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I was also going to add - there are washer/dryers on almost every floor here. Most of the hotels on the strip don't have any (Hilton village, aston) and those that do (marriott, hyatt) have just a handful of machines for the entire hotel and very limited hours that you can use them...
Some random tips (we travel ALOT with our 3yo here and elsewhere).
I pack two swimsuits for my daughter, the kind that come with a rash guard type shirt (covers her shoulders) and a skirted bottom with a swim hat. The sun here is really, really strong and I see too many burned and overheated kids out and about. It's pretty easy to find adult sunhats here , kids are a little tougher so I'd consider getting one before you come.
We end up walking alot - from the Hale Koa its about 1.3 miles to the zoo and the same (opposite direction) to the mall so we still end up taking the stroller with us (we havent used it back home in a couple years) . I bring a lightweight blanket I can use to get her completly out of the sun - she tends to crash on the walk back from the zoo.
I pack a set of silverware for all of us in a pencil case in my handbag... we eat at a lot of food stands, grocery delis, etc... most of those places supply cheap plastic silverware which is miserable (and bad for the enviroment)
There is a post office about a block from the Hale Koa if you want to mail anything back home vs. packing it.
Check into reservations for things you want to do early - the better tables at the Hale Koa luau go pretty quick, the tours at the Ranch, Pearl Harbor, even Diamond Head can be "full".
I always pack some cheap tupperware/ snack containers in our luggage - we can buy the bigger bags of snacks for my daughter. Crackers and things get very stale very quick here!
The PX sells pb, jelly and bread. All the stores here sell grab and go sandwhichs but only a handful sell PBanJ (the ABC at the hilton village has them)
Almost all the hotels have free classes (dance , lei making, etc) in the mornings. And there are also free mini concerts, etc.. My daughter really like to see the pengiuns over at the hilton and most of the hotels have exotic birds on display in the lobbies during the day....
I gather up coupons for the chain restarants before we come over - be careful , some will say not valid in Hawaii in the small print. Dennys is really good about taking coupons - keep an eye on the circular in your sunday paper before you leave/
Thank you again, you are a gold mine in information on the Hale Koa. We plan to rent rent a car some of the time and see the entire island, also will plan on taking the #55 bus around the island. From being there 49 years ago, I know there is so much to do and so little time.
We are in the process of selling one of our house's and the deal may not be done until we are there, so knowing the post office is close. That, a computer and the internet and a printer will help a lot too....lol. If I sell the house it will allow me to either move back over to Hawaii full time or at least part time. We are bringing a small stroller, not the big one.
We plan on the zoo, the aquarium, and a lot of other things too. Already bought several bottles of sun screen. I am looking at HIK, K-Bay and Barbers point as possible points of departure back to the mainland when the time comes. What are your thoughts on those. Also, do you use only Travis for a return point or others too?
Thank you again, you are a gold mine in information on the Hale Koa. We plan to rent rent a car some of the time and see the entire island, also will plan on taking the #55 bus around the island. From being there 49 years ago, I know there is so much to do and so little time.
We are in the process of selling one of our house's and the deal may not be done until we are there, so knowing the post office is close. That, a computer and the internet and a printer will help a lot too....lol. If I sell the house it will allow me to either move back over to Hawaii full time or at least part time. We are bringing a small stroller, not the big one.
We plan on the zoo, the aquarium, and a lot of other things too. Already bought several bottles of sun screen. I am looking at HIK, K-Bay and Barbers point as possible points of departure back to the mainland when the time comes. What are your thoughts on those. Also, do you use only Travis for a return point or others too?
I can't be any help on the airfare/airport, LOL. My husband is retired military, now DoD employee. He has to fly over here from where we live (San Diego) a lot. I have the Hawaiian airlines credit card and he flies enough short trips (2-3 days) that he gets a lot of miles which he never uses since the govt pays his ticket. So daughter and I use the miles to come when he is going to be here for a longer stay. Generally we end up here 3 -4 times a years for a couple weeks each time....We are at the Hale Koa for a month and then we have to change hotels for the second month (the Hale Koa only lets you stay 30 days at a time)
On hotel prices - I am not sure what the regular prices are at any of the other places since we are only here when my husband is here for work- travelling under military/DoD orders. He is required to stay here or stay under the govt cap of $177/night. Most of the hotels here have a limited number of rooms they let go for that rate or will throw in upgrades/buffet/extra points if we are booking for a longer time. I just call around.... I'd also look at AAA and Costco memberships - even if you don't have them, the discount might be enough to pay for the membership and then some...
