Hawaii has often been called one of the world's favorite vacation spots. There is no doubt that this is one of those rare places on Earth that truly offers something for everyone. Depending on your interest you can enjoy exciting nightlife or complete isolation, warm tropical relaxing beaches or high altitude volcanic mountains with incredibly exciting hiking terrain, ultra plus expensive hotels or very inexpensive laid back lodging, one step above a grass shack, and almost every type of sport imaginable, including skiing!

To experience the culture and beauty of Hawaii doesn't mean you have to spend large sums of money on accommodations, but you certainly can, if that is your choice. And that is one of the reasons why Hawaii is such a great vacation destination. There are all kinds of choices. Once a traveler has decided to visit Hawaii the very first question he or she asks is "What island(s) should I visit?" and the second question is "How long should I stay there?" The answers to both these questions depend on your personal tastes and interests. There are no wrong choices in Hawaii; some islands are better suited to your preferences than others. All are wonderful.

There are four major tourist islands in Hawaii - Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii, often called the Big Island. In addition are several other less visited islands: Molokai and Lanai, whose tourism levels are increasing annually, and Niihau and Kahoolawe, both essentially inaccessible. All these islands are discussed below.

Keep in mind, by law, ALL beaches in Hawaii are public. So you need not feel like a poor cousin if you stay in a 3 * hotel and visit the beach at a nearby 5* hotel. You won't have access to all their deluxe facilties but at least part of the beach will be set aside for public use.

OAHU - "The Gathering Place"
This beautiful island is populated by nearly one million people, the vast majority of which live in and around the capital city of Honolulu. There was a time where visitors vacationed only on Oahu and some never left the beautiful area of Waikiki, the resort section of Honolulu. Today that is no longer true. Many visitors bypass Oahu entirely, heading straight for one or more of the outer islands so they can experience the "real" Hawaii. Well the "real" Hawaii can be experienced on Oahu as well. If you are looking for lots of nightlife and are interested in museums and history, this island offers the best selection for those activities, along with beautiful secluded beaches and hikes on the outskirts of Honolulu. There are so many varied things to do on the island it would be impossible to see it all in a week. If you are spending a few days in Honolulu, we recommend renting a car for at least a day or two to explore the areas outside of the capital city.

Starting with Honolulu, here are a few of the major attractions:

Pearl Harbor: A "must-see" attraction. One can't help be moved by the Arizona Memorial which played such as pivotal role in one of the most defining moments in the history of the United States. We recommend getting there as close to 9:00am as possible to avoid the crowds. This is a wonderful place to wear your newly acquired lei and leave it over the memorial in honor of those young men who died during that fateful day in December.

Diamond Head: You need to be in fairly good shape to make this hike and it is best to do it early in the morning before the sun gets too hot. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and a hat. The view from the top is terrific. From Diamond Head you can continue on for a pleasant drive counter clockwise around the island.

Iolani Palace: America's only royal residence is open during limited hours and may be entered only with a guided tour. We recommend making reservations at least a day or two in advance.

Bishop Museum: Located on the grounds of the University of Hawaii, this group of stone buildings houses a superb collection of relics and historical information on Hawaii and Polynesia in general. Get an early start as there is a lot to see.

Punchbowl Cemetery: Located in the crater of an extinct volcano, this National Cemetery of the Pacific honors 25,000 men and women who fought in various wars starting with the Spanish-American War up to present day.

If you choose to stay in Honolulu a few days, I recommend you get outside of Waikiki and either do a half day excursion or drive part or all the way around the island for a day. I highly recommend a half day excursion to Nuuanu Pali Lookout. From there you have an easy hike down a paved path with stunning scenery. You will recognize the view from the movie "Pearl Harbor." Legend has it that this is the place where Kamehameha the Great pursued his enemies to their death over the cliff and thus united all the Hawaiian Islands in 1795.

If you do decide to circle the island, you can do the Dole Pineapple Maze and swim at the beach at the Banzai Pipeline (calm in summer).

Unless you plan to spend your entire time on the beach, I would rent a car. It's quicker and easier to get around, especially with teen-agers. Everyone says not to rent in Honolulu but it was better for us since we are on the move a lot and liked the flexibility of stopping at various beaches for quick swims along the way. On the outer islands, you will need a car. Rent the smallest one you can that is comfortable. Jeeps are great fun but do cost more.

