Documenting Lovely Moments
12-Day Hawaii Itinerary Visiting Maui, Oahu, and The Big Island
This was our fourth trip to Hawaii, but our first time visiting the Big Island, and we wanted to see how realistic it really was to visit three islands in one trip. Over 12 days, we split our time between Maui, Oahu, and the Big Island, figuring out the best order, how many nights to spend on each island, and how to move between them without feeling rushed.
If you are planning a multi island Hawaii trip, this post details how we visited three islands in 12 days and why it worked so well for us.
Our Three Island Hawaii Itinerary
DAY 1
Maui
Highlights
- Arriving in Kahului International Airport (OGG), Maui
- Dinner in Kahului
- Check in at: Outrigger Kaanapali Beach Resort
Details
Our flight arrived in the afternoon around 4 pm. We took an airport shuttle to pick up our rental car, grabbed dinner at Tin Roof in Kahului, then drove about 40 minutes to our hotel, Outrigger Kaanapali Beach Resort. See our review here.
DAY 2
Maui
Highlights
- Snorkeling at Black Rock
- Brunch at Kihei Cafe
- Haleakala National Park
- Sushi dinner in Kahului
Details
- We spent our early morning snorkeling at Black Rock, steps away from our hotel, where we saw a huge sea turtle swimming near the shore and tropical fish in the water.
- After taking showers back at the hotel, we headed to brunch at Kihei Cafe.
- We did a scenic 1.5-hour drive to Haleakala National Park, stopping at Leleiwi Overlook, Visitor Center, and the Puu’Ulaula Summit. We spent the afternoon hiking the Sliding Sands Trail, and it honestly felt like we were on another planet. Read this post about Our Experience at Haleakala National Park.
- On the way back to the hotel, we stopped for dinner at Oao Sushi in Kahului, and a grocery store to get some local pastries for the next day’s breakfast, since we planned to start the day early.
DAY 3
Maui
Highlights
- Breakfast in the car.
- Road trip to Hana.
- Koki Beach and Lunch.
- Pipiwai trail
- Sunset dinner in Kaanapali
Details
- We had coffee and pastries in the car for breakfast since we wanted to start our road trip early and beat the crowd.
- A fun road trip to Hana, stopping at Hookipa Beach, Ke’enae Arboretum and Peninsula, the famous Aunty Sandy’s banana bread, Pua’a Ka’a State Wayside Park, and Wailua Falls. Read this post on Our Favorite Stops on the Road Trip To Hana.
- Past Hana, we continued on to Koki Beach to see its amazing red sand and had lunch at Huli Huli Chicken.
- We continued our drive to the Pipiwai Trailhead, then hiked to see waterfalls, a giant banyan tree, and a serene bamboo forest.
- After a long day of exploring, we hurried back to the hotel to shower and made it in time for our sunset dinner reservation at Duke’s Beach House.
DAY 4
From Maui to Oahu
Highlights
- Morning beach walk and swimming
- Brunch at Kihei Cafe
- Makaluapuna Point, Nakalele Blowhole, and Honolua Bay
- Ohana ceremony at the resort
- Flying to Honolulu
- Check in at: Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Dinner
Details
- We walked along Kaanapali Beach and saw another sea turtle, and took a quick dip at the hotel pool. After showering, we packed, checked out, and left our luggage with the concierge because our flight to Honolulu was in the late afternoon around 6 pm.
- We headed to brunch at Kihei Cafe for another round of amazing cinnamon rolls and loco moco.
- Next, we explored the northwest side of Maui, checking out the Dragon’s Teeth at Makaluapuna Point, Nakalele Blowhole, and Honolua Bay, with a bonus stop at the Coconut Shack for some fresh coconuts.
- When picking up our stuff at the resort, we were treated with a lovely, unexpected goodbye ceremony.
- We headed to Kahului International Airport and were ready to hop to another Hawaiian island, Oahu. It was night time when we arrived at Honolulu International Airport. We picked up our rental car and drove to Waikiki to check into our hotel, Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort.
- We ordered food from Queensbreak restaurant and ate in our room so we could get some rest for the night before exploring Oahu the next day.
DAY 5
Oahu
Highlights
- Fresh malasadas at Leonard’s Bakery
- Hiking to Makapu’u Point and Lighthouse
- Giovanni’s Shrimp and Matsumoto Shave Ice in Haleiwa
- Dole’s Plantation
- Dinner and walking around Waikiki
Details
- Having heard good things about the freshly-made malasada puffs at Leonard’s Bakery, we just had to try them and they did not disappoint!
