Hi,

planning a 3 week trip to Hawaii for February/March 2021 for my wife, 4 (nearly 5) year old daughter and myself.

we all love the pool and beach so that side of things should take care of itself andwe will do some light hiking/trails but just after some thoughts on the following...

6 nights in Maui
4 nights in Big Island
5 nights Kaua�i
6 nights O�ahu

now, I know people will often argue about needing the most time on Big Island but from my own research I am thinking the main things we would want to see are the Volcano/Lava as my daughter loves the idea and the rainforest. I don�t think we need any beach time time there as will have plenty of that on the other 3 islands.

guess what I am asking is three fold.

1. are there any other �must see� things on big island that can�t be in some way replicated on the other other islands. Hiking is very much the same with a 4 year old so whether there is a great view at the end of it won�t be a great selling point to her...

2. We plan to have a single hotel/condo on each island. We don�t expect to see everything in the time allocated but is it a Reasonable amount of time on each? Wife and I have been to O�ahu before but thinking there will be good options for little one.

3. Based on this, if we had to drop an island, what would you suggest?

Thanks

Your trip sounds really fun!

I've been to all those islands, multiple times, and I enjoyed the Big Island the least. The volcanos are cool but there is very little else on the island that isn't already there and much better on the other islands. This is just my opinion . . . many people love the Big Island.

My favorites are Maui and Kauai. So much to see and do on both. If it were my trip I would do a quick day trip to the Big Island to see the volcanoes, just flying from HNL to Hilo, see the volcanoes (or maybe do a quick overnight) and then I'd split that time between Maui and Kauai.

Oahu has the Polynesian cultural center which is very cool so I would definitely recommend going to that and having dinner and seeing the show. I also love the little towns that dot the north shore and the big wave surfing that goes on there.

I could go on and on about Maui and Kauai . . . please let me know if you want specific suggestions.

Have an AMAZING trip!

Keep in mind that every time you change islands you lose most of a day--checking out, going to airport, flying, waiting to check in at next location.

Agree. Two islands per trip was my rule back in the day.

many thanks for your thoughts and to be honest, even without them I was coming round to the idea of missing big island...... this time. This in part is down to the fact it doesn�t seem like there is any visible lava on the volcano at the moment and knowing my daughter, it would just be seen as a big hill without the lava bit.

ok - so, if this becomes the plan, and I have 8 days or so on Maui and Kauai, would you recommend have two locations per island?

Thanks again and welcome any other thoughts
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I think 4 days max on Oahu unless you like large crowds. It�s LA on an island, but it�s always fun to see the Arizona and Missouri, plus the Bowfin. A day of shopping and some small time in Waikiki, a day on the north shore. Maui is a nice mix, I prefer the west side. Never felt the need to mix it up at two different places. Even from Kaanapali or Kapalua I can do day trips to Hana.

Not sure if it is a "must see" but there is Ahalanui warm pond at the Big Island. Years ago, we took our kid there and he had a great time. It is a giant volcanic heated swimming pond. I don't think there is anything like that on other islands.

My daughter is now 9 but I took her to Hawaii around your daughter's age and she loved it and now says she's going to live in Hawaii after college. :-). Your daughter will have a blast! She'll be asking to go back like mine does so you can save the Big Island for then.

For both Maui and Kauai I would probably base in one place and then just drive around doing day trips, just to save the hassle of packing and unpacking. In Maui I'd stay on the south shore--the Kihei/Wailea area. That's a good base to then drive to the west side as well as drive north and around to Hana. When you're there a lot of humpback whales will be migrating through and a whale watching trip can be a very memorable outing.

Kauai is tougher . . . if you were going in the summer I'd say stay on the north shore near Princeville/Hanalei because it's so spectacular. It could rain a lot in February/March so you may be better off in Lihue/Poipu which will also give you easy access to the north shore. Or maybe you actually do split that one into two locations

Have a wonderful trip and make sure to eat lots of shave ice. :-D Hawaii is one of the first places we are headed to once we can possibly go.

