May be going to the Islands in May? Would love to get some tips on lighthousing, restauraunts, must see, luaus, etc. I will be looking in the Map Room for past trips. I remember Paul's son Honeymooned there. Don't really need a play by play but am looking for unique "best things I did!" type of stuff.
thanks,
Bob

We try to go to Hawaii at least once a year. Our favorite islands are Kauai and Maui. On Kauai we took a one hour helicopter flight that was amazing. Kilauea lighthouse is a must see. There is also a lighthouse at Nawiliwili Harbor that is best viewed from across the bay. We usually stay in the Poipu area because of the beaches. On Maui we stay in the Napili area because of the snorkeling. It has great views of Lanai and Molokai and you can see whales off the point of the condo. We have been to the top of Haleakela and the views are great. The road to Hana is a great all day trip but after I drove it I decided the bus tour would be better because you have to pay attention to driving and not the scenery! Lahaina has a lighthouse right on the wharf and there is another lighthouse hanging off of a cliff on the highway going toward Lahaina. On Oahu the best pictures that I ever took of Diamond Head Light were from the top of the crater. A very strenuous walk but worth the trip for the view of Honolulu that you get. There is also great snorkeling at Hanuama bay. Dont miss shave ice at Matsumotos on the North Shore. On Waikiki beach they have outrigger canoes that you can ride in and there are lots of sailing adventures right on the beach. Pearl Harbor is a very moving experience. The Bishop Museum is also a wonderful place to soak up Hawaiian culture. I hope this helps. Hawaii is a wonderful vacation spot with lots to do and friendly people. Terry

Hi Bob,
I have to agree with all that Terry just posted. I was in Hawaii for Thanksgiving and stayed on Oahu for 3 days and Kauai for a week. I stayed at the Hyatt in Poipu on Kauai. I loved the location and the resort!

I would highly reccomend the helicopter tour over Kauai. The scenery is beautiful and there are so many waterfalls to view from above. The Kilauea lighthouse is a must see and is part of a wildlife refuge. It is very easy to find and an easy access to walk around the grounds. The tower is not open to the public.

I found the best area to view the Diamond Head lighthouse on Ohau was from the main road (I have not climbed the crater). We parked our car and walked near the lighthouse. The light and grounds are closed to the public. We also hiked down towards the beach and were able to get some nice photos of the lighthouse looking back up towards it.

Hi Bob,

I forgot to mention Duke's to eat at on Waikiki Beach. It is located in the Outrigger Hotel. It is a great location to eat outside and view the sunset over Waikiki. There is also a Duke's at the Marriott on Kauai.

Besides Diamond Head on Oahu be sure to see Makapuu Light. It is a pleasant and not too strenuous walk to get to it, but it's worth it. It has the only hyperadiant fresnel lens in the US and one of a very few in the world. It's not open to the public but you can view it easily. Also great views of the ocean and whales from there. It's about 400-500 feet above the shore on a steep slope (cliff). The trail is off the main road about 30 minutes or so from Honolulu on the very easternmost tip of the island.

Larry

Thanks for all the tips (Terry, Lorie, and Larry), I'm compiling a list! Keep them coming.
thanks, Bob

A couple things that we did and enjoyed a lot and that you might consider:
a) Spent the better part of a day at the Polynesian Cultural center on Oahu. It's on the north side of the island away fro Honolulu but we signed up for a tour, caught the bus down in the hotel district and got a nice guided tour and ended up at the Cultural Center. A luau or dinner is included depending on what you sign up for. A lot of the various island group cultures are represented and do a wonderful job of educating and entertaining. The grounds are very photogenic too ... I don't think you'd be disappointed. You do get back to the hotel area pretty late though.
b) If you get to the big island of Hawaii, Volcanoes National Park is a consideration. The landscapes, steam vents, lava flow into the sea are all things to see
c) the town of Lahaina on the west coast of Maui is a real hopping place. Lots of things to see and do. Someone else already told tou that there is a lighthouse there to see and photo. There are lots of good places to east in town. The pizza at the Chicago Pizza Company is really good. Good seafood eats at the Lahaina Fish Company restaurant. We went to a show with live performers called Ulalena ... as far as I'm concerned it is "a don't miss it"!! It was great and we ended up buying a CD there that had the music from the show. I'm telling ya ...you'll love it! Another thing we did out of Lahaina was take a dolphin watch cruise that was put on by the Pacific Whale Foundation. The crew was very young and enthusiastic and made the cruise memorable. They did a nice job and we did see a lot of dolphins including, I'm told, the rather rarely seen "false killer whale".
d) a nice place to go for breakfast on Maui is the Gazebo located at Napili Shores just south of Kapalua. The pecan pancakes are something to behold and gorge yourself on.
e) the cruise we took on Kauai out of Port Allen that looped around the west side of the island and cruised the Napali Coast was very nice and comes recommended. Took a lot of digital photos. If you'd like me to E-mail some I'd be glad to do so.
f) powered hang-glider flights out of the airport just north of Hana on Maui are a little on the expensive side but are memorable. On a one hour flight, my daughter's flight worked it's way up the slopes of Haleakala (volcano on Maui) and did get up to about 6000'. There the pilot shut off the engine and they glided around until eventually landing back at the airport. There was a wing-mounted camera that took some pretty impressive photos of the pilot and passenger with some gorgeous backgrounds.
g) if you're a golfer there are some great and beautiful places to play on all the islands

If you have any questions about things on the islands, let us know. We might be able to help.

Bob, if you haven't made your final trip plans, Terry & I have a few recommendations. You need to stay at least 2days on Oahu so you can go to the Pearl Harbor Memorial and maybe even go on the submarine USS Bowfin. You should go to Maui after that and stay in Lahina (more things to see and do there) While in Maui you need to take a drive and make "The Trip to Hana." it is a hair raising drive but well worth the trip to the "Seven Pools." We also did the Windjammer Cruise for a picnic snorkel cruise to Lanai. Keep your camera with you at all times and be ready for the greatest sunsets you will ever see. Go to Kaui last because it is the most restful of all the islands. Plenty of beautiful places to see. We stayed at the Coco Palms where Blue Hawaii was filmed. It is so green and lush all the times of the year. There is a beach there where they filmed South Pacific. You could renew your wedding vows at the Fern Grotto. No matter where you decide to go it is a great trip. The only island we did not care for much was the Big Island of Hawaii.
Have fun.

Ruthie

Couple other places for you to consider if you go to the Big Island. In Kailua-Kona is a neat Hawaiian style art gallery, the Rift Zone. Local artists display and try to sell their wares. I wasa impressed by the pricey, but beautiful translucent wooden bowls that were made out of Norfolk Pine .... light shines through the wood and accentuates the grain and beauty of the wood. The gallery is located on Alii Drive (along the water).
Also on Hawaii, in the town of Hilo, is a nice place to eat called the Cafe Pesto. A local told us about it on one of our inter-island flights. Address is 308 Kamehameha Ave. in Hilo.

Pearl Harbour, the Big Island to see the Volcano at night, (bring a flashlight) Dukes on Waikiki for the breakfast buffet, just to name a few highlights.....

Mike