Brides Helping Brides ™ - when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

2003wedding. Posted: Apr 07, 2003 08:35 PM

when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

early morning afternoon...........

2003wedding. Posted: Apr 07, 2003 08:35 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

oh and about how long does it take to tour each?????

2003wedding. Posted: Apr 07, 2003 08:36 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

oh and about how long does it take to tour each?????

browneyes128 Posted: Apr 07, 2003 08:37 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

that's a good question..i was wondering myself. i am going to try and look on line for some info. i'll let you know what i find.

-steph

smooch Posted: Apr 07, 2003 08:44 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

diamond head is a tough one because you hike up and then back down. it's up to you. i think we did it in about an hour and a half total. beautiful view on top!!!

the pearl harbor tour shows a short film on pearl harbor before hand. i think we were there for about 2 hours, including the film.

btw, i was there in december of 2000 but not for my honeymoon! we are going back to hawaii for our honeymoon, but only to kauai and maui since we've already been to oahu.

2003wedding. Posted: Apr 07, 2003 08:49 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

emdonlon---so i guess it's possible to do both in one day???--we are only spending one nt. there....so we want to do as much as we can!.

smooch Posted: Apr 07, 2003 08:53 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

sure, you can do both in one day if you start early enough. the only problem is that they are far apart. i would suggest pearl harbor in the morning, as soon as they open, because it can get crowded. i definitely suggest doing the film prior to seeing the memorial. it puts everything in perspective.

then take a cab or something to diamond head. that you can do at your leisure because you just pay a park fee and hike as you want.

i wish i could find my pictures, i'd send some to you. i think they are on one of my servers at work. i'll look tomorrow. if i can find them, i'll post some.

2003wedding. Posted: Apr 07, 2003 08:57 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

thank you so much for that info emdonlon---i will add it to my HM notes!!---do you recommend anything else as a 'must see' in oahu?

bride082003 Posted: Apr 07, 2003 09:08 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

i would suggest diamond head in the early morning or late afternoon. Dont go mid-day like we did in that 80-90 degree HEAT..hiking up a volcano in that sun was NOT fun. Its quite a hike but sooooooooooo worth it and much much easier on the way down.

As for pearl harbor - I think we went on a weekday and we went very early (we were there by 8am) - they give you tickets when you get there for scheduled tours (I think they ran every 30-45 minutes). It was like a 1 hour wait to get on the ferry. They have a gift shop and the walls of names outside as well as a museum w/ artifacts and things from the war (even a September 11th wall) while you while for your ferry to be called. We spent quite a few hours there, I think until like 2 or 3 because you can also go on the USS Missouri battleship and the Bowfin Submarine.
It was a great experience and very moving to actually be there - in Pearl Harbor.

Here are websites with helpful information to help you plan:

USS MISSOURI

ARIZONA MEMORIAL

DIAMOND HEAD CRATER
(this site also has lots of other attractions to see on OAHU)

smooch Posted: Apr 07, 2003 09:13 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

2003wedding,
Unfortunatley there isn't that much more to see in Oahu! The only other site I can think of off the top of my head is the Iolani Palace. It's nice to see but we only saw it from a distance, so I'm not sure if you can go inside and check it out. I don't think so, but I don't really know.

That's about it on Oahu if you only have a day to spend there. Are you staying in Waikiki? That is where we stayed, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. The beach was great there.

2003wedding. Posted: Apr 07, 2003 09:16 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

thank you so much bride08---i just bookmarked those 3 websites and will check them out tomorrow!-i am sure they will be helpful......what do you suggest is the latest you start your hike up diamond head---sorry for all of these silly questions! is 3-3:30 too late to start the hike?---we will arrive in oahu around 1:30 and by the time we check in...etc........we are only spending one night there........

bride082003 Posted: Apr 07, 2003 09:16 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

The first thing I would recommend is RENTING A CAR. We actually rented a jeep and it was fantasic. We drove around the whole island one of our days there and checked out all the beaches. The north shore was completely different from downtown Waikiki.

