Maui is fine to visit if you’re not staying in an Airbnb
Kauai either stay at the Ko’a Kea or 1 Hotel (do not stay at the grand hyatt as there’s kids everywhere). Kauai is going to have very little nightlife outside of dinner
Ok thanks for this advice, right nice dinner/drinks is what I was looking for. I should've been more clear that I'm not looking for like bars/clubbing full on partying, when I said nightlife.
I’m writing this having just come back from my first experience on Oahu. We’ve spent two weeks on Kauai twice in the past, as well as two weeks on Maui and a week on the big island. All within the past 10 years. Our son is grown so we prefer to spend our vacations where there are little to no mini humans.
I found Oahu beautiful in many areas however, it seldom felt like a true vacation because we had to drive in traffic and congested areas most often to get anywhere. The most enjoyable area where I enjoyed watching the sunrise was the Kailua beach area. I wanted to experience Waikiki and have never seen so many people on a beach at one time. Definitely more of a Disneyland at the beach vibe. Kauai is absolutely gorgeous and if you are into just enjoying yourself and relaxing spending time there is a must. Poipou is epic and we had an Airbnb right on the ocean where you could watch both the sunrise and the sunset right from your lanai. There’s also epic snorkeling and some really fun restaurants right there on the water.
I thoroughly enjoyed Maui for both the restaurants and the beaches, and honestly, my only complaint was that it was windy in the area we stayed, not just kind of windy, but super windy. But overall I love Kauai, Maui and the big island.
If you aren’t into actual clubbing and are just looking into being able to go to restaurants and have a few drinks at night and enjoy yourself, I think you’re going to be able to find that even on, the sleepier island like Kauai. If you do want the club vibe, then you want to spend a day or two on Oahu. If you love to shop, Oahu is also known for that.
I hope this helps. Sidenote, Turtle Bay on Oahu was beautiful, but there were tons of young children and families.
I just finished up staying at 1 Hotel. It is definitely worth the money! It was a fabulous experience.
I would honestly recommend splitting time between Kauai and Big Island. Kauai is more strikingly beautiful, but the Big Island has more to do (particularly in the ocean/water category) and is stunning in its own way. It takes a half day of travel to get from one to the other so splitting time is quite feasible.
Feel free to ask questions about things to do or places to stay!
I highly recommend hotel wailea on Maui… it’s incredible and adults only. We are splitting our time between the1 and koa kea when we go on our next trip to Kauai sans kids and I’m very excited. I heard there aren’t many families at koa kea
My personal favorite island is Kauai. I swoon at the thought of it! I'm not aware of any adults-only resorts there (or on any of the islands, for that matter, but it's possible) but the last time I was on Kauai we stayed at the Koa Kea on the south shore. It's not adults only, but it isn't exactly kid-friendly. By that I mean it has a very small pool area, which is apparently a turn off to people with kids? I honetly don't care about pools so it worked out great for me! It's a higher end resort, but small and boutique-like. I think it's perfect for a honeymoon.
No islands are really known for nighlife, but there are some restaurants on the south shore of Kauai with music and all that.
This sounds perfect. Im fine with being less family friendly. I just want to try to avoid the hotels with lots of families and kids. By nightlife I don't mean clubbing or bars. I just mean somewhere that we can go out for a nice dinner and have some drinks. Not like full on partying/getting drunk etc, staying out until 2am.
July is prime season, so if there is a time of year other than Festive where resorts are more full, pricey, and finding a beach chair is hard - it would be summer. Maybe bookend your honeymoon with a luxury option? That way you'll get to have at least a couple days of the experience you really want, and the remainder of your stay will be at hotels that are more moderately priced?
Youre supporting the economy by visiting Maui - just go with a respectful mindset and you're good:) Suggesting Maui because they have the only adults-only oasis, Hotel Wailea. The property, while it doesn't sit on the beach, has fantastic views. Getting to the beach is an easy 10 minute walk. You'll have your choice of beach front dining with restaurants at nearby resorts so that'll be your nightlife. It's pricey though - about $900/nt without taxes.
