Where are the nicest places in Hawaii for tourists?
Austin N asked:
3 adults in their 40′s and 2 teenagers (14&16). We are trying to plan our summer vacation for June 2010, and are thinking about all kinds of different places. But, if we were choose to Hawaii, what islands/cities would we want to make sure to stay at? And if there’s a particular place that’s not worth staying at, but visiting for a day(take a helicopter or something?), and doing something where and what would that be?
The 2 teenagers would like to be able to go off, and shop and do off-resort activities on their own, so, someplace safe?
Any other suggestions about anything, such as hotels places to go and visit would also be great! Thanks, so much!
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3 adults in their 40′s and 2 teenagers (14&16). We are trying to plan our summer vacation for June 2010, and are thinking about all kinds of different places. But, if we were choose to Hawaii, what islands/cities would we want to make sure to stay at? And if there’s a particular place that’s not worth staying at, but visiting for a day(take a helicopter or something?), and doing something where and what would that be?
The 2 teenagers would like to be able to go off, and shop and do off-resort activities on their own, so, someplace safe?
Any other suggestions about anything, such as hotels places to go and visit would also be great! Thanks, so much!
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June 29th, 2010 at 9:31 pm
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The duck boat ride might be interesting for you, it goes on land and goes right in the water. Even if you don’t stay at the Pacific beach Hotel, you should check out their fancy bufet with a large indoor ocean tank, where they dive in and feed the fish while you are eating. about 630pm. There is also a free Hawaiian show almost every night in the international marketplace food court next to the beachcomber Hotel.
July 1st, 2010 at 4:16 pm
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Well, i’m 13, and my family and i are going to Big Island, and we’re going to go snorkeling and hiking.
July 1st, 2010 at 6:06 pm
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If you are going for the first time, and especially with teenagers, you should strongly consider Oahu, at least for part of your stay. This is the main island with the most to do. The other islands are spectacular, serene with beautiful beaches, but there is not a lot to do for active young people without a car, unless they want to sit on the beach day after day except for two possible exceptions: Kaanapali Beach on Maui is a planned resort community which is next to Lahaina, and the other are resorts in the town of Kailua-Kona on the west side of the Big Island. The other resort areas are far from doing anything else!
Kalakaua Avenue, the main street along Waikiki Beach is a great place for older kids to walk around. This is an “urban” tropical beach resort, think of Rio de Janeiro with less residential areas and more hotels. They can go to the zoo and aquarium at Kapiolani Park, shop in countless malls, take surfing lessons, go to the International Marketplace, and so forth.
In general, as long as you stick to the tourist areas and don’t allow your kids to wander around at night by themselves, Hawaii is safe.
Family highlights for each island:
* Oahu/Honolulu/Waikiki: The most international in feel. The only metropolis (Honolulu) in Hawaii. Waikiki is an urban resort beach, surfing beaches of North Shore, historical sites including Pearl Harbor, hiking in the rain forest, shopping, restaurants. A famous snorkeling area called Hanauma Bay, a sunken caldera open to the ocean on one side, filled with coral. The infrastructure is best here: your kids can take The Bus almost anywhere on the island if that is what you want.
Recommended Hotels w/ family: Hilton Hawaiian Village, Moana Surfrider, Royal Hawaiian, Hyatt (huge rooms). Economical with great location: Park Shore Hotel.
* Maui: Serene beaches lined with luxury resorts in planned communities. The most American island in feel, the least exotic. A famous sea-cliff drive through the rain forest to the town of Hana. Shopping in the old town of Lahaina. Take a boat tour to Molokini for snorkeling off shore. Sunrise on the top of Mt. Haleakala and biking down the volcano. Jumping off cliffs on a zipline.
Recommended Hotels with family: Hyatt on Kaanapali. The other hotels on Kaanapali are the next step down, are all similar (Westin, Sheraton, Marriott) with one great economical exception: The Kaanapali Beach Resort…this was the first resort built in this planned community and needs an overhaul…BUT is clean, has great service, still fairly glamorous and has the best location on the beach.
* Big Island: For nature lovers, and the most exotic island. Negative: This is a HUGE island, driving distances are long (many hours) if you don’t like to or want to drive a lot. Live volcanoes, you can take helicoptor tours or boat tours to actual lava flowing into the ocean. Black sand beaches. Akaka Falls hike through the jungle. The best archeological Hawaiian site the City of Refuge. The catamaran cruise Fair Wind to Kealakekua Bay for snorkeling (chance of seeing flying fish and spinner dolphins on the way!). Night time diving in Keauhou Bay to swim with manta rays. Artist colony and Kona Coffee farms in Holualoa.
Hotels with family: Sorry, I am not that familiar with Kailua Kona hotels, but none are “luxury” resorts. The resorts north of Kona in Kohala are great 5-star resorts, but VERY isolated (Waikoloa, Hualalai, Mauna Lani, Mauna Kea, etc.). The resorts south of Kailua-Kona are a few miles away in Keauhou, and here I would recommend the Keauhou Resort (4-star) which is also a good price. But it is not walkable to town for the kids.
Kauai is the most beautiful island, similar to Tahiti in feel, but is very quiet. Jurassic Park and scenes from Thorn Birds was filmed here. Most teenagers are bored here after 3-4 days. They do have however a GREAT tour on a rubber zodiac boat, along the inaccessible Na Pali coast, where waterfalls fall into the ocean, you go inside sea caves, etc. And did I say how quiet this island is?
July 3rd, 2010 at 11:43 am
Hawaii resort
Myself and my 3 teenagers…13,15 and 18 just returned last Thursday from spending our summer in Hawaii, we spent several weeks on Kauai on both sides of the Island, if you choose North Shore I would suggest Nostalgic Hanalei Town,it is peaceful and quiet and your kids would be able to walk around safely at night together,everything closes rather early, not much Nightlife to speak of, South Shore is quiet as well like the rest of the Island, the Grand Hyatt has alot of activities for kids and adults alike, if you are looking for an Island where your kids are safe walking around at night pretty late, I allowed my 3 to go out together until 1 a.m. in Waikiki (Oahu)…alot of Nightlife on this Island and with so many people out and about very late, Honolulu P.D. is everywhere..my favorite Island however is Maui, it has an atmosphere somewhere between Quiet Kauai and Bright Lights, Big City Waikiki…Lahaina/Kaanapali area is what I suggest on Maui…whatever your choice…Aloha, A Hui Ho and Enjoy!
July 6th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
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Oahu, anywhere close to everything! Oahu’s the island with all the stuff, all the water parks, all the acades, all the everything! Everybody on all the other islands want to be on Oahu. I live on the Big Island and I wanna move back over there. Its cheaper to live there, gas is cheaper,but hotels are expensive if u want the best! Traffic’s the worst but the malls are the biggest and best there…….I guess everything seems beeter when youre not there. I miss it…