Trip Overview
Oahu · Jun 13–16
The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort
2259 Kalakaua Ave · 808-923-7311
King Conf: 81776665 · Jr. Suite Conf: 81754747
Check-in 3pm · Checkout noon
2259 Kalakaua Ave · 808-923-7311
King Conf: 81776665 · Jr. Suite Conf: 81754747
Check-in 3pm · Checkout noon
Kauai · Jun 16–20
Nihi Kai 507 · Poipu
2BR/2BA · Steps from Poipu Beach · Pool + BBQ
Beach gear closet · Full kitchen · 4 lanais
2BR/2BA · Steps from Poipu Beach · Pool + BBQ
Beach gear closet · Full kitchen · 4 lanais
Rental Car · Jun 16–20
Budget · Mazda CX-50 · Lihue Airport
Conf: 43771157US3 · 808-378-3889
Pickup Jun 16 · Dropoff Jun 20 7pm
Conf: 43771157US3 · 808-378-3889
Pickup Jun 16 · Dropoff Jun 20 7pm
Practical Tips
Time Zone
Hawaii is 3 hrs behind LA. No daylight saving. You'll wake up early — use it!
🐢 Turtle Watch
Poipu Beach, arrive ~6pm. Turtles come ashore at sunset (~7:15pm). Best nights: Jun 16, 17, 19.
🚗 Getting Around
Oahu: Uber/Lyft only — no rental. Kauai: Budget CX-50 essential. One-lane bridges on north shore.
☀️ Sunscreen
Reef-safe sunscreen ONLY — required by Hawaii law. Bring water shoes, snorkel gear, dry bags.
🌊
Oahu
The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort
2259 Kalakaua Ave, Waikiki · 808-923-7311 · royal-hawaiian.com
King: Conf 81776665 · Jr. Suite: Conf 81754747
King: Conf 81776665 · Jr. Suite: Conf 81754747
1
Day
Saturday, June 13
Arrive Oahu · Waikiki
⌄
8:30am
✈️ Depart LAX — Delta DL480
Los Angeles → Honolulu · Arrives 11:20am HST · ~5h 50m
11:20am
🏨 Arrive HNL · Check In Royal Hawaiian
Check-in at 3pm · Bell desk holds bags early · 2259 Kalakaua Ave
Afternoon
🏖️ First Walk — Waikiki Beach
Steps from the hotel. Kalakaua Ave for browsing. Decompress and soak it in.
7:00pm
🍽️ Duke's Canoe Club CONFIRMED
2335 Kalakaua Ave · Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort · ~5 min walk · Beachfront, live Hawaiian music
Cancel 24+ hrs ahead to avoid penalty
Cancel 24+ hrs ahead to avoid penalty
💡 The Royal Hawaiian historic wing is the original 1927 Pink Palace. Beach is steps away. Settle in and enjoy a relaxed first night.
2
Day
Sunday, June 14
Pearl Harbor — Full Day
⌄
7:00am
🚗 Depart — Uber to Pearl Harbor
~20 min from Waikiki. No bags — clear bags only. Bag storage available on site.
7:30am
📍 Arrive Pearl Harbor Visitor Center
1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, HI 96818 · Grab snack at café before boat.
8:00am
⚓ USS Arizona Memorial CONFIRMED
Timed boat to memorial · 45 min program · Cemetery etiquette — speak quietly. Deeply moving.
📋 Conf: 0805166147
🌐 Site
9:00am
🐬 USS Bowfin Submarine Museum CONFIRMED
Right at Visitor Center — no shuttle needed · Walk through a real WWII submarine · ~1.5 hrs
📋 Order: 20260419-5207047
🌐 Site
10:30am
🚌 Shuttle to Ford Island
Free shuttle every 15 min from behind USS Bowfin. Show valid photo ID. First stop: USS Missouri.
10:45am
🛳️ Battleship Missouri — Main Decks CONFIRMED
63 Cowpens St, Ford Island · Where WWII officially ended — Japan's surrender signed on this deck
🦎 Pick up Chuck's Quest at the pier! Iguana scavenger hunt, great for Harper & Kelsey
🦎 Pick up Chuck's Quest at the pier! Iguana scavenger hunt, great for Harper & Kelsey
11:00am
⚙️ Chief Engineer's Tour CONFIRMED
60 min · Broadway corridor, Fire Room #4, Engine Room #4 · Pull the trigger on the big guns! · Closed-toe shoes required
📋 Order: 20260419-5207039
12:15pm
🚌 Shuttle to Aviation Museum
Next stop on Ford Island loop — ~5 min ride.