I personally prefer the jogging stroller when we are here - it's easier to push and I can hang a fairly good sized bag off of it. If my daughter falls asleep during the day - she's better shaded. And at night - she often falls asleep in it -if we want to walk the strip or something.. I'm not a mom who uses a stroller much except when we are here....
I think the aquarium is a little overpriced for what it is, it's pretty small. But YMMV, we have several we go to in So California so it's not a big deal for us...
I saw they had NO diapers in stock at the px downstairs this morning, just swim diapers. So yes, bring a least a couple days worth so you don't have to find them immediately.
I refinanced two of our homes a few years ago while we were here...I was able to do everything at the business center in the hotel (hyatt at the time , I think).
Bakeneko, again, thank you very much as you have been a great help. I too am retired, but not doing DOD or anything like it. I used to live in Calif. many years ago along with the other thirty two states that my career has taken me two. I now live in Oregon mid way between Travis and McChord. Though McChord has flights to HIK Travis seems to have a lot more, thus we will be trying to get out of there on the first week of Sept.
I have two jogging strollers, but they are so big and bulky. I was thinking of bringing our lightweight $20.00 fold up stroller from Walmart just to have. You'r thoughts on those.....
I was planning on hitting the ITS and MWR on the bases and seeing about discount tickets to the Zoo, aquarium, and the memorials, plus whatever else they might have tickets two.
Good to know that you were able to take care of your house's while there. I should have a contract on mine tomorrow or Tue. But was told it was going to take fourt to six weeks with no problems to complete the deal. While there we are going to start doing a little house hunting too.
Again, thank you very much for your input. Please feel free to drop hints and ideas as you get them.
Bakeneko, again, thank you very much as you have been a great help. I too am retired, but not doing DOD or anything like it. I used to live in Calif. many years ago along with the other thirty two states that my career has taken me two. I now live in Oregon mid way between Travis and McChord. Though McChord has flights to HIK Travis seems to have a lot more, thus we will be trying to get out of there on the first week of Sept.
I have two jogging strollers, but they are so big and bulky. I was thinking of bringing our lightweight $20.00 fold up stroller from Walmart just to have. You'r thoughts on those.....
I was planning on hitting the ITS and MWR on the bases and seeing about discount tickets to the Zoo, aquarium, and the memorials, plus whatever else they might have tickets two.
Good to know that you were able to take care of your house's while there. I should have a contract on mine tomorrow or Tue. But was told it was going to take fourt to six weeks with no problems to complete the deal. While there we are going to start doing a little house hunting too.
Again, thank you very much for your input. Please feel free to drop hints and ideas as you get them.
My husband grumbles about it ...but I always take the jogging stroller. I think we haven't used the stroller at home since she was about 2.5yo but even now that she's 4 - we still pack it for Hawaii.
I do alot of walking when we are there. It's 2.5 miles from the Hale Koa to the end of the strip and back (the Zoo is at the end of the strip). My husband rarely gets back to the hotel before 6pm or so and then he likes to walk the strip before turning in at night (he has restless leg - it helps him sleep better). In any case - I often end up putting in at least 5 - 6 miles a day. Thats a really long way to push a umbrella stroller, IMO.
What I've found with an umbrella stroller (the cheap foldup kinds)- they are not very comfortable, my daughter might nod off in one when she was very little and very tired but she will actually get a quality nap in the jogging stroller.
At night the main drag can be very crowded, it's very close to the street in places and well, there are often homeless/crazy/drunk people on the sidewalk in places. There are also various street performers - people with pets (birds and the like) that they are offering pictures with, a couple people covered in metallic paint, break dancers. Some of these can be a little loud and areas around them can get congested.
