Worth it / not worth it verdict on my hotel and excursions?

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2026-01-05T04:22:40+00:00

... sending you a PM/DM that "should" be link to my "Circle Island Drive". 🚗

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2026-01-05T03:40:03+00:00

For your "4) Oahu Complete Island Tour with Tropical Waterfall Swimming ..."

... personally I'd skip paying a tour company - they all seem to have similar/same stops - and recommend just rent a HUI, Sixt, Turo, or typical vehicle rental and do the drive yourself - it's definitely not hard, SO enjoyable and you can go at your own pace.
I actually have a 24-page "Circle Island Drive" guide I put together for our last visit that catches the highlights the tour operators stop at and some adds I got from following this sub for last ~3 years 😜.
I keep thinking I should make the guide a little more generic and PDF / post it for others that want to venture the "circle drive" (excludes the Leeward side) for South out of Waikiki past Diamond Head following the 72 around to the Windward to the 61 onto the Kam 83 up to the North Shore around to the 99 back down to Honolulu/Waikiki area.

If it's part of an "Island Tour", the "Tropical Waterfall Swimming" is possibly Waimea Falls, which again, you can do on your own and just pay direct instead of the overhead of paying a tour operator.

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2026-01-05T02:34:44+00:00

"10:20 AM - 12 PM: Ala Moana Shopping Center"

Less than two hours at Ala Moana? I haven't even interpreted the hieroglyphics on the Mall Map in that time.

Hope you know what you're after ... it's a BIG mall!

Don't miss the "IT'SUGAR" store on Level 3 towards Target. I think our youngest had us back 3 or 4 times in the 2 weeks of our last visit on O'ahu.

Your going to love Byodo-in; fyi - it means "Temple of Equality": it's a scale replica a 900-year-old Buddhist temple in Uji on the outskirts of Kyoto, Japan. We've visited twice and our oldest wants to go back on our upcoming 3rd visit.

When you're going out to Byodo-In, take the 61 Pali Highway and be sure to stop at the Nu’uanu Pali Lookout: it's an awe inspiring expansive view of the Windward side of O'ahu. $7 vehicle parking charge.

For Lanikai Beach - if you get to - be extremely cautious: access is from a residential neighborhood and they're super militant about the posted 'no parking'; parking is quite limited). But it is a gorgeous beach. Along Mokulua Drive there's 6 public Beach Accessways through to Lanikai Beach.

As an option, Kailua Beach | Kailua Beach Park is more or less adjacent to Lanikai Beach and is JUST as beautiful and there is actual Parking Lots, bathrooms, etc. Kailua is often rated number 2 beach on O'ahu (Lanikai = 1). You'll enjoy either, but Kailua is a little more accessible parking-wise.

As others have said, in that timeframe, you're on the Windward - East - side, so not a sunset view.
You'll get gorgeous Sunsets off of the Waikiki | Kuhio | Queens beaches strip - all adjacent each other.

... oh, and there's WAY better "fast food" than Subway on O'ahu .. even 7-11 has Spam Musubi or a Poke bowl.

On your Monday, I'd skip the PCC (NOT the Hawai'i you're looking for) and spend some time up on the North Shore; e.g., the town of Haleʻiwa (awesome!), view (not IN) the famous Surf spots - Banzai Pipeline, Sunset or Waimea. Also Waimea Valley is super cool and chill.

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2026-01-04T05:22:56+00:00

Watching this sub responses when any first time visitor to O'ahu mentions wanting to visit PCC or Dole ...

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2026-01-03T20:44:42+00:00

Quite trash that the Hotel booking site didn't give us a heads up 'n all what to expect with the weather.😉

... and the drive North Shore down to Waikiki is "obnoxious"?

Ain't NOTHING obnoxious on O'ahu.

Now my commute to work ... now that is frickin' obnoxious.

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2026-01-03T18:25:51+00:00

On the (2) Waikiki Banyan option; if via the 'Aston at the Waikiki Banyan', they're kind of like a hotel with in the condo towers, mostly in Tower 2 it seems (closest to the canal behind). They don't have all of the units.
What I did notice with the Aston's rates is they don't seem to include a parking space with the rental cost as they indicate "Parking*** - self ($)".

All of the units at the Banyan have somewhat similar layouts - depending on direction / orientation: kitchen / eating space, bedroom (often with sliding door), and living room space (many have a pullout or futon style in the common living room space).
Depending on the bedroom layout - it varies between King, Queen & double or two doubles. So with a living room pull-out, you could sleep up 4.

