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Destination: Oahu/Waikiki Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.
The world's largest open-air shopping mall is five minutes from Waikiki by bus. More than 240 stores and 60 restaurants make up this 50-acre complex, which is a unique mix of national and international chains as well as smaller, locally owned shops and eateries—and everything in between. Thirty-five luxury boutiques in residence include Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, and Emporio Armani. All of Hawaii's major department stores are here, including the state's only Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, plus Sears, and Macy's. To get to the mall from Waikiki, catch TheBus line 8, 19, or 20; a one-way ride is $2.50. Or hop aboard the Waikiki Trolley's Pink Line for $2 each way, which comes through the area every 12 minutes. www.alamoanacenter.com.
Tenants of this elegant, town house-style center include Chanel, Coach, Tiffany & Co., Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, and Tod's. www.2100kalakaua.com.
Destination: Maui Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.
Maui has a number of golf tournaments, most of which are of professional caliber and worth watching. Many are also televised nationally.
The humpback whales' attraction to Maui is legendary, and seeing them between December and May is a highlight for many visitors. More than half the Pacific's humpback population winters in Hawaii, especially in the waters around the Valley Isle, where mothers can be seen just a few hundred feet offshore training their young calves in the fine points of whale etiquette. Watching from shore it's easy to catch sight of whales spouting, or even breaching—when they leap almost entirely out of the sea, slapping back onto the water with a huge splash.
Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., and the sumptuous Cos Bar lure shoppers to this elegant mall with more than 65 shops. Honolulu Coffee brews perfect shots of espresso to fuel those "shop-'til-you-drop" types. The kids can buy island-themed T-shirts while their parents ponder vacation ownership upstairs. Tommy Bahama's, Ruth's Chris, and Longhi's are all good dining options. www.shopsatwailea.com.
Take time to trek down one of the trails into Haleakala National Park's massive bowl and see proof, at this dormant volcano, of how powerful the earth's exhalations can be. The cinder cones have beautiful swirls of subtle colors that can sparkle in the sunlight. You won't see a landscape like this anywhere, outside of visiting the moon. The barren terrain is deceptive, however—many of the world's rarest plants, birds, and insects live here.
The Road to Hana: Each curve of this legendary cliffside road pulls you deeper into the lush green rain forest of Maui's eastern shore.
While the kids hit Honolua Surf Company, their parents can peruse such shops as Louis Vuitton, Sephora, and Coach, as well as interesting art galleries and several fine jewelry stores, at this casual, classy mall fronting Kaanapali Beach. Pizza and Häagen-Dazs ice cream are available in the center courtyard. At the beach entrance is a wonderful restaurant, Hula Grill. www.whalersvillage.com.
Immortalized in James Michener's Hawaii, the original building from the early 1800s was destroyed once by fire and twice by fierce windstorms. Repositioned and rebuilt in 1954, the church was renamed Waiola ("water of life") and has been standing proudly ever since. The adjacent cemetery was the region's first Christian cemetery and is the final resting place of many of Hawaii's most important monarchs, including Kamehameha the Great's wife, Queen Keopuolani, who was baptized during her final illness. www.waiolachurch.org.. COST: Free. OPEN: Daily 9--4.
The Road to Hana is a 55-mile journey into the unspoiled heart of Maui. Tracing a centuries-old path, the road begins as a well-paved highway in Kahului and ends in the tiny rustic town of Hana on the island's rain-gouged windward side. Many travelers venture beyond Hana to Oheo Gulch, where you can cool off in basalt-lined pools and waterfalls.