To save money on a Honolulu hotel, pick a moderate priced hotel a block or two off the beach. Outrigger has some good ones. Any of the other chains will do too.(Best Western, Holiday Inn). Ask about family specials. On the outer islands, most places are beachfront or very close to the water.

Obviously Honolulu will have the largest number of single people. Next in line, but not a close second, would be the Lahaina area of Maui.

MAUI
There is plenty of tourist action in the town of Lahaina, where teenagers can do the "Lahaina Strut." . Here are the really adventurous fun things to do on the island::

*Do the snorkel excursion at Molokini Crater.
*Iao Valley State Park is a neat hiking area.
* Hike down Haleakala. This is the world's largest dormant volcano. The scenery here is awesome with clouds rolling in and out of a moonlike landscape. I would rank it one of the ten best 3 hour hikes I have ever done. Lots of operators sell you a trip that takes you to the top to see the dawn and then you bike down the mountain road. .This costs $50 or more per person. Instead we drove to the top, then hiked down inside the crater (for free) and took the Sliding Sands Trail. One hour down = 2 hours up. Bring a light jacket. It is cool up there. The trail starts at 10,000 feet.
*Drive the Hana Road. This will take a full day. 99% of the tourists go as far as the Seven Sacred Pools and turn back. For a REAL adventure, continue onward on the dirt road and eventually you will circle back to your hotel. Start early , it is a long day. Grab lunch at one of cheap roadside stands with lots of fresh picked fruits.

KAUAI
This is my son's favorite island, the smallest , the most lush, and the most laid-back. You will definitely want to do the following:
* Hike the Na Pali Coast . This trail also takes you to the wettest spot on earth. There are also zodiac and kayak excursions to this remote and beautiful coast, accessible only by water or foot. Kayaking can take all day, so check it out first.
*Waimea Canyon State Park is the "Grand Canyon" of Hawaii.
* Eat a snow cone. They are served all over the islands but Kaui reigns supreme with this delicious treat. Get the super special and get the sweet beans. Sounds awful but they really are sweet and delicious.

HAWAII - THE BIG ISLAND
This is my favorite island, although I love them all. If you choose to stay here, I recommend you split your stay between the east and west coast. (It takes 10 hours to drive all around the island). I would spend a couple of nights at the Volcano House in Volcano National Park. It is perches right on the rim of an active volcano. (Active in that it steams, but not erupts). There are lots of really neat easy trails to hike, such as Devastation Trail. Request the cheapest room available, it may not have a view (ours had no windows) but the restaurants has a full frontal view of the volcano so who cares?

You can fly into Hilo (east side) and out of Kona (west side) but you may have to pay a rental car drop fee. Check around with the car companies. After that I would spend several nights at a resort hotel on the west side of the island. Hotels tend to be very deluxe and pricey here but there may be cheaper ones close to the town of Kailua Kona, which by the way, is a fun lively little town and has some cheaper restaurants..

Things to do:
* The black lava is everywhere and actually blocks the road ( I think it is called Chain of Craters Road) into the park; you have to go the longer way around to get into Volcano National Park.
* Currently there are no lava flows around the park but if you sign up for a helicopter ride you might be able to fly over active lava, and one of the volcanos may still be active. It's expensive , but worth it. Bargain for a "family rate"
*Take the excursion down Waipio Valley. What a great little adventure!

Some other neat things to do:
* The Lava Tree State Monument - scenic interesting walk around trees that have been "lavafied."
*Drive to Parker Ranch, the largest ranch in the U.S, pretty drive, great place to get a hearty reasonably priced ranch breakfast.
*Drive to the green sand beach. There are lots of easily accessible black sand beaches but the green sand beach is hard to get to. It is an adventure and you will need a jeep and you MUST know how to drive in deep sand without getting stuck. There is not likely to be anyone around to help you.
*Drive to the southernmost point in the US Very very windy with a windswept landscape but different and interesting. The green sand beach is near here.

Keep in mind the Big Island is not famous for its sandy beaches since most beaches are lava rock.

Well that's it in a nutshell. Should you decide to do two islands, check into special rate booklets with Hawaiian and Aloha Air. Sometimes you can buy a booklet of 6 or 8 flight tickets for a special price.

Oh, one last thing. Get a copy of "Cheap Eats in Hawaii." I think I bought mine at either Barnes and Noble or Borders. Amazon may sell it as well.

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