- We spent the morning hiking to Makapu’u Point, with a view of the lighthouse at the end of the trail.
- After the lovely hike, we drove to Haleiwa, North Shore Oahu. We enjoyed delicious garlic and spicy shrimp lunch at the famous Giovanni’s truck, and treated ourselves with fresh shave ice at Matsumoto’s.
- We visited Dole’s Plantation, and tried their signature Dole Whip treats.
- Back in Waikiki, we rested a bit in our room before taking a walk around Waikiki and the International Market, then enjoyed a delicious dinner at Marugame’s Udon. We also bought some pastries for breakfast the next day.
DAY 6
Oahu
Highlights
- Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum at Pearl Harbor
- USS Arizona Memorial Tour
- Battleship Missouri Memorial at Pearl Harbor
- Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
- Lunch at Kehau’s Kitchen
- Polynesian Cultural Center
- Dinner and shopping in Waikiki
Details
Note: We purchased the Go Oahu pass to maximize our visit in Oahu. Learn more about The Smart Way to Visit Oahu Without Overspending. This would be the first day of using our 2-day pass, which allowed us to visit so many places below.
- Arriving in Pearl Harbor as soon as they opened, we started exploring the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum. It was a unique experience seeing the tight quarters, control panels, and torpedo rooms, which gave us a real sense of life under the sea.
- We signed up for the USS Arizona Memorial Tour, which was also included with our Go Oahu pass. After a short boat ride, we walked along the floating memorial above the sunken battleship, and felt the weight of history and the lives lost that day.
- With a short bus ride, we continued to the Battleship Missouri, where Japan officially surrendered.
- Next, we visited the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum and were fascinated by the vintage planes. Noticing the bullet holes still in some of the windows made the history feel real and powerful.
You may be interested in this post: How We Visit the Historical Landmarks at Pearl Harbor in One Day.
- We grabbed a quick lunch at Kehau’s Kitchen. The poke nachos and laulau were fantastic!
- We drove to Polynesian Cultural Center to take more advantage of our Go Oahu pass, and arrived just in time for the Canoe Celebration. The kids loved visiting each of the villages and participating in the interactive experiences. Read this separate post about our experience at the Polynesian Cultural Center.
- We drove back to our hotel and walked around Waikiki for more treats, like the matcha ice cream at Maiko and the mango shave ice at Ice Monster. On the way back to the hotel, we grabbed fresh poke bowls from Maguro Spot.
DAY 7
Oahu
Highlights
- Breakfast
- Secret Island Beach at Kualoa Ranch
- Lunch
- Aloha Kai Luau at Sea Life Park
Details
Note: We purchased the Go Oahu pass to maximize our visit in Oahu. Learn more about The Smart Way to Visit Oahu Without Overspending. This would be the second day of using our 2-day pass, which allowed us to visit so many places below.
- When in Hawaii, we felt obligated to have the Spam and Egg breakfast, so we got them from a nearby McDonald’s and ate in our room.
- We got in the car, and were ready for our half-day Secret Island Beach Adventure at Kualoa Ranch that we pre-booked using the Go Oahu pass. It was an relaxing morning at the beach, and we enjoyed kayaking, canoeing, and paddle boarding, with a view of the Mokoli’i Island. You can read this separate post to learn more about our Secret Island Beach adventure.
- From Kualoa Ranch, we stopped to get some yummy takeouts from Mama Kim’s. We ate in our hotel room quickly then showered and got ready for the Aloha Kai Luau at Sea Life Park, another activity that we pre-booked with the Go Oahu pass. Read more about our luau experience in this separate post.
DAY 8
From Oahu to the Big Island
Highlights
- Waikiki Beach Walk and Breakfast at Aloha Kitchen
- Flying to Hilo International Airport (ITO)
- Check in at: Hilo Hawaiian Hotel
- Makani’s Magic Pineapple Shack and Tonkotsu Ramen
- Sunset walk in Hilo
Details
- We spent our last morning in Oahu with a walk along Waikiki Beach, and enjoyed fluffy souffle pancakes for breakfast at Aloha Kitchen.
- After breakfast, we packed our stuff and headed to the airport, returned our car, and flew to Hilo in the Big Island.
- Our room at Castle Hilo Hawaiian Hotel was ready so we were able to check in early. After getting our things settled in the room, we headed out to Makani’s Magic Pineapple Shack for more shave ice, followed by an early dinner at Tonkotsu Ramen.
