5 nights is not a lot of time for the Big Island, I went there once for 5 nights (husband was there on business) and spent short time at Volcano Park, saw black sand beach, took a snorkel trip to Kealakekua Bay, visited Hilo and saw Akaka Falls, did not have time to see anything else.

With only five nights you might want to consider Kauai instead of BI, but up to you.

For cheap and clean lodging on Oahu (Waikiki) look at The Breakers, Waikiki Sand Villa, or the Royal Grove hotel.

Our favorite island is Kauai - with Big Island a virtual tie - but they are all nice. I think you plan sounds find and just google and google and google away to find the best deals.

Thanks for the replies. However, I did google stuff all afternoon (snow storm here, spent all afternoon searching Hawaii inbfos) and my plans changed a bit. As car rentals are more expensive than I thought, and to cut on expenses, I think it would be best best to do do just 2 islands, and they'll be Oahu and Maui, for 15 days total. We'll save Kaui and Big Island for a future trip.

I'll check out these hotels you mention Suze, thanks!

You don't need a car on Oahu. It's the only island I feel you can easily get by without one, because there is very good public transportation ("The Bus") and lots of shuttles, organized tours, etc. you can use to get around.

I agree with you about cutting back to only 2 islands in 15 days. That's an excellent plan.

Let me know if you have any questions. I'm no expert on all things Hawaiian, but I know alot about the budget hotels in Waikiki

Suze, I checked out the Royal Grove. It's by far the cheapest hotel so far (and with full kitchens). However, it sure looks very dated by the pics. Are the beds comfortable? As long as it's clean and the beds are good, I don't really care, so that could be a good pick. It also has very good reviews from TripAdvisor.
You say that no car is needed in Oahu. As we'll go during the peak season I think (end of July), will the bus be easily available to get anywhere, without waiting too much for connections? Will they be very crowded? If we'd decide to only rent a car for one or 2 days, would the rates be very high?

Also, would you happen to know about budget hotels in Maui as well? From what I gathered so far, Maui hotels look to be more expensive than Oahu's.

Thanks.

Oahu is our favorite island. Overnight parking is quite expensive so we only rent a car for a day to drive around the island, stopping at points of interest, and another day to go to Pearl Harbor, Punchbowl Cemetery, and up on the Pali.

Except for people who want a quiet getaway type of vacation, Waikiki is great because so many things are within walking distance. There is a free trolley if you want to go to Hilo Hattie's for souvenirs (and the Sam Choy restaurant is beside it, so you can have lunch there and then ride the trolley back). The Bus will take you to the huge Ala Moana shopping center where there is a good food court as well as nice restaurants and a See's candy shop besides the upscale (and not so) shops, as well as completely around the island for $2.00 if you just want to stay on and ride.

We like the breakfast buffet at the Shorebird Restaurant in the Outrigger Reef Hotel (discount coupons in the free sidewalk magazines). The view from the tables at the rail is gorgeous.

Thanks carolyn for the suggestions. Regarding the car, I'm wondering how much is the taxi fee from the airport to Waikiki? Because I'll have to pay that again when I get out of Oahu, and also the bus/trolley fees. So, is it really cost-efficient not to rent a car?

Rent a car on Oahu.

You can see the island much better with a car.

The bus system is geared for local residents.

You will lose many precious hours trying to see the island by bus.

When you add up airport transportation, buses, cabs, tours & car rental for a day, you won't save a nickle using public transportation.

You can park nearby at Aston Waikiki Banyan for $12/day.

Lots of info:

http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/first-trip-to-hi.cfm

Order the free travel planners for Hawaii & each island:

http://www.gohawaii.com/visitor-guide

Order the free Air Maui map. It is really nice:

http://www.airmaui.com/mauimap.php

You can make reservations for USS Arizona Memorial for $1.50 each:

http://www.recreation.gov/tourList.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72369

You have to determine what you want to spend on a rental car on Oahu and don't forget the parking cost either, but I would try to rent it at least for one day - (suggest you pick it up in the evening/late afternoon - or early in the morning if the rental places are open in Honolulu) - and go early in the morning to snorkel at Hanauma Bay - and then continue driving around to Kailua and then up to the North Shore - over to Haleiwa - and back down the middle of the isle to Honolulu.