12:30pm
🍽️ Lunch — Hangar Café
Inside Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum · Hawaiian food · Open 11am–4pm
1:30pm
✈️ Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum CONFIRMED
319 Lexington Blvd, Ford Island · Hangar 37 + 79 · Japanese Zero, P-40, B-17 · Actual Dec 7 bullet holes in hangar windows · ~1.5 hrs
3:15pm
🗼 Tower View Experience CONFIRMED
Ford Island Control Tower · 168 ft above battlefield · 360° views of entire Pearl Harbor · Restored 1940s elevator · Expert docent · ~30–40 min
📋 Order: 20260419-5207047
4:00pm
🚌 Last Shuttle Back to Visitor Center
Last shuttle departs 5:00pm — don't miss it. Uber back to Royal Hawaiian ~20 min.
7:00pm
🌅 ʻAhaʻaina Plantation Pāʻina — House Without A Key CONFIRMED
Halekulani Hotel, 2199 Kālia Rd · ~10 min walk · Sunday signature experience: chef-driven interactive stations, Hawaiian culinary heritage, live music, hula & storytelling · Payment due at restaurant
✅ Pearl Harbor fully booked. Bring photo ID for Ford Island shuttle. Clear bags only. Pick up Chuck's Quest at the Missouri pier — highly recommended for Harper & Kelsey!
3
Day
Monday, June 15
Kaneohe Sandbar + Free Afternoon
⌄
7:45am
🚌 Waikiki Pickup — Kaneohe Sandbar Tour TO BOOK
Kaneohe Bay Ocean Sports (KBOS) · Look for staff in red/blue shirts · All-Inclusive with banana boat & bumper tube recommended
9:30am
🏄 Kaneohe Bay Sandbar Tour
Heeia Kea Boat Harbor, Kaneohe · 70-ft catamaran · Snorkeling, kayaking, SUP, volleyball, live Hawaiian music · Sea turtles likely · Banana boat & bumper tube · ~3 hrs
~1:30pm
🏨 Return to Royal Hawaiian
Shower, decompress. Free afternoon — beach, pool, or last Waikiki shopping.
7:15pm
🍝 Arancino di Mare — Tom & Jeanmarie CONFIRMED
2552 Kalakaua Ave (Waikiki Beach Marriott) · ~10 min walk · Best Italian in Hawaii · Outdoor terrace seating
Cancel 24+ hrs ahead. If kids join, cancel and choose group restaurant instead.
Cancel 24+ hrs ahead. If kids join, cancel and choose group restaurant instead.
7:00pm
🛍️ Harper & Kelsey — International Market Place
2330 Kalakaua Ave · ~10 min walk · Shopping + Waikiki Yokocho food hall for dinner · Safe for girls alone · Set check-in time + hotel address in phones
After Dinner
🎤 Karaoke — Tom & Jeanmarie
Option A: In Between Waikiki · 2155 Lauula St · Open until 2am
Option B: Wang Chung's · 2424 Koa Ave · Open until 2am · Both walking distance
Option B: Wang Chung's · 2424 Koa Ave · Open until 2am · Both walking distance
4
Day
Tuesday, June 16
Diamond Head → Fly to Kauai
⌄
8:00am
☕ Leisurely Breakfast
Last Royal Hawaiian morning — enjoy it. Breakfast on the lanai or hotel restaurant.
9:30am
🥾 Diamond Head Hike CONFIRMED
Uber to crater ~10 min · 9:00–10:00am entry slot · 1.6 miles round trip, ~1.5 hrs · 360° views of Waikiki & coast · Done by 11:15am · No parking needed
📍 Directions
📋 Order: VISITOR-2026-05-31-DHSM-2066598
11:30am
🧳 Return to Hotel — Pack & Checkout
Shower, finish packing. Checkout at noon. Grab lunch on Kalakaua Ave.
1:30pm
🚗 Head to HNL Airport
Uber ~25 min · Inter-island Terminal 3 · Easy security, arrive 1 hr ahead.
