Going to Okinawa in July for the first time, as well.
4 nights. Day 0, we arrive ~11pm.
Then we have days 1, 2, 3.
Day 4, I don't know what time we're leaving yet. Probably mid-day.

I just want R&R. At this point of my life, I'm too lazy for sightseeing. I think my wife would like a bit of sightseeing, but then she actually doesn't know what she wants either.
I would like to go to the beach and maybe do a guided snorkel (or some other marine sports) tour.
Since we have kids, I suppose we have to take them somewhere for sightseeing, but I've skimmed through the Okinawa guidebook and nothing (asides from beach) looks interesting. I think our kids will manage to find most anything interesting regardless of where we take them.

I'd like to stay at Hilton. If their rates come down, we'll stay there. We'll mostly just stay at the resort, although there's this thing called American Village next to the hotel which can serve as a good diversion. Plus one half-day, we'll go check out some beach on the island. Another half-day, we'll do a snorkeling tour which I hope Hilton can organize for us.

More likely, though, we're stuck staying at Doubletree Naha. This hotel is nowhere near the beach. The hotel does not even have a pool. So it's a major problem. If we're stuck with DT, we'll have to figure out things to do outside the hotel everyday. Ideas include:
- two different beaches on the island.
- snorkeling tour once (but I doubt DT can actually organize this for us, unlike Hilton which is full-service resort with concierge)
- Okinawa World
- plus each day I'd imagine we'll be hanging out on Kokusai-dori which is a shopping street in Naha.

Actually, Renaissance looks really cool. But then the rates are too high there and I won't get any elite benefits. So it won't work. But at Renaissance, you actually get to play with dolphins. I'm sure you have to pay for it. Maybe if you stay there, you get a discount on that? I'm not sure. The hotel's beach looks very nice, too. It's really too bad the place is so expensive and I have no status with Marriott.

Questions:
- What are the best beaches on the island? So far, I've got Emerald Beach, Araha Beach, Okuma Beach.
- How do these beaches compare to Hawaii? I don't expect them to match the best ones in Hawaii, but I would hope they're about the same or better than Waikiki.
- Any can't-miss attractions for kids? If we were to pick one, is there anything better than Okinawa World?
- It seems like you have to have a car on Okinawa Honto if you want to get to the beach. How is driving in Okinawa? How does it compare to, say, Hokkaido or rural Kyushu?

To Laplap: I know you are going soon with your child. What's on our plan? If you're going in spring, won't the water be too cold at the beaches?