Advice for a short stay?

[heathernm6]

Hi Everyone! Looking for some advice from the seasoned travelers on this page

I got a flight deal that was too good to pass up (NC to HNL direct for $197!) so we will be taking our first trip to Aulani in May. We're very excited as this has been on our bucket list for a while. The only down side is that to get that price on the flight, our trip is going to be VERY short We land on Monday at 4pm and leave at 5pm on Thursday.

I'm wondering what are your "must-dos" if you only had 2-3 days on Oahu? We want to see the beauty of Hawaii but don't want to pack our schedule so full that it's non-stop and stressful. We definitely want to make sure we have some time to hang at the pool and enjoy Aulani. We are 3 adults in our early 30s. The only thing I've booked so far is the Luau at Aulani but was thinking about doing either the Diamond Head or Pillbox hike one morning, maybe the Dole Pineapple Plantation and Pearl Harbor before heading to the airport on Thursday? We will have a rental car the entire time.

I fully expect once we get a taste of Hawaii, we'll want to start planning our return ASAP, but any advice on a Oahu "starter trip" would be greatly appreciated - thanks in advance!

 

[monsterkitty]

Monday after landing: Check in and hang out at the pool.

Tuesday: Pearl Harbor and the Missouri first thing in the morning. Remember you have to get tickets for Pearl. They may already be sold out. After Pearl Harbor, Hale'iva for some shopping and Shave Ice. Matsumoto's Shave Ice is good but the line is really long. Go down the road a bit and go to San Lorenzo, which we prefer. A mile or so down is a Mac Nut farm that has amazing cinnamon roasted mac nuts. Unfortunately our two bags did not survive the trip home. We ate one on the way back to the resort and the other the next few days.

Wednesday: Diamond Head first thing in the morning. Then go up the road a bit to the Makapu's Point Lighthouse trail. On the way to or the lighthouse, stop at Sandy Beach and buy the $5 Bento lunch and a fresh dole whip and spring for the fresh pineapple on the dole whip for an extra $1. On the way back from the lighthouse, there is a shopping center with a Leonard's Malasadas food truck. If you have time on the way back, stop at the Punchbowl Cemetery.

Thursday: Hang by the pool until you have to leave for the airport. Leave plenty of time to get to the airport, return your car, and go through security. We have TSA pre-check and it only took about 10 minutes, but the regular line was very long. Also, only Burger King and a book store was open so take your own food before you get to the airport. Buy water at the bookstore for your flight. They did say a few more stores were opening later in April.

Do not check out of your hotel, put your bags in your car, and then go sightsee. We saw the remains of so many broken car windows this past week at every tourist area we went to.

I would skip the Dole Whip plantation. Not a lot to see and you can get a Disney dole whip at Aulani or a real pineapple whip the $5 food truck on Sandy Beach.

You may also want to spend a few hours at Waikiki. If you do, park at the zoo. It was $6 for 4 hours.

Give yourself plenty of time to drive. Traffic is very heavy at times and it took us over an hour to get from Waikiki back to Ko'Olina.

We just got back yesterday morning and I'm already planning our next Hawaii venture (probably 2022 or 2023).

 

[heathernm6]

Monday after landing: Check in and hang out at the pool.

Tuesday: Pearl Harbor and the Missouri first thing in the morning. Remember you have to get tickets for Pearl. They may already be sold out. After Pearl Harbor, Hale'iva for some shopping and Shave Ice. Matsumoto's Shave Ice is good but the line is really long. Go down the road a bit and go to San Lorenzo, which we prefer. A mile or so down is a Mac Nut farm that has amazing cinnamon roasted mac nuts. Unfortunately our two bags did not survive the trip home. We ate one on the way back to the resort and the other the next few days.

