Honolulu for first time
 

I am able to go to Honolulu for one week for a convention. It is near Waikiki and of the available hotels, I booked the Ala Moana Hotel. Anything I should look out for?
My plan is to stay in Oahu Sat-Thurs or Fri. I've posted before and said that I am interested in hiking, birding, maybe taking in a state park or two, since I will be able to get away from time to time. I also would like to fly to Hawaii and see Volcanoes National Park, Fir-Sat. I am into geology and I just can't be that close to an active volcano without getting a decent look at it.

I realize that less than a week in Oahu might not give me enough time to get a full experience, and a day and a half in VNP would not be worth the bother to many folks. But that's the way it is: funds are tight and I don't know when if ever I can ever get this trip paid for again [Needless to say, the excursion to VNP is on my dime].

I'd appreciate any tips on how to get the most of my limited time there, including suggestions for Mrs. DennyO while I am conferencing.

FWIW we come from Maine, have visited a lot of locales in US but not HI or internationally.

Mrs. DennyO should take a tour of Pearl Harbor. Get there early (no later than 8am) and plan to spend a few hours there. Afterward, take a guided tour (e.g. the Captain's tour) of the USS Arizona. I highly recommend paying for a tour versus the audio tour or trying to just walk around and see the boat. You'll want to hear the history. If she still has time left, the USS Bowfin is okay, but Arizona is rich with history and takes several hours to do right.

Waikiki is brimming with things to do. I don't think she'll have a problem finding things to do when you're conferencing.

Advice for "First Time"
 

Take a day trip to the Big Island. Arrange for it as soon as arriving in HI. It will be less expensive than from the mainland. For additional suggestions, read the other postings especially "Two Nights in HNL" Ken

I believe Recreation means to take a tour of the USS Missouri. A tour of the Arizona would require scuba gear. ;) :(

Pearl Harbor is of course a good thing to see, though I fully recommend the Polynesian Cultural Center. I loved visiting it when I lived in Hawaii and tell any friend who visits Hawaii that it is the only tourist attraction I fully endorse. (Things like Sealife Park are a wast of time and money if you ask me.)

I concure with taking a day trip to the Big Island if possible and a roundtrip flight should run around $75 I think and you can usually work an inter-island deal with your rental car company that allows you to continue your rental on the next island. But a day trip to Lanai may be more practical since the Big Island is so - well, big and takes a long time to cover.

Also recomend heading over the moountains to the North Shore. If you're going in the winter, the large waves will take your breath away.

If your time is tight - try Pearl Harbor on Saturday, then go to the flea market around the stadium. If that ends up being a morning, then try adding a snokeling trip to Hanauma bay in the afternoon... If Pearl/Market is more then a half-day do Hanauma Bay separately.

Not a big fan of the flea market for first timers. Unless you're really looking for really cheap souveniers, it's not worth the time or .50 cent parking charge. Take the time to explore Haunama Bay instead or go and try some great restaurants.

Not a big fan of a day trip to the Big Island, especially given your geological background. If you really want to take in VNP, do you really want to spend less than 6-8 hours there? If this will be your only trip to Hawaii in a lifetime, then maybe it's worth spending a night there (there's excellent threads on hotels in the Volcanoes area) and flying out the next morning. Also, you may consider skipping a day trip to any other island.

I just don't understand the day trip mentality for out-of-state, first time visitors. Granted, I've done day trips before, but that's because all I wanted to do was spend time on a particular beach; not to sightsee.

As for the Ala Moana Hotel, it's okay, but pretty isolated from the Kalakaua Ave side of Waikiki. You'll have direct access (connected by bridge) to Ala Moana Shopping Center, which will be a nice place for the Mrs. to spend her time. Also, you can take TheBus to the Kalakaua portions of Waikiki to explore. $2 o/w; however, the Ala Moana Shuttle can also drop you off at Waikiki hotels (another way to get there) for $1 o/w.

Agree utterly.

Get a copy of The Big Island Revealed and read the the chapter on visiting the volcanoes.

I figured this one out: my tentative plan is to fly to big island on Friday morning, spend the night at one of the hotels in VNP and fly back to hnl Saturday and fly home from HNL. I heard I can get RT inter-island using UA miles. Will search for VNP hotel threads and for Big Island Revealed. Snorkeling is my kind of fun, so I'll include Haunama for sure. Can I rent stuff? Is it worth it to try to work in trip to north shore for hiking or mountain biking?
I believe I had read some negative comments about the luau at the Polynesian Cultural Center but maybe the rest of it is good.

Thanks for all the helpful responses.

The inter-island flights can be very cheap, I wonder if they would be worth the points?

Just be sure that you fly into Hilo (ITO), not Kona (KOA) unless you really want to take the scenic route. If you have time, a side trip to Punalu'u Black Sand Beach would be well worth it, however.


You can rent equipment either at Hanauma Bay or at a place like Snorkel Bob's where it will be less expensive, nicer, and you can use it elsewhere during your trip.