2:55pm
✈️ Depart HNL — Alaska 1093 CONFIRMED
Honolulu → Lihue, Kauai · Arrives 3:38pm · Operated by Hawaiian Airlines · Seats: 12D/E/F + 13E/F
📋 Conf: WPJGFO
📞 800-252-7522
3:38pm
🚗 Arrive LIH — Budget Rent A Car CONFIRMED
Lihue Airport · 3285 Hoolimalima Pl · Mazda CX-50 · Fastbreak counter
4:15pm
🏠 Check In — Nihi Kai 507
Kauai Nihi Kai Villas 507, Poipu, Kauai · 2BR/2BA remodeled condo · Steps from Poipu & Brennecke's Beach · 4 lanais, heated oceanfront pool, BBQ, beach gear closet, full kitchen, sleeper sofa for Jason
Airbnb Conf: HMEBHB5CYR · Entry code sent 3 days before arrival
Guest Relations: 808-353-3613 · guestrelationskauai@cbislandvacations.com · Hours: 8am–5pm HST
Airbnb Conf: HMEBHB5CYR · Entry code sent 3 days before arrival
Guest Relations: 808-353-3613 · guestrelationskauai@cbislandvacations.com · Hours: 8am–5pm HST
5:00pm
6:00pm
🐢 Poipu Beach — First Turtle Watch
Walk to Poipu Beach · Sea turtles come ashore at sunset (~7:15pm) · Harper's first turtle moment · Brennecke's Beach also adjacent
7:30pm
🍽️ Keoki's Paradise CONFIRMED
2360 Kiahuna Plantation Dr, Koloa · Poipu Shopping Village · ~10 min walk from Poipu Beach · Live Hawaiian music, tiki atmosphere · Try the Hula Pie!
🌿
Kauai
Nihi Kai 507 · Poipu
Steps from Poipu & Brennecke's Beach · Pool + BBQ + Beach Gear Closet
Budget Mazda CX-50 · Conf: 43771157US3 · 808-378-3889
Budget Mazda CX-50 · Conf: 43771157US3 · 808-378-3889
5
Day
Wednesday, June 17
Waimea Canyon + Luau
⌄
8:00am
🚗 Drive to Waimea Canyon
~45 min drive west from Poipu. Go early — clouds build by mid-morning. Bring light layers; cooler up top.
9:00am
🏜️ Waimea Canyon State Park
Waimea Canyon Dr, Waimea · "Grand Canyon of the Pacific" · Multiple overlooks · Entry fee at gate · ~2 hrs
11:30am
🌄 Kokee State Park — Kalalau Lookout
Continue up the road · Jaw-dropping view of Kalalau Valley and Na Pali cliffs · Free with canyon entry
1:00pm
🍽️ Waimea Town Lunch
Stop on the way back down. Local plate lunch spots on Kaumualii Hwy. Shave ice in town.
2:30pm
🌳 Tree Tunnel + Old Koloa Town
Drive Maluhia Road — stunning 100-year-old eucalyptus canopy · Then browse Koloa's plantation-era main street · Jojo's Shave Ice · Mucho Aloha Brewhouse · ~45 min
3:30pm
🏠 Return to Nihi Kai — Rest Before Luau
Freshen up. Short drive or walk to the Sheraton for the luau.
5:30pm
🌺 Auli'i Luau — Sheraton Kauai CONFIRMED
2440 Hoonani Rd, Koloa (Poipu) · Kauai's only oceanfront luau · Shell lei greeting, open bar, buffet dinner, Polynesian revue · 6:15pm dinner, 7:15pm show, done by 8pm · Valet parking complimentary · Cancel 24+ hrs for full refund
💡 Go early to Waimea Canyon — clouds often roll in by 10am. The luau is a 5-min drive or easy walk from Nihi Kai.
6
Day
Thursday, June 18
Free Morning + Nā Pali Sunset Snorkel
⌄
Morning
😴 Free Morning
Sleep in after the luau. Leisurely breakfast. Walk Poipu Beach. Relax before the afternoon adventure.