Wednesday: Diamond Head first thing in the morning. Then go up the road a bit to the Makapu's Point Lighthouse trail. On the way to or the lighthouse, stop at Sandy Beach and buy the $5 Bento lunch and a fresh dole whip and spring for the fresh pineapple on the dole whip for an extra $1. On the way back from the lighthouse, there is a shopping center with a Leonard's Malasadas food truck. If you have time on the way back, stop at the Punchbowl Cemetery.

Thursday: Hang by the pool until you have to leave for the airport. Leave plenty of time to get to the airport, return your car, and go through security. We have TSA pre-check and it only took about 10 minutes, but the regular line was very long. Also, only Burger King and a book store was open so take your own food before you get to the airport. Buy water at the bookstore for your flight. They did say a few more stores were opening later in April.

Do not check out of your hotel, put your bags in your car, and then go sightsee. We saw the remains of so many broken car windows this past week at every tourist area we went to.

I would skip the Dole Whip plantation. Not a lot to see and you can get a Disney dole whip at Aulani or a real pineapple whip the $5 food truck on Sandy Beach.

You may also want to spend a few hours at Waikiki. If you do, park at the zoo. It was $6 for 4 hours.

Give yourself plenty of time to drive. Traffic is very heavy at times and it took us over an hour to get from Waikiki back to Ko'Olina.

We just got back yesterday morning and I'm already planning our next Hawaii venture (probably 2022 or 2023).

Thank you so much!! This is great. On the Pearl Harbor site, it doesn't look like tickets are available for May yet, only through Mid-April. Does that sound right or am I looking in the wrong place?

 

[monsterkitty]

Usually they book a few months out. However, I believe because of COVID this has changed. Check every day first thing in the morning. They do sell out very fast so you have to be on it!

Good luck!

 

[Paul Stupin]

If it were me, I’d spend more time at Aulani, enjoying the pool, lazy river, beach, snorkeling, swimming, stand up paddle boarding, etc. At least one full day. The hotel is amazing, but if you’re going to use it as just a base for sight seeing (which sounds kind of exhausting), why waste the money? Personally I’d save the sight seeing for another trip when you have more time, but if not, spend a day driving around the island, and spend the rest of your time at Aulani.

 

[monsterkitty]

If it were me, I’d spend more time at Aulani, enjoying the pool, lazy river, beach, snorkeling, swimming, stand up paddle boarding, etc. At least one full day. The hotel is amazing, but if you’re going to use it as just a base for sight seeing (which sounds kind of exhausting), why waste the money? Personally I’d save the sight seeing for another trip when you have more time, but if not, spend a day driving around the island, and spend the rest of your time at Aulani.

I'm a swimmer. I swim a lot. I see pools in pictures and always think, "Ooo, I want to do a swim set in that pool!"

However, the pool is not a vacation for me. If I'm going somewhere I've never been, especially one like Hawaii, sightseeing would be the focus of my vacation.

 

[tankin]

Silly question but ... What do you like to do and what would be on your "must see" list?
PH would be on my list. I think its important historically. If you're not a history buff...
PCC on the North Shore is on our "must do list" for every trip. Great way to get exposed to all the Polynesian cultures.
If you're a hiker, the Diamond Head hike is nice. Its not easy, think a 1.5 mile stairmaster, but the views are great.
Kualoa ranch was added to the family fun list after the last trip. Loved seeing all the movie site. Pairs well with Diamond Head.
Resort time... I agree with spending the last day at the resort that's always our plan. Pre-COVID, they had a departure lounge where you could shower and change before heading to the airport. Not sure if its running or not.

 

[davidher]

I'm a swimmer. I swim a lot. I see pools in pictures and always think, "Ooo, I want to do a swim set in that pool!"

However, the pool is not a vacation for me. If I'm going somewhere I've never been, especially one like Hawaii, sightseeing would be the focus of my vacation.

If pools are not a vacation for you then I would not recommend Aulani. The reason I say that is if your going to drop 5 to 8 hundred a night for a room wouldn't you want to get the most value of your stay? What we do is go stay in downtown wikiki (less expensive) for three to four days and go snorkeling, hiking, sight seeing then resort hop to Aulani and lounge at pool for a few days.

