Who's Going to Honolulu? 10-04-07

Mr Play · Post by **Mr Play** » September 10, 2007 10:09 pm

Moved overview post to current page - please do not delete this...

flipflopgirl · Post by **flipflopgirl** » September 11, 2007 1:50 am

HULA HULA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cowboyjunkie · Post by **cowboyjunkie** » September 11, 2007 2:17 am

norcalparrothead wrote:While we're at it, I have a few Q's about Oahu, and would REALLY appreciate some help.

We arrive 8/2, midday, and leave 8/5 midday, for the Big Island. We have our 2 kids, 8 & 11, good travellers.

We don't have much time, so we're trying to keep it fairly simple. We're staying at the Waikiki Marriott, and have no plans for a rental car. Are these thoughts viable, based on bus travel time? I have looked at the bus schedules, and frankly I was confused. I've ridden BART, but felt pretty dumb looking at the map on the bus website.

WM to Arizona Memorial, early in the day (maybe going to the swap meet at Aloha Stadium), and returning for the afternoon at the beach. Is there an express bus? Can we walk to AS from Az mem? Will this outing take the entire day?

Bus or cab to Diamond Head? - it looked a little too far to walk, then Hike up Diamond head, and then back again - we'll go early in the morning, maybe on our first morning, so we would still be on Calif time (and the kids never seem to get that vacation means sleeping in....)

Bus/cab/walk to waikiki aquarium? Also for the Shell the night of the show?

Best way to Huanama Bay? Is a $15 tour worthwhile, considering it includes entrance cost? Better than a cab?

We are pretty low-key travellers (and bargain-minded), so Waikiki is pretty out of our element, but we still want to see a few things, and spend some quality beach time, too of course!

Thanks for any help you all can provide...

The Manoa Falls hike is free and a cool little rain forest/waterfall experience. I believe the #5 bus runs right up close to the entrance. Not a bad hike (no evil stairs like Diamond Head!).

I lived on Big Island for the last three years so let me know if you need any travel trips for that rock. All the best stuff on that island is FREE!

Pictures of all that here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25529894@N00/

cowboyjunkie · Post by **cowboyjunkie** » September 11, 2007 2:17 am

norcalparrothead wrote:While we're at it, I have a few Q's about Oahu, and would REALLY appreciate some help.

We arrive 8/2, midday, and leave 8/5 midday, for the Big Island. We have our 2 kids, 8 & 11, good travellers.

We don't have much time, so we're trying to keep it fairly simple. We're staying at the Waikiki Marriott, and have no plans for a rental car. Are these thoughts viable, based on bus travel time? I have looked at the bus schedules, and frankly I was confused. I've ridden BART, but felt pretty dumb looking at the map on the bus website.

WM to Arizona Memorial, early in the day (maybe going to the swap meet at Aloha Stadium), and returning for the afternoon at the beach. Is there an express bus? Can we walk to AS from Az mem? Will this outing take the entire day?

Bus or cab to Diamond Head? - it looked a little too far to walk, then Hike up Diamond head, and then back again - we'll go early in the morning, maybe on our first morning, so we would still be on Calif time (and the kids never seem to get that vacation means sleeping in....)

Bus/cab/walk to waikiki aquarium? Also for the Shell the night of the show?

Best way to Huanama Bay? Is a $15 tour worthwhile, considering it includes entrance cost? Better than a cab?

We are pretty low-key travellers (and bargain-minded), so Waikiki is pretty out of our element, but we still want to see a few things, and spend some quality beach time, too of course!

Thanks for any help you all can provide...

The Manoa Falls hike is free and a cool little rain forest/waterfall experience. I believe the #5 bus runs right up close to the entrance. Not a bad hike (no evil stairs like Diamond Head!).

I lived on Big Island for the last three years so let me know if you need any travel trips for that rock. All the best stuff on that island is FREE!

