Enjoy Hawaii In The Fall

Great Ways To Enjoy Hawaii In The Fall

We found so many great ways to enjoy Hawaii in the Fall.  We loved the crystal clear waters and sandy beaches.  Road trips around the islands provided such variety and we were delighted with volcanic sights.  Seeing Hawaii from different perspectives gave us a better understanding of the landscapes.  We were happy we took in some local culture and history on our visit.  Tasty treats and luxury accommodations rounded out our perfect first visit to Hawaii.

A Bit About Hawaii

Hawaii represents a set of islands of the U.S. located in the Pacific Ocean.  The islands are all tops of what were once volcano mountains.  Kilauea on the Big Island is the most active volcano in the world.  It actually started to erupt just after our visit to the Big Island and sadly we missed the opportunity to take a helicopter tour over it on our visit.  Haleakala on Maui is the largest dormant volcano in the world.  This is a great spot for sunrises, sunsets and stunning night skies.

While there are 132 different islands only 6 are regularly visited: Hawai’i Island, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai and Lanai.  The largest is the island of Hawaii which is also known as the “Big Island”.  

It is believed that Hawaii was originally settled by Polynesians who migrated northwest from the Marquesas Islands.  This was well illustrated when we enjoyed a luau on our visit to the Big Island.  In 1778, Captain James Cook was the first European to visit Hawaii, landing at Waimea Bay on the island of Kauai.

There are two official languages in Hawaii – Hawaiian and English.  Signage often was in one or the other language.  Places often were referred to by both names.  The Hawaiian word Aloha served as both “hello” and “goodbye.” One word we knew before we even planned to enjoy Hawaii in the Fall.

Our Travel Plans In Hawaii

It was easy to get to Hawaii from the west coast in Canada or in the U.S.  We flew from Toronto to Vancouver in British Columbia (BC) and visited with family around BC before and after our visit to Hawaii.  

Once on the islands, we found options to move between islands by ferry or airplane.  Both were relatively inexpensive.  We actually flew into Oahu, flew between islands and flew back to BC from Maui. 

Our visit to Hawaii started on Oahu with a luxury stay on Waikiki Beach at the Ritz-Carlton Residences in Waikiki Beach.  We planned a more quiet visit that let us recover some of the time change jet lag.  A private tour of Oahu got us a great introduction to Hawaii.

When we visited the Big Island of Hawaii we got a bit of a surprise.  The inability to book a rental car should have been a clue that the Iron Man Competition was on while we visited.  This limited our mobility, so we enjoyed a relaxing week on the Big Island at the great Westin Hapuna Bay Beach Resort.  During our stay we experienced an authentic luau and even got a helicopter tour over the Kohala and Hamakua coasts.

We moved next to Maui and with a rental car we explored all the twisty roads and awesome sights.  One day we drove the iconic Road to Hana.  And we made sure we did not miss the sunset and night sky from the summit at Haleakala.  Our luxury Maui Ritz-Carlton Kapalua resort was hard to leave.  But we enjoyed the resort and all it had to offer when we were not off exploring.

We found so many ways to enjoy Hawaii in the Fall on our first visit to these amazing islands.  We were sorry we missed Kauai on this trip but know we will visit one day when we return to Hawaii.

Explore The Water And Beaches

One of the best things about travelling to islands was exploring the beaches.  On our stay in Oahu, it was a short walk from our hotel to the large stretch of sand at Waikiki Beach.  Our hotel on the Big Island was located right on the Hapuna Beach.  We sure enjoyed the water on our relaxing stay on the Big Island.

We knew that surfing was invented in Hawaii.  As we walked along the beach in Waikiki, we found surfboards stacked on the sand and lessons were available everywhere.  On our road trip around Oahu, we visited the North Shore which was known as a major surfing spot.  But sadly we visited a little too early in the season to really see the major waves.  

The crashing waves along the shore at our resort in Maui meant it was often far too rough for most swimmers. But when we visited Lahaina there was no shortage of people waiting for the perfect wave.  We were happy to have experienced Lahaina before the fires destroyed much of this popular cruise port town.

When we originally planned our visit to Hawaii, we had plans to head underwater.  But when David hurt his back before we flew to Hawaii, we left all of our underwater gear behind in Vancouver.  One night on the Big Island we watched the snorkelers floating over the manta rays in the bay.  It was a reminder that we will return to Hawaii for snorkelling and scuba diving one day.

The beaches and water sports were a great way to enjoy Hawaii in the Fall.  

Be Amazed By The Volcanic Views Around The Island

We loved visiting volcanic islands on our travels.  The rough landscapes always entranced us.  Our early morning stop on our road trip around Oahu was at the Lanai Lookout.  Behind us stood the Koko Crater with the ridges down the sides that at one time must have been lava flows now covered with greenery.  The lava flows went right out into the water.

When we landed for our stay on the Big Island, we saw cooled lava encroaching on the runways and along the sides of the highway.  On a helicopter tour, the volcanic landscape was even more evident in the flat lands and steep cliffs on the coast.

When we visited Maui, we made sure to head high to the summit of Haleakala for a view of the massive crater.  And on another day we travelled the twisty roads of Mauiand explored the lava fields at Ahihi-Kina’u Natural Area Reserve on La Perouse Bay (Keone’O’Io Bay).  This was the vast lava field from the last eruption of Haleakala.

The volcanic sights were amazing to behold on our visit to Hawaii in the Fall.

