r/VisitingHawaii

hello! my husband and i want to go to Hawaii this Oct for our anniversary but i know literally NOTHING. is oct a good and decently priced time to go? where in hawaii should we go? i know hawaii isn’t ever cheap but im hoping to not go into debt for an anniversary trip. please tell me EVERYTHING

We plan to stay at a resort, she wants sand beaches, but also REALLY wants to visit a Volcano or lava flow, it doesn't need to be active of course. She is 18, this is her graduation present and I don't want to crap it up. We have looked at places in Waikiki and some on the big island, we are leaning towards the Big Island, but like I said, I know NOTHING about Hawaii.... Hilton Grand Vacations Club Ocean Tower Waikoloa Village is our top choice right now.

Any advice would be great. we don't plan to rent a car, looking at 6-8 days on island, travel is a day on either side since we are coming from the east coast... please help.

I would also like somewhere that we can snorkle, she is not scuba certified, so just snorkling will be fine.

Part of the reason I'm considering it is that we'll be traveling with an 80-year-old family member, and it seems like an easy, full-day activity.

Researching the Polynesian Cultural Center for an upcoming trip, and I've noticed opinions seem incredibly divided.

1. Some strongly discourage visiting because of its ties to the LDS Mormon Church
2. Others (including some locals) say the criticism is overstated bc the PCC provides jobs, supports many BYU–Hawaiʻi students, and contributes to the local economy

For those of you who live in Hawaiʻi or HAVE VISITED the PCC, what's your opinion? Was it a good time, worth it?

If you chose not to go, what did you do instead that worked well for an older traveler?

Note: We are staying for a week in Waikiki. We will also be visiting Bishop Museum and ʻIolani Palace. Looking at PCC for the luau and the show, family doesn't drink so the missing alcohol isn't an issue...

Convince me to visit—or skip—the PCC. Thanks!

My husband (M 29) and I (F 28) are looking at going to Hawaii in the end of August/early September for 10 nights.

We’re hoping to visit less crowded areas and have some days on the beach, a day doing a short hike in the jungle, be able to see some volcanoes at some point, shopping, a snorkeling excursion & have some seclusion or a romantic vibe if that’s even possible. I’m chronically ill so the ability to see some views without walking super far to see would be great. We plan on cooking some of our meals. We don’t have much interest in bars & night life.

Thank you in advance!

hello! i'm visiting oahu next weekend. are the time estimates on google maps for TheBus accurate? would it actually make 50 stops between these two locations? (Waialae Ave + Kilauea Ave then Kalanianaole Hwy + Portlock Rd) i'm looking at the travel time between our hotel in waikiki to the kona brewing and the total time is 1 hr 15 min.

https://preview.redd.it/91t1y1bsohbh1.png?width=752&format=png&auto=webp&s=210c4c058feaed673989962f381269478709b79c

I have never been to Hawaii yet, and I plan to go next spring (hopefully). And I like lots of fun things to do and gorgeous sceneries. You can’t go wrong tho with any of the islands but it’s hard to decide which one is most worth it.

Hello all! My family and I are staying here for a couple of weeks and we are wondering where is a good place to get some fishing gear and fish on the beach. Also, what are good baits to use, line poundage suggestions, etc.

Mahalo!

Should we do

Oahu 3 nights, Kauai 3 nights, Oahu 2 nights

or

Oahu 5 nights, Kauai 3 nights

Round trip flights are out of Oahu but I would rather minimize airport time and rental car duplicate days. We plan to fly Southwest between islands. We are staying at Aulani 3 nights and Turtle Bay 2 nights. Unsure of where we will stay on Kauai. Thanks!

How is camping in Kauai in the west region?

We want to camp for part of our trip in the west coast around Polihale. We are experienced campers. I’ve seen some posts on Reddit discouraging camping in Kauai due to people vandalizing cars, break ins, and it generally being unsafe.

How risky is it? Is it a bad idea?

We are a couple and will have an SUV and tent.

Curious to hear how it went if you’ve camped there.

*EDIT: excuse the title, I have the surfing part figured out but if you want to drop recs go for it.

