Honolulu Visit - Ideas

[Ikara]

Looking for answers and some suggestions.

1. Arriving in HNL on 22/11 at 0645 on JQ3 (*Class). Departing HNL for DFW on AA0008 (1st Class) at 1850 on the same day.
* what time can I reasonably expect to be through the airport (immigration & customs) in the morning?
* any recomendations on how to fill in the day?
* what time do I need to be back at the airport allowing time for a shower (assuming facilities are available) and check in for the night flight.
* I assume AA does have a club there. Does it have showers?

2. Arriving back in HNL on the evening of Friday 12th December and leaving on JQ4 at 0815 on Monday 15th.
* what time do I need to be at the airport for *Class check in on the Monday morning.
* we will have two full days in HNL. I want to do a really good tour of Pearl Harbour that MUST include USS Bowfin. Any suggestions?
* found a "Go Ohau" card on the web. Anyone had any experience?
* any other suggestions for filling in the other day on the weekend - I am assumimg that Pearl Harbour will take the best part of a full day.

Thanks for the help, folks.

JB

 

[serfty]

(Can't help on Hawaii itself)

#1

It can easily take 90 minutes to get through immigration / customs on arrival, especially a couple of 747's from Japan have arrived.

• It may take 20 minutes to get through security, another 15 minutes to walk to A/C.
• There's two showers, often a queue. They will take your details and call when a shower is available.
• There's NO bar at the A/C (although, as this is a joint QP, there's self service Beer / Wine available in the mornings before the JQ or QF flight of the day departs).
• It can take 15-20 minutes to walk from A/C to the gates they normally employ. You'd need to depart the A/C @ 6pm to be comfortable of being present when boarding commences.

If you wish a shower, I'd get back to HNL by 1530, perhaps earlier.

#2

Check-in opens 0515. ISTR a special Queue for *class, anyway I'd look to be at HNL by 0600.

Note it is often a surprisingly long walk to the JQi gate; expect to leave the QP/AC around 0730.

 

[Keith009]

Could try going to Pearl Harbor - easily done in one morning. Allow about 2 hours or so. I found it v moving and inspirational.

 

[Alanslegal]

Take Saturday for example:

Take a walk up Diamond Head one weekend morning.

Finish it off with brunch at Duke's on/overlooking Waikiki beach (been there previously, also QF009'srecent TR would have a review of this place).

Afternoon stroll around Waikiki and the shops itself.

Sunset cruise w unlimited drinks. The boat should cruise right onto Waikiki Beach, usually in front of the Sheraton Waikiki. If the weather is perfect, will have a spectacular sunset IMO.

Dinner - somewhere?

After dinner clubbing - Wunderlounge LOL.

Next day : Visit Pearl Harbour (should go very early cos the crowds do get really big!) after Pearl Harbour, do some shopping at Waikele Premium Outlets which is quite nearby iirc.

 

[Keith009]

Ooh i missed the bit about the return, Fri and Sat nites are fantastic nites at Wonderlounge @ W Honolulu. 9-11pm free drinks, fab DJing 11pm till closing time at 2.

 

[file51]

Could try going to Pearl Harbor - easily done in one morning. Allow about 2 hours or so. I found it v moving and inspirational.

Ditto to the above, only a few hours is needed, but well worth it.

You could also catch a bus to Ala-Moana and do some shopping, there are some half decent eating places as well up on the top level, plus for those that havent visited there in a while, it is a lot bigger and now has a Nordstrom (think a bit better than DJ's locally).

For the couple of days, maybe hire a car and go check out the North Shore, the big surfing competitions are usually lingering on until mid December, well worth a look, especially if the waves are 10ft plus as they were last year (25ft+ off the pipeline which was amazing to watch). If you like prawns, oops, sorry, shrimp, stop at the white van (Giovanni's is the original $12 for a dozen shrimp & rice.... yummo)

 

[Ikara]

Alanslegal & QF009,

Forgot to add that Mrs Ikara and I are 62, so Wonderlounge probably doesn't quite figure in our itinerary.

Anyway, need to change the incontinence pads before then (only joking!), but nightclubbing isn't quite our scene. Thanks for the feedback anyway.

JB

 

[Mal]

IIRC, USS Bowfin is a seperate tour than Pearl Harbour - although a bus picks you up from the same spot.

