Irish Girl wants to visit Hawaii (Hilo, Captain Cook: beach, vacation, best)

[Johamma]

Hey

Me & my boyfriend would love to head over to Hawaii next summer, but we don't know where to go!

Since we have to travel so long and it really is the trip of a lifetime we want to make our vacation perfect.

We're in our mid twenties, so obviously like to go out and enjoy ourselves, but also want some major relaxation also. Love watersports & scuba diving. Not really keen on major hustle & bustle of city life

We are considering a short stopover in Oahu, then on to the Big Island & Maui. Trip will be 15/16 nights

Any recommendations?

Any feedback much appreciated!

Thanks

[gladis3]

We went this past June/July. We truely enjoyed our stay, and avoided high crowds like in Waikiki. We did 3 days of tourist stuff and relaxed the rest of the time. The Polynesian Cultural Center was very interesting. We spent a whole day there. Had dinner & did the evening show. It was a wonderful cultural experience. There is a lot of beaches to pull over and just lounge. We watched green sea turtles on shore at one beach on the east side of the island.

We also enjoyed going to Shark's Cove. Snorkling & just hanging out. Heading to Shark's Cove, we stopped to get snacks & shave ice in Hale'iwa at Matsumoto's.

Just a couple of ideas....hope this helps.

[cynmkolohe]

On the Big Island:

Explore a stay in Puako on the Kohala coast on the Big Island. Some of the islands best white sandy beaches nearby, but the community is low-key and sunsets are beautiful.

Or look into Captain Cook south of Kona. Easier access to the Volcanoes National Park. (Although the easiest access to the park is from the Hilo side...I strongly recommend that visitors look into at least one night at a Volcano area B&B...saves a few hours of drive time on the day you plan your Volcano visit.)