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Margaret in MN
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Hi Ladies:
My husband and I are planning a trip to Hawaii. Neither of us have ever been there and would greatly appreciate any advice on where to stay (specifically which island) & what to do!
Thanks, and God bless! 
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Margaret
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JennGM
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PM Rachel May to prod her to give some great advice. 
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Lissa
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Margaret in MN wrote:
Hi Ladies:
My husband and I are planning a trip to Hawaii. Neither of us have ever been there and would greatly appreciate any advice on where to stay (specifically which island) & what to do!
Thanks, and God bless! |
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Only one piece of advice from me: BOOK A LAYOVER IN SAN DIEGO!!!!
I'm not even kidding...I would meet you at the airport in a heartbeat. Better yet, make it an overnight layover and come for dinner at the Lilting House, where we only serve pizza.
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Mary Chris
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All the islands are great, they each have their own special charm.
It has been 12 years since I lived there so hopefully Rachel will chime in with updated info. Also my spelling Hawaiian names is really weak after all these years away. 
Oahu is the most commericial. Honolulu has lots of great restaurants. There are places to stay outside of Honolulu that are quiet, Turtle Bay is one. Oahu has the Polynesia Cultrural Center, Arizona Memorial and Hanamau Bay (sp?).
I love the Big Island. Hilo is where I want to retire! Kileua Volcano is so cool. I think you can still see the lava flowing into the ocean.
I love Kauai! There is a great restaurant there called A Pacific Cafe, The meal I had there is on my all time favorite list.
I have to take the kiddos to the dentist. Hopefully I am meeting up with Rachel afterwards so we can plan your trip .
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Diane
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Lissa wrote:
| Only one piece of advice from me: BOOK A LAYOVER IN SAN DIEGO!!!! |
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Sorry to disagree, Lissa, but I really think it would be much better (albeit slightly less direct) if Margaret booked a layover in Brussels instead.
Sure, you may have sunshine...but we've got CHOCOLATE.
Margaret, you blessed girl, I'm sorry that I don't have anything more helpful to say than that. With the very gloomy days we've been having over here, Hawaii sounds heavenly. So happy for you!
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Elizabeth
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Margaret,
Just two words:
Waimea Falls
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Margaret in MN
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I’m feeling inspired already!  We’ve bought a coconut (Cocos nucifera of the family Arecaceae) and are starting our Hawaiian lap books!
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MaryMary
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Oh! Oh! You must add Father Damien of Molokai to your unit study. He so inspired us that we named one of our children after him!
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I lived on Oahu from 1995-2001, after dh and I were married (he taught at UH).
How long are you planning your trip for? If it is for more than a week, I would try to hit two islands. I think for a first trip, Oahu and either the Big Island (Hawaii) or Maui would be my choice. There are different options as to where to stay. It can be cheaper to rent a condo than to stay in a hotel, and it's what I prefer with a big family.
When are you going? We are going to be on Oahu for a week in June, but it's for a conference for dh, so we will be staying in a hotel in Waikiki.
Feel free to pm me!
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Rachel May
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 WARNING: DO NOT TRY TO TAKE THIS ALL IN AT ONCE!
Margaret is it with or without kids? We had a really fun time tonight talking about all our favorite things to do in Hawaii. We lived on Oahu near Pearl Harbor from 2000-2005 (too bad we didn't know Lisa!) starting with only 18 month old twins and ending up with 5 kids 5 years and under. Keep in mind that they came everywhere with us.
As Elizabeth said, Waimea Falls is beautiful. It is an easy (my 80 year old grandmother did it) paved walk through a nature preserve which is run by the Audubon Society. This is Thomas' favorite spot because he loves John Audubon and thought it was cool that they had the same name. They didn't have cliff divers any more when we went there.
Making your way back toward Haliewa on the North Shore, there is a beach where you can swim with the HUGEGreen Sea Turtles. You can't touch them, but you can take pictures really close to them. Then head into Haliewa for shave ice (not "shaved") at H. Muira's and wander through the little shops and art galleries in town.
