Ned
02-25-2008, 02:08 PM
Because my report is long: I have to do it in two parts:
It's important to note that we actually had a primary purpose for visiting Hawaii. We went so I could attend the Annual General Meeting (and other ancillary meetings) of the United States Soccer Federation (the organization ultimately in charge of all soccer from youth to professional in the US). I am a delegate to the Federation, for youth soccer. I mention this since we had to work our site-seeing around my meeting schedule. Since we were there, we decided to make a vacation out of it, once the meetings were complete, and spend time in Maui and Oahu before we had to be back home.
Hawaii (The Big Island):
We broke up our flight to Hawaii by stopping off at LA for a night. It gave us a chance to see our kids there, and definitely helped with the time zone change. We flew into Kona the following day for our 4 night stay on Hawaii. For those unfamiliar with the airport in Kona, it's all open air and there are no jetways. Disabled people have a rough time here. A person traveling on our plane who is in a wheel chair had to be carried down the stairs. They didn't even use a lift for him. We had a 15 minute walk to the other end of the airport to get to the baggage carousel. For a small airport you do a lot of walking, and its layout is poor.
We rented a car from National at the airport. Hertz is my first choice, but they are too darn expensive on Hawaii, so I used National and the Emerald Club. It's incredibly helpful to have a car, as it opens up dining and shopping options, and lets you go at your own pace for activities and site-seeing. I highly recommend renting a car here.
Our hotel was the Hilton Waikoloa Village complex about 20 minutes north of the Kona Airport, where we stayed for 4 nights. The Hilton is a great resort hotel with wonderful rooms and terrific service and lots to do right there. Most people don't leave the complex except to do a little sight-seeing, and as a result, the Hilton thinks it has a captive customer group, and they charge accordingly, which is the down side of the hotel. Prices in their restaurants are out of sight, for the most part. Except for a couple of lunches and one dinner, we found other places to eat. The breakfast buffet, for example, was about $40 per person. We had a dinner at the Chinese restaurant there because it was late and we were exhausted. It wasn't very good. If you need the Internet you'll be paying through the nose for it. If you buy a 5 day package it costs $75. If you pay for it day by day, it's about $40 per day. The other problem with the complex is that things are really spread well apart and unless you're prepared to do a lot of walking you have to take their very slow monorail-like tram (Think Disney who designed it.) or the boats in the canal (They travel on a rail and also were designed by Disney). Don't get me wrong, we had a great time here. I especially liked swimming and snorkeling in the lagoon which has lots of varieties of fish and turtles.
We found off site places to eat. For dinner we ate at the Canoe House in the Mauna Lani complex, 5 miles north of the Hilton complex. The food was great ($55/person avg.) but service was only so-so. We also ate at Ruth's Chris, ($55) also nearby. The food and service was excellent. For breakfast the concierge at the Hilton recommended the nearby golf course's club house. It had good breakfast ($18 per person for juice, coffee or tea, eggs and toast or pancakes, bacon or sausage, etc.) with excellent service. We ate breakfast there each day instead of at the Hilton. It took about 5 minutes to drive there.
Hawaii has two cities; Kona and Hilo. Neither is much of a "city" but they do have some shops and a concentration of people. Both are pleasant, but don't have much to offer. The gorgeous country-side, volcanic and desolate, as well as lush in other areas is varied to say the least. We didn't visit Hawaii's snow capped mountain (volcano) Mauna Kea, as it was completely shrouded in clouds and rain the entire time we were there. We did go to the National Volcano Park where we saw Kilauea belching large amounts of hydrogen sulfide gas, which forced the closing of about a third of the overlooks on Crater Rim Drive. Even so it was spectacular. We also took the Chain of Craters Road which descends 3,700 feet in 20 miles and ends where a 2003 lava flow crossed the road near the ocean. We hiked at the end of the road and saw amazing scenery. Our visit here was very much worth the 6 hour round trip drive. On our drive we stopped by at Akala Falls, north of Hilo. The falls have several hundred foot drop. It's an incredible site. The state park there has abundant flowers of all kinds and are really beautiful.
