Honolulu in a day ?

[slomotion]

October 2012

Our ship (Princess Golden) arrives in the AM & we "expect" to get off at about 8:00 or so and we have all day to ourselves. We've been to Pearl, & Waikiki, a couple of times and this trip we're thinking about renting a car and venturing out on our own, maybe to the North shore.

 

Any suggestions as to what to see, what not to miss & what we should pass by?

 

Thanks.

[rockabutzer]

October 2012

Our ship (Princess Golden) arrives in the AM & we "expect" to get off at about 8:00 or so and we have all day to ourselves. We've been to Pearl, & Waikiki, a couple of times and this trip we're thinking about renting a car and venturing out on our own, maybe to the North shore.

 

Any suggestions as to what to see, what not to miss & what we should pass by?

 

Thanks.

 

 

Here's a link to Trip Advisor that should give you some good ideas:

 

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g29222-c124540/Oahu:Hawaii:Driving.Tours.html

 

 

 

Aloha

[ohioNCLcruiser]

Cut across the island towards Turtle Bay Resort then head east along the coast for a nice scenic drive. Lots of good local restaurants and it will eventually take you towards Makapu'u Point lighthouse where you can park and walk to the top for very scenic views. Finish the drive around Diamond Head and down Waikiki beach!

[slomotion]

Here's a link to Trip Advisor that should give you some good ideas:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g29222-c124540/Oahu:Hawaii:Driving.Tours.html

Aloha

 

That looks very interesting. Thanks.

 

Cut across the island towards Turtle Bay Resort then head east along the coast for a nice scenic drive. Lots of good local restaurants and it will eventually take you towards Makapu'u Point lighthouse where you can park and walk to the top for very scenic views. Finish the drive around Diamond Head and down Waikiki beach!

 

Interesting as well, Thanks.

 

BYW I clicked on your blog and find it is not accessible.

 

al

[ohioNCLcruiser]

That looks very interesting. Thanks.

 

 

 

Interesting as well, Thanks.

 

BYW I clicked on your blog and find it is not accessible.

 

al

 

Apple had a program that was hosting the site and they just discontinued it so I'm trying to find a way to fix it. Thanks for clicking though!

[dcikon2]

Definately rent a car and visit the North Shore beaches. You could a number of places:

1. Waimea Valley

2. Dole Plantation

3. Helemano Plantation

4. Beaches - Sunset, Waimea

5. Town of Haleiwa

6. Polynesian Cultural Center

 

These are just a few options.

[cr8tiv1]

Definately rent a car and visit the North Shore beaches. You could a number of places:

1. Waimea Valley

2. Dole Plantation

3. Helemano Plantation

4. Beaches - Sunset, Waimea

5. Town of Haleiwa

6. Polynesian Cultural Center

 

These are just a few options.

 

The last time (18 months ago) I did the "around the island" trip, it took me 9 hours from start to finish....( 9 AM to 6 PM)

 

Go Northwest to Dole Plantation, then to the North Shore (Haleiwa) and turn right toward Kahuku (Giovanni's Shrimp Truck/with lots of garlic and butter). Stop at Kualoa Ranch (google them: private beach, ATV rides, horse back rides, Movie Tours, etc), head back towards Kailua/Waimanalo to stop at Makapuu Lighthouse.

 

If you want some culture instead, visit the Bishop Museum. It was built for Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop as a legacy to the Hawaiians. Or the Waipahu Plantation. They have houses representing the various immigrant groups that came to work on the sugar plantations. Very do-able if you are headed out to the Dole Plantation/Pearl Harbor exhibits. Probably can't do it all and a drive around the island.

 

If you are into plants, visit Foster Gardens in town or Ho`omaluhia Botanical Garden on the Windward side.

 

Near the cruise ship terminal is a Maritime Museum.

 

Then there's Punchbowl Cemetary for the military, Diamond Head Hike (go early), Hanauma Bay (near Makapuu) for a great beach/snorkeling time.

 

i personally stay away from the Polynesian Cultural Day. It is a really long day for just one place to visit. But you can drive by the Mormon Temple when you are out near Laie (Kahuku).

 

At Pearl Harbor, you can visit the Arizona, Missouri, Pacific Flight Museum, and some submarine. If you are planing on anything other than the Arizona, you will need to make reservations for your car ahead of time or park and ride the shuttle into Pearl Harbor (security).

 

And of course there is lots of shopping...with a 4.75% sales tax.

 

Have a wonderful time. Hope the weather will be good for you.

