First visit

[palciparum]

We are visiting (2nd week of July) for 8 nights and plan to divide into 2 stays of 4 nights each. 4 nights at Disney Aulani at the end of trip and need recommendations for where to stay other 4 nights where my child can enjoy the stay too. We have 8 year old child. We do not plan to fly to visit other islands on this visit.

Would appreciate help with itinerary or what to see during first 4 nights as have read that driving from Disney Aulani to visit other sites is not recommended and should simply enjoy it. We want our child to enjoy all that Hawaii has to offer for kids so need to figure out activities for her.

We were thinking of Hilton brand as I have Hilton elite benefits but doubt it will be of any help with busy season.

Thanks.

 

[Aviator621]

If you are staying on Oahu, pretty much you only other choice is Waikiki, with the possible exception of Turtle Bay on the North Shore (which is pretty isolated). In Waikiki, if you want fancy pools and kid friendly activities, it's pretty much the Hilton Hawaiian Village. The strong caveat is that place is always PACKED.

The upside to Waikiki is it is much closer to most of Oahu activities, such as Hanauma Bay, Diamond Head, Atlantis Subs, etc. In short, if venturing from Aulani, I would focus on ocean excursions (snorkel catamarans, dolphin boat trips, etc.), North Shore Trips (up H2) and possibly Pearl Harbor. All else plan from Waikiki. By the way, a lot of the catamaran tours leave from right there in Ko Olina.

 

[jodybird511]

Would you consider an Airbnb for the other portion of your trip? If so, that opens up a lot of options in terms of location.

 

[kyton]

Be careful with AirBnb - there are a lot of illegal rentals on the site. Stay in Waikiki - it’s zoned for tourism.

http://www.honoluludpp.org/Portals/0/pdfs/HotIssues/NUCreport.pdf - these are the ONLY legal rentals.

 

[thedogatemyhomework]

avoid air bnb in hawaii...there is growing dislike/hatred of it as it isn’t just a “hotel industry disrupter”...its a huge source of inflation for housing costs.

theres also still the possibility that the cost could either go up dramatically...or reservations could simply just get cancelled (either its going to get taxed just like hotels...and/or there will be huge fines for the illegal listings...so they may de-list and cancel)

 

[jodybird511]

Thanks for the heads-up on Airbnb in HI--I wasn't aware of the issues there, though I knew there were issues in other markets. You could consider an on-the-ground vacation rental service, though, with less risk. I'm not sure what is available on Oahu as far as that goes, but we used Kona Coast Vacations on the Big Island and were very pleased with the experience, the rental, and the customer service. But obviously, if you're really only looking for a hotel/resort, other posters are correct--Waikiki is the way to go.

 

[chainkid]

Traveling with an 8 year old I would want to pack and unpack only once during a short trip so my vote would be staying at Aulani for entire stay. Oahu is not a huge island and just about any attraction can be reached in a short amount of time. I have stayed at turtle Bay also but frankly it doesn't compare in any way. Get a rental car and travel during non peak hours when possible to avoid traffic. Use ko olina marina for ocean excursions.

 

[nkereina]

We spent our first 3 nights, before Aulani, in Waikiki. We stayed at the Waikiki Beach Marriott and loved it. It was centrally located and we found everything very walkable, and also utilized the trolley to get up the road to Ala Moana Center. We also did Diamond Head and Pearl Harbor through organized tours that picked up and dropped off in Waikiki, as we opted not to have a car during this part of our stay to avoid parking and traffic hassles and costs.

I will caution that while Hilton Hawaiian Village is resort-like and beautiful, we did find it to be at the far end of the strip. Still mostly walkable, but not as conveniently located. The Hilton Waikiki Beach was right behind us at the Marriott, and we had lunch there one day. IMO, it's a more convenient location for walking around. Its one block up from the beach and a much smaller property, with a trolley stop right in front. Its probably a better price point as well.