Aulani in October

[BayLaker25]

So we have a trip booked to Aulani in October this year; this will be our first trip to Hawaii. Can anyone suggest some things to definitely do while we are there? There will be 5 of us in 2 rooms going: my wife and I (both 29 yo) as well as my wife's brother (25 yo) and her parents (in their 50's) . I plan on playing golf one morning at the course next door but can one suggest excursions etc. to do while we are there?


Thanks for the help! October can't come soon enough!!!

[faline]

Definitely plan on visiting Pearl Harbor. If you explore some of the other sights on the same property, this can be a full day excursion. There is the USS Bowfin (submarine); the USS Missouri (you take a bus from Pearl Harbor to this location as you aren't allowed to driver there). The USS Missouri offers guided tours or you can explore on your own. Fairly new, is the Air Museum (on the same bus loop that takes you to the USS Missouri and back to Pearl Harbor). I'd suggest arriving early in the day - make reservations ahead of time for the movie and tour of the Memorial itself. If you do go early, please accordingly for traffic as you would be headed towards Waikiki and the commuter traffic is pretty heavy and slow moving.

Waikiki is worth a visit.

Sea Life Park is like a smaller version of Sea World - do if you have time but I wouldn't go out of my way to visit.

You can visit Diamond Head. You can head to the North Shore.

If you've never been to Hawaii, attending a luau is almost a "must do". I know there is one very near to Aulani.

I've never quite made it to the Polynesian Cultural Center but know it is a very popular place to visit.

There are a number of museums you can visit in the area - we have not done the museums as we've preferred to do outdoor things when we've been there but would consider museums if we hit a rainy day.

Also Aulani offers a number of add-on tours such as shopping tours that you can book right through Aualani - We did not do this and preferred to go off on our own.

[lawgirl]

I just helped a friend plan their trip to Hawaii. Love Oahu so much! Aulani is gorgeous. We've eaten there a few times, but never stayed. Its great. We tend to do the less "touristy" things when we go to Oahu, but depending on what you want to do, here's a quick list:

-Hanauma Bay for snorkeling and beach time
-Waimea Valley Botanical Garden
-Atlantis submarine departs from the Hilton Hawaiian Village
-Polynesian Cultural Center
-Bishop Museum
-Waikiki is great for people watching and shopping / dining, but the beach isn't nearly as pretty or nice as the Ko Olina lagoons.
-Pearl Harbor, make sure you get your tickets ahead of time as it books quickly
-most of the luau's are pretty cheesy and not very authentic, but can be fun. A group of my friends did the one near Ko Olina...I think it's called Paradise Cove and said it was ridiculous and expensive, but I'm sure its fun. There are probably more authentic experiences available.
-My sister has taken a few dinner cruises along the coast, and said they were great
-Diamond Head is very touristy, and quite a hike, but its a neat experience

There is a Roy's near Ko Olina that is a great restaurant. They have a nice fusion of local and "fine" dining. We've always enjoyed eating there.

Have fun! It's my favorite place in the world!

[lawgirl]

I also feel like I need to add, at the Makahiki character brunch at Aulani, we spent more time with Mickey and Minnie than I ever have at WDW. I believe we went on a Wed morning (check the schedule for the character times) and it was not very crowded. My 2YO spent probably 10 minutes, pretty much alone with Mickey and the camera guy (no line, no other guests waiting), laughing and dancing. It was great. The food is fantastic, and the character interaction is the best I've ever experienced. That was in 2012, but I would assume its still the same.

[BayLaker25]

Thank you both for the help! We do plan on visiting Pearl Harbor and doing the character breakfast along with some of these other suggestions. I'm thinking I definitely want some down time since we are always running around when we go to WDW (like we just did 2 weeks ago). We never really take a time to relax as we run from park to park, which is why I always feel like I need a vacation from vacation...Looking forward to exploring Hawaii and taking a couple of days to relax on the beach or by the pool!!