A month in Hawaii

[A854321]

Not the whole month on Oahu

I saw Honobob's comments and I certainly understand the problems he is relating about getting the whole crew up and down and around.

Nevertheless, Hawaii is so much more than Oahu, and with the luxury of an entire month, you could do two islands and still be relaxed. It sounds like your kids are fairly well-traveled. I have always found kids liked the least predictable and often, simplest, things. I still think The Big Island has so much to offer. Where else will they get to visit an active volcano? And history at The Place of Refuge is very impressive, and the snorkeling there is great.

Again, I would go for 3 islands, but 2 would be better than an entire month on Oahu. You will not be able to use Superferry for daytrips to other islands. The schedule and pricing just doesn't work that way.

 

[Zoocat]

Also, if you stay any length of time on Oahu and want to explore other areas besides Waikiki, then be careful what time of day you get on the freeways. Traffic on Oahu is a nightmare.

 

[heyyou]

From research for my own tickets, check on ATA airlines. They service Hilo (Big Island) Hawaii through Oakland nonstop, but the flights seem to be on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. As a retiree, I like seeing that type of cost cutting. For late October, $231 per person, each way from Phoenix (using Southwest Airlines to Oakland) to Hilo Hawaii looks good to me. They have a pre-pay, discount plan ($3000 minimum) for frequent travellers. Farmer, the OP, could look into that for his six roundtrip tickets from an east coast airport. ATA does service Chicago-Midway that someone warned against.
A big thank you to A854321 for the links. I spent the whole day visiting Big Island internet sites, but that is what my retirement is for, having time to do what i want. Off topic: I passed on the opportunities to buy land that was covered by lava in 1990. No electric, water hauled or by catchment only, no way to install a septic tank, and the surveyed lot markers are under the lava somewhere, but the prices were cheap. One place even had a lava wave on it. Depending on the orientation, that wave may be the only shade for several miles. Another seller cautioned about lava tubes under his property. Thinking about the problems of trying to build a house on Big Island lava was entertaining to me.
Joe

 

[A854321]

Always new property

If you are very farsighted.....there is new land being developed in Hawaii as we speak. So it's under the water, about 4,000 feet, and it won't be ready for utilities for about 20,000 years. But man, what an estate you could leave!

 

[Nords]

If you are very farsighted.....there is new land being developed in Hawaii as we speak. So it's under the water, about 4,000 feet, and it won't be ready for utilities for about 20,000 years. But man, what an estate you could leave!

Loihi

 

[bpp3]

A bit late to the party, but here are my two cents:

First, don't worry too much about the length of the flight, even for your 6-year-old. It will be easier to take it in one shot than dragging it out with extra stops along the way. And 10.5 hours is not really that long -- especially if it is a Continental 777, with individual video terminals at each seat.

The Big Island is a must-see, as others have mentioned. With all that time you can drive all over it, maybe even camp out near the volcanoes at some point. I would tend to prefer the wetter, rainforested Hilo side to the Kona coast. If your kids are at all into hiking, you can spend time going around the volcanoes, checking out petroglyphs, etc. You can also hike into the back of Waipi`o valley (King Kamehameha's home), I believe, which I have never done but would like to some time.

Kaua`i would ordinarily be my next choice, if your family is seriously into outdoor stuff -- hiking Waimea Canyon, Na Pali Coast, etc. But unless your family is also into just hanging out, they'll run out of stuff to keep them occupied quickly.

Honolulu is a great place to live, not sure I'd recommend it as the first place to visit on vacation, EXCEPT that the kids might find it more fun than hiking around scenic areas on other islands. You'll have to be the judge of that. Certainly lots more easy kid-oriented stuff to find on O`ahu -- easy snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, Diamond Head at sunrise, museums (the Bowfin submarine at Pearl Harbor is way cool), shows, etc. Actually, the more I think about it, the better a Big Island/Honolulu combination sounds.

Encourage your family to read up on the history of the islands before you go and while you are there, to really get into it. It will also help you appreciate things like the significance of the Pali on O`ahu, etc. There is history all over the islands.

 

[farmerEd]

After much consideration, we have decided that the single long flight is in fact a better option for us than having two full days of travel in each direction...better to take the pain all at once and get it over with. And you are right, with enough snacks and individual TV's, we can probably get thru it even with the smallest of them.

Looking more and more likely that we will actually do this, but still have lots and lots of planning to do - actually the planning and anticipation of a vacation is almost as fun as the vacation itself.

Thanks again for all the great info - lots to digest.

 

[Nords]

It will also help you appreciate things like the significance of the Pali on O`ahu, etc. There is history all over the islands.

In the early 1900s, roadworkers were still finding piles of 18th-century bones from the "Battle of the Pali"...

 

[laurence]

Looking more and more likely that we will actually do this, but still have lots and lots of planning to do - actually the planning and anticipation of a vacation is almost as fun as the vacation itself.

Thanks again for all the great info - lots to digest.

Absolutely, we start planning a year in advance, it's so much fun!