Can't recall if you buy a ticket for both inside Pearl Harbour, or if you buy before you board the bus.

See http://www.bowfin.org/website/index.cfm to work out the details.

Like others have suggested, getting there *very* early is suggested. When I went, I arrived a while before it opened, and the queue was already getting long!

http://www.nps.gov/usar/planyourvisit/index.htm


The "Swap Meet" is just up the road http://www.alohastadiumswapmeet.net/ (if there on a Sat/Sun). Interesting place to walk around for a while, but gets a bit repetitive in the stuff being sold. Cheap for souvenirs tho.

 

[Keith009]

Sorry about that.
Well, go eat at Duke's definitely; great food, great location by the beach.
And before Wonderlounge happens, it's actually a v nice restaurant called the Diamond Head Grill. Go before 9pm.

Alanslegal & QF009,

Forgot to add that Mrs Ikara and I are 62, so Wonderlounge probably doesn't quite figure in our itinerary.

Anyway, need to change the incontinence pads before then (only joking!), but nightclubbing isn't quite our scene. Thanks for the feedback anyway.

JB

 

[Flying Fox]

Go to dinner at The Cheesecake Factory (main street in Waikiki). They have awesome meals and dessert is cheesecakes. Not that I'm a cheesecake fan but the meals are great. No ability to make reservations so simply queue at the door.

If you hire a car get GPS and drive to the north of the island and visit the beaches including Sunset Beach, Banzai Pipeline (great for surfing) and Lanaki Beach where there are giant sea turtles that come visit.

If interested you could go to the Dole Pineapple Plantation for an hour or so.

Go shopping at Ala Moana Shopping Centre but bring plenty of $ if you are interested in all the shops.

There is also a discount factory outlet somewhere west of Waikiki. To get there, taxi or organise a shuttle bus.

 

[edwardaggie98]

I blew through C&I at HNL, but then again I'm a US citizen, so our line is usually quicker.

If you decide to head the opposite way from Pearl Harbor and toward Waikiki, then try Ono Hawaiian Food on 726 Kapahulu Ave. cash only and it's a great place for some authentic food. no reservations, it's pretty small and dive-ish.

 

[Keith009]

If you decide to head the opposite way from Pearl Harbor and toward Waikiki, then try Ono Hawaiian Food on 726 Kapahulu Ave. cash only and it's a great place for some authentic food. no reservations, it's pretty small and dive-ish.

Heartily seconded. I had their full multi course meal which was delicious and was at a v good value price.

It was probably a bit too much for 1 person though as I was extremely stuffed at the end of it...

 

[kkutasi]

Go to dinner at The Cheesecake Factory (main street in Waikiki). They have awesome meals and dessert is cheesecakes. Not that I'm a cheesecake fan but the meals are great. No ability to make reservations so simply queue at the door.

If you hire a car get GPS and drive to the north of the island and visit the beaches including Sunset Beach, Banzai Pipeline (great for surfing) and Lanaki Beach where there are giant sea turtles that come visit.

If interested you could go to the Dole Pineapple Plantation for an hour or so.

Go shopping at Ala Moana Shopping Centre but bring plenty of $ if you are interested in all the shops.

There is also a discount factory outlet somewhere west of Waikiki. To get there, taxi or organise a shuttle bus.

Ala Moana is overhyped and is not much different from any old Westfields.

And the Dole Plantation was one of the most boring tourist attractions i think i've ever been to

In terms of food, the best i had in Hawaii was at Chinatown on the west side of Honolulu. all the tourists are 30 mins away in Waikiki, so its quieter and you dont pay tourist prices. we had the best yum cha ever (they call it Dim Sum) and it only cost about $10/head for a massive feed.... avoid most of the overpriced and overrated junk in Waikiki.

I would agree that you should do a trip around the island for a day. Waikiki is not exciting enough for more than a day, so you will need other things to occupy you. You could hire a car or take a tour bus. Some are only about $25-30 for a day, which is probably cheaper than hiring a car, but obviously not as flexible.

if you have enough time, i would actually recommend you do a day trip to one of the other islands. the Big Island in particular is a well-kept secret. No tourists or Gold Coast style development, but still has all the good bits of a Pacific island, plus active volcanoes!

just my two cents anyway