Going to Hawaii

[creekster]

you people are selling hiking short. Hiking in the hills/mountains of the Hawaiian islands is spectacular. Almost every turn offers a gorgeous vista of the ocean or verdant hillsides and so forth. Fabulous stuff.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Any other suggestions? This is a gift from my parents to all their kids and grand kids and many want to see three PCC and Pearl Harbor.

I didn't make the reservations or plan the trip.

So aside from the snide comments, anyone want to offer some helpful advice?

Geez, you have a thin skin.

If you are a first timer, you will have plenty of things to do. The Dole plantation is another option. I wouldn't go out of my way to see it, but if you can work it in to your itinerary it might be worth a quick visit. In spite of the crowds and traffic you should check out Waikiki. Lots of great food options in Honolulu. Another popular stop on Oahu is snorkeling at Hanauma Bay. It is at the south end of the island and parking is limited so you need to get there early in the day or you may waste a trip.

Have fun.

[San Juan Sun]

Wow, three's company. We're going to Hawaii in early July too. Staying at the Mariott on the SW corner of Oahu.

It'll be my second time. Last time we went in Febuary and we got to spend a bunch of time on the north shore. One day we essentially had Waimea Bay to ourselves and boogie boarded on huge waves. One of the highlights of my life. Too bad there won't be any waves in July.

I've been to the swap meet at Aloha Stadium, great for buying cheap, por quality t shirts. Aloha Stadium is a dump though.

We will do the PCC, of course. Anyone know when the crowd is smallest there?

Thanks for the tip about Pearl Harbor JL. I didnt get to go last time, and I'm not missing it this year. We will do the online tickets for sure.

Has anyone got a good gameplay for Hawaiian food? What are the good local food joints? Aside from shaved ice, anyways.

[Viking]

My advice is to cancel your reservations and go to Maui Rio instead.

Fixed further.

[mUUser]

Honolulu is a just a big city with a crowded beach. If you skip it, you won't miss much. But, you can hike Diamond head and get a spectacular view of Waikiki Beach and the rest of Oahu. It's not a particularly difficult hike IMO.

Try the garlic shrimp trucks on the North Shore. My favorite is Giovanni's or Romy's. They're near Kahuku High School. Fumi's is up the road if you're interested in comparing. The North Shore is great certain times of the year to watch world class surfing. Unfortunately, the dead of summer isn't one of those times, but go to Sunset Beach anyway just to say you've been there and take a lesson from Uncle Bryan's Surf School if there's any small waves that day. Might as well hit Waimea Bay & the Bonzai Pipeline as well as you'll be right there and just close your eyes and imagine what the waves will look like in the winter months.

Since you're going to the PCC anyway, give BYUH and the LDS Temple a look. I'll bet a sunday church service on the north side of the island is pretty cool too.

Hanauma Bay has great snorkeling but get there really early as the crowds become overwhelming.

Honestly, you're doing the main summer attraction already -- Pearl Harbor. I've talked to some folks that liked their trip to the Valley of the Temples. I don't think it'd be up my alley but you could look into it as another idea.

[MarkGrace]

I've talked to some folks that liked their trip to the Valley of the Temples. I don't think it'd be up my alley but you could look into it as another idea.

This is right between my grandma's and auntie's houses. I've driven by it hundreds of times and never once stopped to find out what it is. Pretty, though, and the McDonald's across the street has haupia pie. Also used to be a Masa & Joyce right there that I would always hit.

[Portland Ute]

Well, surfing was great. I learned from the Hawaiian surf legend, Buttons.

First attempt, I was up and surfed out the wave.

First attempt to paddle into a wave on my own resulted in the same.

I'll skip the narration about the attempts that didn't turn out so well.

It would appear I have a tremendous amount of beginners luck.

Surfing is a blast. I caught a number of waves and really enjoyed it.

It's no small wonder those guys that surf all day every day are in such great shape.

We started out our trip on Tuesday with Pearl Harbor. I wasn't expecting all that much. However, maybe because it was the day before the 4th of July or maybe because I was mentally and physically drained from the preparations for the trip and the travel, it was a very, very moving and emotional experience for me.

If you haven't been to Pearl Harbor, I would put it on a must-see list. The museums there are fantastic. The survivor/first-hand video and audio accounts are very impactful. I would personally try to do the audio tour and see the museums before going out to the Arizona. That's the way we were able to do it and it certainly gave the experience at the Arizona a lot more context and meaning. Even my 9 and 7 year old were completely engrossed in the museums, audio and video presentations and the Arizona.