Enjoy The Views From Above In Hawaii

As we travelled around the islands of Hawaii, we saw lots of amazing sights at ground level.  But we have some stunning memories of views from above.  Our first view from above came on our luxury hotel stay in Oahu.  We got a beautiful view over the Waikiki Beach area.  When the sun set, the colourful vista always drew us outside.  And one night we even got an amazing fireworks show.

When we visited the Big Island, a helicopter tour was top of our list for things to do.  While we missed a chance to fly over the Kilauea volcano due to weather, we got some stunning sights along the Kohala and Hamakua coasts.

Our views from above would not have been complete without a trip up to the summit of Haleakala on our visit to Maui.  We got amazing views as we drove to the top.  And then had a stunning vista to watch the sun set over the coast.  We stayed as the night sky settled in and were treated to yet another amazing sight.

We were glad we found some spots to see the sights from above on our visit to Hawaii in the Fall.

Take The Scenic Road Trips

We enjoyed a nice mix of relaxing resort days and busy road trips around the islands.  We booked a private guide with Blue Hawaii Photography Tours  for a tour around the island of Oahu.  There were some great stops at Makapu’i Beach, Lanai Lookout, Valley Of The Temples, Kualoa Ranch and on the North Shore.

When we got to Maui, we rented a car and explored the twisty roads we found on all parts of the island.  We travelled along the Kahekili Highway, saw the lava fields At La Perouse Bay, drove the iconic Road To Hana and headed up to the Haleakala Summit.  Each route offered amazing sights.

We found such a variety of sights when we took day trips in Hawaii in the Fall.  We never tired of heading out on the road for more discoveries.

Experience The History And Culture Of Hawaii

We wanted to enjoy some local culture on our first visit to Hawaii. So we were excited when we booked an evening out on the Big Island for a luau experience.  The buffet feast was tasty and provided some local specialties.  A series of interesting dances taught us more about Hawaiian history.  We loved the fire show at the end of the luau.  And even learned some new Hawaiian words during the show.

When we toured around Oahu, we got a different view of the history of the islands.  One of our tour stops was at the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park at the foot of the Koʻolau Mountains.  The gardens honoured many different religious beliefs from Christianity and Buddhism. There was also a Japanese WWII cemetery on the grounds.

The one historical sight we missed on our visit to Oahu was a visit to Pearl Harbour.  This memorial was an iconic spot to visit on any trip to Hawaii.  But we simply ran out of time this time. 

We were so glad we got a chance to see a bit of the history and unique culture on our visit to Hawaii in the Fall.  

Enjoy Tasty Food And Drink

There was no question that we ate and drank well on our visit to Hawaii in the Fall. On each island we chose a luxury resort that offered the finest cuisine.

When we ate off the resort, we often found great spots with good food and drink.  Tommy Bahamas was always a fun spot on the Hawaiian islands.

Hawaii was known for its coffee and we made sure we found a coffee roaster at on the Waialua Estate when we toured around Oahu.  And we found that even the local Starbucks offered local coffee.

We were not surprised when we found fields full of pineapples.  At one point Hawaii was the top producer of pineapple in the world.  But in the 1980’s, the two largest exporters of pineapple scaled back operations and moved to places where it was cheaper to grow pineapples.  We did not tour the Dole Plantation nor did we try the famous Dole Whip.

When we did our luau experience, our buffet included many local specialities.  We saw the underground imu oven where the traditional kalua pig was cooked.  The pig wrapped in banana leaves and placed on hot rocks resulted in meat that was smoky, juicy and so tender it fell off the bone.  The pork went perfectly with an ice cold Mai Tai.

We always enjoyed trying new food and drink when we travel.  And we were delighted with the tasty treats we found on our visit to Hawaii in the Fall.  

Relax And Enjoy A Little Pampering

On this first visit to Hawaii we saw a lot of great sights.  But we also took time out and enjoyed the three luxury resorts we booked for this trip.  The upgraded suites we got with our elite status gave us lots of room to relax.  And the welcome amenities were quite amazing. 

The resorts had good restaurants on-site.  They all had large pools and other facilities to enjoy.  It was easy to spend time on the resorts and relax.

Our rooms provided amazing views out over the Hawaii landscapes.  Such amazing luxury retreats for our first visit to Hawaii. 

Things We Missed By Visiting In The Fall

We enjoyed our visit to Hawaii in the Fall.  We chose this off-season time for less crowds.  And we were happy it was quiet for most places we visited.  Even if we did not plan for the Iron Man Competition on the Big Island when we visited!

We knew that the beaches were calmer in the summer.  But in early Fall when we visited, the waves had not yet picked up.  This made it quite ideal for swimming in many places.  It would have been great for snorkelling or scuba diving too.

So early Fall was a good time for calm waters.  But those calm waters meant the waves were not pounding in and surf season had not yet arrived.  One day we know we will go back to watch the surfing pipeline competitions.

We knew that when the whales arrived later in the winter, access to the water routes were limited to keep traffic away from the whales.  But we were sad we visited Hawaii too early for whale watching season.  

There are always pros and cons to picking a specific time to visit Hawaii.  But we were happy with all we saw on our first visit.  For our next visit we will probably visit in the Winter to enjoy the surfing and the whales.

Lots Of Ways To Enjoy Hawaii In The Fall

There were lots of ways to enjoy Hawaii in the Fall.  Blue waters and sandy beaches let us wind down.  Road trips took us to some amazing sights.  Seeing Hawaii from above was awe-inspiring.  Local culture and history added another facet to our stay.  And when our busy days were done, we enjoyed great food and luxury accommodations on our perfect first visit to Hawaii.

We flew back to Vancouver to finish off our vacation on the West Coast.

Did you enjoy Hawaii in the Fall?  What else should we plan for a return visit in the Falls

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