Hawaii
Oahu, Big Island, Kauai
Day 1: You begin a wonderful trip to the 50th state when you land on Oahu, the aptly named “Gathering Place” of the Hawaiian chain, and after getting your rental car, make you way to your hotel in the famous Waikiki area of the island, where you will stay for the three nights.
Day 2: On your first full day of sightseeing on Oahu, head to Pearl Harbor where you will tour the USS Missouri, the very moving USS Arizona Memorial, the USS Bowfin submarine, and the Pacific Aviation Museum. When your tour of the famous harbor is finished, spend the rest of your day at the stretch of Waikiki beach nearest your hotel.
Day 3: Get up early and hike up Diamond Head Crater for some great views of the island, then drive to the north shore town of Laie and spend your day touring the 42-acre Polynesian Cultural Center, where college students from across the South Pacific work their way through school by demonstrating the native culture of their homelands in seven separate recreated villages including Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Tahiti, Marquesas, and New Zealand. In the evening, enjoy the lavish luau dinner and then attend the evening show where the students perform incredibly entertaining native dances. Afterwards, return to your hotel at Waikiki.
Day 4: After breakfast, head to the airport for your flight to the island of Hawaii or “Big Island.” When you arrive at the airport in Hilo, pick up your rental car, get something to eat (more options available in Hilo), and drive to Volcanoes National Park, where you will stay for the next two nights. After checking in, step into the visitor center and check conditions for the next day, including closures.
Day 5: Get up early and after breakfast, tour the sights along the Crater Rim Drive, including the Thurston Lava Tube (Nahuku). After some lunch, drive the Chain of Craters Road to get a bit closer to the current lava flows. If you stay until after dark, you have the opportunity to see the current flows by their bright glowing trails on the mountain side.
Day 6: In the morning, return to the Hilo airport and take your flight to lovely Kauai, the “Garden Isle.” After picking up your rental car, drive to lovely Hanalei Bay, where you will stay for the next three nights. After checking in, spend the rest of your day on Hanalei Beach.
Day 7: Begin your day by continuing your drive past Hanalei Bay to the end of the road at Ke’e Beach. From Ke’e Beach, hike two miles on the famous Kalalau Trail to Hanakapi’ai. The trail is not easy, but if you tire, just walk the first half mile, which provides outstanding views of the Nā Pali coast. The surf conditions at the beach at Hanakapi’ai can be dangerous any time of year, so don’t plan to swim or wade there. Instead hike back to Ke’e where the conditions are better for swimming and snorkeling, especially during the summer months. On your way back to Hanalei Bay, stop at Tunnels Beach, which also has good snorkeling. Note: Conditions at Hanlei, Ke’e, and Tunnels beaches can be dangerous during the winter months.
Day 8: On your last full day in Hawaii, pack a lunch and drive to the other side of the island to tour Waimea Canyon, the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific.” While hiking to the bottom of the canyon is made difficult by the 2,000-foot elevation difference, the view from the top is spectacular for those who don’t have the time or stamina for the strenuous hike. Afterwards, make your way back towards Hanalei Bay, stopping at protected Poipu Beach, where you can spend the rest of your day swimming and snorkeling in the gorgeous water. Note: Conditions at Poipu are normally excellent during the winter months, but can be rougher during the summer months.
Day 9: Pack your bags for the trip back to Oahu and then for your long flight home. You’ve traveled far to get here, but you have been richly rewarded with some unique experiences that can only be found in these glorious islands.
Day 1: You begin a wonderful trip to the 50th state when you land on Oahu, the aptly named “Gathering Place” of the Hawaiian chain, and after getting your rental car, make you way to your hotel in the famous Waikiki area of the island, where you will stay for the three nights.
Day 2: On your first full day of sightseeing on Oahu, head to Pearl Harbor where you will tour the USS Missouri, the very moving USS Arizona Memorial, the USS Bowfin submarine, and the Pacific Aviation Museum. When your tour of the famous harbor is finished, spend the rest of your day at the stretch of Waikiki beach nearest your hotel.
Day 3: Get up early and hike up Diamond Head Crater for some great views of the island, then drive to the north shore town of Laie and spend your day touring the 42-acre Polynesian Cultural Center, where college students from across the South Pacific work their way through school by demonstrating the native culture of their homelands in seven separate recreated villages including Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Tahiti, Marquesas, and New Zealand. In the evening, enjoy the lavish luau dinner and then attend the evening show where the students perform incredibly entertaining native dances. Afterwards, return to your hotel at Waikiki.
Day 4: After breakfast, head to the airport for your flight to the island of Hawaii or “Big Island.” When you arrive at the airport in Hilo, pick up your rental car, get something to eat (more options available in Hilo), and drive to Volcanoes National Park, where you will stay for the next two nights. After checking in, step into the visitor center and check conditions for the next day, including closures.
Day 5: Get up early and after breakfast, tour the sights along the Crater Rim Drive, including the Thurston Lava Tube (Nahuku). After some lunch, drive the Chain of Craters Road to get a bit closer to the current lava flows. If you stay until after dark, you have the opportunity to see the current flows by their bright glowing trails on the mountain side.
Day 6: In the morning, return to the Hilo airport and take your flight to lovely Kauai, the “Garden Isle.” After picking up your rental car, drive to lovely Hanalei Bay, where you will stay for the next three nights. After checking in, spend the rest of your day on Hanalei Beach.
Day 7: Begin your day by continuing your drive past Hanalei Bay to the end of the road at Ke’e Beach. From Ke’e Beach, hike two miles on the famous Kalalau Trail to Hanakapi’ai. The trail is not easy, but if you tire, just walk the first half mile, which provides outstanding views of the Nā Pali coast. The surf conditions at the beach at Hanakapi’ai can be dangerous any time of year, so don’t plan to swim or wade there. Instead hike back to Ke’e where the conditions are better for swimming and snorkeling, especially during the summer months. On your way back to Hanalei Bay, stop at Tunnels Beach, which also has good snorkeling. Note: Conditions at Hanlei, Ke’e, and Tunnels beaches can be dangerous during the winter months.
Day 8: On your last full day in Hawaii, pack a lunch and drive to the other side of the island to tour Waimea Canyon, the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific.” While hiking to the bottom of the canyon is made difficult by the 2,000-foot elevation difference, the view from the top is spectacular for those who don’t have the time or stamina for the strenuous hike. Afterwards, make your way back towards Hanalei Bay, stopping at protected Poipu Beach, where you can spend the rest of your day swimming and snorkeling in the gorgeous water. Note: Conditions at Poipu are normally excellent during the winter months, but can be rougher during the summer months.
Day 9: Pack your bags for the trip back to Oahu and then for your long flight home. You’ve traveled far to get here, but you have been richly rewarded with some unique experiences that can only be found in these glorious islands.