It is just to see Waimea Bay and Pipeline. And skydiving at Dillingham Airfield is also a nifty experience.

On Oahu, be sure to visit the USS Arizona Memorial, climb Diamond Head, and snorkel at Hanauma. Can't miss beaches outside of Waikiki include Makapu'u, Sandy Beach, Lanikai, and the aforementioned North Shore beaches.

5,000 UA miles for a R/T interisland ticket for anywhere between $130-$175 is worth it in my book. :)

Amen. And the round-trip tickets can sometimes be a good deal more than that if you have to have a certain flight or time.

I assume I can look at the schedule, call United mileage Plus and ask to book the seats. Better get moving, seats are probably hard to come by.

How far apart are the terminals? If I arrive in HNL from Hilo an hour before my return flight to mainland, will I make it? Do I need two hours?

An hour should be enough, all things being equal--though no guarantees you bags will make it. And, inter-island flights do have a tendency to get backed up as the day goes by. I'd make it at least a 90-120 minute connection to be on the safe side. Connecting within Honolulu isn't all too difficult. In the FAQ on the main page of the Hawaii forum is a listing of threads that'll lead you to a thread called Connecting in HNL.

Yep, they are. When I called I was told no award seats from mid-Feb. until late March.
So I guess I'll have to pay. :( Maybe if I had moved on this earlier, but anyway. Aloha has some seats that are pretty reasonable, 148+ on airfare.com.

Aloha's having a sale right now for $60 o/w's, which might price out cheaper than what you're finding.

A link to the sale is available here:
http://www.alohaairlines.com/Special...pe=interisland

Hurry on the sale, you need to purchase tickets by midnight HST tomorrow night. Good luck!

Hawai'i
 

I don't think I remember exactly WHEN you were scheduled to visit Hawai'i, but please realize that the winter-time has the largest influx of folks from all over the world...including the numerous ships docking at the harbors. The Ala Moana Hotel, as has been mentioned, is located within a walk over a bridge to the shopping center. Don't plan on buying anything cheap.......the Ala
Moana Shopping Center was built for the ulta-rich from across the waters! Instead, take the bus around the Island of Oahu, see the different things offered, ie: North Shore with magnificent surf, Haunama Bay, USS Arizona, and possibly Waikele Shopping Center, or the Ward Warehouse Center.

Taking a couple days to visit the VNP (my backyard!), just know there is not a dirth of hotels on the east side of the Big Island of Hawai'i. There are multiple B&B's, with some nice (not glitzy) inns around the volcano area. Look on the internet under "volcano hotels" for a place to stay. It is about an hours' drive from Hilo town, so it would be worth your while to try to stay near the VNP. After you enter the park, you will have access to information on whatever you would like to do. The Observatory for the volcanologists working there is open to the public, and you can ask to speak with any of the geologists or volcanologists on duty. These folks are dedicated to their jobs, and always seek the opportunity to "teach" those who have an interest in volcanos. Hopefully you will enjoy the Big Island, and Hawai'i, in general, and you might save up for another trip to the most isolated landmass in the world!

FWIW, I've been studying a few of the statistical visitor arrival numbers to Hawaii based on the HVCB data for a project and actually have found that the winter arrivals pale in comparison to the summer arrivals... it was a startling read for me in the data, but does make the most sense given the larger concentration of visitors from the Western half of the U.S. When I compare this to the differences in fares I pay for summer trips vs. winter trips, it makes sense. I've always found my winter trips to/from the Mainland to be cheaper than my summer trips (airfare only).

Now Slippahs! How can you discount the Hilo Tribune Herald, and the West Hawaii Today, when they loudly herald the fact that the Big Island hotels are maxed out from about 12/15 to 4/1???? Are you just checking the Oahu HCVB? When all the islands were checked, the statistical advantage leaned heavily to the Big Island. Speaking of air fares, I just tried to make arrangements from ITO to ROC, and it's about $3500(F). Last summer I was able to fly for $1800(F)! I'll give you the name of my summertime agent, and you give me the name of your wintertime agent, and we'll both make out like bandits....hee, hee!!

Interesting. However, the data I've looked at encompasses the whole state as a whole between 1993-October 2005. So, it discounts this past winter in consideration. Local results may also vary. Also, hotels being maxed out on the Big Island tell little about the actual amount of tourists visiting the state. The hotel occupany rate for the Big Island in June, July and August of 2004 were 70.9%, 78.5% and 77.8% (respectively) compared to the occupany rates for December, January '05 and February '05, which were 61.1%, 75.5% and 76.4%. Also, if we look at the total number of visitors to the Islands in the summer compared to the winter of the same period, we see that June '04 (616,023 visitors), July '04 (683,006) and August '04 (645,543) bring more visitors to the state alone than the winter months of December '04 (622,433), January '05 (599,957) and February '05 (573,212). Despite this small sample, expanding this to other years shows a similar trend: that summer months bring in more visitors to the state than winter months. Believe me, I've had to do my homework on this.

