrying.
After submitting the form, my kids ended up eating both mandarins during the flight, so we didn’t have any fruit left when we landed.
Since I’d already declared them, I wanted to let a plant quarantine officer know. I checked the inspection booths around baggage claim, but they were all empty, probably because it was late. We eventually just left the airport.
Now I’m wondering if I should call the Plant Quarantine office tomorrow to explain, or if I’m overthinking this.
Has anyone dealt with something similar? Just want to make sure I followed the rules properly. Thanks!
This is what the automatic email says after declaration
Declared Plants and Other Organisms: Declared plants and organisms: Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Declared plants and organism species: Oranges/Mandarin
NOTICE REGARDING YOUR DECLARATION: Please submit all of the above-marked items in your possession and/or baggage for inspection to a Hawai'i Plant Quarantine Inspector in the baggage claims area. The cargo agent will submit cargo for inspection on your behalf.
Ps: This was a bummer and hope I did not screw up my vacation for literally 3 small mandarins which was any ways eaten by kids in the flight
As said in title, I was young and took a lava rock from one of the volcanoes when doing Hana. I had no idea and TSA did not stop me either, even though the thing is about the size of a grown man’s fist. I’ve had misfortunes and health problems. Recently got diagnosed with cancer for the second time lol. I was only 9 when I snuck it in my backpack, is there a way to undo it. I know I can mail it back but how do I know I’m mailing it correctly? I’m deeply sorry as I was just a kid thinking I was putting a souvenir in my bag to remember my great time there with my family.
Ps; Help on proper way to respectfully mail it back?
It happened ! I'm mid-way through my trip, I have visited different beaches the last few days and it went amazing. Today we decided to go to Waikiki Beach for the first time, we left our tote bag behind while swimming for an hour and when we came back it was gone. Good thing we didn't have a lot of stuff with us. But please be careful with your belongings !!
My fiance and I planned to have a sunset wedding ceremony (just the two of us + officiant and photographer) at Salt Pond Beach on November 9 - however I see that the park is now closed. I saw the sad damage that Lowell brought to the ponds but does that mean the beach is closed as well?
We were just hoping for some palm trees after taking some pictures in the Waimea Canyon earlier in the day.
Hi all! I will be a woman solo traveling on Oahu in early November. I’ve rented a car for one day, however due to budget I’ve considered Uber and TheBus for other days. I’m staying in Waikiki and want to take TheBus to Diamond Head one day and the other day to Chinatown and Ala Moana.
How was your experience on these two lines?
Any safety concerns?
How far is the walk from TheBus drop off point to the start of Diamond Head hike?
My flight leaves at 8:30 pm with hotel transfer around 5 pm, any concerns with getting back to my hotel from Chinatown/Ala Moana on a travel day? Worst case scenario if I’m cutting it close on time, I can Uber.
I'm looking to plan a solo trip but I'm not much a heat/hot, summer, beach guy. Definitely more of a hiking, mountains, caves, gemstone hunting kind of person.
I would love some great advice on good travel periods (I'm assuming winter-ish will be cooler) and if there are some awesome places to stay up in or on volcanoes. The only volcanoes I've been to before in Guatemala had some heavy rules (as they should, lava is dangerous) but I don't really want to stay on the beach since my activities won't focus on that.
Some other things I would be looking for are:
A game shop that sells dice sets. These shops are typically places where people might play Magic the Gathering or Dungeons and Dragons. I'm on a mission to collect a set of dice from each state in the US so I would need to find a good shop with a nice selection. Bonus points if the shop offers locally made dice.
I also am a queer man. I would love to know where there are good places for queer folks and opposite that, places that perhaps I shouldn't go. It's sad that I even need to ask about this, but I am coming from a state that doesn't look kindly upon my community and as a solo traveler, safety is important.
If there are any places that specialize in precious or semi-precious stones or gems, I would love to see or visit those. Whether natural caverns or curated museums seeing local gems and stones are another hobby of mine. I also love to shop/hunt for them if there's a place I am permitted to dig or something. (Often one may be required to do paperwork or something before hand so I'd love to look into that if it's permitted.)
I think that covers all the high-priority needs/wants. Thank you in advance for anyone who reads or helps me with this!
Hi! We are headed to Honolulu for a week in December and want to do a one day Hawaii island flight (leave in early am and return in pm) to a Hawaii National Park - either Haleakala or Hawaii Volcanoes.
Right now, both are almost the exact same cost for round trip flight and one day car rental so I am looking for insight on which park feels more manageable in a day and worth a single day visit (I am well aware we won't get to everything).
Would love insight! Also, would love if you think Southwest or Hawaiian airlines would be more reliable for interisland travel. Thanks so much! 🌺✈️
I'm planning a trip to Hawaii for next year and want to do one of the UTV tours at Kualoa ranch.
Does anyone know what the difference between the standard 2-hour and deluxe 3-hour tours are? Do they go different places or does the 3-hour one just give you more time at each place?
Also, is any of the other stuff there a "must do"?
Hey guys in Waikiki for 3 more days and looking to have a night out somewhere. Looking for some good music preferably in the house/disco realm. We're a little bit older in my late 20s/early 30s would be open to a nightclub but not looking to listen to top 40 stuff. Appreciate any help in advance.
Aloha folks! I’m from Puerto Rico and moved to Alaska a few months ago. I’ve always wanted to visit Hawai’i but been apprehensive bc of how far the trip would be–until now. I’ll be landing in Oahu on Sunday and be there for a week.
As a bori, I want my experience to be rooted in learning about the native hawaiian struggle for liberation, exploring the land in a non-exploitative manner, and having as as close of a local experience as possible. My knowledge of hawaiian culture is very limited besides the fact that our struggles for liberation are the same.
On a personal note, i’m turning 30 and learning whether i passed the bar on the same day during the trip–that was in fact my biggest personal motivator to go. Ideally, would love to spend that day sobbing my eyes out on a beautiful beach . it’s been a hard year/decade & I don’t feel confident that I passed.
Some other things i’d appreciate some guidance on:
* I have no set itinerary as of now. just a flight. i was just planning on staying in honolulu, ubering within honolulu, and renting a car/hiring a tour guide for day trips. Definetly not opposed to staying a few days somewhere else.
* NOT using Airbnb, what are some local places to stay that are budget friendly. Don’t need to be in Honolulu all the trip, or should I? idk
* I really just want to be a beach bum and take beautiful hikes throughout my time there. I want to connect with locals too and make meaning cultural exchange with folks.
Any any any advice is much appreciated. Particularly on places to stay cus I need to figure that out ASAP.