I don't know what nationality/race you guys are but my daughter is very fair with very blond hair and bright blue eyes. It's slacked off a little but she has always received ALOT of attention for Japanese (and Chinese) tourists. For teh most part, it's pretty harmless - just smiling at her, waving or asking to take her picture. Sometimes though - people would take her picture without permission, film her or touch her or stroke her hair. It's pretty mcuh constant from when we step off the Hale Koa grounds til we return... My daughter is handles it pretty well but it can get to be a bit much sometimes...
Anyway - with the jogging stroller , she is a little more enclosed than she is with the umbrella so I think she feels a little more at ease, safer. She will actually reach up and pull the cover over herdelf when she's had "enough" and is getting overstimulated.
I;d also consider how much sun protection you think you'll need - we're out and about alot during the day and the umbrella didn't offer much sun protection. My daughter is pretty "long" , she's tall for her age but for the most part her whole body was covered by the jogging stroller canopy til she was about 3.5 or so. I bring a very lightweight blanket that I can use to cover her completely (I keep large binder clips clipped to the end of the canopy)
Like I said, my husband grumbles about the bigger stroller - it is a pain at the airport, and takes up a fair amount of room in the rental car. And of course, if you pan on taking the bus/trolley everywhere - it might be easier to have the umbrella stroller.
It sound like you are going to be there for a couple weeks - we travel with my daughter alot and I'd highly recommend getting some "room toys". We do this anywhere we are staying more that three nights or so. You can hit Walmart/Kmart in Honolulu (if you have a car). If not, they have toys on the second floor of the Ross (located on Seaside) off the main drag.
It's nice to have something for my daughter if we are back at the room having some midday quiet time during the afternoon or for winding down at night. Or if it's raining .....
Things we get
Playdoh sets (come with a few gadgets and a couple cans of play-doh)
legos or some sort of building toy.
coloring books with crayons
sticker books
easy crafting kits like beading....
She also has a couple of these Ty Beanie Ballz. They are ball shaped stuffed animals, they are soft but weighted inside. Perfect for playing catch in a hotel room. They sell them just about everywhere but I think she got her first one at the Honolulu Zoo gift store.
I also bring or buy a couple new story books - there have some at the Ross, and there is a Barnes and Noble on the first floor of the Ala Moana mall. I read to my daughter every night here at home and it's really hard to get her down at night in a hotel without her stories. They also have a small selction of Hawaiian childrens books at the PX.
One other thing - this might fall under "too much information", LOL.
But I always throw a can of the individually wrapped dried plums/prunes in with suitcase or with my carryon snacks. When we travel, my daughter ends up eating more processed and "dry" foods than at home. And she asks for more milk (I think it's something of a comfort food for her). I try and offer her fruit as much as possible there but even so - after a few days, we end up with a slightly stopped-up and uncomfortable baby.
I also let her pick out a new "character" straw cup before we go - or get one and let her sticker it to try and encourage her to drink alot of water...
Thanks, all good info. I was set on the fold up stroller because I know how much trouble the big one will be, but my wife won't let up on me, so I may take the jogging stroller knowing it's going to be a pain.
We are fair skinned and white, so will have to watch being burned. Our daughter too, is blond and blue eyed. We will be there about three weeks, in fact I am sending off our form 140-A's to Travis today to get on the schedule for HIK. Hopefully we will get out on time. Would like to have the car and turn it in at that time, but that may not happen. And, we may have to make several false starts before getting out of there to come home.
I'd also consider the Waikiki trolley as a good way to get around.... I was looking at their web page before this trip in June and and didn't see the pay-as-you go option , just the weekly and monthly passes. So when we got to waikiki, I stopped by the trolley info booth. The guy there was really nice and wanted me to buy a weekly or monthly pass. I told him I had just been there in Dec and had ridden a few times for a couple bucks...
Well, it turns out that is still an option. It's $2 each person, exact change for the Pink Line. The guy at the info booth said they had been instructed to really push the unlimited passes (which are a good deal) but the occasional fare is still there (even though it seems to be gone from the webside).
Thanks, that's good to know, will keep it in mind. What are your thoughts on other island visits and the cost to get there and back? I saw an article on a short ferry ride to I believe, Laniai or one of the others. Is that trip worth it, and I believe at the time the cost was about $25.00.00.
Thanks again for all the info, both to you and the others that have given me ideas. We are now 55 days out from leaving for Hawaii.....
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