It would be a very memorable day, and there are some good places for lunch/snacks on the Kailua side/north of there (or even over at Haleiwa if you can wait)- and you could be back in Honolulu before it got dark.

Royal Grove *is* very dated. It's also very popular because of the value price. I have yet to stay there myself because they are always full!

Waikiki Sand Villa has comfortable beds. Do get a room in one of the higher (literally higher in the building) categories, because the lower floors can be noisy.

White Sand, Hawaiian King, and Waikiki Joy are a few others you could look at.

The Bus is the public transportation system for locals. It's an award winning system. Depends the bus if it will be crowded or not. I have had friends rent a car for one day but haven't done that myself, so don't know rates, sorry.

In Maui the only place I've stayed was at Lahaina Shores. It's a nice condo hotel that sits just outside the town (easy walking distance). Your observation is correct, that Waikiki has the largest selection of reasonably priced hotels, more so than on Maui.

Thanks all for the replies! Very informative. Keep them coming!

Looks like I'll rent a car after all. I found the Island Air site where you can rent cars with their corporate codes and that gives economy cars at Thrifty for $230 all included, which is close to $100 cheaper than from the "regular" sites.

Now, I'm wondering if Thrifty is good in Honolulu and Maui. I've rented from them in other states and always got brand new clean cars, but I read some very bad reviews for their Honololu location (worn out cars, dirty cars infested with roaches...). Anyone has used them here? Which "budget" rental car company would you suggest?
Advantage has very good rates as well, but I read horror reviews about them...

About Maui lodging, I found several very nice oceanfront condos available from $130-$150, which would be fine I guess. The thing is that most of them charge the first night if you have to cancel, while most hotels charge nothing. As it seems it could be best if I wait for January or February sales to buy my flight tickets, maybe I'll have to the chance to pay a one-night cancellation fee, as I pretty much want to secure my lodging in both Oahu and Maui right now.

These are some of the Maui condos I'm checking out at the moment (for July 24-31). Could you tell me if their locations are good for a first-time visitor like me?

http://www.kiheikainani.com/joomla/index.php (lowest rate is $138/night)

http://lokelanicondos.com/category/condos/

http://www.napilivillage.com/rates.html

http://koalagoon.com/

Thanks.

I never do hotel/condo reservations until after I purchase my plane ticket. You can always find a place to stay.

Just glanced at your condo possibilities and think they all would be acceptable. You might also check out favorite of mine - the Napili Sunset, but they have gotten a little more pricey - espec in the winter? They have a great beach cam. http://www.napilisunset.com/

I'd like to suggest that you consider this kind of plan for O'ahu: stay in Waikiki for several days, no rental car, walk to everything in Waikiki, and use the Bus to get to Honolulu sites like I'olani Palace, Chinatown, Bishop Museum. Then rent a car and spend a few days staying in a studio apartment on the North Shore. From there you can enjoy the wonderful N Shore beaches , and drive around the whole island to see the other beaches and all the scenery of the island outside of Waikiki.

Tomsd, I checked out the Napili Sunset. The Poolside studio looks fine at $135, but the type of bed is not listed. I'll have to e-mail them.

aloha, your plan sounds good. 4 days in Waikiki and 4 days on the North Shore could be good? Would you have some rental suggestions on the North Shore for me?

Check VRBO.com for North Shore/Oahu possibilities, and also google away - as there are a couple of smaller places/condo buildings (or were anyway) that rent by the night.

Eloi, i also recommend VRBO, have used it several times and had good experiences. Usually we rent a place for 3-6 people as we meet relatives and stay together. We did rent a studio once and i will try to link it for you. In general, i think the area around Sunset Point is really beautiful so i'd suggest staying there.

This is the studio we rented in Feb 2011 http://www.vrbo.com/256023
It is a few blocks walk to the beach, in a quiet residential neighborhood. The photos are very representative of what it looks like. My only complaint is that the room is quite small. It was clean and in good repair. It is also a short walk to Ted's Bakery which is a popular place to eat. There is a paved walking/bike path that is nice for getting to other beach areas. It is just a lovely area.