12:00pm
🚗 Drive to Port Allen Marina
~25 min west of Poipu · Check in at Blue Dolphin office at Port Allen Marina Center by 1:15pm sharp
1:15pm
🌊 Nā Pali Coast Sunset Snorkel — Blue Dolphin CONFIRMED
Port Allen Marina Center, Hanapepe · Large catamaran · Snorkeling, water slide, luau-style dinner included, champagne sunset toast · ~5.5 hrs, back ~7pm
Bring: towel, sunscreen (no spray), light jacket, photo ID for bar
Bring: towel, sunscreen (no spray), light jacket, photo ID for bar
~7:00pm
🏠 Return to Nihi Kai
Dinner included on the boat. Easy evening at the Airbnb.
Evening
🍹 Optional — Tom & Jeanmarie Night Out
Option A: Keoki's Paradise · 2360 Kiahuna Plantation Dr · 5 min drive · 808-742-7534
Option B: Stevenson's Library at Grand Hyatt · 1571 Poipu Rd · 10 min · 808-742-1234
Option B: Stevenson's Library at Grand Hyatt · 1571 Poipu Rd · 10 min · 808-742-1234
💡 Wear swimsuit under clothes for easy snorkeling. Motion sickness meds if sensitive. Dinner is included on the boat — the sunset on the Na Pali Coast is the trip highlight.
7
Day
Friday, June 19
Sugar Cane Tubing + Beach + Dinner
⌄
7:45am
🚗 Drive to Kauai Backcountry Adventures
4131 Halenani St, Lihue · ~25 min from Poipu
8:40am
🚿 Sugar Cane Mountain Tubing CONFIRMED
8:40am reservation for all 5 · Float 2.5 miles through 100-year-old irrigation canals · 5 tunnels with headlamps · Natural swimming hole at end · Picnic lunch included · ~4 hrs total
Wear: swimsuit + water shoes (no flip-flops) · Bring towel & change of clothes
Wear: swimsuit + water shoes (no flip-flops) · Bring towel & change of clothes
~12:30pm
🚗 Return to Poipu
Stop for lunch in Lihue or on the way south if still hungry after the picnic.
2:00pm
💦 Spouting Horn Blowhole
Lawai Rd, Poipu · 5 min from Nihi Kai · Free, no reservation needed · Impressive lava-tube ocean blowhole · 15 min stop · Right near the Beach House
2:30pm
🐢 Poipu Beach — Harper's Turtle Afternoon
Best turtle viewing at sunset (~7:15pm) · Snorkeling, monk seals, free beach time · Girls can hang independently while adults decompress
7:00pm
🍽️ Beach House Restaurant CONFIRMED
5022 Lawai Rd, Koloa · Kauai's best oceanfront restaurant · Pacific Rim cuisine, sunset views, famous mai tais · Valet available · Cancel 24+ hrs ahead to avoid penalty
💡 Spouting Horn is 5 min from the Beach House — combine them before dinner. Walk Lawai Road for a nice coastal pre-dinner stroll.
8
Day
Saturday, June 20
Final Day + Depart Kauai
⌄
Morning
🏖️ Final Poipu Beach Swim
One last swim. Pack up Nihi Kai. Return beach gear to closet, strip beds per house rules.
Afternoon
🗺️ Options — Full Day Before 10pm Flight
Option A: Fern Grotto boat tour on Wailua River (~2 hrs, departures from Wailua)
Option B: Drive east through Kapaa · Wailua Falls (roadside, stunning, just off Hwy 583)
Option C: One last relaxed Poipu Beach day
Option B: Drive east through Kapaa · Wailua Falls (roadside, stunning, just off Hwy 583)
Option C: One last relaxed Poipu Beach day
5:00pm
🍽️ Farewell Dinner — Lihue Area
Grab dinner near the airport before dropping the car. Kalaheo Cafe or Tip Top Cafe in Lihue are local favorites.
7:00pm
🚗 Return Budget Rental Car CONFIRMED
Lihue Airport · 3285 Hoolimalima Pl · Fastbreak return · Hours: 5am–11pm
10:05pm
✈️ Depart LIH — United UA1228 CONFIRMED
Lihue → Los Angeles · Arrives Sun Jun 21 at 6:37am · Terminal 7 LAX · Economy (H)
💡 LIH is a small, low-stress airport. 10pm departure means you have the whole day. Wailua Falls is worth the quick detour on the way to Lihue.