Drive down through the pineapple plantations (I was amazed to find that they grow on bushes and not on trees ) to Schofield Barracks where you can go to Adoration from noon Friday to noon Saturday (James' godparents run it).
A wonderful beach at the north end of H1 is Ko'Olina which will fulfill your desire to see the Hawaii of postcards. Ko'Olina is a resort, but the beaches are public. The parking is a bit of a pain, but we loved going there with small swimmers.
If you need lots of inexpensive souvenirs, theAloha Stadium is the place to go. It's just down the road from the Arizona Memorial where you can buy a flag that has been flown on the memorial; you can even request the date. This was popular with my kids because there is a movie and a boatride.
Next to the Arizona Memorial is the USS Bowfin and across the harbor is the Mighty Mo. Bill re-enlisted some soldiers there, and we had a really funny tour guide who talked about the filming of Cher's video "If I Could Turn Back Time." Do you remember that one? 
Further down the H1 is the Pali Lookout, site of the decisive battle which made Kamehameha I the first king of the Hawaiian Islands.
The kids still ask to go to the Bishop Museum which has fun science exhibits and historic Hawaiian exhibits including quilts and whole bunch of poi bowls (why?). There is also a nautical museum at the Falls of Clyde and you can walk all over the ship and ring the bell.
Down in Waikiki at certain times of the year there is a Mass on the Beach between Ft. DeRussy and the Hale Koa Hotel. It is sponsored by the army chapel. Or St. Augustine's is supposed to be beautiful, and near it is the Father Damien museum.
Waikiki is fun to walk around or lay on the beach. The Waikiki Aquarium is small, but it has Monk Seals lounging around in an outside enclosure and some really neat sea life inside including the state fish the--say it with me-- humuhumunukunukuapua'a.
South of Waikiki is Diamond Head which is a fun hike, but Bill says only take kids older than 6 or 7.
I second Mary Chris' suggestion of seeing Hanauma Bay even though it was harder with little kids. If you like to snorkle, this is the place to go look at the fish.
Alright, the last thing I can think of off hand is the Polynesian Cultural Center. Check out the videos of the Samoan guys. The drive was long (90 minutes for us) but the scenery is awe inspiring.
OK, that was Oahu....I think I may be as excited as you are. I only wish we were still there so we could help tour you around.
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Rachel
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Rachel May
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PS The idea of flying to Hawaii via Belgium intrigues me, but I say you grab the Lilting House pizza and make Belgium its own cool trip.
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Rachel
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Margaret in MN
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Wow! This is awesome. Thank you all so much--my husband and I now have plenty to consider.
Still, keep the good advice coming, please!  To answer two important questions: it will be just the two of us, and we'll be staying just shy of a week.
Thank you again!
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KC in TX
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WAAAHH!!! My dh has his next project in Hawaii. He gets to spend 6 weeks there!!! Actually, he gets to go twice!!! Once for a week in February and for about 5 weeks in the April-May-June time frame. I'm trying so hard to figure out a way for all of us to spend some time there with him, but I just can't do it. Oh, well. No advice here, Margaret. I'm so happy for you and your hubby.
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LisaD
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Just the two of you?! How romantic In that case, decide if you want to see and do a whole lot, or take a more relaxed approach. Do you like to golf? If you decide on Oahu, and want to be away from the crowds, you may prefer staying somewhere like Turtle Bay, especially if one or both of you is a golfer. It is pretty far away from the sights and sounds of Honolulu (but keep in mind, it's a pretty small island, and nothing is too far away). I would love to stay at Ko' Olina. We went to a wedding there, and it is absolutely beautiful. Closer to a lot of sights than Turtle Bay, but far enough away from Waikiki. We will be staying at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, because it's near the convention center, and it will be easy to do stuff with the kids from there.
I love Rachel's list of things to do and see! It's made me excited to go in June. I haven't been back since my second child was 4 months old!
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I just have a sec, but I had to pop in to say that ALL night I was dreaming of places for you to eat!
