Aulani and Kauai About This Page:

[flutterby33]

We are planning a two week vacation to Hawaii from 6/12 to 6/28 of 2014. Of course we are going to go to Aulani and hopefully all will work out with points, availability, etc. We would like to spend a week on Oahu and a week in Kauai. I have researched all of the other islands and feel like Kauai would be the most interesting for our family. We are a family of four including 9yo DS & 7yo DD who enjoy the outdoors (kayaking, ziplining, hiking, snorkeling). My plan right now is to fly into Honolulu and stay a few nights to see a few sights of the city (and try to adjust to the time change) then move onto Aulani until the 21st. For the second week we would like to stay near the North Shore of Kauai (believe beaches are better there during the summer). For those of you that have been to either island I have lots of questions:

1) Would you do Aulani first or last? (I was thinking Kauai last as "more relaxing"?)
2) Is a pool view worth the points over the standard view? (we don't have a lot of points and don't plan to be in the room a whole lot)
3) Suggestions for Honolulu accommodations? I was thinking within walking distance of food and easy transportation.
4) Suggestions for Kauai accommodations? We were thinking "non-resort" since we will get that experience at Aulani. Would like oceanview, but not necessary to be beachfront, so long as beaches are within 15 min drive. Looking on VRBO and Flipkey - any other sites? Condos OK so long as they have at least a semi-private feel. ~$200/nt. budget.
5) Are the helicopter and/or plane sightseeing tours worth the cost?
6) Suggestions for "not to miss" activities on either island (including local food)?

All other thoughts and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated! Thanks!!

[Fortissimo]

I am on Kauai right now as I type!

I would do Oahu first then Kauai. Oahu is very big city to me while Kauai is very laid back.

On Oahu, must dos are Pearl Harbor, the Missouri battleship, and a drive to the north shore.

On Kauai the tours are worth every cent! We did a boat/snorkel tour with Blue Dolphin yesterday and it was amazing. DH did a helicopter ride this morning and loved it. We also zip lined with Princeville Adventures on Sunday and had a blast. However, with zip lining there are age and weight restrictions so make sure you check those. I think they told us you had to be 10 or 70 pounds. It's was the second time we have used Blue Dolphin and Princeville Adventure and we love both companies.

As for places to stay, we stayed at Hanalei Bay Resort in the past and really enjoyed it. It is on an amazing beach with the most gorgeous views. We would stay there again in a heartbeat (we are Marriott vacation club members so are staying at the Marriott.)

Oahu accommodations - we always stay at the Marriott Waikiki. It is across from the beach and surrounded by great places to eat.

Let me know if you have any more questions!

Signed robin, who is headed to the beach right now,

[chezp]

So jealous of you Robin!

We're off to Aulani and doing a day trip to Kauai in November, so if you prod me when we get back, I'll do my best to answer your questions. I will say that we've booked a helicopter flight for Kauai on the recommendation of a friend at work, who went there a couple of years ago. She raved about it and the photos she got were just amazing, so I was completely sold when I saw those!

[IdahoDisneyMom]

I can't add to the info on Kauai or Honolulu, but I can put in my 2 cents on Aulani. We were there last year at the end of May. It's amazing...you'll LOVE it!! We were in a standard view. They were able to put us on the 4th floor, overlooking their conference center lanai. It was so nice and peaceful! No, we didn't have a pool view, but then again we spent very little time in our room. We were AT the pool (or the beach) for the majority of the stay. Whatever you decide, I'm sure you will have a wonderful time!

[Dlandmom2]

My info on Kauai is really old, but Waimea Canyon is something you'll want to see. I can't remember what time of day is best, but it's known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific (or something like that). If you're staying on the north shore, you'll have to drive all the way around the island down the east side and then back west to get there. It will be worth it, though!

I will also vouch for a helicopter ride over Kauai. It's the only one I've ever done, but I can still remember all the beautiful waterfalls we saw and the amazing colors of the ocean along the north shore. Kauai tends to be pretty rainy, so make sure you know what their cancellation policy is if the weather is bad.

If you're into hiking, the Na Pali Coast is supposed to be amazing, but be careful if it's rainy when you're there because it can get slippery.

I stayed at a condo complex on the east shore, but for the life of me I can't remember now what it's called.

In Honolulu, I've only stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village which is really nice but off to one end of Waikiki Beach...and it might be over your budget depending on whether or not they have any specials when you're there. Kalakaua Avenue is the "main drag" through Waikiki. If you look on a map, you'll see where it runs pretty close to the water. Any hotels around there will be near the action for the most part!

Good luck with your plans! It sounds exciting!

[guerns17]

You lucky ducks going to Kauai. Personally I think poipu is the best location on the island for families. The water isn't as rough there. I remember one trip on the north shore my sister and I could even wade into the water without being knocked over.

We stayed in a condo called Castle at poipu shores. Do not book through a major travel site since each condo is own separately. I have the name of the people we rent through..there place is amazing.

