Every year, around mid-january to mid-February, as the snow falls, the forecast high is -25 C, and you don’t even ask about the windchill, the Pipers look at each other and say, “Why do we never go somewhere warm this time of year? Too late now.”
So this year, we’re starting to plan a holiday, and we’re thinking of Hawaii in late January or early February.
Neither of us have ever been in Hawaii (except for one stopover years ago en route to Sydney), and have no idea what to look for, what to do, what island, or where to stay.
So, please educate me on Hawaii. Anything to do or to avoid, where to go, what to see.
Neither of us are beachbunnies - Mrs Piper likes the heat, but likes to keep busy, not just lie there in the sun, and me, well, I avoid the sun, as I burn easily.
Oahu is the most developed - Honolulu is a fairly large city, with lots of high-end hotels and expensive shopping. Lots to do if you like cities. If you go, make sure you go to the Pearl Harbor memorial (get there very early - it sells out within a hour of opening).
The Big Island has the only active volcano in the US.
Maui’s attractions are more outdoors - snorkeling, bicycle riding, boating, wind surfing, etc.
Kaui is very lush and green, and is not as “touristy” as the other islands - a good place to go if you want to enjoy the scenery (it’s where “Lost” was filmed).
FWIW, we are going to Maui for a week next month - we plan on hiking, biking, and snorkeling, and of course, taking lots of photos.
I liked Sea Life Park on Oahu. Snorkeling in Haunauma Bay was great - it’s like swimming in a tropical fish tank. Just driving around Oahu and the Big Island was interesting. Volcanoes National Park and watching the lava flow into the sea was interesting - no other sites like it in the US. I also liked the tour of a macadamia nut factory, but then I love macadamia nuts. I’ve never been to the other islands
Get good maps for driving around Honolulu. I kept get lost at the intersection of Ka-something and Ka-something else.
After you pick your Island (I would suggest Maui for a first time trip) the single best piece of advice I can give is to get one of these guide books (I linked to the Maui one, but they have one for each of the major islands, just go to the home page). They are fantastic and constantly updated to stay current. They will help you figure out what *you *want to do, and help you stay away from stuff that is overly touristy. Get one before you go so you can use it as a trip planning guide. Those guides have pointed me in the direction of some fantastic sites and activities that I never would have found on my own.
I came in to mention this. There are tours out of Lahaina on Maui.
The OP may be surprised how cool Hawaii can get in January. I recall many a time at sitting up all night on the graveyard shift at the front desk of a dorm belonging to the East West Center federal research facility on the U of Hawaii campus, and it was brisk! Definitely sweater weather. Daytime too sometimes; I have photos of the future wife at the beach in a sweater and some days too cold for the water, at least for us.
I always thought Lost was filmed on the North Shore of Oahu? I know they used some locations in the Manoa Valley, and Honolulu a lot. We definitely recognized Kahala Mall playing a shopping mall in Sydney, plus downtown Honolulu as Los Angeles and one time even Berlin.
Yes, it was Oahu. But Kauai has been used in many productions. Jurassic Park springs to mind. and I believe on both Kauai and Oahu, you can take film-oriented guided tours.
My daughter is out there right now. It’s her 5th time in 6 years. They have a 1 1/2 yr old with them this time. Her favorite things are the hiking/snorkeling/ORV activities. Be careful where you get the tickets for these events. They have this place that opens Sunday morning and offers a presentation and a review of available the activities, then you buy your tickets there. The people who put this on are not associated with any of the activities so it’s an honest review. No rip offs. I can get that name if you like. This is assuming you’re going to spend any time in Honolulu.
We did Maui and the Big Island in March this year.
The Big Island is interesting - but I preferred Maui.