 

[nkereina]

The only thing I've booked so far is the Luau at Aulani but was thinking about doing either the Diamond Head or Pillbox hike one morning, maybe the Dole Pineapple Plantation and Pearl Harbor before heading to the airport on Thursday?

We did Diamond Head, but I would not call it a must do and we would not do it again. The views were beautiful, but its imperative you arrive early in the morning. Otherwise, there will be parking challenges leading to a much longer hike than you anticipated (from your parking spot), and the trail also gets quite busy. The trail is also in direct sun so it gets hot the later in the day you go. Its a bit of a drive from Aulani, so just take that into consideration with timing. When we were done with Diamond Head, we were hot and sweaty in our workout clothes so we needed to go back to our hotel to shower before we could do anything else. If you want the afternoon at your resort anyway then its not an issue, but it just limits what you can do during the afternoon after Diamond Head.

The Dole Plantation and Pearl Harbor are in opposite directions, and IMO, you would not have enough time to do both prior to the airport. With traffic, its not logistically possible IMO if you have a 5pm flight. For Pearl Harbor, you need to book your tour time at exactly 60 days out online. If you're unable to get a tour time online, you have to show up early to Pearl Harbor (around 8am) to obtain a tour time in the standby line. The further back you are in the line, the later your tour time will be. Its not uncommon for people to get times in the afternoon, which essentially means you have to kill time until your tour time, which makes it hard to plan anything else on your Pearl Harbor day.

We did the Dole Plantation, but again, not something we'd repeat or something I'd consider a must do. We are two adults in our 30s and felt it was more of a cute family place, but that was it. Its closer to the North Shore, so maybe something that would be good to combine with a visit to the North Shore if you plan to do that. They open at like 9 or 9:30, and all we did was browse the gift shop, take the train ride, and get a Dole Whip and we were there until 12:30. The later in the day you go, the harder it is to park and the longer the lines are for things like the train ride and maze.

Keep in mind that Aulani is in an isolated community called Ko Olina. Beautiful area, but not logistically conducive to touring. Traffic is as bad as everyone says it is, so commute times will eat into your day. If it says it takes 45 minutes to get somewhere - plan for 90. Don't underestimate the commutes.

If it were me with your days, I might suggest something like this:

Monday - Arrive/relax at Aulani
Tuesday - Hike Diamond Head in the morning, enjoy Aulani in the afternoon, Aulani luau at night. You can also keep Diamond Head as tentative to see how you're feeling after your travel day. You don't have to book anything in advance for Diamond Head, so it would be easy to decide on the fly not to do it.
Wednesday - Pearl Harbor, evening/dinner in Waikiki. Waikiki is a must do IMO - its a unique atmosphere, great dining options, only place with some night life.
Thursday - North Shore in the morning with lunch at the shrimp trucks, Matsumoto shave ice. You can work the Dole Plantation in here if you want, but I think its more fun to explore Haleiwa and drive around seeing the sights. I second the suggestion of not leaving valuables in your car due to the risk of theft, so maybe give yourself time to get back to Aulani for your luggage before heading to the airport. Its a bit out of the way, but better safe than sorry.

 

[heathernm6]

We did Diamond Head, but I would not call it a must do and we would not do it again. The views were beautiful, but its imperative you arrive early in the morning. Otherwise, there will be parking challenges leading to a much longer hike than you anticipated (from your parking spot), and the trail also gets quite busy. The trail is also in direct sun so it gets hot the later in the day you go. Its a bit of a drive from Aulani, so just take that into consideration with timing. When we were done with Diamond Head, we were hot and sweaty in our workout clothes so we needed to go back to our hotel to shower before we could do anything else. If you want the afternoon at your resort anyway then its not an issue, but it just limits what you can during the afternoon after Diamond Head.

