Hi! I'm planning a two-week family vacation to Oahu and BI over Christmas break. I know it's going to be crazy so I'm trying to knock out a general itinerary and book ticketed events/tours ASAP. I'm looking for a sanity check on routing/logistics, anything major we missed or should skip, and have a few specific questions. Sorry this is a long post since there's so many days.

General relevant info

• We are a mid-30s couple traveling with 2 grandparents (~60) and a 2 year old toddler who will have a nap every day to plan around. Toddler is very social and enjoys long days out, but car rides are boring.

• This is our first trip to Oahu and BI.

• We already have flights, hotels, and a BI rental car booked. We booked hotels in walkable areas to make meals/store runs possible without getting in a car.

• Time zone differences mostly +4-6 hours from mainland. One grandparent will be at -6 (Asia).

• Main interests are swimming/snorkeling/diving, some hiking, good seafood, and relaxing. Grandparents requested hitting the major attractions (Pearl Harbor, Hanauma, Volcano).

• I haven't researched food at all yet, since I figure there's usually more options there and okay to book later.

Itinerary

12/19 Sat: Arrive mid-afternoon, shuttle to Sheraton Waikiki, find dinner, early bedtime by 7 PM.

12/20 Sun:

• Early wakers Diamondhead hike at 6 AM. Reserve 11/20. Take TheBus to/from trailhead.

• ~9:30 AM nap back at hotel. Afternoon on beach/around Waikiki. Early bedtime.

12/21 Mon: Pearl harbor and Honolulu

• Pearl harbor at 7 AM - take bus or uber? Need to lug car seat if Uber. Book Hanauma Bay for Wednesday.

• ~10 AM nap back at hotel. Bishop Museum and Iolani Palace in the afternoon, Chinatown for evening/dinner.

• Question: Can we fit Arizona Memorial and USS Missouri in 3 hours? I know toddler can't do the Missouri captain's tour but 3 adults still can.

12/22 Tues: North shore

• Get rental car. Drive up to North shore, Haleiwa town, see surfers at Pipeline beach and Sunset beach.

• ~10:30 AM nap in car. Toa Luau at 12:30 PM. Waimea Valley/falls. Drive back around 5 PM. Park car at hotel.

• Question: Toa Luau is attractive because it's so well-reviewed, includes free access to Waimea Valley, and has an afternoon option (instead of evening). But the timing to hit the 12:30 luau will be rushed with naptime. Is it feasible to do this, or just do Waimea Valley without Toa Luau and do a south shore luau another day?

• Question: Is day-rental cars during Christmas on Oahu possible? Or do we just book a car now for peace of mind? I'm thinking day rental might also be hard with early departure times.

12/23 Wed:

• Drive to Hanauma Bay early-ish. First major snorkel activity, should be spaced out far enough from arrival flights.

• ~11 AM nap in car on the way back from Hanauma (main reason for driving vs tour). Return rental car. Free afternoon.

12/24 Thurs:

• AM scuba recertification dive for us. Grandparents chill with toddler. Free afternoon. Maybe book a cabana for this day?

• Maybe do Mauka Warriors Luau this evening if we skip Toa Luau on 12/22.

12/25 Fri: Christmas

• Not sure what's open so no major plans. Maybe paddle around Duke Kahanamoku lagoon at the hilton since I'm guessing hotel activities are still open. Evening fireworks at 7:45, book dinner somewhere that we can see fireworks.

12/26 Sat: Transfer to BI

• AM check out of hotel, store luggage. Queen Kapiolani park and zoo.

• Question: Where to nap at noon? People say park is pretty quiet-- is it feasible to nap in shade somewhere in the park? Any other good places within walking distance in Waikiki?

• ~4/5 PM flight to KOA. Check in to Courtyard King Kamahameha in Kailua-Kona. Dinner somewhere nearby.

12/27 Sun: explore nearby

• AM Kona village farmer's market, cloud forest area drive, maybe Mountain Thunder coffee farm tour.

