Gidget went to Hawaii I probably will not ,how about you.

[donaldsc]

Did Gidget have an active volcano?

 

DON

[Tonopah]

5 hours ago, dolittle said:

So friends of mine went to Hawaii and shared a lot of the trip on F.B. It   struck me that they did the same things that Gidget's family did in 1960. I know it is beautiful but it seems like beside that, the attractions are pretty old and stale . I mean the pineapple factory and a luau were in this movie and my friends trip. Scenery is great anywhere but after awhile I would need something else. Hawaii was once the dream trip of many in the U.S., today few on the east coast go or want to. With what flying is like today the distance for us is way to much. Is Hawaii high on your list it is not on ours . How about you

We loved Hawaii. We spent most of our time on Maui. We stayed in a condo, did one day on (trips/tours/activities) one day off through our vacation. We rode horses, biked down Haleakala (amazing but I think they stopped that), snorkeled (me) and SCUBA’d (him). We cooked most of our meals with fresh island ingredients. We took educational tours and wildlife boat trips. There was a major earthquake while we were there and most places shut down due to lack of electricity. Didn’t bother us a bit.  One doesn’t need to do the standard stuff. We’d go back in a heartbeat.

[BoozinCroozin]

It is my vacation plan for retirement. I want to sell my house, pack our things, and either fly there or take a cruise out there. I want to snorkel the reefs, see the sites, watch pipeline break on the North Shore, I want to see Pearl Harbor and the Arizona. After that, take that 2 week cruise to the Southern Pacific. After all is said and done being gone for a month, fly to FL to find our retirement home.

[dolittle]

8 hours ago, donaldsc said:

Did Gidget have an active volcano?

 

DON

She was to busy at the pineapple factory.

 

[Catnip]

I've been thru the HNL airport several times on trips to Australia and the South Pacific, but only visited Honolulu one time for 3 days.  Have zero wish to go back.    A friend of mine moved over there 30+ years ago and can't stand it there now.  He was living the dream of surfing and hanging out, but now he wants to get back to Florida.  Apparently, it's pretty corrupt on the Big Island and so expensive.  Plus, his political outlook has changed over the decades and the whole state is pretty liberal from all the horror stories he tells me about stuff going on over there.

[zekekelso]

I had a buddy who went to Hawaii with his family. They said everything was beautiful, but they had the worst luck while they were there. They suffered all sorts of accidents, stuff kept breaking, etc. Almost like the whole place was cursed. The only good thing to mention was finding this cool tiki statue. 

[SelectSys]

31 minutes ago, zekekelso said:

They suffered all sorts of accidents, stuff kept breaking, etc. Almost like the whole place was cursed. The only good thing to mention was finding this cool tiki statue. 

Sounds like an episode from a somewhat popular 70's US family sitcom.

[SelectSys]

10 hours ago, BoozinCroozin said:

I want to sell my house, pack our things, and either fly there or take a cruise out there

I would recommend a land vacation if you really want to see the islands.  Of course this is always the case regardless of destination!

 

That said, there are a few long cruises from the West Coast that make a round trip which include HI and French Polynesia.  

[lenquixote66]

22 hours ago, Ashland said:

Would love a RT from LA to Hawaii...But I am booked on a TP Hawaii-Vancouver for 2023.

 

I lived in Kealakekua/Captain Cook early 1970's during my hippie years...fun times !!!

 

22 hours ago, Ashland said:

Would love a RT from LA to Hawaii...But I am booked on a TP Hawaii-Vancouver for 2023.

 

I lived in Kealakekua/Captain Cook early 1970's during my hippie years...fun times !!!

A school friend of mine was offered a position at the University of Hawaii -Maui in the 70’s .He is still there.

[jocap]

We had an unexpected bonus, and decided to fly from the UK to Big Island... my OH could snorkel and I could enjoy two interests- volcanos and the journeys of Captain Cook. 

We enjoyed everything about that holiday, except for the flights- a 9 hour delay in San Fran before our 12 hour flight home to England.

We were surprised that very few people had met anyone from the UK on Big Island, and were interviewed by our hotel manager for some advertising brochures for Europe. They were hoping to get a slot on a BBC travel programme.