You need to check. Many times condos have a 1-week minimum stay. Also there can be extra cleaning fees.

Yeah, I'll have to continue checking. Splitting my Oaha stay in 2 different places (like 4 days each) might lead to having a harder time to find a condo and add extra costs.

I the traffic really bad in Oahu so it's hard to visit the North Shore while staying in the Waikiki area (or vice versa)?

But the first thing would be to buy the flight tickets. I hope the fares will go down soon...

Re driving from Waikiki to the north shore, it takes about an hour. I personally just like to be able to get up in the morning and walk to a beach, without having to pack whatever i will need for the day and then drive to the beach, find a parking spot.

I love spending time in Waikiki, but the feeling on the n. Shore is very different and i like to soak up that atmosphere.

I haven't found that most rentals require a week minimum.

You might also check out www.discounthawaiicarrentals.com, I got a very nice Avis car from them my last trip and they get good reviews on TA.
Also keep checking the pricing, as often (not always) the price may drop closer to your date.

Thanks for the rental car tip, I'll surely check these guys out.

I'd just stay Waikiki without a car, then rent one for a day to tour Oahu's pretty east and north shores. You can do your 'beach time' on Maui.

I'd book a condo on Maui for a week or more. 'Home away from home' is great. You can cook some meals. Your fridge is your 'room service'. You'll have a washer and dryer. There will probably be no 'resort fees' or parking fees. You'll get a better rate on condo and car with a stay of at least seven nights.

I would not book anywhere in Hawaii at any time of year if the place doesn't have A/C. Your car can be the smallest, cheapest; no need for midsize or larger.

I wouldn't book air yet. Keep your eye on prices. Also, I consider flights as long as these to be part of the trip. I don't want to 'suffer' coming or going just to save a little. Look for a widebody nonstop in and out of HNL for the long leg. I avoid 757's and west coast connections. Of course, you are going to have to get from home to that nonstop; can you use Hawaiian out of JFK? You'd be wise to use Hawaiian between islands and have it all on one airline. (Island Air is a very small line. If they have a schedule change -- quite likely -- you'll pay to change your ticket.) We fly ORD-HNL and hop to Maui; same on the return. We check baggage through and 'float through' HNL without leaving security.

We go in a 'high season' too, but we go Jan.-Feb. Our fare has been around $900 for coach last year and this one. Rental car $28/day all in. We own in South Kihei; July would be a nice time to stay Napili though.

I have to disagree with Chisue's recommendation to only have one day to explore O'ahu outside of the city. There are many lovely beaches, and other sites of interest, which deserve more than a quick drive by.

Once again, thanks all for your suggestions.

No changes in fares as of today...

Just rented a car on Oahu in November for 4 nights. $111.00 total. Parking at the hotel was 25.00 a night. We stayed at the Waikiki Shore which is a Castle Resort. They are condos right on Waikiki Beach. I love the location of this hotel but my one complaint is the beds are like bricks. The Outrigger is right next door. It couldn't hurt to check their prices. It's a nice property. We like driving around the island and having our choice of beaches to stop at. We like the freedom of having a car. The island of Oahu is so beautiful you really need to venture out of Waikiki to appreciate it. I would consider not renting a car if your hotel has a complimentary shuttle from the airport though. There are plenty of places to get a car rental once you are in Waikiki and decide you want one after all.
We also spent 5 nights on the BI. It was my first time to the BI and I absolutely fell in love with it. We stayed at the Kona Bali Kai. Loved the condo they put us in. Beautiful view of the ocean from the lanai. It was also very affordable and parking was free. Just incase you change your mind on which island to visit.

Thanks for your input annikany. Big Island looks to be great as well, but we'll miss some time to do it this time. Hopefully, we'll be able to do a 2nd trip to Hawaii in the future and visit BI and Kaui.

As for a car in Oahu, I think I'll go for it. A lot of the condos I checked out so far have free parking included, so that's a plus compared to most of the hotels. If only the flight fares can go down soon, I'll be able to go on with the whole reservation process.