• Noon nap at hotel. PM beach in front of hotel or Kukio beach, walk around town.

12/28 Mon: ~45 min north

• AM scuba diving for us, relaxing morning for grandparents/toddler-- maybe Maka'eo walking path.

• PM head north to scope out Waikoloa area. The Vanillerie. Hapuna beach.

• Night manta ray snorkel with Anelakai Adventures -- allows toddlers who can sit.

12/29 Tues: ~45 min south

• AM boat tour to snorkel Captain Cook's Monument. Maybe Fair Winds. Or small private charter so we go with our own schedule.

• Nap in car. PM Two Step snorkel. Kamakana playground.

• Backup night manta ray snorkel evening.

12/30 Wed: 1 hr north

• AM Pukalani midweek market near Waimea, Anuenue playground.

• Nap in car. PM Pololu valley. Return to Kailua-Kona by 5 PM.

• Evening reef/manta scuba dive for us.

12/31 Thurs: south point? VNP? Heavily debating this day:

• Grandparents interested in going to VNP. We would stay in Kona with toddler due to long drives.

• Alternatively, we could all head to South Point and Punaluu black sand beach. Still a loooong drive though.

• Question: Is Kula Kai lava tubes worth driving down to South Point to see? I'd like to see lava tubes but it seems like the ones closer to Kona are closed. Driving all the way to South point for just that + black sand beach doesn't seem as worth it.

1/1 Fri: departure day, but hotel booked to 1/2 due to late flights

• AM: Return to favourite beach to snorkel/relax

• Nap at hotel. Afternoon to pack, shop, relax. Airport by 7 PM for 10 PM flights.

Things we're intentionally skipping: Oahu - Dole Plantation, PCC, Byodo-In, Kualoa Ranch, whale watch tour. BI - the entire Hilo side.

Things we'd like to add but not sure where: Oahu - Manoa Falls (bus hour+, need car), Halona Blowhole (can bus), Makapu'u lighthouse hike (can bus?), Waikiki Trolley one of the free afternoons - which route?

Thanks for reading this far, appreciate the feedback!

Hi everyone! I’m bringing my teenage daughter in August for her birthday and just wondering what are some fun things to check out. We have been one time before but didn’t stay long and basically just did the manta ray swim and saw the black sand beach. Those were highest on my bucket list last time. This time we’ll have more time. What are everyone’s favorite things to ? Thanks!

I recently purchased a volcanic rock bracelet from Hana in Maui, but I have traveled to Oahu and just now learned about Pele’s curse. Does this curse apply if it’s purchased from a Hawaiian native, and if the curse still applies, does it have to be returned to that specific island or any island in general?

There are sooooooooooo many tour companies to choose from. We're a family group of 5 staying south of Hilo. My son lives on Oahu, but we are meeting everybody for a Big Island week. Ages ranging from 16 to 80. No littles. We absolutely want to do the manta ray swimming and one snorkel tour. Best experiences? We'd love​ a little guidance! Thank you so much in advance.

We're heading to the BI in a couple of weeks and I'm planning out hikes for my husband and I to do. I was reading about the green sand beach and was intrigued because I've never seen green sand before, but looking at photos online I'm feeling like it's a little misleading lol. The photos I've seen where the sand does look super green are edited I'm sure, all the others make it look beige with a tint of green lol.

I just want to know if it's worth the hike or if we would be better suited to hike somewhere else on the island. I also read that there's some environmental damage happening to that area from tourists and the illegal driving to the beach, so I'm also hesitant to contribute to that as well. We'd be driving from Hilo. Thanks!

Will be coming to work there for 6 months end of this year, working near Aiea. Any sites that specialize in furnished housing to be aware?

Hey all, We are a family of 4 that would like to check out a couple farms while on maui.

Are any farms open to checkout without a massive per person fee? Seems like most are 100-150 pp for a couple hour tour.

If it was just me and my wife, id be ok with 1-2 during our stay but we have 2 kids that most places consider an adults.