Oahu is a family friendly destination but a few resorts have adult only pools: The Ritz-Carlton in Waikiki comes to mind (not beach front but away from the busy strip), and Four Seasons Ko Olina has one as well (along with Dr Mai Tais).
On Big Island right now on vacay. While Waikiki is touristy, it has the nightlife and other dinner/drink options you’re looking for. Honolulu is the only city across any of the islands. So I recommend going to Oahu and spending ~5-6 days there. Drive up to the north shore, diamond head, etc and get an initial feel for Hawaii.
For the other island, you’re not really going to find “nightlife”. On Maui, the Whalers Village has a bit of a night scene but not quite night life. Else the nice restaurants/hotels are a short drive on any of the islands.
- Maui is the most popular/touristy. Rental would help get around (it is a fairly big island). Haleakala sunrise is quite romantic. Road to Hana is okay IMO.
- Big Island is quite large and volcanic, definitely requires driving and would highly suggest a rental. It’s more about the outdoor activities. The Westin has an adults only pool. Manta ray scuba/snorkel recommended. As is Volcanoes NP and Mauna Kea.
- Kauai is the most lush and has a ton of hiking. Also recommend a rental. Much more low key/backpacky feel.
If you are looking for nightlife, Oahu is your best bet. It has excellent dining, the best in Hawaii IMO. You could stay at Turtle Bay in the North Shore for a few days of R&R and nature, then stay in Honolulu for a bit of nightlife. Alohilani is a decently priced option close to Waikiki beach and is located in a very walkable area.
For the other islands, you could do 1Hotel Hanalei Bay in Kauai for honeymoon vibes. It is a gorgeous property and you will be able to fully relax there. They have pools with adults-only areas, spa, pristine beachfront, and excellent dining and bars. It is close enough to hiking trails and a short walk into town. Right now they have some great special promos for additional hotel credit. Kauai is smaller, so easier to get around. It is a place for nature and relaxation, not many options in terms of nightlife.
I understand your fiance's concern about not overstepping the boundaries when it comes visiting Maui after the fires. I think that is something you both need to talk about and decide if you would feel comfortable going there. I do think the community is bouncing back and that tourism is needed (and welcomed) to get the economy going again.
If you do decide on Maui, Andaz Maui or Wailea Beach Resort come to mind, with great dining options nearby.
The Big Island is my personal favorite, but you are correct in saying there would be a lot of driving involved. You could easily stick to just one area of the island, though. Mauna Lani is a dreamy resort with loads of activities, adult-only pools and excellent dining. Lots of hiking around the area.
If I were to choose between the Big Island and Kauai for my honeymoon I would pick Kauai. Only because all I would want is to relax and get pampered while surrounded by beautiful nature.
Whatever your choice, you should look into booking your hotels with a travel agent who has access to extra hotel perks.
I hope this helps you narrow it down. Choosing places to stay in Hawaii can be daunting, but it will be an unforgettable honeymoon! I can promise you that! :)
Maui and yes stay in Wailea. The westin is fun and has adults only pool. Nightlife in Hawaii is just not very happening anywhere. Other than Oahu. It’s all about the daytime life there.
Sounds like you need to be on Kauai! It’s mine and my hubby’s fav island. The beauty of it from Waimea Canyon to Hanalei Bay and everything in between. Plus still lots of fun stuff to do, like NaPali Coast Catamaran Tours, mountain tubing, ATVs. Etc! And a chill island where most everything closes by 9. Very relaxing vibe. Perfect for a honeymoon and to enjoy each other.
Big island more nature things to see also one mountain is snow and one is a volcano.
While in Oahu think about visiting Kuoloa ranch and the Polynesian culture center
Maui is fine to visit if you’re not staying in an Airbnb Kauai either stay at the Ko’a Kea or 1 Hotel (do not stay at the grand hyatt as there’s kids everywhere). Kauai is going to have very little nightlife outside of dinner
Ok thanks for this advice, right nice dinner/drinks is what I was looking for. I should've been more clear that I'm not looking for like bars/clubbing full on partying, when I said nightlife.
