KenfromDE

I hope by "The one activity we splurged on is Pearl Harbor" doesn't mean you are paying for a tour. It is free. Just pay for the bus or stop by wth your car rental. Cruise tours don't even put you onto the memorial.

MamaBear05

We are doing the 2 day visit of all of the ships and historic sights offered through the National Parks Service. The USS Arizona is free (except a nominal charge if you reserve spots online) but the kids are really into the history and all of the things you can see there because they are learning about it in school right now so we want to be able to visit all of the sites.

I only know what I have read on the NPS website so if we can get into some of the other sites for free or cheaper than purchasing the full pass online, please let me know.

pualsline

Here are some things that I did when I went to Oahu and loved it

1.) Went to lost beach. Be sure to look up directions. It is located on the North Shore. Lot of privacy and a very nice beach
2.)Diamond Head
3.) Turtle Beach. There were always massive turtles on this beach for viewing, but do not touch. There are people watching you.
4.) hanauma bay is a nice beach to visit with snorkling
5.) Dole Pineapple plantation
6.)Sacred Falls Park (just a nice place to walk around)
7.) Pearl Harbor
8.) Friday nights there is a fireworks show on Waikiki beach
9.) Go to a luau

Xelint

Hanauma bay is great for snorkeling but get there early as it gets very crowded. Make sure to get some of the shave ice from the vendors as it hits the spot after snorkeling.

eltex

8 days and a $500 budget will be tight. I guess as long as you just get cereal for your breakfasts, and sandwiches for lunch and dinners, it can be done. Most tourists eat out though, and prices can easily be $100-200 for a family, more if you drink. Good luck with the trip. We will be there the first two weeks in August, splitting our time between the Big Island and Kauai. Gotta love the points.

WRCSolberg

I would not do this if you're only going to be there 8 days, otherwise, you're effectively losing a day of your trip in airports and airplanes just traveling intraisland. I would either go straight to Maui on the inbound(connecting briefly in HNL, presumably...) or only connect through HNL on the way home instead of stopping over there for a couple days.

By the time you pack up, check out of the hotel, return rental car/hop shuttle bus to the airport, check in, go through agriculture, check your bags, wait for the flight to board, take the flight, wait for your bags, wait for your rental car, drive to the hotel, spend an hour stuck on the Nimitz, check in, get situated, etc. - you're easily talking half a day lost right there. And you'll be doing that twice, once when you leave HNL the first time and then again when you leave Maui.

Yeah. I don't understand the appeal of going to Hawaii on a water and rice budget, but, to each their own I suppose. Vacation is supposed to be vacation. If you can't enjoy it when you're there, what's the point?

Finkface

As the OP's trip was last month, I expect the advice is a bit late for him/her, but perhaps beneficial to others contemplating a similar trip.

Mrgolfer21

Just out of curiosity...i have a trip planned starting in a couple of days...I am spending 4 nights in HNL, then one night in Kona (taking kid to see volcano national park, even though doesn't seem like much to see right now). Anyway...my return flight from Kona gets in at 6:30 and my flight out of HNL to mainland leaves at 9pm...is that enough time to make the connection, knowing that I will have a checked bag i have to retrieve from the Kona flight and then check for my HNL-SLC flight? Thanks in advance.

WRCSolberg

Easily.

I've never flown DL from the islands, but they probably interline baggage with HA meaning you can check your bags through to SLC in Kona. Even if they don't, you can easily make that with a 2.5 hr layover.