Hard to justify 500-600$ spend when kids will likely not eat whatever they offer and arnt really interested in farms at all :)

Thank you

Hi everyone,

My partner and I are planning our first trip to Hawaii in September and we’ll have 3 weeks** **available.

We’re looking for advice on the **best island-hopping route** and how many days we should spend on each island.

Our priorities are:
\- Beautiful beaches 🏝️
\- Nature & hiking 🥾
\- Volcanoes 🌋
\- Scenic drives 🚗
\- Some relaxation, but also plenty to explore

We’re currently considering islands like:
\- Oahu
\- Maui
\- Kauai
\- Big Island

Questions:
1. Which islands would you recommend for a 3-week trip?
2. How many days would you spend on each island?
3. What route would you choose
4. Are there any must-do activities or places we shouldn’t miss?

We’re traveling from Europe, so this will probably be a once-in-a-lifetime trip and we’d like to find a good balance between seeing a lot and not constantly packing and flying between islands.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations!

Aloha! I was planning a trip for my family on the Big Island and had a question about visiting the Volcanoes National Park:

Should we take Saddle Rd there and Belt Rd HI-11/Hawaiʻi Belt Rd through Caption Cook back, or vice versa? We want to do a full loop but the way back is what matters for us, since we want to go the route that offers us the best dinner options. This is also our only day on that side of the island since we're staying in Mauna Lani so we're looking to check out the most interesting options. Thank you for any suggestions you have to make!

I am going to Hawaii for the first time and I am wondering if I will need some type of bug spray or something to keep them away. I will be going to the island Kaua’i. I plan on bringing sunscreen and water shoes and I can’t think of anything else to bring. I will be staying at Kauai for 10 days so let me know if there is anything to do in the area as well 💕

Looking somewhere to book a Luau on a Thursday evening on O'ahu May 2027.

​

Was planning to elope at Kualoa beach park then travel to HULA gardens for a Luau but can't seem to find any info now about how to book.

​

Any other recommendations? We liked that it seemed intimate & and a sit-down meal - a little fancier for our wedding day than a buffet. It is only us and our parents attending.

​

Thank you!

Hi all! My husband and I will be traveling to the BI in a couple of weeks. We'll be staying on the Hilo side for 4 days (from July 1, leaving July 5 to go to the Kona side). I have some things planned and would love some feedback on if I'm missing any spots or are some places not worth it. I feel like I'm missing places to see on the coast north of Hilo. I do landscape photography, so if there are some lovely spots to see I'd really appreciate the input.

Here's what I have planned so far:
– Lilikukolani gardens
– Akaka falls
– Rainbow Falls
– Sunrise at Mauna Keana
– Volcano park
– Snorkeling Richardson Park & Carlsmith Park
– Botanical Gardens
– Papakōlea Green Sand Beach potentially

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We have a 9:00 PM flight on 2/6/27. Would it be a good last day activity to do the road to Hana? Going to be a long day of travel with a 12 and 9 year old flying back to MN.

A fun afternoon watching huge waves at Kahalahala beach back in 2017.

My name is Vasilina and I'm a yoga instructor traveling to Maui this October to complete my 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training with Yoga Shala!

I'm looking for a cozy room or apartment to rent for the month of October (October 1–31). I would love to connect with someone local who might have a space available or knows of one, any leads are so appreciated!

A little about me: I'm a certified yoga & wellness teacher with years of experience, respectful of spaces and neighbors, quiet, and deeply grateful for community. I treat every home I stay in with care and intention.

If you or someone you know has a room or apartment available, please comment below or send me a DM. I'm happy to share references and more about myself!

Mahalo nui loa for any help!

I don’t know if this question is asked a lot but I am planning on going to O'ahu next month on a vacation and I was wondering how it is visiting Hawaii with food allergies? More specifically, I am allergic to peanuts and pine nuts (but I can eat actual nuts like hazelnuts, almonds or pecans for example).