The Dole Plantation and Pearl Harbor are in opposite directions, and IMO, you would not have enough time to do both prior to the airport. With traffic, its not logistically possible IMO if you have a 5pm flight. For Pearl Harbor, you need to either book your tour time at exactly 60 days out online. If you're unable to get a tour time online, you have to show up early to Pearl Harbor (around 8am) to obtain a tour time in the standby line. The further back you are in the line, the later your tour time will be. Its not uncommon for people to get times in the afternoon, which essentially means you have to kill time until your tour time, which makes it hard to plan anything else on your Pearl Harbor day.

We did the Dole Plantation, but again, not something we'd repeat or something I'd consider a must do. We are two adults in our 30s and felt it was more of a cute family place, but that was it. Its closer to the North Shore, so maybe something that would be good to combine with a visit to the North Shore if you plan to do that. They open at like 9 or 9:30, and all we did was browse the gift shop, take the train ride, and get a Dole Whip and we were there until 12:30. The later in the day you go, the harder it is to park and the longer the lines are for things like the train ride and maze.

Keep in mind that Aulani is in an isolated community called Ko Olina. Beautiful area, but not logistically conducive to touring. Traffic is as bad as everyone says it is, so commute times will eat into your day. If it says it takes 45 minutes to get somewhere - plan for 90. Don't underestimate the commutes.

If it were me with your days, I might suggest something like this:

Monday - Arrive/relax at Aulani
Tuesday - Hike Diamond Head in the morning, enjoy Aulani in the afternoon, Aulani luau at night. You can also keep Diamond Head as tentative to see how you're feeling after your travel day. You don't have to book anything in advance for Diamond Head, so it would be easy to decide on the fly not to do it.
Wednesday - Pearl Harbor, evening/dinner in Waikiki. Waikiki is a must do IMO - its a unique atmosphere, great dining options, only place with some night life.
Thursday - North Shore in the morning with lunch at the shrimp trucks, Matsumoto shave ice. You can work the Dole Plantation in here if you want, but I think its more fun to explore Haleiwa and drive around seeing the sights. I second the suggestion of not leaving valuables in your car due to the risk of theft, so maybe give yourself time to get back to Aulani for your luggage before heading to the airport. Its a bit out of the way, but better safe than sorry.

Thank you very much for your insight! I think we'll definitely skip the Dole Plantation based on everyone's recommendations. I think the timeline for PH tickets has changed to 7 days out (maybe covid related?) so I'm holding out hope I'll be able to secure tickets, if not, I guess we'll have to come back

Since you weren't crazy about Diamond Head were there any other hikes you like better? We're not avid hikers but are in pretty good shape and don't mind a little exercise. I'm hoping getting up early won't be much of a challenge as we'll be coming from EST.

Great to know about Waikiki! I wasn't sure if it would be worth going or if it was just a more commercial beach with tourist traps. Will add it to our list!

 

[heathernm6]

If pools are not a vacation for you then I would not recommend Aulani. The reason I say that is if your going to drop 5 to 8 hundred a night for a room wouldn't you want to get the most value of your stay? What we do is go stay in downtown wikiki (less expensive) for three to four days and go snorkeling, hiking, sight seeing then resort hop to Aulani and lounge at pool for a few days.

I wish we had more time and could do a split itinerary like that! (hopefully next time!!) We're big Disney fans and Aulani is a bucket list item for us so we didn't even consider other hotels for this trip. It just feels a little crazy to fly 10 hours and not do any amount of sightseeing in a place we've never been. Hoping to put together a trip with just enough "Hawaii" but still get to enjoy Aulani

 

[heathernm6]

Silly question but ... What do you like to do and what would be on your "must see" list?
PH would be on my list. I think its important historically. If you're not a history buff...
PCC on the North Shore is on our "must do list" for every trip. Great way to get exposed to all the Polynesian cultures.
If you're a hiker, the Diamond Head hike is nice. Its not easy, think a 1.5 mile stairmaster, but the views are great.
Kualoa ranch was added to the family fun list after the last trip. Loved seeing all the movie site. Pairs well with Diamond Head.
Resort time... I agree with spending the last day at the resort that's always our plan. Pre-COVID, they had a departure lounge where you could shower and change before heading to the airport. Not sure if its running or not.