My husband and I went to the Big Island for our belated honeymoon July of 2011. We were there for 8 days and it was a bit much. We rented a car and that was the best part of the trip. We spent most of our time driving around the island, the Volcano park was a must see for my husband and we did play a day trip to Honolulu to visit Pearl Harbor. We are not big beach people so only spent a little time on the beaches. We did visit the black sand beach and I would have liked to see the green sand beach but it requires quite a hike to get there. I found very little travel information about the Big Island, most was for Maui, Kaui, or Oahu but we did enjoy our stay. I found most of the information online rather than in travel books.

I bought these books to plan my trip: http://www.hawaiirevealed.com/books-apps
They all have lots of useful infos about all islands.

The fees are still the same as last month. I hope they get at least a bit lower soon...

I think you have lots of time to schedule your airfare but don't wait as long as I did. We fly out Jan 28th and I decided to change my itinerary last week. I got the flight but had to pay extra for economy plus as all the economy seats were gone.
Check with VRBO.com to see what condo's they have and also if you have an IPhone you can download your Hawaii Revealed books for $5.99 it has a gps ans will map out your destinations. I just downloaded one to my IPad and it is easy to use!

I think you should consider to a cruise, specifically on Pride of America (NCL). We've done this cruise and its awesome. it starts from Oahu, and end back in Oahu...7 days cruise. you visit all the best spots, hilo, kona, maui and kauai. You get to spend 2 days in Maui and 2 days in Kauai so you have lots of time to see everything. we arrived in oahu 3 days before our cruise so we enjoyed honolulu and waikiki beach. you really get to do it all. we found great tours through www.hawaiicruiseexcursions.com . definitely do the volcano tour in hilo and the tasting tour of Maui, both were absolutely fabulous! i really think you should put cruising the islands on your list of ideas for this trip, i really think you guys would love it!!!!

While I am normally not a big cruise fan - an "intro" cruise -a 7 dayer to the places mentioned - is a great way to see the most of Paradise and then kick back for a week in a condo on Maui.

It calls at Hilo - so you should have enough time to get up to see the Volcano - which some people come from all over the world to view, and if possible - also try to get to Akaka falls - just north of Hilo.

And the reason I would go to Maui with the 2nd week is that you can usually find some type of bargain/combo trip to Oahu - with airfare and lodging - so you can see Ohau more in detail the next time you go - and then decide which of the other islands you want to spend more time exploring.

No! No cruise!! (sorry just my vote and personal preference, i think that's the worst introduction possible to Hawaii)

I agree with Suze. I think you really need to be able to spend as much time as you want on the beach, on your hike or walk etc. and not have to rush around to fit the schedule of the packaged excursions from the cruise ship. I can't imagine spending every night on board a ship, when you could be walking on the beach in the moonlight, having a drink at a beachside bar....waking up to see the sunrise from the beach....

Just in case you didn't read carefully enuff:

The plan I "modified" - was for taking the introductory cruise the first week (as suggeted - and it has two days in both Kauai and Maui) - and then - spending the second week on Maui - possibly in a nice, comfortable condo on/by the beach.

a cruise is NOT the way to go. IMHO.

I can read Tomsd. I still say no cruise.

Am guessing most of your are too young to remembr when Matson Lines cruised around the Hawaiian Islands (Matsonia et al) - and it was very popular.

Here is one source for anybody who wants to read more about it:

http://www.amazon.com/Hawaii-Cruise-Ship-Complete-Cruising/dp/0980957354/ref=pd_sim_b_2/178-3236450-7966767

I love cruising - The Caribbean.

Would never cruise Hawaii!

annikany, why not?

It's hard to explain. I think it's a combination of the sights, sounds and smells that you would not really get a feel for if you chose to see it by ship. The Hawaiian islands have beauty at every turn and you would miss out on most of it if you didn't have enough time to explore it.

Eloi666 didn't ask about a cruise. She asked for suggestions for her onland itinerary between Oahu, Maui and BI.

The naysayers about the cruise seem to forget that the 2nd week - the visitors can enjoy a week on Maui - and experience everything they are describing, already having savored the trade winds while cruising around the islands.