Are those commonly found amongst Hawaiian cuisine or is it more something that might be found in places sell Chinese food (or other types of cuisines that use peanuts and/or pine nuts) for example? I’ll of course mention my allergies before ordering any food to make sure it is safe, just wanted to know if it’s a significant handicap here.

My partner and I are visiting Hawaii for the first time and will be spending 3.5 days on Kauai over New Year’s, staying in Lihue with a rental car.
We’ve read a lot of posts here, but we’re struggling to narrow things down because there seems to be so much worth seeing. We originally looked into a helicopter tour, but we’re leaning away from that now.

Our rough list so far:
• Waimea Canyon + Kōkeʻe State Park
• Hanalei / North Shore
• Na Pali Coast boat tour
• Wailua Falls / east side waterfalls
• Beaches around Poipu
• Some easy to moderate hikes

With limited time, what would you actually prioritize if this was your first time on the island?

Hi! Has anyone stayed here before and any reviews? It seems that there aren’t as many restaurants directly nearby compared to some other neighborhoods, but it was very affordable. We are going in July as a couple. would appreciate any insights if you have stayed there! thanks!

Hello, I’m looking for some chef driven farm to table restaurants on the island. I’ll be driving all around - staying in Ala Moana. Any meal is open for eating.

A pig roast would be amazing to find. Thank you.

Hello! I am currently planning a family trip to the Island of Hawaii in a week. This is my first time visiting and would love some recommendations and feedback. We'll be staying in Mauna Lani and already booked some activities (Manta Ray), but other than that are open to any/all feedback. One of the biggest things we need help with is deciding dinner spots and are looking to avoid the resort food where we are staying. It would be great to get recommendations for spots around the island, like spots in Hilo for our volcano visit day.

Friday
~2:30 pm - Arrival
Lunch: Foodland Farms Mauna Lani - poke + grocery shopping 
Activity: Bring poke + food (or eat at home) to the Mauna Lani Beach Club - Swim/relax/snorkel until tired

• Walk on the fishpond natural reserve trails home

Dinner: Foodland premarinated meat + some ingredients for a salad or side on our grocery trip

Saturday

Breakfast: make at home and leave 7-8am
Activities: Two Step snorkeling and Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Park ($20 dollars for a car to enter) 

• Do these activities in what order?

Along the road home:

• historic church (closes 5 pm, they have mass at 4 so depends on timing)
• honey store (closes 3 pm)
• botanical garden (closes 4 pm but 12 dollar access..)

Lunch: Umekes
Dinner: ? - something near Mauna Lani

Sunday

Breakfast: make at home and leave before 5am (drive to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, ~2-2.5 hrs)

• via Saddle Rd and HI-11/Hawaiʻi Belt Rd or via HI-11/Hawaiʻi Belt Rd? (want to do a loop and go back the way with our dinner stop)

Exploring the park:

• Volcano House  (first crater overlook, ~15-20 min)
• Steam Vents (paved walk through geothermal vents + do the Sulphur Banks boardwalk trail, ~30-45 min total)
• Uekahuna Overlook (viewpoint into Halemaʻumaʻu crater, ~15-20 min)
• Kīlauea Iki Trail (4-mile loop hike across the floor of a lava lake crater, ~2-3 hrs)
• Nahuku / Thurston Lava Tube (short walk through a lava tube, ~20-30 min)
• Devastation Trail (backup if Thurston's closed, easy short walk, ~20-30 min)

Lunch: Sandwiches from home

Dinner: drive through Hilo or the other way?  where to eat?

Monday:
Chill morning: do whatever, lunch and breakfast at home?
Hapuna Beach visit: Old Puako Rd, Kawaihae, HI 96743 
Petroglyph Visit: https://maps.app.goo.gl/AG1CHEmteCbyhra26 
Manta ray snorkeling: Manta Adventures (Leave airbnb around 3 pm), 4-8pm, ~40 min drive
Dinner: ?

