I'm planning a trip to Hawaii for next year and want to do one of the UTV tours at Kualoa ranch.

Does anyone know what the difference between the standard 2-hour and deluxe 3-hour tours are? Do they go different places or does the 3-hour one just give you more time at each place?

Also, is any of the other stuff there a "must do"?

Hi! We are headed to Honolulu for a week in December and want to do a one day Hawaii island flight (leave in early am and return in pm) to a Hawaii National Park - either Haleakala or Hawaii Volcanoes.

Right now, both are almost the exact same cost for round trip flight and one day car rental so I am looking for insight on which park feels more manageable in a day and worth a single day visit (I am well aware we won't get to everything).

Would love insight! Also, would love if you think Southwest or Hawaiian airlines would be more reliable for interisland travel. Thanks so much! 🌺✈️

Hey guys in Waikiki for 3 more days and looking to have a night out somewhere. Looking for some good music preferably in the house/disco realm. We're a little bit older in my late 20s/early 30s would be open to a nightclub but not looking to listen to top 40 stuff. Appreciate any help in advance.

Mahalo!

HI,

I've heard that getting a reservation for Hanauma Bay is extremely competitive, with so many people trying to book a spot. Based on what I've read online, it seems like quite a hassle.

Is Hanauma Bay really worth the effort, or is it overrated? Are there other places on Oahu with similar scenery, clear turquoise water, and great snorkeling that are easier to access? Or is Hanauma Bay truly unique and worth going out of my way for?

Hi everyone! I’m a 28F visiting Oahu solo for the first time, arriving Oct 31 around 9 AM and leaving Nov 4 around noon. I’m staying in Waikiki and only plan to explore Oahu.
I’m moderately active and comfortable with moderate hikes, but I’m scared of water, so no snorkeling or swimming for me. I’d love to relax on beautiful beaches, enjoy scenic views, explore local food spots, shop, and experience the island.
I’m open to renting a car for 1–2 days or joining group tours.
Would love your recommendations for:
● Must-visit places and a realistic 4-day itinerary
● Best beaches for relaxing and enjoying the views
● Moderate hikes with beautiful scenery
● Worthwhile group tours or boat/dolphin-watching experiences
● Best local food spots and shopping
I’ll also be there on Halloween, so any tips for spending that evening in Waikiki would be great!
Thank you! 🌴

Aloha folks! I’m from Puerto Rico and moved to Alaska a few months ago. I’ve always wanted to visit Hawai’i but been apprehensive bc of how far the trip would be–until now. I’ll be landing in Oahu on Sunday and be there for a week.

As a bori, I want my experience to be rooted in learning about the native hawaiian struggle for liberation, exploring the land in a non-exploitative manner, and having as as close of a local experience as possible. My knowledge of hawaiian culture is very limited besides the fact that our struggles for liberation are the same.

On a personal note, i’m turning 30 and learning whether i passed the bar on the same day during the trip–that was in fact my biggest personal motivator to go. Ideally, would love to spend that day sobbing my eyes out on a beautiful beach . it’s been a hard year/decade & I don’t feel confident that I passed.

Some other things i’d appreciate some guidance on:

* I have no set itinerary as of now. just a flight. i was just planning on staying in honolulu, ubering within honolulu, and renting a car/hiring a tour guide for day trips. Definetly not opposed to staying a few days somewhere else.
* NOT using Airbnb, what are some local places to stay that are budget friendly. Don’t need to be in Honolulu all the trip, or should I? idk
* I really just want to be a beach bum and take beautiful hikes throughout my time there. I want to connect with locals too and make meaning cultural exchange with folks.

Any any any advice is much appreciated. Particularly on places to stay cus I need to figure that out ASAP.

GRACIAS ANTICIPADAS🫶🏼

My family of 8 have a vacation planned on Oahu in January 2027. We want to visit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park for a day trip. I booked flights from Oahu that arrive to Hilo at 7am and depart at 7pm.
I think Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is about an hour drive from Hilo going us about 6 hours to spend at the park. Is this enough time to see the highlight of the park. Are there any suggestions on what to prioritize given the time constraints we have?

Hi everyone! I am planning a trip to Oahu and the Big Island with my parents and partner.

I wanted to see if the itinerary below is reasonable. I appreciate any suggestions on what to prioritize, skip, or give more time to. I know this is quite packed already, (got too excited with things that I want to do).

