** I highly recommend renting a car on each island and you can pick it up at airports. The islands have so many things to see and explore which you can only reach if you have a car. The other good thing is the car rental companies treat the island hopping as a continuous trip, so 3 days on 1 island and 4 days on another equal 1 week rate for car rental.

1. **Haleakala National Park (Rte. 37 to 377 and up mountain road, 1 hour just up mt. road) - go to top to see sunrise, you can drive or there are bike tours which leave around 2 am from hotels, you can hike around after sunrise, sunrise photos are great even with a disposable camera (if yours like ours breaks day one)! We drove up but I’ve heard good and bad stories about bike riding - most people loved it but one person told me her mother broke her shoulder coming down the mountain. If you go with bike tour, beware of the E.T. type suits to keep you insulated and warm. * It’s really cold up there so bring heavy clothes to stand on lookout to see sunrise. ** If you’re on Maui in the beginning of your trip, go here first (day one or two) since you’re body is still on time zone from home and you’ll be up at 2 or 3 am anyway, if from east coast.

2. Iao Needle/Iao Valley State Monument - nice, little hiking paths

3. **Lahaina (near Kaanapali)- shops & more shops, harbour town, historical - lots of activities outlets/timeshare places where you commit an hour or so to look at a timeshare, eat breakfast and get some deal on your favorite activity - they do the booking for you. We made out doing this several times but plan well so you don’t break up your day (e.g., do it first thing in the morning). Old Lahaina Luau - great entertainment, eating and romantic dancing on the beach; there’s more than one luau around here but we really liked **Old Lahaina Luau -buy the pineapple for 2 if you want to be very romantic!

4. **Excursion to Molokini Crater (ports just south of Lahaina) - excellent - got to swim with sea turtles and great snorkeling - no shoreline since you get dropped right in the middle of the ocean near the crater - floats available - they feed you and can buy a great above and under water video (everyone is in it since they tape it that day). You can go scuba diving but you need to be certified and arrange ahead of time - this seemed true with all scuba excursions.

5. Wailea-Kihei area - great, sandy white beaches and swimming -access next to Four Seasons or Stouffer Renaissance (where we stayed) hotels - Renaissance has excellent food, especially brunch, this hotel included brunch every day in room rate and was worth it. I think most hotels do this especially if on honeymoon and they often give you 1 night free.

Kihei- not as pretty but beaches really nice directly off road, lots of Boss Frog’s stores - snorkeling equipment rentals, book boat excursions, rent road to Hana tapes

Makena - just south of Wailea past hotels - more remote and great snorkeling, kind of wavy but fun; Little Beach - if you’re in the mood for some nude sunbathing!

6. **Road to Hana - an absolute must!! Definitely rent tape from Boss Frog’s, gas stations, etc. to guide you along the way. Last place to eat or get food is in small town called Paia. Go all the way past Hana - Black Beach with caves, Seven Sacred Pools (definitely walk down short trail to water holes - it’s lots of fun to swim in them). ** Don’t make the mistake we made and leave late in the day since it’s a death wish to drive back along the twisty, one lane/2 way road. Leave in the morning and allow plenty of time to stop along the way to see waterfalls, etc. It is very remote once you begin this trip to Hana with no stores. I think there is 1 inn to stay overnight but you’re better off doing it one day trip but starting out early.

7. **Mama’s Fish House - people say don’t miss Mama’s Fish House on north shore - (we have to admit we did since fish isn’t our food of choice) - great waves and surfing on the north shore

8. If you’re bored, it’s worth stopping at the different big hotels since they’re all nice and have different things (beaches, pools, restaurants, etc.) - middle of island/Kaanapali - Hyatt and other big high rise hotels and big golf area, South shore/Wailea - Stouffer Renaissance, 4 Seasons, and others, and North shore I think - Westin, Ritz ??

1. **Helicopter tours (leave in Lihue - airport) - we went on Will Squires and loved it - incredible tour of the whole island, great photos believe it or not, and another video purchase opportunity (again it’s personalized and, yes, we bought it!), grocery store in this area too.