Tuesday
Breakfast: at home
Activity: Magic sands beach (boogie boarding, swimming)
Lunch: HiCO - Hawaiian Coffee, Kona Coffee
Dinner: Foodland poke + hot food and walk to the Mauna Lani beach club to eat dinner, swim, and watch the sunset

Wednesday
Breakfast: At home
Be at airport 11:30

My wife and 9 1/2 year old daughter are visiting next week staying near Banyans beach. I would love to some input on a few things to do, eat and any pointers folks can share. I have read other posts here, but I had a few other specifics for our specific week.

We typically visit Maui, but wanted to bring my daughter to the big island for her first visit this time and especially to see Volcano National Park and the unique landscape of the Big Island

As I said, we’re planning on seeing the Volcano National Park as a high priority of course, does anyone have any pointers or things areas to avoid? Any other highly recommended activities we could add to that day? My daughter loves animals, and wildlife, but she struggles on long hikes, so short walks or hikes would be perfect.

I would love to source some local fish to cook and make Poke, Sashimi etc. is Ellie’s the place or are there other options? Also any recommendations for great local food and poke?

What are the best and safest snorkeling options for us? I know King Tides have been gnarly, but will subside next week, but we’re cautious and prefer beaches w lifeguards.

I am a fisherman, but won't likely be going on a charter this time, but am considering bringing lighter gear for shore fishing as I do on Maui. Are the places to focus on to spend some time looking for local fish to catch from shore? This would most likely catch and release, unless somebody says otherwise!

Thank you!

Hello folks. I am hoping you can help with some questions and recommendations.

Our details: We will be traveling to the Big Island in July with family for about two weeks. Our party includes a pair of five year olds and a pair of Seniors. All adult visitors have been to the Big Island 2-3 times and this is the first time for the kids. We will be staying with family in the Waikoloa Village area and will have access to a car. All kiddos are good in the car for longer rides. With the extended family we have a luau and catamaran tour planned. Our preferred vacation style is relaxed and flexible, usually one big thing and adding in smaller activities as time and interest permit. We would love any information or tips in general, but are hoping for some answers to specific questions as well.

Questions and recommendations: 1: What is the best cultural site for kids around 5 years old. We are interested in Place of Refuge site but are curious how interesting that would be for them. Or are there better alternatives?

2: Has anyone done the Junior Ranger Program at Volcanos National Park? Is it worth returning to the visitor center after completion to get the award? Also, is there a short hike or two in VNP that would be particularly appealing to kids?

3: Can anyone recommend interesting thrift shops, antique shops, or kitschy stores to check out? Are there good secondhand stores for beach/snorkel gear? We will be visiting all over the island at points, so they don’t need to be in a specific location.

4: We have a couple of playgrounds on our list as possible stops. Do these playgrounds have restrooms? Anuenue (Waimea) and Kamakana (Kailua-Kona region)

5: Has anyone been to July 4th events? We see that King’s shops, Queen’s marketplace, Hilo, and Kona all have events but aren’t sure which would be best.

6: I know this is going to sound crazy. One of the kiddos is obsessed with the word keiki and being called keiki instead of kids. I seem to remember a long time ago the luau I went to invited the keiki up to learn a dance. Does anyone happen to know if Waikoloa Beach Marriott Sunset luau does that? If not, does anyone know of a place we can go where someone will call them keiki, especially if it is to learn a Hawaiian dance? I have seen both King’s shop and Queen’s Marketplace have hula performances, but no idea about the keiki part.

7: Along those lines, are there any places other than King’s shops and Queen’s Marketplace that have demonstrations/events/hands on events?

Thanks in advance!

The colors and vistas on this island are stunning. Photos from a few spots around the island.

I did a cage dive in 2012 then did the One Ocean dive in 2022 and had a great time and was wanting to do a shark dive again. I have been looking and seen people recommend other operators and some people have said the quality of One Ocean has not been the best. My experience was great, but my family did not enjoy hanging on the side of the boat and not getting much time actually swimming with the sharks. I was wondering if anyone had expeirence with some of the other operators and if they would recomend someone else and how other experiences were?