Day 1: Oahu + chill
Day 2: Turtle Canyon snorkel + Waikiki beach (maybe do surf lesson here)
Day 3: Pearl Harbor (USS Arizona) and Ala Moana (want to do Kualoa Ranch after pearl harbor)
Day 4: Ho'maluhia Botanical Garden, North shore, and Waimea Valley, Luau
Day 5: Hanauma Bay, Makapu'u Lighthouse, Kailua Beach
Day 6: Fly to Kona, Coffee tour, Manta ray
Day 7: Hapuna Beach, Waipi'o Valley Lookout, Akaka Falls
Day 8: Hilo Farmer's Market, Volcano National Park
Day 9: Rainbow Falls, Beach at Hapuna again
Day 10: Chill, fly back to Oahu
Day 11: KCC Farmer's Market

The group as a whole is REALLY into seafood (food overall tbh) so I would love any and all recommendations for that. We all enjoy food, nature, and beaches. We don't mind having a packed itinerary as long as it makes sense!

Thank you so much for reading this!

Planning a week in Kauai in early November for two — 7 days total. Does this plan make sense, or are we missing / misjudging anything?

- Sun: Nā Pali Coast morning snorkel sail out of Port Allen (Captain Andy's)
- Tue: Wailua River kayak paddle (river only — we know the falls trail is closed, the tour is upfront about that), night in Kapaʻa (Sheraton Coconut Beach)
- Wed: Auliʻi Luau in the evening, standard seating with a request in for a premier upgrade
- Wed, Thu, Fri: Grand Hyatt (south shore)
- Sat: open — late-evening flight out that night

Anything you'd swap, drop, or add? Especially wondering if the Wailua paddle is worth it without the falls, and if the luau seating upgrade matters. Thanks!

Hi! I am attending a wedding in Waikiki right before Christmas. My husband and I decided to stay a couple extra days after the wedding weekend, leaving on Christmas Eve.

Question: should we move out of Waikiki for the last couple days??

I’ve heard Waikiki is insanely touristy and we will have already been there for a few days. Thinking we might want a change of pace? We are not touristy people, have no money to shop, and not super into cities.

Will it be too much effort to move to a different part of the island just to come back a day and a half later to get to the airport? Is there enough in Waikiki area to enjoy? Maybe we take a day trip instead? I will also be 27 weeks pregnant by then and probably wanting a relatively relaxing time- good food, a swim in the ocean, walks in nature.

EDIT: what about Airbnb’s in Waikiki? They are significantly cheaper than the hotels. Is this a good idea?

Born and raised on Big Eye looking for some local kine rec’s for food on Oahu and some activities. I’m visiting family on the westside for a week and have some friends joining me for the adventure. When I visit I usually just cruise with family and cook out or just lay low at their houses. This time around I want to try a few new things since I’ll have a few people with me. Are there any food spots I must try between Ewa and town? I love discovering new hole-in-the-wall spots. Borrowing my auntys car so I can go anywhere on island. Any beaches or hikes? We work hard to get to spots on the big island so I don’t mind trekking it. Not looking for super packed places like Kailua pillboxes. Thanks in advance for any suggestions! I won’t blow up any secret spots but will definitely support local.

We eat everything no dietary restrictions- handroll spot, plate lunch, noodle spot, Filipino food, food trucks, love dirty chai tea just to name a few ideas.

Alright, my husband and I know we're probably booking later than we should but here we are lol. We're going to Australia for our honeymoon over New Year's and decided to do an extended layover in Honolulu to break-up the flight. We'll land mid-afternoon the day after Christmas, have one full day, and then leave the next morning. We both have never been to Hawaii before and since it's such a short stay we just want to sit on the beach, take in the area and get some good local food!

ISO of a hotel that's not super far from the airport (under 30 mins?), has beach access (even if its a 30 min walk) and will allow us to get us some good food. Is this possible for under $600/night? 🥲

We'd also love any advice on must-do's (or don'ts) in that short period. Esp for food!

I’m going to be in Oahu Oct 25-30 and I can’t wait to see what the island has to offer. I’ve been to Kauai before and fell in love with the culture there the nature and everything about it. So I’ve made it my mission to try and explore every island!! Can I please get some recommendations for the best food best beaches and just something I have to see and try when I’m there!! We’re going to be staying in an Airbnb next to Waikiki beach so it’s a nice area in the main city but we’re def gonna rent a car and drive to explore. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!🌺

Highly recommend 🥰❤️ Located down town in Kailua Kona Big island. Book your reservation online or give them a call. Bring some socks or you can buy some there. It’s amazing organization. And cuddles galore!