Pictures of all that here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25529894@N00/

jr mint · Post by **jr mint** » September 11, 2007 8:02 am

norcalparrothead wrote:
NorthcoastParrothead wrote:Food pantry has more food and is a bit less pricey than the ABC.
Where is that? We're staying at the Waikiki Marriott, at the end of Waikiki near the Shell. Are there better places to pick up breakfast foods and snacks close by our hotel? I can't spend $25 on breakfast when my kids will eat 1 pancake.

It's about 5 blocks or so away on Kuhio. Easy walking distance..
The Food Pantry is a small grocery store. You will be good to go to get all of your food stuffs there.

ABC stores are like a 7/11 or Circle K depending on what state you are from. And they are EVERYWHERE.
"All By Corners"

:):):):):)

Wino you know · Post by **Wino you know** » September 11, 2007 11:12 am

Whenever I go back "home," I ALWAYS pick up t-shirts for everyone at the ABC stores. Most are 3 for $10.00, and some really nice ones too.
I'll buy Hawaiian shirts and any other souviners either at the military exchanges or the swap meet at Aloha Stadium.

norcalparrothead · Post by **norcalparrothead** » September 11, 2007 11:58 am

You guys are all great! You've taken away all my little detail concerns for Oahu. Cowboyjunkie, I will pm you - the big island is so "big" that I don't think a week will do it justice, so I could really use some help picking and choosing.
Thank you, thank you, thank you all!

cowboyjunkie · Post by **cowboyjunkie** » September 11, 2007 3:42 pm

norcalparrothead wrote:You guys are all great! You've taken away all my little detail concerns for Oahu. Cowboyjunkie, I will pm you - the big island is so "big" that I don't think a week will do it justice, so I could really use some help picking and choosing.
Thank you, thank you, thank you all!

A week on the Big Island is plenty of time. The island is big. And empty!

Wino you know · Post by **Wino you know** » September 11, 2007 9:14 pm

cowboyjunkie wrote:
norcalparrothead wrote:You guys are all great! You've taken away all my little detail concerns for Oahu. Cowboyjunkie, I will pm you - the big island is so "big" that I don't think a week will do it justice, so I could really use some help picking and choosing.
Thank you, thank you, thank you all!
A week on the Big Island is plenty of time. The island is big. And empty!

Want some REAL adventure?
Drive the Saddle Road on the Big Island and the Hana Highway on Maui.

geekiegecko · Post by **geekiegecko** » September 11, 2007 9:56 pm

Wino you know wrote:
cowboyjunkie wrote:
norcalparrothead wrote:You guys are all great! You've taken away all my little detail concerns for Oahu. Cowboyjunkie, I will pm you - the big island is so "big" that I don't think a week will do it justice, so I could really use some help picking and choosing.
Thank you, thank you, thank you all!
A week on the Big Island is plenty of time. The island is big. And empty!
Want some REAL adventure?
Drive the Saddle Road on the Big Island and the Hana Highway on Maui.

Hana Road is for sissys

Just give me a 911 and lets goooooo

Wino you know · Post by **Wino you know** » September 11, 2007 11:09 pm

geekiegecko wrote:Hana Road is for sissys Just give me a 911 and lets goooooo

The first time I drove the Hana Highway, I wasn't thinking "Sissy."
I was thinking what a FOOL I was. And it was on an old Honda 305 Scrambler.

Mr Play · Post by **Mr Play** » September 11, 2007 11:10 pm

Didn't they pave the road to Hana a while back?

Wino you know · Post by **Wino you know** » September 11, 2007 11:14 pm

Mr Play wrote:Didn't they pave the road to Hana a while back?

It wasn't paved the last time I drove it. (1999).

norcalparrothead · Post by **norcalparrothead** » September 11, 2007 11:30 pm

I'v done the road to Hana, it was paved back in 1985. Are you talking about the "back" road where the real road ends? I think it is even partially paved now. My dad did it in a minivan last year, so it can't be as gnarly (sp?) as it once was.