Thank you!! I'll definitely look into that lounge as others have warned about keeping luggage in your car.

I've seen a lot about the PCC but was a little wary it might be a tourist trap. It sounds like that's not been your experience? If so, that's good to know!

PH feels like something everyone should see, so I'm going to try to secure tickets! It seems to be quite competitive to get in! I think it would be cool to see, but luckily won't ruin our trip if we miss it.

Is Kualoa Ranch more fun for kids or adults? We're 3 adults who aren't really into movies, so it didn't seem like a must do for us, but let me know if I'm missing something!

It sounds like we won't get bored at Aulani and should definitely plan a good amount of time for the hotel, which is exactly why we wanted to stay there Thanks again!

 

[tankin]

Thank you!! I'll definitely look into that lounge as others have warned about keeping luggage in your car.

I've seen a lot about the PCC but was a little wary it might be a tourist trap. It sounds like that's not been your experience? If so, that's good to know!

PH feels like something everyone should see, so I'm going to try to secure tickets! It seems to be quite competitive to get in! I think it would be cool to see, but luckily won't ruin our trip if we miss it.

Is Kualoa Ranch more fun for kids or adults? We're 3 adults who aren't really into movies, so it didn't seem like a must do for us, but let me know if I'm missing something!

It sounds like we won't get bored at Aulani and should definitely plan a good amount of time for the hotel, which is exactly why we wanted to stay there Thanks again!

My wife and I enjoyed Kualoa and not just because of the kids. My oldest (who's in college) wants to go back to do some of the ziplining stuff. Again, its all about what you guys like.

PCC is a Mormon/ BYU mission where most of the "employees" are actually students at BYU Hawaii next door. It is touristy but so is just about anything that's going to run a whole bunch of tourists through it. Each of the individual villages are staffed by people from that area of Polynesia. I'd say its less of a tourist trap than EPCOT. Definitely more learning based.

 

[nkereina]

Since you weren't crazy about Diamond Head were there any other hikes you like better? We're not avid hikers but are in pretty good shape and don't mind a little exercise. I'm hoping getting up early won't be much of a challenge as we'll be coming from EST.

The only other "hike" we did was at Waimea Valley which is near the North Shore. Its not really a hike - its a paved path through beautiful foliage with a waterfall and swimming hole at the end. Admission is something like $16pp and a lot of people advise against swimming there (its cold, deep, bacteria, etc), but people do it all the time. They provide life jackets to wear too. Waimea Valley is not something we'd repeat, but it was much less busy than Diamond Head, its mostly shaded, and if swimming there appeals to you, its a nice break at the end of the trail. Diamond Head is in a different category since you're essentially hiking a mountain and have beautiful views at the top. But, Waimea Valley can easily be incorporated into a day in the North Shore.

We are not hikers at all. We're averaged size and in average shape, but I was a little surprised to find Diamond Head more strenuous than I was anticipating. We did it as part of an organized tour and there were a few people in the group who didn't make it to the top. I think because its such a big tourist attraction that people assume it's fine for all shapes, sizes, ages, and fitness levels but I would say that's not the case. I found it moderately challenging as someone who doesn't hike or exercise as often as I should

Is Kualoa Ranch more fun for kids or adults? We're 3 adults who aren't really into movies, so it didn't seem like a must do for us, but let me know if I'm missing something!