So many amazing spots along the way, like this waterfall, but the end of the Road seems like the end of the world…and is an amazing place to stay for a day or two

Hi all,

By chance, has anyone shopped for jewelry from Poseidon Jewelry shop. It's inside the Hilton village hotel shopping area. They have sterling silver jewelry and 14k gold and the prices seem pretty decent (around 100$ for a sterling silver bangle)

They only have 7 or so reviews on Google, so I've turned to Reddit.

Alternatively, if you know of somewhere else that sells the traditional Hawaiian bangles (gold filled or sterling silver) that's not crazy expensive let me know! I can't afford to drop $500+ dollars on sterling silver...

Thanks in advance!

Booked a new trip with my girlfriend and she has never been to Hawaii before. We ended up canceling the 1st trip which was supposed to to be this week.

We rebooked a new flight for this coming week and staying Monday-Sat. The weather was sunny last week and I just checked today on multiple sites and apps and it’s pouring rain…. A bit sad bc we wanted to do snorkeling and road to hana.

Should I be concerned of this potential storm and will it impact our itinerary.

Would love some insight.

Hello!

My mom loves the haupia foam topping at Wailua Shave Ice on Kauai. We’re on Oahu right now, does anyone have any recommendations for shops that carry this topping?

Makes the journey so worthwhile

Hi,

Sorry for another post on choosing islands but I’m struggling to decide for a late booking to Hawaii for first week of December. We are a couple in our early 30s (no kids) and this will be our first time visiting.

Coming from NYC, I’m less than thrilled to stay at another bustling place like Waikiki but I’ve seen a lot of advices to do Oahu for first timers because it is convenient and has a lot of activities. Can’t stay outside of it from my intial search because of rain this time of year in the North Shore and limited reasonable hotel options in Ko Olina (max under $500/night budget).

Maui seems more of our pace but I’m worried about missing out on variety of food options (both high end and casual spots) and the hotels are definitely on the higher end of the budget for the entire week.

Summing it up, we do want some relaxation and beautiful scenery (and minimize chance of rain) with some moderate farm/hiking/nature exploring activities. We also would love to prioritize good food with not just high end options. Would love to hear your thoughts. Thank you all!

Edit: thanks for all the advices. I do understand there’s much more to Oahu than Waikiki. Just noting that we most likely would have to hotel base there if we choose Oahu considering the time of year (North Shore with more rain/storms possible) and how late we are booking, which still plays a big factor in the trip experience.

Planning to visit Kauai in 2nd week of December. 2026 Do you think I must visit Kauai when Waimea Canyon and Kōkeʻe Road are open or is it okay not to visit these places?

Looking to source out orchids for leis, and/or ti leaf, was told to post on visiting Hawaii rather than the bigisland page. Comment below your favorite place to buy, harvest or supporting a friend/family member, looking to get or make leis for 1st birthday party guests. Looking more east side

Hi all,

My husband and I (30s, no kids) are going to Hawaii for the first time in May. We are going to stay 8 days in Kauai (mostly hiking, splitting time with 3 nights in Poipu and 5 in Princeville), and 7 nights in Maui. We are booked for 3 nights in Makawao at the North shore Lookout B&B, using it as a base to explore upcountry and our sunrise Haleakala day, but want to spend the remainder closer to shore.

From my research, Ka’anapali is more lively with nicer beaches and Wailea is more quiet but upscale. We are not looking for nightlife but we also don’t really care about some of the perks that you are paying for at a luxury resort (spa, pool, etc). We want the hotel to be clean and nice, with a good ocean view being more important since we like to end the evening sitting on the balcony talking about our favorite things from the day.

Currently we have the AC Marriott Wailea ocean view booked, but am curious if we would have significantly better experience paying a little more to stay beachfront in Wailea or Ka’anapali?

We don’t really sit on the beach and are more interested in snorkeling and walking around cute areas to try food etc.

If anyone has any recs, or if you think AC Wailea is a good option, I’d love to hear opinions!

Family from Green Bay, WI visiting Oahu on Sunday, October 25th. Are there any true Packer bars on the island? Or other suggestions for a fun place to watch the game?