Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Going To Honolulu and Maui next week. Did some search on this forum so, I have some ideas already lined up.
Will hit the beaches for sure. Can anyone recommend places to hike and maybe see waterfalls and such in these two islands.
I heard there's a nude beach on Maui as well.....not that I'm going there
We're big on eating, so can anyone recommend great places (great hole in the wall places and also a nice fancy place) for breakfast/brunch, lunch, and dinner on both islands. I love sushi, so I'm looking forward to going to a great japanese restaurant or sushi bar.
Not sure about restaurants in Honolulu yet but in Maui, we're thinking of Mama's Fishhouse, the Hali'imaile General Store, and not sure yet but maybe splurge at the Four Season's.
List to do:
Oahu
Pearl Harbor
??Bishop Museum
Waikiki Beach
Waikiki Mall
Diamond Head
Skip Honolulu Auqarium since Maui Ocean Center is better.
Polynesian Cultureal Center- check out Tahitian Pearls
Hananuma Bay- snorkel
Lanai beach-Magnum PI house, hhehehehehe
North Shore- surfers and Sunset
Shrimp trucks at North Shore
??Kuokula Ranch- movie set tour
Maui
Lahaina-shopping and eating- Front street...
Lahaina Canery mall- free hula shows Tues/Thurs
Whalers Village- shopping/free hula shows 7-9pm Mon, Wed, Sat
Baldwin Museum
Iao Valley
Haleakala Summit/sunrise
Kula Lavender Farms
Paia- Momma's fishhouse
Shops at Wailea
Wailea beaches-Ula, Makena, Big Beach, Little Beach, Turtle City
Kihei-eateries/restaurants- Da Kitchen, Cafe O'lei, Fat Boy Burger, Kamaloe beaches, Cove Beach
Wailuku- Tropical plantation, ??Queens' Mall, ??Maui Mall
If you take the road to Hana, there is some good hiking up there.
Nude beach is over in Makena (local beach).
Mama's FH food is excellent...pricey, but delicious.
As OP mentioned PCC is an entire day. With limited time, I would do something else, maybe swim with the dolphins.
Since you mentioned snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, I suggest you keep going east to Makapuu and hike up to the top of the trail. Great views from up there and maybe you'll see some whales. Then keep going north to Kailua and go to the beach at Lanikai (ahhhhhhhhhh). Heading back to Honolulu on highway 61, stop at the pali overlook and hike down the old road.
Another day do Haleiwa and the north shore and take some time to watch the surfers at Ehukai Beach Park (site of the Banzai Pipeline). You can also do the shrimp trucks, but skip the Kuokula Ranch -- I've heard it's a waste of money.
On Maui, you failed to mention both the Road to Hana and Haleakala. Those are both must-dos. On the way to Hana, there are numerous places where you can get out of the car and hike. There's also hiking and falls once you get to Hana.
Since you mentioned snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, I suggest you keep going east to Makapuu and hike up to the top of the trail. Great views from up there and maybe you'll see some whales. Then keep going north to Kailua and go to the beach at Lanikai (ahhhhhhhhhh). Heading back to Honolulu on highway 61, stop at the pali overlook and hike down the old road.
Another day do Haleiwa and the north shore and take some time to watch the surfers at Ehukai Beach Park (site of the Banzai Pipeline). You can also do the shrimp trucks, but skip the Kuokula Ranch -- I've heard it's a waste of money.
On Maui, you failed to mention both the Road to Hana and Haleakala. Those are both must-dos. On the way to Hana, there are numerous places where you can get out of the car and hike. There's also hiking and falls once you get to Hana.
What is the Road to Hana like in terms of driving cause a few searches online give warnings like:
"If you are prone to carsickness, then this drive may not be for you. Don’t even think about it, without using something to help you combat carsickness. Roll down your window for fresh air and to hear the birds and waterfalls when the car is in motion. "
"Avoid driving a long distance on this Road to Hana at night, the road can be very narrow at some sections."
"Watchout for mudslides, some sections are unpaved"
What is the Road to Hana like in terms of driving cause a few searches online give warnings like:
<snip>
Is the road that wicked to drive?
I saw all those same warnings, but did it anyway. I'll say: There were some stretches where I was pretty glad no one was coming the other way, but there were very few of those. You're driving slow and looking at the sites, so it's not a problem. Just think of it like a mountain road... curvy & narrow, but nothing more than that. I think the road around the northeast end of Maui is way, way trickier, and with much less payoff in terms of what you see.
(Some friends of mine did road to Hana in a tour group. If you really don't want to drive it, then at least consider doing that. But I actually get more car sick as a passenger in a van than as a driver. And if you drive, you decide where you stop and for how long.)
Maui restaurants: Pacific'o and I'o are trying the farm-to-table thing, and I've heard good reviews of them. I loved Hali'imaile General Store.
Oahu restaurants: what are you looking for? Lots of options here. If you want something fun that you can't get anywhere on the mainland (that I know of), I recommend Hakkei Japanese restaurant. It's in a neighborhood, nowhere near the tourist areas, but worth the trip.
Upscale: we keep going back to Alan Wong's. We try the other upscale restaurants, but they don't compare.
Upscale-ish: Town in Kaimuki. Highly recommend. Then get dessert at JJ's a block away. (But don't eat at JJ's. Trust. Dinner at Town, dessert at JJ's.)
I drove a van on the road to Hana, and it really wasn't that big of a deal as far as being scary. There are some narrow places, but people yield to each other. It is a very very curvy road, so the non-drowsy version of car sick pills may be needed for some people. Once you get to the area with the falls, don't go any further. The road beyond is scary narrow and in really bad shape.
I saw all those same warnings, but did it anyway. I'll say: There were some stretches where I was pretty glad no one was coming the other way, but there were very few of those. You're driving slow and looking at the sites, so it's not a problem. Just think of it like a mountain road... curvy & narrow, but nothing more than that. I think the road around the northeast end of Maui is way, way trickier, and with much less payoff in terms of what you see.
(Some friends of mine did road to Hana in a tour group. If you really don't want to drive it, then at least consider doing that. But I actually get more car sick as a passenger in a van than as a driver. And if you drive, you decide where you stop and for how long.)
Maui restaurants: Pacific'o and I'o are trying the farm-to-table thing, and I've heard good reviews of them. I loved Hali'imaile General Store.
Oahu restaurants: what are you looking for? Lots of options here. If you want something fun that you can't get anywhere on the mainland (that I know of), I recommend Hakkei Japanese restaurant. It's in a neighborhood, nowhere near the tourist areas, but worth the trip.
Upscale: we keep going back to Alan Wong's. We try the other upscale restaurants, but they don't compare.
Upscale-ish: Town in Kaimuki. Highly recommend. Then get dessert at JJ's a block away. (But don't eat at JJ's. Trust. Dinner at Town, dessert at JJ's.)
I think I'll have to pass on the northeast end of maui then. Pacific'o and I'o sounds interesting and we'll have to try that.
Hakkei, Alan Wong and Kaimuki will be on our list now
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