We are just two adults and we loved Kualoa Ranch, but we did the movie tour and really enjoyed that. If you're not into movies, there are some fun ATV tours or I remember they had a beach day on their private beach. The grounds are beautiful and the lunch we had there was amazing with everything grown at the ranch. All of that said, unless a tour really speaks to you, I would not call it a must do. Its on the opposite side of the island from Aulani and took us over an hour and a half to get there in the morning. If you're wanting a beach day, I might recommend Kailua. Its not far from Kualoa Ranch, same side of the island. The windward side of the island has the most beautiful beaches with warm clear water and white powder sand, which differs from Aulani which is on a manmade lagoon and has coarse brown sand that gets hot hot hot on your feet! The North Shore beaches were beautiful too, but wasn't conducive to swimming with the high waves. Waikiki Beach was too crowded for us to enjoy a beach day at.

 

[braysmommy]

Even if you don't get tickets for USS Arizona you can still go and visit everything else at Pearl Harbor.

 

[cgattis]

Lots of good info here to piece together a trip. Love that you got such crazy cheap flights so you CAN just enjoy a short trip without feeling guilty!

Here’s my take—I love Aulani (best Disney resort IMO), but love Hawaii more. I’d do Aulani from the time you arrive until bed—pool/lazy river, tour the resort, meal(s), some music (I recommend sitting outside at Makahiki and killing row birds with one stone)—whatever you can stand. You’ll be beat but try to enjoy it. Do your touring on the two full days, then enjoy the resort again on your last day. You can continue to use the amenities after checkout, but this way you aren’t leaving your luggage in your car as you arrive or depart.

WRT touring, clearly there’s way more than you can cover in two days, and as many opinions as posters here. But my thoughts....I personally don’t like Waikiki—it’s just a city crammed up against what would be a cute little beach if not for all the people; I’d rather see more nature. Diamond Head hike is a good payoff (view at the top) but the hike itself is pretty ugly. I don’t think I’d do it if I only had two days; maybe drive up to the Tantalus lookout instead (hear the views are comparable). We love snorkeling, so I’d want a few hours at Hanauma Bay; if you’re going to the north shore, there’s also Sharks Cove. Pearl Harbor was a must for me, BUT if you don’t know what time your tix will be, that does put a kink in planning. Also, without being able to go out to the memorial right now, and with the intent to return....I might (gasp!) skip it this time. We didn’t do Kualoa Ranch but it sounds like a great way to see the island and do some fun active stuff for half a day. I’d avoid the Dole plantation with just adults. I’d also avoid PCC and any luau—those are going to be big time sucks (3+ hours each).

Just my thoughts! Have fun!!!

 

[Paul Stupin]

Lots of good info here to piece together a trip. Love that you got such crazy cheap flights so you CAN just enjoy a short trip without feeling guilty!

Here’s my take—I love Aulani (best Disney resort IMO), but love Hawaii more. I’d do Aulani from the time you arrive until bed—pool/lazy river, tour the resort, meal(s), some music (I recommend sitting outside at Makahiki and killing row birds with one stone)—whatever you can stand. You’ll be beat but try to enjoy it. Do your touring on the two full days, then enjoy the resort again on your last day. You can continue to use the amenities after checkout, but this way you aren’t leaving your luggage in your car as you arrive or depart.

WRT touring, clearly there’s way more than you can cover in two days, and as many opinions as posters here. But my thoughts....I personally don’t like Waikiki—it’s just a city crammed up against what would be a cute little beach if not for all the people; I’d rather see more nature. Diamond Head hike is a good payoff (view at the top) but the hike itself is pretty ugly. I don’t think I’d do it if I only had two days; maybe drive up to the Tantalus lookout instead (hear the views are comparable). We love snorkeling, so I’d want a few hours at Hanauma Bay; if you’re going to the north shore, there’s also Sharks Cove. Pearl Harbor was a must for me, BUT if you don’t know what time your tix will be, that does put a kink in planning. Also, without being able to go out to the memorial right now, and with the intent to return....I might (gasp!) skip it this time. We didn’t do Kualoa Ranch but it sounds like a great way to see the island and do some fun active stuff for half a day. I’d avoid the Dole plantation with just adults. I’d also avoid PCC and any luau—those are going to be big time sucks (3+ hours each).