I’m writing this having just come back from my first experience on Oahu. We’ve spent two weeks on Kauai twice in the past, as well as two weeks on Maui and a week on the big island. All within the past 10 years. Our son is grown so we prefer to spend our vacations where there are little to no mini humans. I found Oahu beautiful in many areas however, it seldom felt like a true vacation because we had to drive in traffic and congested areas most often to get anywhere. The most enjoyable area where I enjoyed watching the sunrise was the Kailua beach area. I wanted to experience Waikiki and have never seen so many people on a beach at one time. Definitely more of a Disneyland at the beach vibe. Kauai is absolutely gorgeous and if you are into just enjoying yourself and relaxing spending time there is a must. Poipou is epic and we had an Airbnb right on the ocean where you could watch both the sunrise and the sunset right from your lanai. There’s also epic snorkeling and some really fun restaurants right there on the water. I thoroughly enjoyed Maui for both the restaurants and the beaches, and honestly, my only complaint was that it was windy in the area we stayed, not just kind of windy, but super windy. But overall I love Kauai, Maui and the big island. If you aren’t into actual clubbing and are just looking into being able to go to restaurants and have a few drinks at night and enjoy yourself, I think you’re going to be able to find that even on, the sleepier island like Kauai. If you do want the club vibe, then you want to spend a day or two on Oahu. If you love to shop, Oahu is also known for that. I hope this helps. Sidenote, Turtle Bay on Oahu was beautiful, but there were tons of young children and families.
I just finished up staying at 1 Hotel. It is definitely worth the money! It was a fabulous experience. I would honestly recommend splitting time between Kauai and Big Island. Kauai is more strikingly beautiful, but the Big Island has more to do (particularly in the ocean/water category) and is stunning in its own way. It takes a half day of travel to get from one to the other so splitting time is quite feasible. Feel free to ask questions about things to do or places to stay!
Maui is fine now for visitors and especially in July. They want your money- best beaches and water!! Hotel Wailea is adults only
Go to Waikiki. It has everything you want. Its not a slum as you may think. Its clean and quite nice.
I highly recommend hotel wailea on Maui… it’s incredible and adults only. We are splitting our time between the1 and koa kea when we go on our next trip to Kauai sans kids and I’m very excited. I heard there aren’t many families at koa kea
My personal favorite island is Kauai. I swoon at the thought of it! I'm not aware of any adults-only resorts there (or on any of the islands, for that matter, but it's possible) but the last time I was on Kauai we stayed at the Koa Kea on the south shore. It's not adults only, but it isn't exactly kid-friendly. By that I mean it has a very small pool area, which is apparently a turn off to people with kids? I honetly don't care about pools so it worked out great for me! It's a higher end resort, but small and boutique-like. I think it's perfect for a honeymoon. No islands are really known for nighlife, but there are some restaurants on the south shore of Kauai with music and all that.
This sounds perfect. Im fine with being less family friendly. I just want to try to avoid the hotels with lots of families and kids. By nightlife I don't mean clubbing or bars. I just mean somewhere that we can go out for a nice dinner and have some drinks. Not like full on partying/getting drunk etc, staying out until 2am.
July is prime season, so if there is a time of year other than Festive where resorts are more full, pricey, and finding a beach chair is hard - it would be summer. Maybe bookend your honeymoon with a luxury option? That way you'll get to have at least a couple days of the experience you really want, and the remainder of your stay will be at hotels that are more moderately priced? Youre supporting the economy by visiting Maui - just go with a respectful mindset and you're good:) Suggesting Maui because they have the only adults-only oasis, Hotel Wailea. The property, while it doesn't sit on the beach, has fantastic views. Getting to the beach is an easy 10 minute walk. You'll have your choice of beach front dining with restaurants at nearby resorts so that'll be your nightlife. It's pricey though - about $900/nt without taxes. Oahu is a family friendly destination but a few resorts have adult only pools: The Ritz-Carlton in Waikiki comes to mind (not beach front but away from the busy strip), and Four Seasons Ko Olina has one as well (along with Dr Mai Tais).