- To burn off the delicious ramen, we went for a sunset walk around the hotel before going back to our room to rest.
DAY 9
Hilo
Highlights
- Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
- Thurston Lava Tube, Steam Bluff, and Sulphur Banks, Visitor Center
- Hiking the Kilauea Iki Trail
- Lunch
- Punalu’u Black Sand Beach
- Chain of Crater Drive
- Kilauea Volcano night hike
- Dinner in Hilo
Details
- We woke up early and drove up to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and watched sunrise at Kilauea Iki Overlook.
- From there, we checked out the Thurston Lava Tube, the Visitor Center, Steam Bluff, Sulphur Banks, and the Visitor Center. From there, we headed to the Kilauea Iki Trail and started hiking down to the crater. Knowing that we were walking on a surface that was once filled with flowing lava made the hike feel especially surreal. We took a break after the hike, and grabbed lunch at Tuk Tuk Thai food truck.
- After lunch, we got in our car and drove to Punalu’u Beach. The black sand felt completely different from any other beach we had seen in Hawaii.
- Later that afternoon, we drove the Chain of Crater scenic drive, stopping at crater viewpoints along the way, hiking the Puʻuloa Petroglyph Trail, and finishing at the Hōlei Sea Arch just in time for sunset.
- We parked at the designated lot near the Devastation Trail and set out toward the Kīlauea lava viewing area. From the viewpoint, we could see the lava erupting in the crater. While there was less activity than what we had seen on the news the week before, it was still incredible to witness an active volcano up close.
- We left the park, drove back to Hilo, picked up some takeout, and returned to our hotel.
You may be interested in this post: Top Things at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park: Best Trails, Lava Tubes, and More.
DAY 10
Hilo to Kona
Highlights
- Rainbow Falls
- Hilo’s Farmers Market
- Lunch and shave ice in Hilo
- Driving to Kona
- Check in at: Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel
- Swimming and dinner at the hotel
Details
- With our luggage packed, we checked out of the hotel and left our bags with the concierge. We had planned to visit Akaka Falls, but the kids were exhausted, so we changed plans and visited Rainbow Falls near our hotel, then admired the huge banyan trees nearby.
- We then visited Hilo’s Farmers Market, picked up fresh coconuts and local treats, enjoyed lunch in town, and finished with another round of shave ice at Makani’s Magic Pineapple Shack.
- It was time to leave Hilo. We collected our luggage, drove across the island to Kona, checked into the Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel, and spent the rest of the evening relaxing and having dinner at the hotel.
DAY 11
Kona
Highlights
- Breakfast at the resort
- Snorkeling
- Swimming
- Night snorkeling tour with manta rays
Details
- The breakfast served at the hotel was yummy, especially the freshly-made crepes.
- After breakfast, we changed into our swimsuits, then snorkeled at the lagoon behind the resort and spotted so many tropical fish in the water.
- The lagoon got busier in the late morning, so we moved to our resort’s pool, and spent a few hours there swimming, relaxing, eating, and enjoying the tropical shave ice from Ululani’s.
- In the evening, we were ready for the highly-anticipated Night Snorkel Tour with Manta Rays. At first, we were not sure about getting in the ocean in the dark, but when the mantas started showing up, we were so glad we went. Read more about our Unforgettable Night Snorkling with Manta Rays in Kona.
DAY 12
Kona
Highlights
- Breakfast at the resort
- St. Benedict Painted Church
- Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park
- Late lunch
- Flying out of Kona International Airport (KOA)
Details
- After breakfast, we packed up our luggage, checked out, and left them with the hotel concierge so we could explore Kona before our afternoon flight.
- Our first stop was St. Benedict Catholic Church with the beautiful mural painted on its walls and ceilings.
- We then visited Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, which gave a glimpse into ancient Hawaiian life, with sacred grounds, royal enclosures, and a rich cultural history.
- For lunch, we headed to DaPoke Shack for fresh poke, and they are amazing, especially the octopus.
You may be interested in this post: Things To Do in Hawaii Big Island For Families.
- We picked up our luggage at the hotel, then headed to Kona International Airport.
Our vacation had officially come to an end. We only had 12 days but couldn’t believe how much we managed to see in such a short time. There’s still so much to explore. We hope to be back soon, maybe to visit other islands like Kauai and Lanai.
Aloha, Hawaii! We’re so grateful for all the memories. Mahalo!
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