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Hi! We are taking our honeymoon to Hawaii next week. We will be in Maui most of the time, but will have a full day to spend in Honolulu before we fly back that evening. What do you reccomend are the "must see's" or "must-do's" for 1 day in Oahu?
I saw a tour that hits up the Dole Plantation and then the North Shore. Anyone know anything about this type of tour? Would you suggest something else instead? What about Circle Island? Is that worth spending the day at? Any advice would be much appreciated! THanks for your help! and we can rent a car if we need to!
I would say rent a car and do it yourself. Drive up to Haleiwa/North Shore (you can stop by Dole Plantation on your way, but I don't think I would) and then drive all the way around Kaneohe, back to Honolulu (basically the circle tour). You can plan various stops on your way.
I would definitely not go to Dole Plantation with one day here. (It took me nearly two years to get around to it, and I don't think I was missing anything.)
You could rent a car and circle the island, stopping at various sights: drive east on H1. Stop in Waikiki if you want. Drive through Hawaii Kai, and stop at some of the lookouts along the way. Get to Kailua, and stop to see the beach there or in Lani Kai. Drive up to the Pali lookout. Then head up to the North Shore.
The whole thing can be done in a few hours or a whole day, depending on how long you make each stop.
Alternately, you could do some of the "cultural" stuff if you like that: the Bishop museum is great, or Iolani palace or the Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor. Those would be very different from what you will probably do on Maui.
So you will spending the last day of your vacation on Oahu. Remember vacations can be stressful and you'll probably be tired so I wouldn't recommend renting a car (pick up and then drop off and then getting lost and the traffic ewwww).
Dole - North Shore Tour is a huge snore............Maybe if you were on your second week. What happens with that is you spend the day in a bus.
If you're culturally curious do an Iolani Palace - Bishop Museum tours...more snoring
Then if you're into snorkeling there is Hanauma Bay; a must do for snorkelers. Hanauma Bay Park, Oahu It's best to do a day tour IMO.
What I would do if I was on my Honeymoon for one day on Oahu is spend the day in famous Waikiki. Everything is in walking distance and so many things to do. There are also many shuttles to the airport going out all the time so you're guaranteed that ride to the airport (or taxi). I wouldn't to a circle tour (more bus; more rushing around).
You got all kinds of restaurants, shops, the zoo, the International Marketplace, the aquarium (boring), beach bars, the beach and the people. It's probably the most famous place in the state of Hawaii to sit on the beach and people watch. Take a surfing lesson, sail, canoe, sun bath,
Relax; ponder Diamond Head and maybe there could be a beach concert gong on somewhere as it often happens. Then many times the people get together for day jams.
The one thing you don't want to do is stretch yourself out thin and be beating the clock all day because the time will fly.
Congratulations on your marriage
Last edited by tyvin; 05-11-2010 at 03:01 AM..
Reason: add about circle tour
To give you the best advice we'll need to know what time you arrive in HNL and when you depart.
Thank you to EVERYONE for all your advice. You gave me some great suggestions!
If it helps any more- We take one of the first flights from Maui on that morning so we land in Honolulu around 8am, then our flight back home leaves Honolulu at 8:30 pm. We'll have all that time inbetween to explore the island.
Also, this is very random, but does anyone happen to know if there are lockers in the honolulu airport that we could lock our stuff up in for the day if we don't rent a car?
SO EXCITED...will be in Maui for our honeymoon in 3 days! Haven't made any plans yet though besdies the hotel and car rental!
We will be staying at the Westin. Anyone suggest any "must see's" or "must do's" while there? Especially hikes or tours we are interested in!
Also, restaurants not to miss... we'll have a rental car.
Thank you to EVERYONE for all your advice. You gave me some great suggestions!
If it helps any more- We take one of the first flights from Maui on that morning so we land in Honolulu around 8am, then our flight back home leaves Honolulu at 8:30 pm. We'll have all that time inbetween to explore the island.
Also, this is very random, but does anyone happen to know if there are lockers in the honolulu airport that we could lock our stuff up in for the day if we don't rent a car?
Last I heard there are no longer lockers at the airport since 9/11.
Google it, talk to the airline and the hotel.
I don't know anything about Maui.
You guys want to be able to go around without carrying all your stuff around right? So......there's got to be something as I would think this service is highly requested just for the reason that hundreds of people do the day thing before taking off.
Good-luck to you and your future wife.
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thanks!