There are plenty of places for adventure at the Big Island, especially snorkeling. We have our own snorkeling/diving gear, including wet suits, which we brought with us, so we didn't check out the equipment rental establishments at all. North of Kona we snorkeled at Spencer Beach State Park. South of Kona we visited the Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park and snorkeled at the beach just north of the park which was also excellent. I snorkeled in the Hilton's lagoon too.Maui:
We took the 40 minute flight from Kona to Maui which actually took three hours, of course, with TSA security, etc. Maui's airport has jetways and is a much better airport than Kona.
As we did in Hawaii, we rented a car from National at the airport. It's virtually mandatory to have a car here, especially if you're staying in the popular Lahaina area, as it opens up dining and shopping options, and lets you go at your own pace for activities and site-seeing. I hope to return to Maui and will definitely have a car there for any future visit.
We stayed at ResortQuest Kaanapali Shores, for 3 nights, which is rated at 3 stars or more by everyone. Don't believe it. The place is a drab painted concrete block constructed complex with little architectural character, which hasn't been well maintained. We weren't the only people there with complaints. During our 3 night stay they had to replace a track lighting fixture, fix two sinks, and the air conditioning unit. Each was fixed promptly and well, but this amount of work should not have been needed. Our room while spacious was shabby. The dishwasher was rusty, the balcony door sagged and needed to be rehung, etc. It was great having our own kitchen to make breakfast in the morning, and for snacks, but I'd never stay here again. They did give us a substantial refund due to the problems we had. Other people there had some of the same problems, while others had need of an exterminator. The beach at the complex was small but very nice.
The nearby town of Lahaina was delightful. It had great shops and restaurants. We ate at another Ruth's Chris ($55) which was recommended to us as the best restaurant in town, and it was excellent. We had dinner at the Lahaina Fish Company ($40/person) which was excellent. We ate out on the porch overlooking the ocean which was fun. They lit the water near us so we could see the fish there. I would also recommend Pacific'O ($50) which was great. We strolled along the main drag in Lahiana after dinner each night.
On one of the days we took the "Road to Hana." After passing Hookipa State Park the road is solely a twisty-turny two lane road of switchbacks with spectacular views, on which you can't travel at more than about 20-25mph, and sometimes slower. The bridges are only 1 lane wide, so you have to wait for on coming traffic. We took the road only as far as the wonderful Garden of Eden botanical garden ($10/person). This is definitely worth the price of admission. The flowers are gorgeous as are the views of the waterfall and ocean. One of the overlooks was used in the movie Jurassic Park. On the way we stopped at Hookipa for almost an hour, taking in the scenery and watching the zillions of surfers ride the waves. It's one of the most popular surfing areas in all of Hawaii.
On our other full day in Maui we went snorkeling. I give the Prince Kuhio (http://www.mvprince.com/) my highest recommendation. While they easily accommodate advanced snorkelers, they also take care of those who are snorkeling for the first time really well. The boat is excellent, and captain and crew could be better. They rent out equipment, even underwater cameras for those who don't have them. With the cameras, they give you a CD with all your photos on them when you leave the boat at the end of the day. We got the boat at Maalaea Harbor at the Bay. It took us about 30 minutes to drive there. The boat takes you first to the Molokini Crater for incredible snorkeling with an amazing variety and quantity of fish. Then after about an hour and 15 minutes in the water, you're taken to Keawala'i to swim and snorkel with the sea turtles. That afternoon we stayed on the boat from whale watching and weren't disappointed. At this time of year the whales are in major migration in the Hawaiian Islands and Maui in particular and are plentiful. Time and time again we saw them breach the water and using their spouts. You get breakfast and lunch as part of the $95 package. If you're interested in a great snorkeling adventure, the Prince Kuhio is the way to go.Part 2 (http://www.talkingtravelers.com/forum/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=142)
It's important to note that we actually had a primary purpose for visiting Hawaii. We went so I could attend the Annual General Meeting (and other ancillary meetings) of the United States Soccer Federation (the organization ultimately in charge of all soccer from youth to professional in the US). I am a delegate to the Federation, for youth soccer. I mention this since we had to work our site-seeing around my meeting schedule. Since we were there, we decided to make a vacation out of it, once the meetings were complete, and spend time in Maui and Oahu before we had to be back home.