I agree that big island would be the first to chop off the list. It's fine but most things about it are better on other islands. I live part time on Maui and can't speak highly enough about it. I agree with the other post about Kihei/Wailea area. West Maui is just too far isolated to be stationed IMO. Kihei is 15 mins from airport and all the stores. Also, plenty of stores and great restaurants in Kihei.

Wailea borders Kihei and is kind of its affluent suburb - super nice. Shops at Wailea is a great outdoor mall with restaurants, shopping and just walking around. A great day trip is up to the top of Haleakala Volcano - you drive all the way up but can hike around once there. It's the highest point on the island and is like nothing you've ever seen. It's like being in an airplane... but you're not. I've attached a couple pictures.

Thank you all for your detailed replies. Think you have made my decisions.

We fly in to Maui so will spend 7-8 days then fly to Kauai for another 7-8 days (I can live with a bit of rain) and then finish with 5-6 days on O�ahu.

it�s reassuring to hear that it will be a great place for my daughter. We were booked to have been in Australia and New Zealand the Feb/March just gone but that obviously got cancelled and glad we did. Thinking she (being another year older) will actually enjoy Hawaii more.

long way off still but very excited already. Managed to snag AA web specials for 84,000pp rtn in business from London so a result all round.

Unfortunately the warm pond (and it was great) was overrun by lava in the 2018 flow. Sad for everyone. But we still stay on the area (yes, off-grid, catchment water only, no cell service) at least once each year for five days. It’s our favorite place in Hawai’i for a true island feel. Of course I don’t have a five-year-old daughter.... those days are decades’ back! Don’t write off Hawai’i Island for a future visit—we’ve enjoyed almost 30 visits there and are counting the days until this virus is a past-tense noun so we can return.

definitely haven�t written it off for future as from what I read and understand, it would have been number one for my wife and I pre daughter days. We spent a couple of years backing packing around the world in some very �off the grid� locations and they tended to be our favourite - Tonga and western Somoa as well as many places in Indonesia.

anyway, back to topic. I have booked (refundable) stays for 8 nights in Lahaina on Maui, 7 nights in Wailua on Kauai and 6 nights in Waianae on Oahu all in 2 bedroom condos.

plan to get out and see as much as possible but always wanted something close to water (pool and sea) as a fall back if daughter isn�t playing ball.

any further thoughts on our locations would be welcome.

thanks all!!

Since you are asking for thoughts . . . I like your Kauai location as you have an easy drive to both the north side of the island, which is spectacular, and the south and west sides, which also have much to recommend them. There are also some cool things right behind you, such as the Fern Grotto.

Lahaina is a cute former whaling village but is a bit isolated on Maui and far from a lot of what there is to see and do. I would recommend the Kihei/Wailea area . . . much more centrally located and more to do. Then I'd just do a day trip to Lahaina. Just my opinion!

On Oahu, I've never stayed in that area but it's my understanding that it is a real "local" area and that they are not always friendly and welcoming to visitors. Just what I have heard. You are quite isolated over there away from the vast majority of what there is to see and do on Oahu. I'd recommend the north shore or the east side instead as you have much better access to the amenities of Oahu.

What a fun trip!

really Appreciate the heads up. Thought I had done my research but missed the bits about Waianae.

will certainly be looking at some other areas as the last thing I want to do is upset the locals.

Regarding Maui - I was undecided over Lahaina or Kihei and weighed up the pros and cons of both and decided on Lahaina.

Thanks again.

I assume you are saying Lahaina in the generic sense as most of West Maui uses Lahaina as the city? I ask because in Lahaina itself it�s miserable hot, but not much further north it�s most always comfortable.

Regardless, West Maui has plenty to do when things are open. I think my conversation with a seat mate makes sense. You fall in love with a certain side of the island and never look back at an early age.