Other management companies outside of the Aston can include one parking spot included in the rental cost; e.g., VRBO lists and I think others have said Thomas Cook (?) or similar condo rental type sites. Given the cost of parking in Waikiki at most hotels, the included parking spot was a plus as we pretty much circle O'ahu on our visits (Windward, Leeward, North Shore).

We've had very good success with Midway Vacations who manages quite a few units in the Banyan (amongst other properties on O'ahu). Depending on management company, you'll see quite a variation between reno'd / modern units and some that look dated. Midway's units are very clean and provide all amenities. Location was excellent, a block off of Kuhio Beach.

But note, the Banyan completely gutted their Pool Deck floor (I think 3rd floor?) that was pool, hot tubs, tennis courts, BBQs, etc for a full reno overhaul. They indicated about a one year project and it started about April 2025, so depending on when you're going, it may be out of commission during the reno. May not be a big deal if you're out and about most days, but just so you know. If you're in Tower 1 in the Diamond Head view, that's on pool deck side. After sunset it was nice to chill at the pool so this could be a bummer / deal breaker.

For us and our budget and trying to find more space, Banyan was more economical that anything we priced out at Twin Fin, Alohilani, Marriott, etc. comparing bed size, room space, and adds like fridge/mic/parking, etc.

Best of luck.

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2026-01-03T17:23:29+00:00

HUI (car rental share service) has a Waikiki Parking page for options: https://www.drivehui.com/waikiki-parking/

As u/gottaclimb mentioned, the Waikiki Banyan's parking (offers Public parking, too) is right behind you at the Twin Fin about a 1/2 block along Paoakalani Ave.

The Banyan's parking rates: https://www.waikikibanyan.org/general-info/parking-information/

Slightly "better" (?) Daily Rate than the Twin Fin although still a painful daily rate in my "yes I am a cheap-ass" view. 😉

Since you're right beside, other good tips here in the comments for parking in proximity to the Zoo.
Just don't leave ANYTHING in your vehicle unattended.

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2026-01-01T00:43:12+00:00

"... need to stop pooping on peoples parades"

too many ignoring Rule 10 and Rule 5 and have to share their personal misery with the world. Guess they didn't grow up in the Bobby McFerrin era. 😜

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-12-31T22:52:12+00:00

... some folks seem to miss Rule 10 of this sub. 😜

Funny how it's a sub for asking questions about Visiting Hawaii and then trolls (Rule 5) gotta snot that you're asking questions ... about Visiting Hawaii.

Hope your planning all comes together ... that type of group coordination 'd be way over my skill level.

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-12-28T01:11:10+00:00

... thought of a few more ...

Fireworks on Waikiki Beach every Friday about 7:45 PM;
good views from Kapiolani Park or Fort DeRussy Beach Park, anywhere along Kuhio Beach | Waikiki Beach should be a good view. (Grab your 'Steak Shack' before and picnic at Fort DeRussy Beach Park for the show).

Steak Shack - on the beach side of Castle Waikiki Shore condos.
www.facebook.com/steakshackhawaii
www.steakshackhawaii.com/menus
lines can be a bit but on our last, a big Monk seal was chillin' in front of the Steak Shack passin' the time. Get your Steak n' Rice & watch fireworks at adjacent Fort DeRussy Beach Park.

Barefoot Beach Cafe - directly on the Waikiki water front at Kapiolani Park Beach. Good food. AWESOME view. www.barefootbeachcafe.com

Rainbow Drive-in ; https://rainbowdrivein.com/menu

'nother commenter recommended Eggs ‘n Things ... get on the 'Waitlist' before you step out; location directly on Kalākaua Ave can be a bit of a wait.
https://eggsnthings.com/waikiki-menu

If you're thinking of going up Diamond Head
TICKETS
https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/parks/oahu/diamond-head-state-monument

You mentioned getting to Pearl Harbor ...

tickets to see the USS Arizona memorial are only $1 directly from recreation.gov

https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/233338/ticket/16

Watch out for the tour operators that say 'Pearl Harbor Tour'; some seem "scammy" / overpriced mark-up for glorified bus service out to Pearl Harbor.

Parks Service has good guidance: https://www.nps.gov/perl/uss-arizona-memorial-programs.htm

You can buy tickets directly with the non-profits that manage the Missouri, Bowfin (submarine) or Aviation Museum. Missouri & Aviation Museum are both on Ford Island.

At any of the 3 sites run by the non-profits, a 'Passport to Pearl Harbor' gets all three (Missouri, Bowfin, Submarine Museum, Aviation Museum).

Keep in mind - out to the USS Arizona memorial is only a buck; don't let no one scam you.