We were also complemented on learning to speak English... not the first time that's happened in the USA.

[eyecantwait]

19 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

A friend of mine refers to Hawaii as the Jersey Shore of the Pacific.

I love this quote. Hawaii just hasn't ever been on my list. I spent summers on the Jersey Shore as a kid (Seaside Park) so maybe this is why I don't feel drawn to Hawaii. 😀

[SelectSys]

50 minutes ago, eyecantwait said:

I love this quote. Hawaii just hasn't ever been on my list. I spent summers on the Jersey Shore as a kid (Seaside Park) so maybe this is why I don't feel drawn to Hawaii. 😀

 

Yes, the resemblance between the Jersey Shore and HI is striking.   I am sure that@navybankerteacher's friend likely writes travel books in his spare time with insights like that!

 

Jersey Shore:

 

Napili Coast of Kauai

 

[Blondilu]

I went to Hawaii at least 20 years ago so can't speak to what it looks like now.  I loved it.  I loved the water, the weather and the scenery.  I did all the tours, but the best part was renting a car and getting out into the countryside.  We drove all over on Oahu and more or less circled the Big Island.  

 

The thing is the US, like other countries, has all kinds of places with all kinds of scenery and history.  And some are even accesible by cruise ship.  Pick one and go.  It sounds cliche but I find it to be true: the trip is more about the journey than the destination.

[SuiteTraveler]

Full Circle Road to Hana on Maui.  Yeah...this looks like the Jersey Shore (if you are blind):

Edited June 17, 2021 by SuiteTraveler

[bonsai3s]

Aloha......hello.

Aloha......goodbye.

 

You decide what suits you.

[Silver Sweethearts]

On 6/15/2021 at 11:36 AM, dolittle said:

So friends of mine went to Hawaii and shared a lot of the trip on F.B. It   struck me that they did the same things that Gidget's family did in 1960. I know it is beautiful but it seems like beside that, the attractions are pretty old and stale . I mean the pineapple factory and a luau were in this movie and my friends trip. Scenery is great anywhere but after awhile I would need something else. Hawaii was once the dream trip of many in the U.S., today few on the east coast go or want to. With what flying is like today the distance for us is way to much. Is Hawaii high on your list it is not on ours . How about you

 

If your knowledge about Hawaii is as dated as the Gidget Hawaii movie, it is no wonder you aren't thrilled about visiting here.  Hawaii and what it has to offer (and you can say this about French Polynesia too) doesn't appeal to everyone though, so don't feel bad that it isn't high on your list.  

Edited June 17, 2021 by Silver Sweethearts

[dolittle]

6 hours ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

 

If your knowledge about Hawaii is as dated as the Gidget Hawaii movie, it is no wonder you aren't thrilled about visiting here.  Hawaii and what it has to offer (and you can say this about French Polynesia too) doesn't appeal to everyone though, so don't feel bad that it isn't high on your list.  

I am not an expert on Hawaii (clearly) .My bigger point was that the attractions in Hi. seemed a little old and dated I tried to use humor by bringing up Gidget . Scenery is great but I get overwhelmed by it and need something else. When old things like pineapple factories ,luau and lei greetings(do they still have that) are still around it means there are not new and better things to replace them. Where I live many in the 60s and 70s would dream of going to Hawaii (granted few did or anywhere else for that matter) today they don't . 

[ilikeanswers]

1 hour ago, dolittle said:

When old things like pineapple factories ,luau and lei greetings(do they still have that) are still around it means there are not new and better things to replace them. 

 

You do realise luaus and lei greetings are part of traditional Hawaiian culture? Granted they have been heavily commercialised but if you do your research you can find good traditional ones that teach you a lot about the history and culture of native Hawaiians. Complaining about them being old and not replaced is like complaining about the Carnival of Venice or Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem being still around. These are things that have also been heavily commercialised but they are still a traditional part of the culture of their respective destinations. 

Edited June 17, 2021 by ilikeanswers

[LH25]

2 hours ago, dolittle said:

When old things like pineapple factories ,luau and lei greetings(do they still have that) are still around it means there are not new and better things to replace them.

Or maybe people think they are good enough to keep around.  Old isn't always bad, new isn't always better.