Ive been to Oahu and Maui before. Maui is more my vibe and I always said if I came back it would be Maui or maybe try something new like the Big Island. I actually hated Oahu (sorry) but I stayed in Waikiki and couldn't sleep because people were up all night screaming. The beaches were crowded and ugly. It was like the Vegas Strip of Hawaii.

Im planning a family vacation and my dad has always wanted to go to Hawaii. I wanted to take him to Maui or Big Island but my husband somehow convinced me to book Oahu saying my dad would like it better. After booking everything my dad mentioned that all he wants to do is relax on a beautiful beach (the opposite of Oahu in my experience lol) but everything is booked and we are leaving in 4 days.

I am trying to plan our itinerary hella last minute and now that I am researching I am being reminded how much I hate Oahu. Im looking for reassurance that this will be fun and maybe looking for beautiful non-crowded beaches where my dad can relax? Something that old people who cant get around too well would like to do? Im also gluten free so any bomb restaurants (not touristy) that I can eat would be great. Im looking for words of encouragement idk hype me up for this please im just regretting listening to my husband and wish I picked the big island or Maui.

Had to go Hilo for a doctor appointment and stopped at Kula Shave Ice to get the Mango Sago before it’s pau. A couple with their young child sit down at the table next to me. The mom and kid got up to order, a few minutes later the dad got up to join them and left their backpack sitting at the table, apparently to save their seats. They were all standing with their backs to the table for quite awhile as there was a lot of folks from the cruise ship in line. Do people not realize how dumb and risky this is? Especially with so many homeless, druggies, and thieves hanging around Hilo town. Folks, Hawaii may seem like an idyllic paradise but the reality is there’s plenty crime here just like everywhere else. Don’t leave anything of value unattended or in your rental car! 🤦🏼‍♀️

looking for real feedback on Alohilani Resort in Waikiki. Online reviews either love or HATE this place. I’ve already booked it, but could cancel and rebook for only like $100. if it’s truly terrible, I want to stay away. Will be a 6 night stay, first time in Hawaii. No kids.

hey everyone! I am trying to plan my honeymoon in Hawaii. Neither of us have ever been and it’s been a few years since we’ve been any real vacation alone together so I am really trying to plan something special. I am hoping to get peoples suggestions but right now we are thinking a few days in Maui and a few days in Kaua’i. We are hoping for a mix of adventure and relaxation with a couple romantic things sprinkled in there like a couples massage or sunset cruise or dinner. I would really love any suggestions for what to do and see and places to stay. We are hoping to go in November 2026! thanks all!

I’m visiting Hawaii in 2 weeks to visit my colleagues and I would love to bring some gifts like snacks to show gratitude for welcoming me! I live on the mainland btw. What edible snacks would you appreciate?

Thanks in advance!

Happy 4th all. Any of you recently (say the last few months) used Budget Car rental at KOA? They have the lowest prices via Costco and I did just add their FastBreak membership as I have heard lines can be long. But I've also read some horror stories so wanting to see if I should just pay a little more and go with Alamo or someone else. Again looking for more recent experiences at Kona's Budget car rental thanks and aloha.

UPDATE: after reading more reviews on google and reddit, i cancelled my costco/budget rental and went with costco/alamo. $35 more (for the whole week) but i went from budget intermediate car to alamo full size car. alamo reviews are pretty insanely good. hopefully $35 is worth it. thanks all.

Here for the Mexico v. England game. Any recommendations on where to watch the game? We support Mexico so somewhere that will have good vibes for that team. Any bars, restaurant recommendations?

My wife and I are coming to the Big Island on Monday. One of the things we were most looking forward to was the Abalone farm food trailer. I just found out it’s closed due to operational issues. This was something we were seriously looking forward to. Is there anywhere else on the island to experience a similar food experience? We love Poke and very rarely get to eat Abalone and it may sound silly but after learning of this place it became a bucket list place to eat. We are devastated to find it’s closed down right before our trip. Between this and finding out the Manta Ray observation deck is closed at our hotel, it feels like our trip is already off the rails before it even started.