There Is No Place Better

I’m sitting here, in my office, nibbling “Golden Pineapple Chunks” from the Dole Plantation in Historic Wahiawa Town, Oahu, Hawaii. I’m listening to a song they played at the luau we attended at the Polynesian Cultural Center, and wearing my Hawaii t-shirt. I’m doing absolutely everything in my power to return to that incredible feeling of being in Hawaii.

It ain’t workin’, Boo Boo. 

For decades Pop told me that Hawaii was indeed paradise, and his favorite place on this Earth. He was referring to Waikiki on Oahu. And he was right. 

Definitely the most expensive domestic trip I have ever taken, Hawaii is still worth every penny. So much that we return again and again to rekindle that incredible feeling, the fabulous smells, the relaxed and buzzing energy of the Islands.

You really have to go. Soon.

Traveling To Hawaii

You have to fly. It’s that simple, because you are visiting a collection of small islands in the middle of the beautiful Pacific Ocean.

Flights tend to be relatively expensive, depending on the time of year you visit. While I absolutely loved Hawaiian Airlines for their Aloha spirit and incredible customer service, I was thrilled when my beloved Southwest started flying to Hawaii. Now, I can use my points for this flight, decreasing the overall cost for me of this vacation. While it was a high amount of Southwest Airlines points, it was only $11.20 out of pocket per ticket, so I was thrilled. 

I Lied…You Have Another Option

There actually is another way to visit Hawaii from mainland America, and I strongly recommend it if you have the time and finances!

This alternative is a cruise from the west coast, which my parents did multiple times. If you go this route, you will have four days at sea before you get to Hawaii, but will have the advantage of a “floating hotel” for the week that the ship circles multiple islands. While one day isn’t enough on any of the islands, it is enough to give you a taste of what each might offer. The return trip is another four sea days, making this a 14 day cruise. 

This is a top-rated retirement plan for Sweet Husband and I, that’s for sure. 

Picking An Island – Start In Oahu

Common thinking is to start with Oahu for its many iconic landmarks. It is an extremely tourist-friendly island, and a great place for your first visit. Here is a quick list for your first trip to Oahu:

1. Don’t miss Pearl Harbor! An incredible memorial to a devastating time in our history, spending at least half a day at this War Memorial will be deeply moving for you, and educate you and particularly your children on the events surrounding December 7, 1941.
2. Spend some time on Waikiki! Although not my favorite beach, Waikiki is beautiful, and has the advantages of butting up against a fantastic tourist promenade including multiple restaurants and shops. 
3. It’s also a great beach. Waikiki is a paradise for would-be surfers, with its gentle rolling swells that make learning so much easier. Another thing you can try is an outrigger canoe, which will help you ride the waves in a more secure way.
4. Visiting the other parts of the island. This is a must for you, since the different parts of Oahu offer different things for you to try. Not only will you find very different beaches that feel like they are on another planet, but you can find lush tropics and waterfalls right along the few highways on the island.  

Renting A Car

Please do.

What we do is start off in Waikiki, and then go to different parts of Oahu or a different island. When we are in Waikiki, though, we don’t need a car. Not only is the parking situation quite difficult and expensive in that city area, but everything is beautifully walkable. If you don’t want to walk, there are local buses, and tourist shuttles, to take you anywhere you want to go.

Everywhere else, though, you need a car. You can’t visit the other parts of the islands unless you book an expensive and restrictive tour. While I like the occasional tour in the Caribbean islands, I have found Hawaii much easier and more productive to do on our own. We do our research and use our own car to visit things that are of interest to us. 

Finding Suitable Accommodations

Lock and load, Boo Boo, it’s time to open your wallet.

Hawaii hotels are expensive. Very expensive. 

Patti don’t like to spend heavy on hotels, you know. 

You definitely have some tough decisions to make when it comes to your hotel accommodations on any of the islands. Obviously, beachfront is going to come at the highest of premiums, but you might want to make that splurge for this trip—that’s a personal decision. What I’ve tried to do is get what we call “beach adjacent”, where we are within walking distance and maybe, just maybe, we will have a tiny sliver of ocean view if our room happens to be facing the right way and is high up enough. We’ve absolutely gotten quite lucky with our hotel choices, and never had something that we considered unacceptable. 

I’ve got good friends who only AirBnB or VRBO.com in Hawaii, and I strongly suggest that you look into those options as well. You will probably get larger accommodations, hopefully even a kitchen, and will have more living space than a regular hotel room. As always, be careful with those types of sites, and check all of the reviews and look for recommendations from friends.

I do have my other, potentially more controversial, suggestion for you. We use both of our timeshares when we travel. While we do pay yearly maintenance fees on our timeshares, we have enjoyed multiple vacations with very little money out of pocket. Look forward to my January 22 blog, strictly on the benefits and concerns about timeshares. 

Things To Do

You better be an outdoors person if you are heading to Hawaii. One of the most fascinating things I learned on my first trip was that they don’t particularly care for walls. With the year-round perfect temperature hovering in the 80’s, there is no need for stores and restaurants—the airport even—to have four walls and a door. It was something to get used to, and I loved it! So, how should you spend your vacation?

Beach tripping

Obviously, every beach is different, and spectacular in its own way. Whether you are exploring the big waves on the North Shore, or enjoying the soft swells in Lahaina town in Maui, you will find a beach around every corner begging for you to stop and dip your toes. I was thrilled that most public beaches have basic services like toilets and lifeguards, making it easier for me to feel comfortable wherever we went.

Dining Pleasures

With the heavy Asian influence and tourism on the islands, you will find fantastic restaurants in many different cultures. Not only that, but we have managed to eat quite well on different islands by branching out into local areas and finding some hidden gems. Even some of the iconic, famous brands like Kono’s or Leonard’s or even Cinnamon’s are not particularly expensive and worth your time. If all else fails, there is an ABC Store on every corner with $2.39 musubi warm and fresh all day.

Historic Landmarks

As mentioned above with Oahu, there are different things for you to do on all of the islands. Whether you are hiking a volcano on Hawaii, driving the Road to Hana or visiting the famous Banyan Tree in Maui, you will find a wide number of interesting historical sites waiting for you on every island.

Get out on the water

Make sure you don’t ignore the depths of the Pacific Ocean, too! Whether you take a sunset catamaran, a scuba diving excursion or go whale watching, make sure you spend some time on the water, observing the spectacular Hawaii coast from another angle. 

A Word On Maui

Last year, Maui suffered a devastating fire, wiping out the important and economically vital area of Lahaina and Kaanapali. Decades of work went into building this fantastic and interesting area, and it was destroyed in a day.

Maui, however, has other wonderful areas to visit, and I strongly encourage all of you to continue to visit this beautiful island, as they struggle to rebuild homes, businesses and lives.

Do The Surfing, Boo Boo

Finally, a word of advice to you, my friend.

Get on the surfboard.

It’s a metaphor, Boo Boo, but it is important. Do something you haven’t done, go somewhere that makes you nervous, hike the volcanic rock, ride that wave, rent a boat. You are in the greatest paradise in the world. Enjoy it to the absolute fullest.

Then, enjoy a POG juice with your musubi. On the beach. 

THANK YOU FOR READING THIS FAR!!!

Thank you for reading all about how to travel to Hawaii!

Hey, since you’re here! You may as well check out some other tips, like how to rent a car, here, or visiting national parks, here! Or, check out our other topics here! Either way, I appreciate you!

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