What are YOU interested in doing in Hawaii. If you want to do a lot of stuff, Kauai isn’t a great choice, but its a great choice for being laid back. If you want big city or to see Pearl Harbor, your only choice is Oahu. If you want to see the steaming volcano (we were there when there was NO visable lava - which was the first time in years that happened), its the Big Island. Whales like to hang in the channel between Maui and Lanai - although you can find them in other parts of Hawaii.
Our list was:
Volcano tour (only Big Island)
Surfing (can do it all over, but Maui has a nice intro surf beach - we used Goofy Foot Surf School).
Whale Watching (out of Lahaina)
Luau (you can find them all over, we went to Old Lahaina).
Beach time (there are good beaches all over Hawaii, but there are great beaches in a couple of places - Kanapaali is the beach we went to and is a great beach).
I will second the recommendation for the Wizard guides, we were never unhappy with any advice or information and we used them heavily.
I loved Kauai, it was definitely my favorite island. Waimea Canyon is gorgeous and Na Pali Coast is well worth the cost of a dinner sunset cruise (or a hike if your family is the active type)
Depending on the ages of your kids the Big Island and Volcano National Park is a great way to spend a couple of days. North Shore Surf Girls are supposed to be really great for kids lessons if you’re feeling brave they’ll teach adults too.
And of course, there’s always my standard suggestion of taking the Circle Island bus route on Oahu. The Honolulu bus system has two buses that circle the island – one clockwise and one counterclockwise. Takes about four hours. If you have a bus pass, you can just get off wherever you like and hop another one that comes along when it’s time to leave; I think they come along about once an hour in each direction (but not long after dark, so take care with that).
Oahu is in fact the only island where you don’t absolutely have to have a car. Month-long passes – and even a special tourist one that’s good for a few days – are available all over Waikiki, mostly in the ubiquitous ABC stores IIRC. On any of the other islands, you will have to rent a car. (Kauai does have some sort of rudimentary bus sytem, but it’s unreliable and by all reports tends to fill up with local eccentrics, and I don’t mean the good kind).
Below find some Big Island suggestions from a part-time resident who loves hiking.
Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm. This isn’t a hike, just something that tourists might enjoy. It was the highlight of my mother’s visit.
Waipio Valley Overlook. You can treat this as a drive-by scenic view, or you can hike in that area.
Kaumana Caves. Actually a lava tube - if you are adventurous and come properly equipped with kneepads, flashlights, water, etc., you can do quite a bit of fun exploring there (but it helps to be fit).
Pololu Beach.Don’t be putt off by the word “beach”. This is more of a hiking activity, with a beautiful forest by the beach - it isn’t for sunbathers.
Captain Cook Monument. I’ve only gone there by hiking, but I think that you can also get there by tour boat. The hike is really wonderful, though.
If you are passing by the area, check out Akaka Falls State Park. It is an easy stroll to get to the falls. When you pass through Honomu town you can stop and have some good eats.
When I was new to Hawaii, one way I found many fantastic hikes - a lot of them off the beaten track for tourists - was through taking up geocaching. I haven’t done it in a while, but I highly recommend it as a way to get to know the Big Island.
A few more of the endless wonders of the Big Island:
Petroglyphs. The link is to one location, but there are several different places to go.
South Point and Green Sands Beach. It’s a great hike from South Point to the green sands, and again, you needn’t be put off by the “beach” idea. (Though you’ll need hats and sunscreen for the hike if you are sun-sensitive.)
Punaluu Black Sand beach is a perfect place for a picnic. You don’t have to sunbathe - it’s just cool to see all the black sand.
Hapuna Beach. Okay, this one really is a beach activity, but it’s worth a short visit because it is so pretty and the water is usually magnificent. It generally makes the cut whenever there is a list of “best beaches in the world.”
Also, I second/third/fourth the recommendations that you visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. My idea of heaven would be to take a different hike there every day. I don’t think you would ever run out of eerie and fabulous landscapes. If you have even the tiniest bit of rock hound in your soul, it’s awesome. Reticulite, Pele’s Hair, steam vents … truly extraordinary.