Hawaii (The Big Island):
We broke up our flight to Hawaii by stopping off at LA for a night. It gave us a chance to see our kids there, and definitely helped with the time zone change. We flew into Kona the following day for our 4 night stay on Hawaii. For those unfamiliar with the airport in Kona, it's all open air and there are no jetways. Disabled people have a rough time here. A person traveling on our plane who is in a wheel chair had to be carried down the stairs. They didn't even use a lift for him. We had a 15 minute walk to the other end of the airport to get to the baggage carousel. For a small airport you do a lot of walking, and its layout is poor.
We rented a car from National at the airport. Hertz is my first choice, but they are too darn expensive on Hawaii, so I used National and the Emerald Club. It's incredibly helpful to have a car, as it opens up dining and shopping options, and lets you go at your own pace for activities and site-seeing. I highly recommend renting a car here.
Our hotel was the Hilton Waikoloa Village complex about 20 minutes north of the Kona Airport, where we stayed for 4 nights. The Hilton is a great resort hotel with wonderful rooms and terrific service and lots to do right there. Most people don't leave the complex except to do a little sight-seeing, and as a result, the Hilton thinks it has a captive customer group, and they charge accordingly, which is the down side of the hotel. Prices in their restaurants are out of sight, for the most part. Except for a couple of lunches and one dinner, we found other places to eat. The breakfast buffet, for example, was about $40 per person. We had a dinner at the Chinese restaurant there because it was late and we were exhausted. It wasn't very good. If you need the Internet you'll be paying through the nose for it. If you buy a 5 day package it costs $75. If you pay for it day by day, it's about $40 per day. The other problem with the complex is that things are really spread well apart and unless you're prepared to do a lot of walking you have to take their very slow monorail-like tram (Think Disney who designed it.) or the boats in the canal (They travel on a rail and also were designed by Disney). Don't get me wrong, we had a great time here. I especially liked swimming and snorkeling in the lagoon which has lots of varieties of fish and turtles.
We found off site places to eat. For dinner we ate at the Canoe House in the Mauna Lani complex, 5 miles north of the Hilton complex. The food was great ($55/person avg.) but service was only so-so. We also ate at Ruth's Chris, ($55) also nearby. The food and service was excellent. For breakfast the concierge at the Hilton recommended the nearby golf course's club house. It had good breakfast ($18 per person for juice, coffee or tea, eggs and toast or pancakes, bacon or sausage, etc.) with excellent service. We ate breakfast there each day instead of at the Hilton. It took about 5 minutes to drive there.
Hawaii has two cities; Kona and Hilo. Neither is much of a "city" but they do have some shops and a concentration of people. Both are pleasant, but don't have much to offer. The gorgeous country-side, volcanic and desolate, as well as lush in other areas is varied to say the least. We didn't visit Hawaii's snow capped mountain (volcano) Mauna Kea, as it was completely shrouded in clouds and rain the entire time we were there. We did go to the National Volcano Park where we saw Kilauea belching large amounts of hydrogen sulfide gas, which forced the closing of about a third of the overlooks on Crater Rim Drive. Even so it was spectacular. We also took the Chain of Craters Road which descends 3,700 feet in 20 miles and ends where a 2003 lava flow crossed the road near the ocean. We hiked at the end of the road and saw amazing scenery. Our visit here was very much worth the 6 hour round trip drive. On our drive we stopped by at Akala Falls, north of Hilo. The falls have several hundred foot drop. It's an incredible site. The state park there has abundant flowers of all kinds and are really beautiful.