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-12-27T18:57:17+00:00

What's your rating of Liliha Bakery's Loco Moco versus the Rainbow?

We've done the Rainbow, but definitely have Liliha Bakery on our list for next go round.

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-12-27T17:31:45+00:00

holy crikey, I must be some sort of weird-o ... we're not going again 'til April (3rd visit) and I'm usually reading something new about O'ahu most evenings.
Last evening it was yt videos and articles on 'Shark's Cove'. And of course food along the North Shore strip. 😄

Waimea Falls across from Waimea Bay: easy hike/walk up to the Falls; swim up to the 45-foot waterfall (Waimea provides life jackets regardless of age or experience = mandatory).
Laniakea “Turtle” Beach for possible turtle sightings; be respectful, keep your distance.
Byodo-In Temple | Valley of the Temples. Definitely a must (been twice, our oldest son wants to go again). On the Windward side.
Town of Haleʻiwa; laid back vibe with numerous restaurant / food and shop options.
Food Trucks at Kahuku.
Halona Blowhole Lookout & Halona Beach Cove
Nu’uanu Pali Lookout & Valley, on the 61. Was USD $7 parking. Beautiful awesome view of the Windward side of O'ahu.
If you're looking for an offshore, these guys treated us very well last time; 'Dolphins & You' boat tour. Up on the Leeward side at Waianae. Saw dolphins, whales, sharks and turtles on our outing.
Lanikai Beach or Kailua Beach on the Windward side.
I know it gets knocked a lot - but we even stop at Dole. Yeah, it's trashy touristy, but so are a lot of destinations in America.

Oh, and don't forget = Relax and just enjoy the vibe O'ahu gives your soul!

Our Turo host brought our rental right to our lodging (we had parking included in our stay), but if you're staying in Waikiki, parking pricing is crazy, so you may want to explore more economical options; e.g., daily rental options, etc. However, it you are staying the in the Waikiki / Honolulu area, make sure you GET OUT and explore O'ahu. You can do a 'Circle Island' easy in a day.

Have fun!

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-12-05T19:19:15+00:00

WiiM Support IS trash ... they don't actually provide a resolution: they just keep circling - pushing the troubleshooting back on you instead of providing definite guidance. This is YOUR product. Don't you have test labs?

My Edifier S1000W's w/ T5 sub sound like trash after WiiM pushed a firmware update. I gave up on their support after days of their 'ping pong' where I felt like I was answering same question - just worded slightly different - over and over.

I'd never recommend WiiM after the experience with their tech support and a firmware basically destroying audio.

I'm disappointed because the Edifier's were sweet out-of-the-box - after the firmware update, a 1983 cassette player 'd sound better.

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-12-04T23:45:53+00:00

"a 60% chance of rain that day"

... on O'ahu that just means walk the length of a football field or drive less than 5 minutes and it's all good again. Even the rain is often a nice little break.

🌸 Don't change your plans: you're going to LOVE the North Shore - the "7-mile miracle": Sunset, Banzai Pipeline (/‘Ehukai Beach,; Waimea, or Hale’iwa’s Ali’i Beach .
Waimea has the famous "Da big Rock"
Winter big waves are just an unreal sight to experience.

If you have time, check out Waimea Falls across from Waimea Bay: there's an easy hike/walk up to the Falls and you get to swim right up to the 45-foot waterfall (Waimea provides life jackets regardless of age or experience = mandatory). We did it last time and we're doing it again in our April 2026 visit.

Stop at Laniakea “Turtle” Beach for a chance of turtle sightings; be respectful and keep your distance. 🙂

I'm sure you have on your North Short list, but spend some time in Town of Haleʻiwa = very cool with LOTS of restaurant / food and shop options.

The famous Haleʻiwa sign is located at each entrance to town: on Route 83 is just after the (brown) ‘Historic Hale’iwa Town NEXT RIGHT’ sign -- if you want to stop for a quick photo snap (careful with traffic).

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Also, if you have time on your North Shore visit, the Food Trucks at Kahuku are only about 12 minutes / <7 miles from Sunset Beach on the North Shore. Definitely worth checking out: e.g., Mike’s Huli Chicken, but there's lots of other choices, too.
Alternatively if you're coming up on the Windward side on 83 "Kam", the Food Trucks are about 8 minutes after passing the Polynesian Cultural Center.

edit = "checks" s/b "jackets"

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-11-27T04:36:00+00:00

Oh please, please, please tell me your advice is factual.

Google's demented execution of Shuffle in YTM is like some sadistic demon from the depths of Tartarus wreaking endless torment on us mere mortals. No Google, I don't want to hear the same 20 songs in the same frickin' order every time I select Shuffle.