I would also definately recommend the SWAP MEET that takes place at the ALOHA Stadium. Especially for gifts for people and things you want to buy yourself. They sell everything from towels to clothes to souveniers. PLUS you can bargain with them. I believe it was only open 3 days a week, so check the site for days and times. You can also bargain with the street vendors in Chinatown.

The Dole Plantation was pretty cool too. They had pineapple EVERYTHING there, even ice cream. It was the best! And you could smell the pineapples as you drove through the fields.

I went to a Lu'au too (Germaines) and I was not that thrilled with it. It was too 'commercialized' - there were over 500 people there! Basically it was a show on the beach. I would recommend trying a smaller one if you would like to go to one.

Sorry for the rant on Hawaii (I was there a year ago this week) -- I wish I could go back!!!

The other thing I would recommend is watching the sunset EVERY nite. Each one was different and if you can, watch them from different beaches. And just as you would at your wedding, take a moment and sit back and look around. Our trip there went SOoooooooooooooooooooooo fast it was over before we knew it.

HAVE SO MUCH FUN. Hawaii is amazing.

If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask, I love talking about my trip to Hawaii

groovypeg Posted: Apr 07, 2003 09:18 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

pearl harbor: get there early in the morning. the line really gets long. it is definetly worth the wait though.

2003wedding. Posted: Apr 07, 2003 09:18 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

yes, we are staying in waikiki---not sure what hotel yet--our TA is playing around w/that--we didn't want a luxury one since we will only be there to sleep and for only 1 night!

bride082003 Posted: Apr 07, 2003 09:20 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

I didnt realize you were only spending one nite. I only went to Oahu and had 10 amazing days to explore explore explore!

I would say anytime after 2. We were so tired after our plane trip we wound up sleeping in late so we didnt get to Diamond Head until 12 NOON, which was the absolute worst time. I would say between 2 and 3 would be better. I mean you could definately do the hike earlier, it is just very hot and you wind up staying up top longer to cool off/relax.

Here are some pics I took:

Looking towards Waikiki on top of Diamond Head:

the view of DIAMOND HEAD from our hotel:

The sunset from the Luau:

DOLE

another sunset:

2003wedding. Posted: Apr 07, 2003 09:25 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

wow what a great pic--you have me excited!!---are there many trails in diamond head or one main one that you hike up and then back down again---were there many people hiking near by to you? do you get a map or is there no way to get lost!! ( i know probably a silly question!)

bride08--i am soo glad you love talking about you HI trip b/c i obviously have a lot of questions!!

bride082003 Posted: Apr 07, 2003 09:33 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

ONE trail up, which you must stay on because of erosion. Yes, there were many people hiking around us too. The top was kinda of crowded but people moved around and we eventually got a good spot.

You dont get a map as there is only one trail and no where to get lost unless you wander off the trail and fall off the mountain

It is HOT so bring water and bring a flashlight because there is actually like a cave you must go through (and there are no lights) and definately wear sneakers there are like 100something stairs (al in a row) that you must climb. I have a pic, lemme see if I can find it....

DaniRN Posted: Apr 07, 2003 09:40 PM

Re: when is the best time of day to visit diamond head and pearl harbor?

Me and FH went to Waikiki a few years ago-definately head to Pearl Harbor early to avoid the crowd. We also rented a car (FH 'needed' to rent a red Ferarri ) and we drove to the north shore to the Dole Plantation and Kona Coffee fields. The Dole Plantation is fun-there is this giant maze game we played in.
We also went to Hanamau Bay to go snorkling-it's a very calm reef with lots of fish-bring an underwater camera-my pics came out great. We also went on a sunset cruise called the Ali'i Kai, and we also went to a luau called Paradise Bay-all were lots of fun.
When I get my scanner working i'll post some pics.