Again, this is after the introductory 7 day cruise - which is probably the easiest way to visit some of the top - most spectacular sights in Paradise - such as from Hilo - the Volcano on Big Island, http://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm , the north shore/Bali Hai view on Kauai, http://tinyurl.com/bcwt59h,
, Waimea Canyon on Kauai if you have the time and energy the second day in port http://tinyurl.com/bh3cnju, (or you could kick back on a Kauai beach the 2nd day?).

Then once on Maui - work in an early morning drive up to see the Sun God - Pele - arise over Mt. Haleakula. http://tinyurl.com/a4yqcff,

Thanks for the cruise suggestions, but for this first trip to Hawaii, my wife and I will stay onland to visit Oahu and Maui.

Eloi, i think you have made a good choice. Hope you find some good prices soon

"see the Sun God - Pele"

'nuff said.

Oopa. Gotta listen to Izzy's album some more and yes, the sun god is Maui, whom Pele pines for.

Anyhow - enjoy your time on Oahu and Maui.

Dang. Tried to add - and here is a primer on the ancient Hawaiian Gods. http://www.spiritsouthseas.com/gods.htm

We were on Oahu in November, in Honolulu at a friend's. We walked a lot in Waikiki, from the canal to the beach, west to Ala Moana Shopping Center, east to the zoo. Our friend dropped us off a couple of times in downtown, picking us up in the late afternoon--if not for that, we'd have taken the bus. We spent a good part of a day at the Bishop Museum and heard a storyteller, one of our favorite memories of the vacation! And we wandered around downtown, seeing City Hall and the Iolani Palace.

She also drove a day on the windward side, seeing the beaches (not spending huge amount of time at any one), Kailua, and Kaneohe. Take your time when driving;it's one lane each ay and pretty casual driving.

We rented a car for three days. One day was Pearl Harbor and then onto Haleiwa, stopping at Matsumoto's Shave Ice. We didn't pre-buy tickets for Pearl Harbor, but got there, dropped off out bags as required, and got tickets for 40 minutes later. We could've spent much more time looking at everything, but that applied to just about every place. Matsumoto's? We were told EVERYONE goes there, but be careful--people don't mind if they hit your rental car, chances are theirs is a rental, too.

If you go to only one Botanical Garden, make it Ho'omaluhia, even for a short visit. And the relatively nearby Byodo-In Temple. Pay the $3 to take pictures--it's hard to take a bad picture there. We went from there around the rest of the island back to Haleiwa and then back to Honolulu.

About rental cars: we were lucky our friend had a parking spot for us, so we didn't have to pay for that. But if your car gets hit by someone--a minor fender-bender or scrape, not a major accident--the rental car kiosk does not want to know about it. We were literally told that we should not have called to report it, just return the car and not worry. They didnt want the paperwork. Sure enough, Hertz would not file a claim, and the car was rented out within hours of our returning it. I asked for and got a letter that the claim was closed. Silly me, being so honest.

Thanks propita for the report and suggestions.

The fares are still about the same ($1050/person). I really hope it'll get lower soon...

Well, as the fares never really went down since December, I just bought 2 tickets, from Quebec City to Honolulu and then from Maui to Quebec City, for 999$ each, with United. Now, the next step is to reserve my tix on Hawaiian from Honolulu to Maui, then to check out for hotels/rentals. Hopefully, there are still lots of nice places to stay in July...

Good for you! Isn't it a great feeling to get the parts of your trip locked in

Well, pretty much all is booked right now. Flight tickets are bought (for main trip with United and inter-island with Hawaiian), car rentals are reserved (got great rates with Island Air discount codes), condos in Honolulu and Kihei are also reserved (I found some very nice places, both at walking distance from beaches, at great rates (about $1500 total for 15 nights). My wife and I can't wait for mid-July to come!!

You don't need a car if you're staying in Waikiki, except for a day to drive around the island. Waikiki is relatively small, compact, and the buses are convenient. They'll take you to Diamondhead, Hanauma Bay, the Iolani Palace and Pearl Harbor. Use a car for a day trip around the island, stopping at Lanikai for a swim and the north shore for sunset before returning to the city.