Just my thoughts! Have fun!!!

Agree about skipping Pearl Harbor. My wife and I are booked at Kualoa Ranch in a couple weeks for our trip...it looks so much fun, especially the "raptor tour" where you drive yourself in these cool muscle bound looking golf carts.

 

[heathernm6]

Lots of good info here to piece together a trip. Love that you got such crazy cheap flights so you CAN just enjoy a short trip without feeling guilty!

Here’s my take—I love Aulani (best Disney resort IMO), but love Hawaii more. I’d do Aulani from the time you arrive until bed—pool/lazy river, tour the resort, meal(s), some music (I recommend sitting outside at Makahiki and killing row birds with one stone)—whatever you can stand. You’ll be beat but try to enjoy it. Do your touring on the two full days, then enjoy the resort again on your last day. You can continue to use the amenities after checkout, but this way you aren’t leaving your luggage in your car as you arrive or depart.

WRT touring, clearly there’s way more than you can cover in two days, and as many opinions as posters here. But my thoughts....I personally don’t like Waikiki—it’s just a city crammed up against what would be a cute little beach if not for all the people; I’d rather see more nature. Diamond Head hike is a good payoff (view at the top) but the hike itself is pretty ugly. I don’t think I’d do it if I only had two days; maybe drive up to the Tantalus lookout instead (hear the views are comparable). We love snorkeling, so I’d want a few hours at Hanauma Bay; if you’re going to the north shore, there’s also Sharks Cove. Pearl Harbor was a must for me, BUT if you don’t know what time your tix will be, that does put a kink in planning. Also, without being able to go out to the memorial right now, and with the intent to return....I might (gasp!) skip it this time. We didn’t do Kualoa Ranch but it sounds like a great way to see the island and do some fun active stuff for half a day. I’d avoid the Dole plantation with just adults. I’d also avoid PCC and any luau—those are going to be big time sucks (3+ hours each).

Just my thoughts! Have fun!!!

Thanks so much!! I fully expect we'll be dreaming of going back to Hawaii as soon as we get there

 

[Paul Stupin]

One additional thought. Don’t lock yourself into some crazy schedule from sunrise to sunset. You might discover that a half a day (not your last) is better spent actually enjoying Aulani.
Not sure of the time of your return flight, but Aulani isn’t flexible on that 11 AM checkout time, and even though you can hang around longer, you still have to get to the airport two hours early. We’ve found that there’s very little time on that last day to do much.

 

[jimmymc]

Here's what I would do:

Monday - pick up the car, grab dinner on the way to the resort, and and watch the sunset from the beach. Jet lag will probably hit hard this day.

Tuesday - Relax in the morning, then take a drive up to the North Shore around lunch time. Take the highway straight up the island to Haleiwa. Watch some surfers at Pipeline, find a place for lunch, and get shaved ice at Matsumoto's. Go to Kawela Bay Beach Park for the most secluded, perfect beach I've ever seen. The Cultural Center and Pillbox hike are near this area too. Grab an acai bowl, iced coffee, or smoothie from the Sunrise Shack as some point during the day. Make sure you leave for Aulani before sunset, because traffic on the North Shore gets bad when everyone is returning to the city.

Wednesday - Wake up early to do Pearl Harbor and the Diamond Head area, including any hikes you feel like doing. Stop at Leonards for Malasadas, since they have more flavors at the main building than the truck near Aulani, and see Waikiki if you're interested (not my favorite, but they have high end shopping). Get back to Aulani at a decent time to enjoy the pools and beach.

Thursday - Enjoy the resort all day. If you have the energy for a long but flat hike, Ka'Ena Point is the northwest point of the island and an animal sanctuary.