As for the saddle road, I've been told that it will void the insurance w/most rental companies. Since we have kids with us, we aren't going to take too many risks. We'll stick to the more tame adventures - our kids flip out if we don't follow the road signs, so they're not very adventurous. We will climb Diamond Head and snorkel and kayak, though. Can't wait ~ and I can't believe we're almost there. It sure makes turning 40 less painful when you've got a great vacation waiting on the other side - and Jimmy's part of the fun. What could be better??????

cowboyjunkie · Post by **cowboyjunkie** » September 12, 2007 3:49 am

norcalparrothead wrote:I'v done the road to Hana, it was paved back in 1985. Are you talking about the "back" road where the real road ends? I think it is even partially paved now. My dad did it in a minivan last year, so it can't be as gnarly (sp?) as it once was.

As for the saddle road, I've been told that it will void the insurance w/most rental companies. Since we have kids with us, we aren't going to take too many risks. We'll stick to the more tame adventures - our kids flip out if we don't follow the road signs, so they're not very adventurous. We will climb Diamond Head and snorkel and kayak, though. Can't wait ~ and I can't believe we're almost there. It sure makes turning 40 less painful when you've got a great vacation waiting on the other side - and Jimmy's part of the fun. What could be better??????

Road to Hana is very safe. Did it last year and drove all the way around the back of the island. It was very smooth the whole way.

Saddle Road is not bad at all. It's just very thin for a two lane road. You could make it up to the Mauna Kea observatory in a normal car. You can rent from Harper's, they allow you to drive to the very top of the volcano. Watching sunset at the top rivals anything you'll ever see in life. I would travel to Hawaii just for that!

Big Island Musts:
1. Sunset on Mauna Kea
2. Volcanoes National Park
3. Green Sands Beach
4. Waipio Valley

jeepgirl · Post by **jeepgirl** » September 12, 2007 11:52 am

jr mint wrote:
norcalparrothead wrote:
NorthcoastParrothead wrote:Food pantry has more food and is a bit less pricey than the ABC.
ABC stores are like a 7/11 or Circle K depending on what state you are from. And they are EVERYWHERE.
"All By Corners" :):):):):)

or A Bunch of Cr**!

redwinemaker · Post by **redwinemaker** » September 12, 2007 12:21 pm

jeepgirl wrote:
jr mint wrote:
norcalparrothead wrote:
NorthcoastParrothead wrote:Food pantry has more food and is a bit less pricey than the ABC.
ABC stores are like a 7/11 or Circle K depending on what state you are from. And they are EVERYWHERE.
"All By Corners" :):):):):)
or A Bunch of Cr**!

Thats funny you should say that ...

In 2004 after the Napa High School band got back from a tour to Oahu, the seniors put on a little skit about Hawaii during the bands Spring performance. The skit ended with all the things that ABC stood for. The last line, voiced of course by MY son, was that very line "A Bunch of Cr**!" Of course since Jeepgirl was there, she knew this

geekiegecko · Post by **geekiegecko** » September 13, 2007 2:28 pm

Good Morning (at least here)

Only three weeks left to get ready.

I will be on vacation during one of them. Times a-waste'n

balcony girls · Post by **balcony girls** » September 13, 2007 2:30 pm

geekiegecko wrote:Good Morning (at least here)
Only three weeks left to get ready. I will be on vacation during one of them. Times a-waste'n

. .reeeeeally looking forward to visiting your piece of Paradise, my geekie phriend. . ! !

SunsetChef · Post by **SunsetChef** » September 13, 2007 2:36 pm

balcony girls wrote:
geekiegecko wrote:Good Morning (at least here)
Only three weeks left to get ready. I will be on vacation during one of them. Times a-waste'n
. .reeeeeally looking forward to visiting your piece of Paradise, my geekie phriend. . ! !

Tanned up and ready over here, 2 stops in NYC first...