2. Tons of beautiful, secluded beaches everywhere especially in Poipu (south) and north coast from Waiua to Kapaa to Hanalei. There is 1 beautiful, secluded beach past Hyatt down dirt road. This is where they take you horseback riding too.

3. **Poipu Area - sunny, great swimming, snorkeling - Poipu Beach Park (down the street from the Hyatt); speaking of the **Hyatt - you have to visit this hotel - swim in their tropical pools, eat in the very romantic Polynesian Hut restaurant, good brunch for the scenery anyway with swans and birds around while you eat.The brunch is expensive if you pay separately (not staying at hotel) but it’s worth it at least once for view (ask to sit up front near swans) and food. The Hyatt also has a big spa but again costs extra money.

4. Golf area in Poipu too

5. Spouting Horn - if you never saw a geizer it’s fun (in Poipu area)

6. **Waimea Canyon State Park- Rte. 550 up mountain road - Kokee trails, lots of hiking and rain so be prepared - wear good hiking shoes/boots, great views of canyon

7. **North Shore - NaPali Coast/Hanalei - gorgeous views - you can take boat excursions and see it via helicopter - we took, but I don’t recommend, the Zodiac Raft Tour - if you do, be aware of a rough ride mostly dependent on the weather; there seemed to be other less crazy boat (not raft) tours too. I guess if you want lots of adventure this is good but be aware of weather conditions too. Hanalei - nice little town - where Puff the Magic Dragon lived. ** Definitely visit Princeville Hotel at sunset and have drinks outside of lounge/bar area - most spectacular view at sunset. On the way to north shore, Bette Midler has a small pizza shop.

8. The ride up to north shore is full of secluded beaches and hiking trails - past Hanalei there are very remote trails - very serious hiking along Na Pali coast - up high on cliffs and after many miles I think there is access to remote beaches. We were told on raft ride that Sylvester Stallone and other famous people have homes along this remote coast.

9. We went on a kayak tour on river near Lihue. It was fun and they take you on a hike to a swimming hole with a waterfall. Then people were jumping off these Tarzan vine ropes into river too. Again you can sign up for these kind of activities in the activity huts - one is in Poipu shopping plaza, airport has tons of advertisements. I also know people (and we did too by suggestion) who bought the Entertainment Guide book for Hawaii ahead of time and it has lots of discounts. It’s good for some things like the helicopter ride and the kayak tour but it also can tie you down if you’re trying to find all the places in it. If you’re interested, you can order it over internet - it’s regular book for all the different states but you order the Hawaii book.

10. Poipu is known as sunny area all the time and north shore tends to rain and get cloudy more often but north does have spectacular views. You can drive from north to south shores and back in a day easily.

1. Honolulu - historical places - check out Hilo Hatties store - it’s fun and they give you a ride from your hotel

2. **Waikiki Beach - lots of Japanese stores and people, visit Sheraton (new building - take elevator directly to Hanamea Room (you’ll know what I mean) - incredible view of the island even at night, romantic dancing and have some drinks; Royal Hawaiian (Pink hotel) is next door- nice to walk around, good swimming beach area

3. **Southwest Coast (just follow Rte. 72) - Diamond Head, ** Hanauma Bay - best snorkeling and incredible beach and view - you can rent snorkeling equipment there or at stores in Waikiki area - gets really crowded so go early or late afternoon or just wait around for parking lot to open up, continue on to Halona Cove - walk down cliff area, Sandy beach - great waves and beaches, continue along coast

4. North Shore is supposed to be best for surfing

5. Waikiki Beach area is overwhelming especially if you get here after going to other islands first. It’s more citylike but the beach along Waikiki is sandy and long shore. If you drive west just past Waikiki, you will find great beaches everywhere. We even swam with sea turtles at one stopping point There’s a parking area and lookout area and you need to hike down the cliff a little, but then it’s great with big waves and sea turtles.

Hawaii/Big Island:

1. Kona - shops, great fire torches luau at Kona Resort Hotel

2. **Hilo & Hamakua Coast - great waterfalls, scenery, rain - we didn’t go due to time and our visits to more than 1 island but it is supposed to be big sight seeing on this island.