If you want some general pics here is the website

Poipu Shores Resort (Kauai) - Condominium Reviews - TripAdvisor

Honestly I have stayed at this condo three different times and wouldn't think of staying anywhere else.

Btw...I'm totally jealous!!

[SevenWonkas]

I am adding a comment to this thread, just so I can see the responses! We are going to Hawaii in September - one week on Oahu and one on Kauai. We are Marriott Vacation Club owners as well, so we will be staying at Marriott properties. (Our resort on Oahu is down the beach from Aulani!) DH and I are going with our son (2 years old), DH's parents, and DH's brother. DMIL is turning 60 during our vacation.

We went to Ko Olina in 2011, before our son was born. We bought one of the guidebooks (Fodor's, I think) and did a lot of the suggestions in there. We did NOT do the pineapple plantation (our army friends who were stationed on the island said it was just a tourist trap). We did not do the cultural center, but plan to this time. We loved Pearl Harbor, and got tickets to see everything. Get there early; it gets packed very quickly!

On another note, when we went last time, our friends told us that the best prices for groceries was at Costco. There is one very near Ko Olina.

[hildai]

We're thinking about a simliar trip for next summer with Aulani and Kauai being our two stops! I'm curious what anyone else has to say about this resort and itinerary. So much to plan, I get excited just thinking about it

[JKnott17]

Kauai is beautiful!! Like others have said though, I would definitely do that after Oahu/Aulani. It's very different, more relaxing and laid back, while Oahu has more of a city vibe to me. I don't have answers to most of your questions, but as for the helicopter tours, they are so worth it!! We did one on our honeymoon, and the sights we saw were just amazing. The Na Pali coast is stunning, and most of it you can't see unless you hike for days or do a helicopter tour, there are no drivable roads in to the remote areas (or at least that's what we were told). We also did a day long catamaran tour along the coast, it included lunch and a snorkel stop, that was a lot of fun too! There are so many beautiful things to see in Hawaii, I don't think you can go wrong with anything you choose

[Lumieregirl]

As for your view at Aulani, I'd say save your points, or split the difference and get an island garden view. That is what we did as we didn't want to overlook a parking garage (just in case) and requested a high floor on the Ewa wing in our reservation. We ended up with a view over the lawn where the Starlit Hui is shown - we were able to watch it from our own balcony - and we had a partial ocean view.

[Fortissimo]

Now that I have returned from Kauai, I think I can answer your questions better!


First, before you go, but the book The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook by Andrew Doughty. Next to PassPorter, his series of guidebooks on the Hawaiian Islands are the best guide books I have ever read. We followed his Big Island tour routes and were not disappointed at all. His Kauai and Oahu books are just as good.

1. Do Aulani first. Oahu is big city, Kauai little town and relaxing!

2. Not a DVC member, but the pool area is probably the most beautiful pool area I have ever seen at a resort. I would still, however, do a standard view so I could stay longer.

3. We stayed here: Waikiki Hotels | Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa It is a block from the zoo, across the street from Waikiki, and there are many places to eat and shop.

4. I personally would stay on the North Shore. The Hanalei Bay is much more calm than Poipo and even Kalapaki Beach where we stayed. I did an open water swim race on Hanalei Bay while there and it was so calm even 4 year old kids could swim farther out into the ocean. Poipu is much smaller and not as calm. This is the resort we stayed at on our honeymoon: Hanalei Bay Resort - Home We loved the location and the view was breath taking.

5. DH, his brother and his wife, did a helicopter tour through Blue Hawaiian Helicopters - Kauai - Kauai Helicopter Tours, Sightseeing Helicopter Tours on Kauai The company video tapes your tour and sells it to you for $25. Best $25 DH spent on a souvenir as the video is amazing and makes me kinda sad I didn't go with them.

6. Things not too miss:
food: fish tacos are on every menu. We did not have one fish taco we did not like and I don't really care for fish tacos. I think I ate fish tacos almost every day on Kauai I loved them that much!
Kalypsos in Hanalei is yummy
Dukes both on Waikiki and on Kalapaki Beach on Kauai is very good. I prefer the Kauai location as it is more laid back.
Brickstone Pizza on Kauai

sightseeing: We did the hike on the Na Pali Coast. I would not do this hike with children if they are not used to hiking. This was the most beautiful hike I have ever been on, but it was very rocky. Large rocks made it difficult for me with my short legs. I am in excellent physical condition and while the hike was not steep, it was very painful on my knees because of the large steps I had to take both up and down on rocks. We did see kids on the hike and almost all of them were complaining or crying. If you go take plenty of water and snacks. The 2 miles in and 2 out did take 4 hours and my DH and I each drank two bottles of water and ate granola and protein bars.

Catamaran tours: we have used Captain Andy's, Na Pali Catamaran Tours, and this last time, Blue Dolphin and each company was excellent. Blue Dolphin had the best food and the best crew.

