I have gone back in the archives and checked old CC threads on Hawaii, but they didn’t really answer my question. We’re going to Hawaii for a family wedding (Maui–3 days). I just booked tickets from NE (BOS) to Hawaii (HNL). We have 8 days before the wedding to see the sights.
We also enjoy visiting historic sights and other cultural activities. We like the beach–but a day or two is fine. What is the best beach? What island? H loves to fish and goes deep-sea fishing in and around Nantucket all the time. Can he find a charter on Maui? Based on some minimal research, I’d ike to see Pearl Harbor, Volcanos Nat’l Park, and Molokai. Are those things doable? Any other suggestions welcomed–a tour would be OK, but don’t like big groups. Hire a guide/car??
I am sure there will be plenty of fishing charters from Lahaina (Maui)! Where are you staying in Maui?
How are you planning to split your time between the islands? IMO, 8 days will be sufficient to do a lot of things on your list even if you plan to island-hop. You will need a car to get around Maui. I do not think you need to be a part of an organized tour to see most of the sights you want to see. Everything is reachable by car; while some complain about traffic, compared to Seattle or Boston it is not that bad - at all!
I would try to go on a docent-lead tour of Iolani Palace and Bishop Museum. Just did both this weekend and enjoyed them immensely. Watch the free hula show at International Marketplace in Waikiki, just after sunset. For nice relaxing Hawaiian music and more hula dancing, Hakekaulani has a nice poolside service where they entertain for hours—you can call them to make reservations and inquire about specific hours. They have drinks and food options or you can eat at Orchids if you want to splurge.
My friends who visit regularly like the swap meet at the Halawa Stadium for low prices momentos to bring back.
Sea Life Park is a mini version of Sea World, if that appeals to you. Haunama Bay is nice for snorkeling but you have to get there early and use the sun screen that doesn’t kill our coral. Kailua beach is also nice and often less crowded than Waikiki Beach but further away.
The best deep sea fishing is in Kona, on the Big Island. Volcanoes National Park is also on the Big Island, but 2.5 hours away. Pearl Harbor is on Oahu. And Molokai, is well, on Molokai. You don’t have enough time to do everything. You lose half a day by changing islands because of TSA. With 11 nights, you have time for 1 additional island. You can squeak Molokai in as well for a day trip.
Most people don’t hire guides, unless it’s somewhere the public can’t go, like private property or off road where rental car companies don’t allow their cars. It’s the US. I can recommend guided tours on the Big Island.
You are talking about:
Maui (wedding)
Hawaii (volcanoes)
Oahu (Pearl Harbor)
Molokai
To get to each island you generally have to fly. That means turning in rental car, going to airport with sufficient time, waiting, flight, getting luggage, getting rental car, etc.
I would suggest limiting yourself to 2 possibly 3 islands so as not to waste so much time at airport.
Maui: You can drive to Hana, see sunrise at Haleakala, do a fishing charter out Lahaina.
Oahu: Climb Diamond Head, go to Pearl Harbor but also USS Missouri and Museum of Pacific Aviation, See Iolani Palace (where King of Hawaii lived), North Shore https://ussmissouri.org/buy-tickets
Hawaii: Volcano National Park, Hilo and then drive over to Kona.
We went whale watching on Maui. The whales should still be there until around May, when they make their way back to Alaska. We used Señor Frog with discount coupons. It was pretty reasonable. Others went on Whale Foundation.
You may wish to ask the family if the marrying couple if there is a block of rooms or where they recommend folks stay. You may wish to stay nearby as there may be multiple activities connected with the wedding — pre wedding reception and luau, wedding, morning after breakfast/brunch, etc.
I do not recommend wasting time on sunrise at Haleakala unless it is combined with camping in the park (we did it once; I doubt it is in OP’s plans ) . Weather on the mountain can be unpredictable, and instead of sun, you can be treated to a bunch of clouds and howling wind.
Speaking of Haleakala, there is a fantastic hike into its crater and back up. I highly recommend that instead of any group activities such as biking down the mountain road. The scenery is completely out of this world; it feels like you are hiking on Mars! One word of caution - because of the elevation, it can be much more challenging to get back up to the trailhead, so plan on spending twice as long on getting up!
Oahu: 1. sunset catamaran cruise. We took the Maita’i. 2. Duke’s for dinner!!! 3. Kualoa Ranch, tons of tours. We did the 2 Hour Horseback riding, this park is where Jurassic Park and Lost were filmed. They have movie tours, also. It’s very nice, they will pick you up from downtown. 4. Cocktails at The House Without a Key restaurant at Halekulani Hotel. Nightly Hawaiian music and some dancing, 5 pm to 8, beautiful place to be. Make a reservation to. E by entertainment.
Maui: 1. We did the Molokini snorkeling on Four Winds II. 2. Old Lahaina Luau.
If you are thinking of Volcano National Park on the Big Island, check the website first and be sure it is still what you envision. The eruptions in 2018 changed the landscape (literally) with some areas still closed and Kilauea’s lava lake drained.
We like Maui and Kauai. Great hiking on Kauai, including Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
Haleakala is worth the drive. We weren’t that fond of the Highway to Hana.
We also didn’t care for our time around Honolulu. There are much nicer hikes than Diamond Head on other islands. On one of our trips, we spent 2 nights on Oahu, primarily so we could do the tour of Pearl Harbor. We bout the “fancy tickets for an hour or so after our flight from Maui was do to land. Unfortunately, there was a wind issue or something, and they flew us to Kauai instead, so we missed our tour time. We did the walk around, but we didn’t get to go out to the memorial.
Honolulu feels to us like other big cities - just surrounded by water.
The Iolani Palace is the only royal palace in the US that was used by its kings and queens. It is lovely and only on Oahu. The docents give tours regularly and H and I both found it very interesting.
Personally having only been to the Big Island of Hawaii twice, Oaho once and Maui once, if the wedding is in Maui, I think you realistically have time only for one other island. We have had rental cars on all our Hawaii trips. Although my favorite is the Big Island by far, I think if you are going to the state of Hawaii for the first time and who know perhaps the only time (although I hope not) I think that Pearl Harbor is very important to see. You need a half a day for the visit to Pearl Harbor. You should be able to reserve a tour time online although that wasn’t an option when I was there and so DH and I made it a point to get there early in the day
Regarding Pearl Harbor, if you want to see all of the extras (that cost money), you may want to consider a whole day. In particular, the museum battleship Missouri can take a half day to go through.
Road to Hana but not there and back in ine day. Stay over. Kids still talk about it. If you like natural beauty it beats any museum. Also beaches away from hotels are best. I dont want to share our favorites but you can dig and find some good ones.
Personally I thought the road to Hana was exceptionally over rated and dangerous. We did it in one day and back and it was a huge amount of driving and some times in a huge line of cars and vehicles. With one-way bridges and zero shoulder for the most part, entire lanes had to back up to allow oncoming traffic to pass. The oncoming traffic could be lumber trucks, cars, school buses, soda delivery trucks. I do understand that if you stay over in Hana which has very limited options for places to stay, the day trips from Hana are worthwhile. Some of the scenic overviews along the way to Hana were in serious disrepair, overgrown, no trespassing signs were posted everywhere. Actually just prior to the road to Hana there was a really scenic beach with many surfers that we enjoyed watching.
) . Weather on the mountain can be unpredictable, and instead of sun, you can be treated to a bunch of clouds and howling wind.
One word of caution - because of the elevation, it can be much more challenging to get back up to the trailhead, so plan on spending twice as long on getting up!