The Missouri was interesting, but if you are pressed for time or have kids that are at the end of their rope, skip it and don't look back. Just watch the Cher "Turn Back Time" video on YouTube and call it good.

The weather here hasn't been great. The wind and clouds have been quite annoying annoying at the beach, but we've caught some breaks and been able to enjoy the water, sun and scenery.

Thursday, we went to the PCC. It was interesting once. Don't think I'd choose to do it again.


It's 10 o'clock. We have to be out of the house in 24 hours. The plane takes off tomorrow night.

I think my wife is going to give surfing a try. Buttons says he'll take our kids out on a board with him, too. So I think we'll do that.

I've tried poi, lau lau pork and some other taro based stuff that was gooey and seemed to have coconut in it...kind of sweet. I've done the shrimp trucks numerous times (I think Tita's in Kahuka was the best. Giovanni's is way overrated.) Haven't tried Ted's Bakery yet.

Anything I should do or try in or around Laie in the next 24 hours?

[TripletDaddy]

Where did you surf? Which breaks?

[Scott R Nelson]

Anything I should do or try in or around Laie in the next 24 hours?

In Honolulu, the National Cemetery at the Punchbowl is also quite interesting. The Capitol building and Iolani Palace are also worth a visit. I visited all of those in April when I was in Honolulu.

[Portland Ute]

Where did you surf? Which breaks?

I met up with my instructor, Buttons, at Chuns. That is where we surfed. I guess they move locations based on the surf conditions.

It's a bit south of Waimea on the Kam highway.

I guess the less-than-ideal weather is actually good for surfing this time of year. The winds create swells, I guess.

Today is more calm, so maybe the surfing won't be so good.

They told us that summer is not a popular time on the North Shore but it's a good time for beginners that would/should never think of taking on the N. Shore at it's prime.

Regardless, I'm no expert...I'm clueless and I had a good time. If I lived anywhere near a beach, I'd probably become a regular. It was a lot of fun.

[TripletDaddy]

I met up with my instructor, Buttons, at Chuns. That is where we surfed. I guess they move locations based on the surf conditions.

It's a bit south of Waimea on the Kam highway.

I guess the less-than-ideal weather is actually good for surfing this time of year. The winds create swells, I guess.

Today is more calm, so maybe the surfing won't be so good.

They told us that summer is not a popular time on the North Shore but it's a good time for beginners that would/should never think of taking on the N. Shore at it's prime.

Regardless, I'm no expert...I'm clueless and I had a good time. If I lived anywhere near a beach, I'd probably become a regular. It was a lot of fun.

Chuns reef. I spent quite a bit of time there last Spring. Beautiful sandy spot but very reefy on the bottom. Ouch. We had rented a house in Waialua and so I was able to hit several of those spots. Puaena point is a fun spot with a nice rolling break and a lot of aloha. People are really cool there. Go out really early in the morning or early evening. Mid day sucks this time of year.

[LA Ute]

When I was there we went.

We will typically try to hit Sacrament Meeting at least, but admit to rarely making it beyond that. Just carrying on a tradition my parents started.

When the kids are with us - I view church as a somewhat cultural learning experience. I know most of you wouldn't think of it as such seeing as how the LDS population is viewed as rather homogeneous, but to my teen daughter who saw a Black man blessing the sacrament in a colored shirt with a large golden crucifix hanging around his neck when we were in DC...well...I can assure you that it was a cultural experience to her.

Our approach has always been pretty much like this.

[Surfah]

I met up with my instructor, Buttons, at Chuns. That is where we surfed. I guess they move locations based on the surf conditions.

It's a bit south of Waimea on the Kam highway.

I guess the less-than-ideal weather is actually good for surfing this time of year. The winds create swells, I guess.

Today is more calm, so maybe the surfing won't be so good.

They told us that summer is not a popular time on the North Shore but it's a good time for beginners that would/should never think of taking on the N. Shore at it's prime.

Regardless, I'm no expert...I'm clueless and I had a good time. If I lived anywhere near a beach, I'd probably become a regular. It was a lot of fun.

Went to Buttons Surf School eh? Buttons is rad.

[Art Vandelay]

Anyone have any experience, or recommendations, as to which zip-line tour to take in Maui. I'm taking the clan over there in a few weeks, and think the kids would enjoying zipping.

[cougjunkie]

Went to Buttons Surf School eh? Buttons is rad.

Glad to see he is staying clean. He was on an episode of Dog the bounty hunter ane he was living in a van doing ice.