Where to go??
 

Hey guys,
I'm thinking about taking a spontaneous trip to Hawaii for 7 days, but I'm not sure of which island to fly into. I'm going alone and really just want to relax, hit the beach, and maybe check out some of the Hawaiian scenes...like a luau, watching the surfers, exploring the volcanoes, etc. My friends are telling me to fly into Oahu, but how is the Big Island so different and is it better? The prices are not so different.
I should be ok going alone right? I'm a 28 y.o. male. And how easy is it to get around? Is it essential for me to rent a car? And advice and feedback would be great!

Thanks

If I had 7 days to spend in one Island, I would spend them in Big Island. To get around the Big Island you need a rental car. We were a group of 3 guys and it was a blast. I am sure you can still enjoy the sights and sounds of the big island by yourself too.

I have spend a long weekend in Oahu alone when winter storms in the East coast got my friends stuck at airports. I booked a bunch of tours and met up with people from the tours. I am positive you'll have a good time!

You can find good information for your Big Island trip on the following thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hawai...land-trip.html

The helicopter tour of vacation rentals 2 years ago was kind of scam, I would stay away from them; YMMV on these.

Well, I love Maui, but as a 28 year-old single male you'll probably find more activities and adventures on Oahu. Maui tends to be more honeymooners, couples, and families.

You may also enjoy Kauai although it has less of a "scene", but great surf watching on the north side and it is a gorgeous island.

Wherever you go, Hawaii is magical. Enjoy!

JumperGi,
All the islands are great, but as a single 28 year old, I think Oahu would be your most fun. Also, not sure if you are military? If so, there are several great opportunities on Oahu that are only available to military. You will certainly find plenty to do on Oahu.

If you like lots of nightlife I'd go to Oahu. For variety, I'd go to the Big Island (Volcano is calling) or Maui (the most popular island) and stay in the Ka'anapali area.

Getting around
 

Ok, here is question about Oahu. Do I really need a car? I'm ok with public transportation, as long as, it's reliable. Thanks for all the comments. Perhaps I can fly into Oahu and catch an inter-island flight to the Big Island for a night...I really want to go to Volcano National Park!!!

If you're okay with being stuck in Waikiki, then no, a car isn't necessary. If you want to see some of the other more common tourist sites, e.g., Hanauma Bay, then TheBus will also work. However, if you'd want to visit sights like the North Shore and not be stuck on TheBus for half the day, then you'd need a car. TheBus is reliable but it does take time to get places. So getting a car is more for convenience than anything else.

Now re: the Big Island and VNP. You'll need a car there.