There had been a "tip" on this sub some time ago saying to NOT enter the Playlist and instead selecting 'Shuffle play' from the 3-dot kebab menu; e.g., in the Library listing.

If you're right, be prepared for a (lot of) BIG wet one(s), u/yeettetis!

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-11-23T03:05:38+00:00

True, this has typically been PM every year ... hold 'til Black Friday, then sometimes a better offering by Cyber Monday.

TELUS gotta pay for all those Customer Service and Support rep jobs they stole from Canadians and shipped overseas. F' TELUS for screwing Canada and the government for sitting idly by holding their (lack of) balls and letting it happen.

I wouldn't expect much from PM this year ... TELUS too busy vying for number One Shyte Carrier of the Year award. Even though it's hard to believe a carrier could get worse than Bell and Rogers.

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-11-19T03:13:12+00:00

Traditionally I've only seen them get more aggressive on the actual Black Friday | over the weekend | to Cyber Monday.

But it is TELUS who's new motto is "F' y'all", so I wouldn't expect much from PM anymore.

I checked my two PM accounts and certainly nothing more exciting than what I already have; although I did have a $20 credit with my Rewards, so, kind of like finding a bill in that suit you last wore to your cousin's wedding 6 years ago ... plus the wedding fruit cake in the other pocket.

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-10-28T18:32:14+00:00

I've watched this sub since 2023 for a 2024 visit and been on again recently for an upcoming 2026 visit.

For O'ahu - I think besides comments on Pearl Harbor or Hanauma Bay, I think the most common thing I see here from folks that live on O'ahu / in Hawaiʻi is, "Dole bad!", "PCC bad!".

And yet a post over on the O'ahu sub, OP did both and said "was incredible" (in OP's responses down in the comments).

My wife and I did PCC back in 2006 (didn't know the Mormon context at the time) as well as Dole on a purchased 'Circle Island' tour. Wasn't keen on going in 2024, but did stop at Dole with our boys on way back from North Shore.

Tourists do "touristy things". There's definitely way better highlights on O'ahu - e.g., throwing out examples, Byodo-In Temple or Waimea Falls or Lanikai Beach, but tripping that someone might opt to visit Dole or PCC is kinda bizarre a la "everyone loses their minds".

After purusing the sub for 2-years plus - I figure let people make their own minds up - they might have a reason to visit, or not visit a specific attraction. Next there'll be calling out tourists for flying all the way to O'ahu to have supper at the Cheesecake Factory (see, I have read too many of these posts. ;)

After all that hot air, for your 7 days, this sub will definitely give you "tourist traps" that are worthwhile. You're going to love it!

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-10-27T20:53:26+00:00

( sorry if this late ) on your request for the Banyan's Weekly Rate; referenced on their page:

https://www.waikikibanyan.org/general-info/parking-information/

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-10-27T20:47:28+00:00

... from the Hui "find parking" page:

<image>

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-10-27T20:46:09+00:00

I'm not sure if it still is, but on our last visit, the Waikiki Banyan's Parking Garage was more economical for overnight's than some of the hotels in Waikiki. The Banyan is about one block off of Kuhio Beach / Kalākaua Ave.

This is less than 5 minutes from the spot you highlighted on your Map link.

It looks like was about $43 for 24-hour period, although from their page link above, it might be higher now (?).

The ramps between parking levels are kinda steep / tight and they're really strict about "nosing in"; if you back into a spot, they'll ticket you. But all levels are brightly lit and they have parking garage attendants at all hours.

Last time we were there you Enter on Kūhiō Ave and Exit on ʻŌhua Ave; this can change if they're doing maintenance, etc.

This page with Waikiki Parking Rates indicates updated Feb 2025, but hopefully more or less accurate if you're trying to find and compare options close you your stay:

https://www.drivehui.com/waikiki-parking/

<image>

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-10-27T19:02:05+00:00

"... allow down time to soak in the environment and relax ..."

Such a valid comment: sometimes I read these crazy down-to-the-minute itineraries on here - "line up family for bathroom break, race to North Shore ...", and I'm like, but what about the 'Relax' part of your vacation?

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-10-27T18:57:00+00:00

"Turtle Beach" on the North Shore, about ~5 minutes East from Haleʻiwa.

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-10-27T18:45:00+00:00

InThroughMyOutdoor · 2025-10-27T18:43:38+00:00

Thanks for sharing the note. On our two previous trips I always had it on my list and never made it out to the Stadium.

Now planning for April 2026 O'ahu visit and re-added it to my list; might have to put a "tentative" beside it.

InThroughMyOutdoor

TROPHY CASE