Here I go
 

thanks to all who have posted with suggestions.

I will plan to go to the Arizzona memorial and climb Diamond Head.
I will go to the north shore (rent a car for one day) to see the pipeline and include a hike or maybe rent a mountain bike for a trail ride.
I still want to snorkel but the comments about Haunama bay have been decidedly mixed, probably more on the overcrowded, not so good side.
On Firday early I will fly to big island early, rent a car and go to VNP. Will stay at volcano house. Will hike a lava field, and try to take in a forest-type hike as well. Maybe find a waterfall?
Saturday evening, I'll fly back to HNL and a couple hours later board my flight back to mainland, work, snow, all that stuff that I'll try not to think of for the seven days I'll be there.

Any last minute comments/suggestions?

Note from the moderator: the previous post was posted as a separate thread, but I have merged it with the op's earlier thread for continuity's sake.

cblaisd
Co-Moderator, Hawaii forum

Sounds great! Let us know how everything works out--and of course, do not hesitate to get on Flyertalk if any further questions arise (especially when you're out and about around the islands).

Just be sure to start your climb up Diamond Head as early as possible. It gets really hot as the morning wears on. I have heard they now have lights inside the tunnels. When I did it we were at the mercy of the people in front of us with flashlights.

We also loved the Waikiki Aquarium.

Have a great trip. I will be there next month.

This quote is from a while ago, but I am just reading this thread. So my question is: why do you suggest getting there so early?

I'm piggybacking on what Recreation said, but the reason for going early to visit the Arizona Memorial is because everyone is given a ticket for admission that will list a time for visiting the memorial itself. If you get there early, you're more likely to get one of the first tickets, whereas getting there in the later morning or early afternoon may get you a very late ticket (e.g., get there at 11A, have a ticket for 3:30P). Tickets are first come first served.

I'm in Honolulu a whole lot while my poor husband is working ;) & I love going over to Ala Moana - there's stores there you rarely see anywhere else (Loewe is the only one in the US) & the upscale stores are not nearly as intimidating to browse as they are elsewhere. You can not miss a lunch or dinner at Alan Wong's Pineapple Room in Macy's & lunches at Mariposa in Neiman Marcus are excellent & not nearly as stuffy as in other branches. While at NM, check out the sale stuff - they seem to have much better year round sales than my local one does - my daughter is always very happy when I return from HNL!

I remember a big Chinese Restaurant on the second floor of Ala Moana which served very good dim-sum. Is it still there? What's the name?

Are you thinking of China House (hmm...I believe that's the name)? They're closed now.

One thing that made me a little sad walking around Ala Moana last month is how few truly local shops are left. I might as well have been walking around Anymall USA. :(

Bk
 

"I booked the Ala Moana Hotel. Anything I should look out for?"


FYI. Ala Moana recently went Bankrupt and the service levels have been affected. Book at another hotel.

I appreciate the tip, Slippahs. Good to know. If I do get there early, will I have a choice of times (as I'll probably be hung over and unable to appreciate it so early)?

Consider, if you have time, a dinner cruise off Waikiki, for another view of the sunsets and a no-hassle meal. I think the wharf is fairly close to the ala Moana area. There are several service levels / dining options on each cruise.
Instead of the flea markets near Pearl Harbor you could pop into the markets near Waikiki beach. We did the latter on the day of our cruise.
Please include a brief report on how you find it - bet you will want to see more another time :)

RE: Honolulu Visit
 

If you desire to see the Arizona Memorial, one of the few things you do NOT want to be at this "Shrine of Fallen Heros", is to be so hung-over, or drunk, as not to appreciate the significance of why you are there! A suggestion might be to wait until your body and mind can be clear enough to know where you are, and why. Otherwise, there are some very good ideas the FT folks have given you, but I would add that if you want an excellant steak, and an awesome salad, go to Anderson's Black Angus in the Ward Center. Not only is the restaurant good, but the shops are great. If you want a better priced mall to visit, check out the Windward Mall....rarely visited by our foreign visitors, and therefore the prices are more reasonable....for Hawaii.

I hope I didn't offend... I was more joking than serious, but this is a pleasure trip and certain activities may be going on at certain times. I'm actually really looking forward to the memorial visit. I have a personal family connection with the events that took place there.

I do appreciate the dining tips, Sydny. Anything else for a first-timer?

I just returned today. As I arrived in HNL on feb. 18, I did not read your suggestion in time. Not that I could have changed the reservation on a day's notice.

the Ala Moana is doing a lot of construction so it left a lot to be desired: no pool, some halls blocked off or partly full of tools and materials. On the other hand, the rate was quite good for HNL. I just thought I was getting a special deal for my convention!

I followed a lot of the suggestions and will post a more detailed report in the near future. It was a great experience, unlike any place I've ever been.

Aloha and mahalo