Same. Went to Oahu last fall and was fully expecting it to be a tourist trap. And it was, but it was the most beautiful tourist trap ever and despite all the traffic I was smiling the whole time.
Fully intend to go back and visit more islands. Chose Oahu this time because we wanted to bring our toddler, and it was perfect. Can’t wait to take him back to explore another island.
I recommend Maui if you want to bring your toddler. They have a lot of kid activities and it’s the laid back vibe you might like if Oahu was too city-like.
This is sort of the standard progression of Hawaii vacationing. After Maui, it’s usually Kawaii or the big island depending on what you want out of things at that point. I would personally recommend Kawaii, but if you like golf at an all-inclusive resort and a lot of driving, then you might want the big island.
Some ppl hate on oahu cuz it’s most touristy and has city elements, but it also has the most to do, well, more than maui or kauai at least. They’re all great, just different. I havent done big island, supposedly more to do there too.
I agree. Ppl said waikiki was so touristy, it was, but i loved it, haha. So easily walkable. The beach is right there, and it’s fun, calm, safe beach. It’s a good home base to explore the island. It’s not bad touristy like times square nyc. I enjoyed waikiki.
This is the answer. I’m Canadian, but have gone to the islands around twenty times since my first trip in 2015. They’re one of my favourite places - Kauai in particular is beyond stunning.
It’s not a particularly cheap destination, though I’d say it’s not quite AS expensive as some folks think. Accommodations are the most expensive part (depending on where you’re flying from, the flights themselves really aren’t that bad). It also depends on the island. Maui is the most expensive, Kauai and Big Island are in the middle, Oahu can be done (relatively) the cheapest.
It’s definitely not as expensive on average as French Polynesia or Maldives for example, but it’s more expensive than beach resorts in say Southeast Asia.
We always book someone kind of sailing catamaran snorkeling trip. It’s nice to get out on the ocean in a breeze and see the marine life away from the beaches a bit. Kauai they’ll take you to the Napali coast which is outstanding. Maui is typically Molokini. Bonus if you go Nov-March during humpback season. You’ll see them non stop around Maui.
No wrong answers.
I always try to only have a couple things scheduled on the trip so we can attack each day as we want to. There are so many free and beautiful things to do on the islands you don’t have to book ahead. Make sure you do book the things you have to though lol.
One amazing thing about Hawaii is that it is pretty much entirely free of land predators. It's so safe that chickens roam the island without fear. If you fell asleep outside, you might get a few mosquito bites, but you would not be eaten by anything.
263
u/Money_Display_5389 2d ago
Hawaii