There are plenty of places for adventure at the Big Island, especially snorkeling. We have our own snorkeling/diving gear, including wet suits, which we brought with us, so we didn't check out the equipment rental establishments at all. North of Kona we snorkeled at Spencer Beach State Park. South of Kona we visited the Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park and snorkeled at the beach just north of the park which was also excellent. I snorkeled in the Hilton's lagoon too.Maui:
We took the 40 minute flight from Kona to Maui which actually took three hours, of course, with TSA security, etc. Maui's airport has jetways and is a much better airport than Kona.
As we did in Hawaii, we rented a car from National at the airport. It's virtually mandatory to have a car here, especially if you're staying in the popular Lahaina area, as it opens up dining and shopping options, and lets you go at your own pace for activities and site-seeing. I hope to return to Maui and will definitely have a car there for any future visit.
We stayed at ResortQuest Kaanapali Shores, for 3 nights, which is rated at 3 stars or more by everyone. Don't believe it. The place is a drab painted concrete block constructed complex with little architectural character, which hasn't been well maintained. We weren't the only people there with complaints. During our 3 night stay they had to replace a track lighting fixture, fix two sinks, and the air conditioning unit. Each was fixed promptly and well, but this amount of work should not have been needed. Our room while spacious was shabby. The dishwasher was rusty, the balcony door sagged and needed to be rehung, etc. It was great having our own kitchen to make breakfast in the morning, and for snacks, but I'd never stay here again. They did give us a substantial refund due to the problems we had. Other people there had some of the same problems, while others had need of an exterminator. The beach at the complex was small but very nice.
The nearby town of Lahaina was delightful. It had great shops and restaurants. We ate at another Ruth's Chris ($55) which was recommended to us as the best restaurant in town, and it was excellent. We had dinner at the Lahaina Fish Company ($40/person) which was excellent. We ate out on the porch overlooking the ocean which was fun. They lit the water near us so we could see the fish there. I would also recommend Pacific'O ($50) which was great. We strolled along the main drag in Lahiana after dinner each night.
On one of the days we took the "Road to Hana." After passing Hookipa State Park the road is solely a twisty-turny two lane road of switchbacks with spectacular views, on which you can't travel at more than about 20-25mph, and sometimes slower. The bridges are only 1 lane wide, so you have to wait for on coming traffic. We took the road only as far as the wonderful Garden of Eden botanical garden ($10/person). This is definitely worth the price of admission. The flowers are gorgeous as are the views of the waterfall and ocean. One of the overlooks was used in the movie Jurassic Park. On the way we stopped at Hookipa for almost an hour, taking in the scenery and watching the zillions of surfers ride the waves. It's one of the most popular surfing areas in all of Hawaii.
On our other full day in Maui we went snorkeling. I give the Prince Kuhio (http://www.mvprince.com/) my highest recommendation. While they easily accommodate advanced snorkelers, they also take care of those who are snorkeling for the first time really well. The boat is excellent, and captain and crew could be better. They rent out equipment, even underwater cameras for those who don't have them. With the cameras, they give you a CD with all your photos on them when you leave the boat at the end of the day. We got the boat at Maalaea Harbor at the Bay. It took us about 30 minutes to drive there. The boat takes you first to the Molokini Crater for incredible snorkeling with an amazing variety and quantity of fish. Then after about an hour and 15 minutes in the water, you're taken to Keawala'i to swim and snorkel with the sea turtles. That afternoon we stayed on the boat from whale watching and weren't disappointed. At this time of year the whales are in major migration in the Hawaiian Islands and Maui in particular and are plentiful. Time and time again we saw them breach the water and using their spouts. You get breakfast and lunch as part of the $95 package. If you're interested in a great snorkeling adventure, the Prince Kuhio is the way to go.Part 2 (http://www.talkingtravelers.com/forum/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=142)