Random thoughts III

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Hey Pantsy, I'm coming to your islands for my honeymoon this summer!

3 days in Honolulu and then a week in Maui.

Any tips from a local?
 
A hotel and a resort. My fiance is all over the details. I should probably pay more attention.

That's not very specific.

I'm guessing the hotel is in Oahu and the resort is in Maui. As long as the Maui resort is either in the Kahului/Kihei central part or any place on the western side of the island, you'll be fine with things to do. 00 actually probably has a long list of things for you.

If you're staying on Honolulu, my advice is to do most things outside of Honolulu. It's just a regular big city. Just happens to be by an ocean. I recommend the touristy things, because they are fun/fascinating. Pearl Harbor if you haven't been is a must. The Dole Pineapple Plantation is cheesy but fun. I can proabably get you guys some tickets to the Polynesian Cultural Center, which is a blast (and a full day event). Outside of those things, definitely explore the North Shore. I love Haleiwa, Sunset Beach is up there, there's almost always some kind of market going on, but there's a local business market on Saturday mornings in the Sunset Beach elementary school that's pretty cool and has vendors that sell stuff like local handmade jewelry, paintings, and other eclectic things, as well as food vendors.
 
Just asked my gal and she said we are staying at the following:

In Honolulu we are at The OUtrigger Waikiki

In Maui we are at the Kahana Villa in Lahaina

We're doing Pearl Harbor, The Dole Plantation, and the Polynesian Culture center for sure. Already booked those. Also doing a Luau.

We'll probably check out a bunch of other stuff on the other days so I'll keep North Shore and Sunset beach in mind.
 
Just asked my gal and she said we are staying at the following:

In Honolulu we are at The OUtrigger Waikiki

In Maui we are at the Kahana Villa in Lahaina

We're doing Pearl Harbor, The Dole Plantation, and the Polynesian Culture center for sure. Already booked those. Also doing a Luau.

We'll probably check out a bunch of other stuff on the other days so I'll keep North Shore and Sunset beach in mind.

I think we stayed there while we were in Honolulu on our honeymoon. We were at the Royal Lahaina (Ka'anapali) on Maui for the second part of the honeymoon.
 
Just asked my gal and she said we are staying at the following:

In Honolulu we are at The OUtrigger Waikiki

In Maui we are at the Kahana Villa in Lahaina

We're doing Pearl Harbor, The Dole Plantation, and the Polynesian Culture center for sure. Already booked those. Also doing a Luau.

We'll probably check out a bunch of other stuff on the other days so I'll keep North Shore and Sunset beach in mind.


friends went there for their HM a couple years ago - think they also did zip-lining, some kind of really pretty looking mountainy hikes - possibly Diamond Head and some place with really pretty, tall waterfalls.

Super specific, I know, ha.
 
Good hotel. Right down the street from my house, but smack dab in the middle of Waikiki, so depending on if you're into busy high scale shopping, that can be good or bad. Plan to pay for parking though, unless it specifically noted it's included. Also don't be shocked by the 14% nightly hotel tax. Really nice hotel though.

One of my favorite things to do on a lazy weekend is drive to the north shore, but to go up and around the eastern (windward) side of the island to get there instead of going straight up the middle of the island to cut across there. There's some gorgeous views between Hawaii Kai and Kaneohe.
 
Good hotel. Right down the street from my house, but smack dab in the middle of Waikiki, so depending on if you're into busy high scale shopping, that can be good or bad. Plan to pay for parking though, unless it specifically noted it's included. Also don't be shocked by the 14% nightly hotel tax. Really nice hotel though.

One of my favorite things to do on a lazy weekend is drive to the north shore, but to go up and around the eastern (windward) side of the island to get there instead of going straight up the middle of the island to cut across there. There's some gorgeous views between Hawaii Kai and Kaneohe.

Since we aren't in Honolulu long, we weren't planning on renting a car there. Just using the shuttle to get to a few places. I think we might spend the first few days in the room anyways! We are renting a car in Lahaina though
 
Oh and our parents are paying for pretty much all of the hotel and plane tickets!

Her parents have a timeshare at the Kahana Villa so that helps too.
 
Since we aren't in Honolulu long, we weren't planning on renting a car there. Just using the shuttle to get to a few places. I think we might spend the first few days in the room anyways! We are renting a car in Lahaina though

For something different you can drive the road to Hana - but not if you are in a hurry. While over there try the Pools at Ohe'o. Kind of a cool spot with seven (?) pools out to some big surf out at the ocean cliffs. Then you can hike through some awesome bamboo forests up to a 400' waterfall.

Another fun thing to do is to drive up to the top of Haleakala and hike down into the crater. Take your time though; it is a strenuous hike out at altitude (~10,000 ft). Mrs. Velo and I were fine but oddly enough we met a couple on the hike from Denver and she was really struggling with the altitude on the way out.

We also did a guided bike trip down Haleakala. They take you up (in a van) before dawn to see the sunrise and then you ride heavy duty mountain bikes down the mountain road. There is a brunch stop with the group a little over half way down. It is pretty cool to go from 10,000 feet to sea level in about 40 miles. The easiest 40 mile ride I have ever done since you only have to pedal for about 1/4 to 1/2 mile of it all told.
 
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You can also take day trips to some of the other islands to just get a taste of what they are like. We took a day trip from Oahu to Kaua'i and another from Maui to Hawai'i. Kaua'i is a little more wild and natural (love me some feral chickens) and you get more of the volcanic experience on Hawai'i. It was pretty cool hiking out on lava that was just weeks old from (literally) the end of the road to the ocean to see where the lava was flowing in slowly making the island larger.

We have also done a whale watching cruise off Maui (in season - I don't know when you are going) and snorkeled at Molokini.

I would encourage you to spend time relaxing on the beach but also making a lot of experience memories as well.
 
For something different you can drive the road to Hana - but not if you are in a hurry. While over there try the Pools at Ohe'o. Kind of a cool spot with seven (?) pools out to some big surf out at the ocean cliffs. Then you can hike through some awesome bamboo forests up to a 400' waterfall.

Another fun thing to do is to drive up to the top of Haleakala and hike down into the crater. Take your time though; it is a strenuous hike out at altitude (~10,000 ft). Mrs. Velo and I were fine but oddly enough we met a couple on the hike from Denver and she was really struggling with the altitude on the way out.

We also did a guided bike trip down Haleakala. They take you up (in a van) before dawn to see the sunrise and then you ride heavy duty mountain bikes down the mountain road. There is a brunch stop with the group a little over half way down. It is pretty cool to go from 10,000 feet to sea level in about 40 miles. The easiest 40 mile ride I have ever done since you only have to pedal for about 1/4 to 1/2 mile of it all told.

Good luck with the Road to Hana in a rental. Most rental places prohibit driving there.

Whale watching won't be there in the summer, unfortunately. That's usually October to March.
 
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