 

Aloha, Renee

[slomotion]

Definately rent a car and visit the North Shore beaches. You could a number of places:

1. Waimea Valley

2. Dole Plantation

3. Helemano Plantation

4. Beaches - Sunset, Waimea

5. Town of Haleiwa

6. Polynesian Cultural Center

 

These are just a few options.

 

Thank you.

 

I've heard both pro & con regarding the Dole Plantation. But thanks for your suggestions.

 

The last time (18 months ago) I did the "around the island" trip, it took me 9 hours from start to finish....( 9 AM to 6 PM)

 

Go Northwest to Dole Plantation, then to the North Shore (Haleiwa) and turn right toward Kahuku (Giovanni's Shrimp Truck/with lots of garlic and butter). Stop at Kualoa Ranch (google them: private beach, ATV rides, horse back rides, Movie Tours, etc), head back towards Kailua/Waimanalo to stop at Makapuu Lighthouse.

 

If you want some culture instead, visit the Bishop Museum. It was built for Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop as a legacy to the Hawaiians. Or the Waipahu Plantation. They have houses representing the various immigrant groups that came to work on the sugar plantations. Very do-able if you are headed out to the Dole Plantation/Pearl Harbor exhibits. Probably can't do it all and a drive around the island.

 

If you are into plants, visit Foster Gardens in town or Ho`omaluhia Botanical Garden on the Windward side.

 

Near the cruise ship terminal is a Maritime Museum.

 

Then there's Punchbowl Cemetary for the military, Diamond Head Hike (go early), Hanauma Bay (near Makapuu) for a great beach/snorkeling time.

 

i personally stay away from the Polynesian Cultural Day. It is a really long day for just one place to visit. But you can drive by the Mormon Temple when you are out near Laie (Kahuku).

 

At Pearl Harbor, you can visit the Arizona, Missouri, Pacific Flight Museum, and some submarine. If you are planing on anything other than the Arizona, you will need to make reservations for your car ahead of time or park and ride the shuttle into Pearl Harbor (security).

 

And of course there is lots of shopping...with a 4.75% sales tax.

 

Have a wonderful time. Hope the weather will be good for you.

 

Aloha, Renee

 

Renee Thank you.

 

We've been at Pearl (last year) so we'll pass on it this year, but I do like the around the island approach and the ship does not leave until about 9:00 PM so we do have time.

[cr8tiv1]

Dole Pineapple is a very commercial place. Outside, they have a fruit vendor with fresh, ready to eat, local products such as cut papaya, mango, etc. The Pineapple Whip is very refreshing, but the lines are long. Also free is the large patches of different pineapples in varying degrees of growth (this is interesting). I have never done the maze and iffy about the train tour that takes you to a back lot. If you skip this stop, you will save lots of time (but will miss Haleiwa and other north shore beaches).

 

It is about 90 minutes from downtown (up and over LikeLike Highway to Kahekili Highway to Kamehameha Highway Giovanni's Shrimp Truck (lunch starts at 10:30), then back track to Kualoa Ranch for an afternoon tour (or do tour first). Return to Honolulu via Kamehameha to Kahekili to Kamehameha to Kalanianaole Highway (towards Kailua (turn left at Pali Highway/turn right and go towards Waimanalo....to Makapuu to Hanauma Bay to Diamond Head to Kapahulu. You can mapquest all of these places to create a route.

 

Before you head back to the ship, make a stop at Waiola Shave Ice and Leonards Malasadas in Kapahulu near Diamond Head. Look up all of these addresses before you leave home.

 

As you can see, I pretty much eat my way around the island.

 

Let me know what your specific interests are.

 

Aloha, Renee

[ggo85]

If you've never seen the Arizona Memorial and the USS Missouri, you should definitely do both. You CAN do these on your own but, depending on the time of day and time of year, lines can be long. Thus, you are probably better off on a tour. There is so much history on Oahu -- a half-day (or full-day) tour of military sites is well worth your time and effort.

 

Being honest, you can see beaches anywhere in the world and the ones near Honolulu are not exceptional. The north shore beaches are best in the winter when the big waves abound. The rest of the year . . . they look like other beaches.:)

 

IMO, it would be a shame to visit Honolulu and not experience some of the WWII history.

[ohioNCLcruiser]

IMO, it would be a shame to visit Honolulu and not experience some of the WWII history.

 

OP did that on their last trip.

 

I wasn't too impressed with Dole. If you are driving past you can stop in the store but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it.

[CRUZBUDS]

OP did that on their last trip.

 

I wasn't too impressed with Dole. If you are driving past you can stop in the store but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it.

 

Nice stop for a bathroom break ;)