We did a day trip from Oahu to Kauai, which WAS pretty ludicrous, so no, I don't think your plan sounds bad at all Honestly, I'd divide the time up a bit more evenly between the two, perhaps do two nights on Kauai and the rest on Oahu, but that's personal preference.

What about doing 4 days on Oahu and 3 days on Kauai? Like you say, airline travel is very tedious and annoying, but you could feasibly enjoy both islands on that schedule - many people do it. They understand that they won't be able to see and enjoy everything, but they do enjoy a quick glimpse of each. The flights between islands run hourly, almost like bus service per se, so you could do a midday flight and enjoy a leisurely morning, fly to the next island and be there to enjoy most of the afternoon and evening. Your flight home will probably leave as a red eye overnight back to the mainland and you could enjoy most of the day, get an early supper and head to the airport. It is really a matter of ambition level and planning, but it IS possible and commonly done.

Here's what we did on one occasion. We made reservations to and from Honolulu, spent 2 nights there, then island-hopped to Maui on "I forget" Airlines. Maybe Aloha. After visiting grandchildren for a few days, we hopped back to HNL for our return flight (to LA). And sure enuf, as juliae_mei says, it was a red eye. We made no advance reservations on the mainland for the interisland flights.

I wish now that we had spent more time on Oahu, as the previous posters suggest. If I had to live in Hawaii, and I would NOT choose to do so after something like 8 visits there, mostly to Maui, it would definitely be Oahu.

No Problemo. Kauai is a 20 minute flight and the Inter-island airport (next to the huge International airport at Honolulu) is small and easy to navigate. On Kauai - you walk across the street to sign in for the rental car and the lot is about a 5 minute ride. I would suggest 3 nights on Oahu - getting to/snorkeling Hanauma Bay and driving around the island - and then kicking back on smaller Kauai for 4 nights/days and getting to explore the very scenic North Shore, "Grand Canyon of the Pacific" - as Mark Twain called Waimea, etc.

Have a blast. (PS - read Sondoc's many reports).

Thank you all for your replies! I have a bad habit of changing my mind (constantly) but as I'm not sure when we'll be back to Hawaii I would really like to have my cake and eat it too (see a lot of the history on Oahu) but then still be able to experience Kauai. I really appreciate all of your comments and thanks for the tip about the trip reports!

7 nights too short a time for 2 islands?

Depends on how long it takes you personally to settle into island time. Or, on what you mean by "experience Kauai."

Depends on how long it takes you personally to settle into island time. Or, on what you mean by "experience Kauai."

True. If you're like me, and you settle into island time the minute you breathe the air, it's no problem. Maybe not ideal, but still no problem. Whether you spend two nights or three in Oahu at the start would depend (for me) on what time you arrive the first day.

Agree with SF7. When you hit the open air walking in from the plane to the terminal - it's like a breath of heaven (unless it's during one of the few muggy time- and then have a Mai Tai or Chi Chi to get properly "acclimated".

From my point of view 7 nights is WAY to short to try to squeeze in 2 islands. Your opinion may differ though. Plus I adore Oahu.

From where-ever did the one island-one week philosophy emerge? Never heard that when I was first traveling to the islands - going back to the 70's?

Is it the Chamber of commerce for each island putting that out?

Or perhaps some posters are just getting older?

Tomsd, You say this everytime the question comes up, over and over on this forum.

The one island one week "philosophy" is MY OWN OPINION from taking trip to Hawaii MYSELF. It has nothing to do with the Chamber of Commerce, my age (younger than you obviously), or anything about 1970's.

I *personally feel* it wastes precious vacation time by going to/from an airport, checking in/out of a hotel, each an extra time.

gone are the days when you could show up 15 minutes before your interisland flight and be on your way. Personally, I'd either do one island or the other or 2 on Oahu and 5 on the other. It comes down to scheduling what time of day to travel from island to island to get the most bang for your buck.

Tomsd, to some of us, seeing and doing isn't the same as experiencing.