3. Waimea Parker Ranch - looks like Wyoming - fun horseback riding (all the islands have horseback riding but we went here - this is where Eric had his little accident with the nice horse when the saddle broke during galloping!), great that they let you go galloping free-style though (not just set trails or trotting)

4. Volcanoes National Park - you can take helicopter to see the only active volcano - we didn’t do it

5. Petroglyphics were kind of fun at King Hamamahei Hotel - tons of weddings taking place

**Maui seems to be most popular island to visit with lots of things to do, but some parts of it reminded me of Florida (like Kihei). Kauai is our favorite - it is more lush and has incredible scenery with cliffs, coastlines, beaches, hiking paths, etc. Kauai is less established than Maui but still plenty to do. Oahu is good particularly if you want to visit Honolulu/Waikiki with museums and historical sights (Pearl harbor). Waikiki is like little Japan and has many restaurants since more like a city. If you drive west just outside Waikiki, you will find beautiful beaches and more remote areas like on other islands. North shore has Polynesian Cultural Center which we have not visited and I heard mixed reviews. I heard it’s expensive and interesting but not necessarily worth it. I guess it’s more of a fundraising place for this center. North Shore has less hotels - only Turtle Bay Hilton which is far from rest of island but good if you want to just stay in that area. Most hotels are in Waikiki area but you can drive to other places to sight see.

**You can spend lot of money or stay on a budget believe it or not, depending on where you stay and how you get your airfare. On our honeymoon, we visited 4 islands and stayed 20 days and spent close to $10,000. But we stayed in expensive hotels and we were there a long time. We went through MTI vacations which did a package for airfare and hotels. It was good for our honeymoon and first time going to Hawaii since they give you deals including brunch ($30/day per person value) and 1 night free at each hotel. We stayed at Stouffer Renaissance in Maui, Hyatt Regency in Kauai, some moderate hotel on Big Island, King Hamamahei or other, and Royal Hawaiian Hotel on Oahu/Waikiki beach. I would recommend all these hotels again. In Waikiki, however, I might recommend Sheraton if you want a fancy high rise and tons of small chains if you want to spend less money.

**My opinion about Hyatt is awesome on Kauai but not as interesting on Maui. It’s conveniently located and still a nice hotel but only on Kauai does it have incredible landscape and pools. I was a little disappointed in Hyatt rooms compared to Stouffer Renaissance on Maui, but the Hyatt was in middle of renovations in 1996 when we visited so I bet they’re all done by now. The other thing is that they tend to be damp since built in land on cliff but well worth staying or visiting the hotel in general. Princeville is popular for honeymooners on Kauai but I think it’s overrated. I couldn’t figure out how to access beach since it’s built on a huge cliff. It has incredible views and I bet fancy rooms.

**However, on our 2nd trip there we stayed about 2 weeks, most of it on Kauai and a few days on Oahu. I’m not sure if I would have gone to Oahu again but we did since Eric did some business there and you have to fly out from that island back to mainland anyway. On our 2nd trip to Hawaii, we stayed in a privately owned condo (Poipu Kai Resort) next door to Hyatt. It worked out perfectly since it was about $90/night (about 1/4th of cost at Hyatt) and it had a pool and on same Poipu beach. We went to Hyatt to use their facilities (discreetly!) and ended up spending money there at restaurants and drinks so rationalized our time there. There are lots of privately owned condos on Hawaii - find them on internet, Hawaii magazine that we get, or from referrals. If anyone is interested, I can give you specific information about condos my friend and we stayed in separately on Kauai. Poipu Beach area.

We got our airfare for a fraction of the original cost through a travel agency in Hawaii. I think we got the name on the internet (Hawaii on Sale) but the paperwork I have says Vacation Marketing Group #1-800-745-6144. It was a regular major flight on Delta but they buy the airfare in bulk ahead and sell it to people for a cheaper cost. We paid about $650 each in July, 1997 compared to about $1500 each through MTI tours for our honeymoon.

**I also recommend you buy a guide book and/or map (you can get a map free once you’re there), but it’s good to get an idea of islands ahead of time to make most of your time there. The islands have so much to offer especially if you go to more than 1 island so best to plan ahead.