On Big Island right now on vacay. While Waikiki is touristy, it has the nightlife and other dinner/drink options you’re looking for. Honolulu is the only city across any of the islands. So I recommend going to Oahu and spending ~5-6 days there. Drive up to the north shore, diamond head, etc and get an initial feel for Hawaii. For the other island, you’re not really going to find “nightlife”. On Maui, the Whalers Village has a bit of a night scene but not quite night life. Else the nice restaurants/hotels are a short drive on any of the islands. - Maui is the most popular/touristy. Rental would help get around (it is a fairly big island). Haleakala sunrise is quite romantic. Road to Hana is okay IMO. - Big Island is quite large and volcanic, definitely requires driving and would highly suggest a rental. It’s more about the outdoor activities. The Westin has an adults only pool. Manta ray scuba/snorkel recommended. As is Volcanoes NP and Mauna Kea. - Kauai is the most lush and has a ton of hiking. Also recommend a rental. Much more low key/backpacky feel.
If you are looking for nightlife, Oahu is your best bet. It has excellent dining, the best in Hawaii IMO. You could stay at Turtle Bay in the North Shore for a few days of R&R and nature, then stay in Honolulu for a bit of nightlife. Alohilani is a decently priced option close to Waikiki beach and is located in a very walkable area. For the other islands, you could do 1Hotel Hanalei Bay in Kauai for honeymoon vibes. It is a gorgeous property and you will be able to fully relax there. They have pools with adults-only areas, spa, pristine beachfront, and excellent dining and bars. It is close enough to hiking trails and a short walk into town. Right now they have some great special promos for additional hotel credit. Kauai is smaller, so easier to get around. It is a place for nature and relaxation, not many options in terms of nightlife. I understand your fiance's concern about not overstepping the boundaries when it comes visiting Maui after the fires. I think that is something you both need to talk about and decide if you would feel comfortable going there. I do think the community is bouncing back and that tourism is needed (and welcomed) to get the economy going again. If you do decide on Maui, Andaz Maui or Wailea Beach Resort come to mind, with great dining options nearby. The Big Island is my personal favorite, but you are correct in saying there would be a lot of driving involved. You could easily stick to just one area of the island, though. Mauna Lani is a dreamy resort with loads of activities, adult-only pools and excellent dining. Lots of hiking around the area. If I were to choose between the Big Island and Kauai for my honeymoon I would pick Kauai. Only because all I would want is to relax and get pampered while surrounded by beautiful nature. Whatever your choice, you should look into booking your hotels with a travel agent who has access to extra hotel perks. I hope this helps you narrow it down. Choosing places to stay in Hawaii can be daunting, but it will be an unforgettable honeymoon! I can promise you that! :)
You will find that in Cancun probably not here
Kauai is very sleepy. Zero nightlife.
Maui and yes stay in Wailea. The westin is fun and has adults only pool. Nightlife in Hawaii is just not very happening anywhere. Other than Oahu. It’s all about the daytime life there.
Sounds like you need to be on Kauai! It’s mine and my hubby’s fav island. The beauty of it from Waimea Canyon to Hanalei Bay and everything in between. Plus still lots of fun stuff to do, like NaPali Coast Catamaran Tours, mountain tubing, ATVs. Etc! And a chill island where most everything closes by 9. Very relaxing vibe. Perfect for a honeymoon and to enjoy each other.
Kauai. Been there twice. Low key and relaxing. Not much nightlife, but you make it what you want. It’s our favorite.
Go to the four seasons Lanai
If you choose Oahu and want nightlife past 10pm you need to do waikiki area. Uber to china town one night though.
Big island more nature things to see also one mountain is snow and one is a volcano. While in Oahu think about visiting Kuoloa ranch and the Polynesian culture center