With just 2 adults going I definitely suggest hopping over to the leper colony on Kalaupapa, Molokai to see where Bl. Damien and Bl. Marianne Cope worked. In Kalapaupa you must be on the tour which is done by Damien Tours (scroll down). My friend and I flew into Kalapaupa and they picked us up at the airport. Bill hiked down and up (up is real challenge), and the mules are expensive and scary I've heard.
Or just lazing around at the volcano on the Big Island and eating at the Kiawe Kitchen in the Volcano Village. YUM! Best meal ever!
Lisa, what are your favorite restaurants?
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Rachel
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Mary Chris
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Not Lisa but I remember the food in Hawaii was so good! We were there right after we were married, dh was doing shift work, deployed or out on those little short underways when they are only home for the weekends, so we ate out a lot!
Do you know Rachel if Anti (Auntie?) Pastas is still around? It was in Honolulu, I think on Bishop Street. There was also a great Thai place in Aiea that we frequented. I can picture most of the restaurants but can't come up with the names.
Rachel has so many great ideas! When we were there my dh and I took a trip to Kauai in Feb/March time frame during the Humpback Whale migration, it was so awesome!!!
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Rachel May
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marychris wrote:
Do you know Rachel if Anti (Auntie?) Pastas is still around? It was in Honolulu, I think on Bishop Street. There was also a great Thai place in Aiea that we frequented. I can picture most of the restaurants but can't come up with the names. |
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I don't know the Thai place, but I'd forgotten Auntie Pasta's, Mary Chris. Good call! There is one off Kalakaua near Waikiki, but I can't remember the street. I think it starts with a "K" and has a bunch of vowels in it....
OK, my FAVORITE FAVORITE Oahu spot to eat isBig Kahuna's, but not the pizza. I love the luau pork or beef brisket sandwiches the size of dinner plates. My friend ran down the street and got them for me after I delivered Cecilia.
I've heard Hau Tree Lanai is great for a special dinner for two (eat outside under the Hau Tree), and the formal afternoon tea at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider is great. You sit on the back lanai where you can hear the waves break and watch windsurfers and feel a light breeze while you sip and nibble.
Mary Chris' description of Kuaui makes me want to go back. I had morning sickness when we were there.
And Lisa's suggestion to take is slow is really the best. When we had guests, we would do a few neat things in one area (like the North Shore) one day, and then just camp at the beach the next and alternate till they flew home.
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Margaret in MN
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Have I told you ladies lately how thankful we are for all this in-put? My husband spent the greater part of the afternoon yesterday reading through this.
And the big news is: we booked our flight!
We will be staying at the Turtle Bay resort on Oahu, as per Lisa's recommendation. Will it surprise you to hear that I can't wait?!!
Keep the good ideas coming, though, should you have them! 
PS. Lissa, we were disappointed to see that San Diego was not a hub for a flight from MPLS. As such, we'll be flying direct (and overnight--bleh)to make the most of our limited time.
But here's my husband! He's like, "You know, I'll be in San Diego for my work retreat..."
Whence came my reply: "You are not going to visit Lissa and her family without me!" Which was very selfish of said me and I later recanted.
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Rachel May
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Have you seen this book God's Photo Albumn? Here is a description of it:
"Shelly Mecum and her students had a dream - and enough courage and faith to make their dream soar. Tirelessly optimistic and fiercely determined to save the struggling Ewa Beach elementary school on Oahu, Hawaii, Mecum mobilized a community to realize her vision: a spiritual quest for God and a brave book-writing adventure. Some 168 young children and their families, ranging from five to eighty years old, toted cameras, notebooks, and pencils across the island by bus, trolley, and glass-bottom boat. Their mission? To find God. And - each in their own way - they did: in palm trees and koi ponds, on rugged shores, in the Hard Rock Cafe, and in one another.
Here are their surprising snapshots and inspiring observations, offering unforgettable moments of grace. Proof that no dream is too big, this story will capture the hearts of everyone who wants to know how to find God."
PS Turtle Bay is going to be so great!
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Rachel
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Margaret in MN
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Thank you for the recommendation of God's Photo Album, Rachel May. I just ordered it!
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Margaret
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Topic: Any Advice? We're Bound for Hawaii!