 

We love Hawaii.  We've done land vacations 5 times now, including our honeymoon, and one cruise RT from Vancouver.  Planning another one in 2023 for our 30th anniversary.  There is something about the scenery and just the feeling being there, it's hard to put into words.

 

When we do another land trip someday, we'll probably skip Oahu since we've been there enough and seen the main sights.  It's crowded and I think it's the most touristy island.  My favorite thing there was doing ATV rides.

 

I'm not a big beach person, I do like to snorkel.  And just enjoy a more laid-back time.

[jtwind]

On 6/15/2021 at 8:51 PM, Hlitner said:

I would guess that you were on Oahu which is the one island I prefer to avoid.  Oahu is great for those that like Miami Beach kind of places with lots of traffic, commercialism, high rise hotels, etc.  Go to Maui and get out of the main towns, spend time on the Big Island, or enjoy Kauai and it is a lot different then Oahu.   I also doubt if Southwest is to blame for tourism in Hawaii.  There are only so many hotel rooms and they are often full during the busier months.   Southwest is just one more airline.

 

Hank

Nope.  Big Island.  And I have to go with what all of the locals were telling us.  Sure there are other airlines.  But the addition of cheap flights with Southwest was the straw that broke the camel's back.

[Hlitner]

40 minutes ago, jtwind said:

Nope.  Big Island.  And I have to go with what all of the locals were telling us.  Sure there are other airlines.  But the addition of cheap flights with Southwest was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Guess I am skeptical because there are only so many hotel rooms and they are generally near full (occupancy rates have always been very high on the islands).  So am wondering if all these extra folks were being brought over by Southwest where they were staying?  And considering that Southwest did not operate any flights to Hawaii until March 2019 (which means they flew to Hawaii for less then 1 year prior to COVID) it is hard to buy what you heard (I wonder if those locals worked for other airlines).

 

Hank

[neverbeenhere]

We spend at least  month in Hawaii every year, I don't think it was "built" to be an amusement park. The less folks that want to come the better.

 

[cruiseryyc]

I spend a month every year on Maui (well except for 2020 & 2021) and love it!!!! You could be busy every day or, like me, just sit and watch the ocean ebb & flow.

[SelectSys]

24 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

So am wondering if all these extra folks were being brought over by Southwest where they were staying? 

It's really not clear to me that Southwest has stimulated all that much new growth to Hawaii.  They are certainly trying to expand the market, but how much is new and how much is being taken from other carriers isn't clear on the surface without a comparison of the trend.  Still, I look for a big summer as vaccinations obviate the need for tests and international travel remains somewhat limited for US residents and citizens.

 

The chart below shows Southwest's current market share in HI:

https://paxex.aero/hawaii-huge-summer/

 

1 hour ago, jtwind said:

But the addition of cheap flights with Southwest was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Southwest really isn't cheap these days.  You can find a good deal at times, but it's really hit or miss.   Checked bags are included for free, but many people get these benefits from FF programs or credit cards.

 

BTW -  I just checked from San Diego to Maui for July and prices are pretty much the same regardless of carrier.

[rkacruiser]

My first visit to Hawaii was in 1977, S. S. Monterey from Los Angeles to Honolulu-Honolulu-San Francisco-Los Angeles, a long cruise that allowed us to visit all of the major islands.  We were not disappointed.  

 

I have had other visits to the islands on other cruises.  Parts of Hawaii are not the same in 2021 as they were in 1977.  But, to compare any beach in Hawaii, including Waikiki, to any of the East Coast beaches that I have visited is quite unfair.  If one visits only Oahu, one misses the delights that exist on Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii.  

 

Even if one only is able to visit Honolulu, the view of Diamond Head, a visit to Pearl Harbor with all of its history, the Polynesian Cultural Center, and to experience the "Aloha" spirit of the people:  it's worth whatever flight one has to endure.  

 

I'd suggest if one is only able to visit one island on their first trip to Hawaii, I recommend Kauai.  It's an easy island for a DIY vacation; a rental car will permit easy exploration on one's own.  When I first spent a few days there after a cruise, there was exactly one traffic light on the island.  I have no doubt that a few more have needed to be erected.  But, it is a truly beautiful island!