Zipline: Both times we have used Princeville Ranch Adventures | and have done the Zip and Dip. However, they do have age and weight restrictions. The company also has horseback tours and a waterfall tour. Looking at their web page, they also have a Kid's Adventure Center that you can take the kids to while you do the zip line. They are located near Hanalei.

Beaches: Every beach we have ever been too on Kauai has been very clean. The bathrooms may look icky from the outside, but they were clean on the inside. My favorite beaches are Hanalei Bay, Kalapaki, and Poipu. All beaches in Hawaii are public so you don't have to worry about accidentally going onto a private beach.

Fern Grotto: we did Fern Grotto on our last trip but skipped it this time. The kids will really enjoy it. Take bug spray.

Waimea Canyon is the "Grand Canyon" of Hawaii. It is beautiful!


If you decide to book tours, book early. Every company we used gave a discount for booking early.

I hope this helps! I know there are other things I am forgetting right now. DH and I would love to move to either Kauai or the Big Island when we retire. But since we will never win the lotto that probably isn't going to happen! Let me know if you have any more questions.

[chezp]

Oh wow - what brilliant information. Thanks so much for sharing. I'm going to add this to the information for our upcoming trip.

[MichaelF]

I can't give you and recommendations on Kauai since we have never been there. We have been to Oahu a few times and usually stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. We really like it there and were upgraded to the Rainbow Tower every time except our first visit. It is at the far end of Waikiki but we always were able to walk to the other end and the zoo. Its quite a hike but manageable. The main thing I would recommend is to visit Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial. Very moving to me. You have to get there as early as possible. The later you get there the longer the wait is. Another thing I recommend is take the walk to the top of Diamond Head. You have to drive to the inside of the crater to get to the path. The views are breath taking. Other things worth visiting is Punchbowl National Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu Zoo, Sea Life Park, Hanauma Bay, North Shore, Pali Lookout and Dole Pineapple Pavillion where we first had Dole Whip. We rent a car and drive around the entire island but you can take a bus tour if you prefer. To see and do everything it will take you a couple days. I prefer renting a car so you can do things at your own pace.

[SevenWonkas]

Robin -- when you say "book early" for the tours, how early do you mean? while I'm a super-planner for WDW, we were just planning to figure out what we wanted to do on Oahu and Kauai when we arrived at Hawaii.... (especially since we don't know how 2 year old DS will handle the jet lag). I doubt we'd try to book a tour/etc. the same day we call, but figure "early" would only be a few days for us...

[Fortissimo]

Originally Posted by MichaelF

I can't give you and recommendations on Kauai since we have never been there. We have been to Oahu a few times and usually stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. We really like it there and were upgraded to the Rainbow Tower every time except our first visit. It is at the far end of Waikiki but we always were able to walk to the other end and the zoo. Its quite a hike but manageable. The main thing I would recommend is to visit Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial. Very moving to me. You have to get there as early as possible. The later you get there the longer the wait is. Another thing I recommend is take the walk to the top of Diamond Head. You have to drive to the inside of the crater to get to the path. The views are breath taking. Other things worth visiting is Punchbowl National Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu Zoo, Sea Life Park, Hanauma Bay, North Shore, Pali Lookout and Dole Pineapple Pavillion where we first had Dole Whip. We rent a car and drive around the entire island but you can take a bus tour if you prefer. To see and do everything it will take you a couple days. I prefer renting a car so you can do things at your own pace.

They have changed the Arizona Memorial tour and you need to reserve your spots well ahead of time. We did not know this and were very lucky to still get into the tour. The family in line in front of us had tried for three days to get in. We got to Pearl Harbor at 6:30 am and got the last boat tour of the day. In the past getting there at that time would have put us on the first few boats.

Here is the link to reserve your tickets: Find Available Tours - PEARL HARBOR HISTORIC SITES (USS Arizona) park tour, HI - Recreation.gov

While you are at Pearl Harbor, book a tour for the USS Missouri. We always do the "Mighty Mo" tour as it takes you below the deck and into the depths of the ship. Home - USS Missouri Memorial Association

Originally Posted by SevenWonkas

Robin -- when you say "book early" for the tours, how early do you mean? while I'm a super-planner for WDW, we were just planning to figure out what we wanted to do on Oahu and Kauai when we arrived at Hawaii.... (especially since we don't know how 2 year old DS will handle the jet lag). I doubt we'd try to book a tour/etc. the same day we call, but figure "early" would only be a few days for us...

Most companies give the discount for booking two weeks or more before the tour. We booked about 3 months before because sometimes it is hard to get the tour time you want. We always do the first or second tour of the day because the weather is better. If you do any boat tours do it early in the day when the ocean is more calm!

One thing to note, while I was waiting to start my race, I was talking to several couples from California and Washington. They said that when their children were young they preferred to visit Maui as it is more kid-friendly with tours and daycare options than Kauai. Since I'm not a mom I couldn't tell you if this is true or not. There were many more young families on Kauai on this visit that we noticed then in the past.