Originally Posted by
show_me_the_points
I am spending 3 full days in Honolulu. It is my first visit to Hawaii so looking for best use of my time. Frugal/budget is important. I like scenery and active things like hiking/biking and up for learning some surfing.
Is it worth it to fly to one of the Islands in the morning and return in the evening? Or do the Islands deserve more than just a day trip?
My trip is not till mid November. Should I book hotels now to lock in the cheapest price?
Leave a day or half a day for surfing (perhaps the first one, to get yourself outdoors to beat the jet lag. You could also work in a hike up Diamond Head, which for hiking purposes is a pretty mild hike, but has an incredible view of Waikiki/greater Honolulu from the top.
Spend a second day driving around the Island (doing the "circle island" tour, e.g.,
http://www.enoa.com/oahu-sightseeing...sland-tour.asp , though driving yourself, not actually going on the tour linked above since it's merely to suggest possible stops). Make sure to stop off at Giovanni's shrimp truck and your choice of shave ice establishment (though my suggestion is Waiola's). Stop off at beaches on the North Shore and at places like Makapu'u, etc.
Spend the final day just taking it all in. You can build in a stop to the Arizona Memorial & Ford Island here or go shopping, etc.
I'd suggest not doing a one nighter trip to a neighbor island unless you absolutely know you're not coming back to the Islands and there's something in particular you must see (e.g., Volcanoes National Park). Otherwise, for only three days in the Islands, my suggestion would be to stick to Oahu and save the neighbor islands for a later trip.