We did Pearl Harbor today. It was moving. Then we hiked up Diamond Head. Pretty good hump. I thought it was great, but my wife moaned a bit on the way up. I kept telling her- remember those soldiers and sailors that did it carrying ammo, weapons and supplies in the 40s. She did good.

I was going to mention the climbing DIamond Head, that was always a cool trip.

I used to take the bus to Sandy Beach, I always enjoyed the waves there and the views. Great place to body surf and watch huge waves crash on the beach.

I too think the Road To Hanna is about the most beautiful drive you can take.. It does take a while.. Take your wallet and eat at the restaurant at the end of the road..
And definitely rent a convertible while you are there... A Mustang GT is a good choice..

I didn't hear anyone say anything about driving up Haleakala.. Incredible views from up there and the sunrise from the top is something to behold.. Sea level to over 10,000 feet in about thirty minutes of twists and turns and four different eco-systems.. You'd swear you were on Mars when you get to the top.. Take a jacket..

Also a great place to drive that Mustang..

Great snorkeling on Maui as well.. Boulders beach.. If you can get there..



On Oahu all of the aforementioned sites are a must.. But the concrete has taken over most of the island..


The Big Island is highly agricultural.. But it has Mauna Loa volcano, active for years and some and it is neat to see where the lava has taken over parts of the island and covered roads.. Giant black beaches..

Molokai is basically undeveloped for tourism.. And accommodations there are sparse, but you can find a place to stay if you are looking.. Of course there is not a lot to do there.. But it is pretty and unspoiled for the most part.. Six mile beach is pretty deserted, and.. well basically there are few tourists there..


Kauai is the prettiest of the islands in my view, but it is being heavily developed in some areas.. Princeville is the high end area.. And if they still have the buffet there at the hotel it is a must do.. If it comes from the ocean, they have it..


Great snorkeling.. Tunnels beach is good but it is a beast for big waves sometimes and not for the timid. Anini beach is on the north side of the island and is awesome for snorkeling or laying nekid in the sun..

All the islands are beautiful..

You really can't go wrong.. But you can go broke.. Stuff over there is a bit pricy compared to Zapata..

Man what a great thread for vacation tips. Wife and I have been talking about going.

Is there an affordable way to visit? We would be fine not staying in a super-nice hotel or eating at high-end restaurants, but we would like to go.

We’ve hired a private driver for the road to Hana. I didn’t want to drive it myself because then I wouldn’t be able to see all the scenery from being too focused on the road. I hear it can be dangerous.

I happily remember flying into there from the Orient a couple times, the 2nd most beautiful water site I have ever seen, looks like the water changes color 10 times headed in.

note: gotta admit, flying into the Greek Islands of the Mediterranean is the greatest.

I did to.

I had a burger and fries at that restaurant. It was $25.

Not for the budget conscience, but on Kauai, the helicopter tour is a once in a lifetime experience. I highly recommend it.

If you have a Costco membership it’s a great way to cut your meal expenses

If you plan on going to the big island the Wendy’s has one of the most beautiful vistas you will find

Me too. We rented a jeep and made the complete loop. It was a great drive. A little hairy when you ran into an oncoming car on the dirt portion but fun.

Our pilot said he flew in Nam.. I figured as long as he didn't have flash back we'd be fine.. Truly incredible ride and you will see things you just can't see otherwise..



First time we drove the dirt road back on the dry side in a Cadillac or a Lincoln or some big car.. The rental company said not to take the car around there.. I should have listened but we made it OK.. I recommend the Jeep..

If your physical condition allows, I strongly recommend doing a hike. You can Google for recommended hikes and get multiple options relative to location, difficulty, length...etc. In Kaua’i we did the Hanakapiai Falls hike and it was amazingly spectacular! As an added bonus...it was free.

The only way to see HI is in a Jeep. Take the tops off and enjoy the sun and scenery.

We had a jeep on the Big Island, then switched to a Chevrolet Trax in Maui. The Trax is a small bubble shaped SUV. It was perfect for the drive to Hana. Much more maneuverable on that road than a jeep. Having a small vehicle on islands is a plus.