Weekends

[pinkxray]

I see many post about doing touring during weekends since Aulani is packed. I also see posts about not heading to the North Shore on the weekends bc locals are out and about.
So, which is it? Stay/go? What activities are best to do away from Aulani on the weekends?

We will leave Aulani a few days to see Pearl Harbor, Climbworks and maybe some beach sightseeing. Is Pearl Harbor a good idea for a Sat?

We are going traveling Easter week 2022. Will spend Easter at Aulani with a cabana. Looking for ideas for Sat.

 

[nkereina]

IMO, any off-site activity is best done on a weekend. You avoid the locals that make the resort crowded and you avoid rush hour traffic delays. I can't speak to how busy north shore would be on a Saturday - I've actually not read that locals make it crowded on weekends. I would think it would still be manageable if you go early. But, having done the north shore on a Monday previously, it would be nice to avoid the traffic getting there and back. We also hit tons of traffic during the week going to the windward side of the island, so if you plan to do Kualoa Ranch or Kailua, a weekend day may be best for that.

We did Pearl Harbor on a Saturday. We did a tour so our tour time was set for us, but it was in the morning and allowed us time to go to the Aloha Swap Meet across the street in the afternoon. This is only offered on certain days, Saturday being one of them. I don't think day of the week would matter much at Pearl Harbor because everyone has a set tour time anyhow.

 

[abdgeek]

I see many post about doing touring during weekends since Aulani is packed. I also see posts about not heading to the North Shore on the weekends bc locals are out and about.
So, which is it? Stay/go? What activities are best to do away from Aulani on the weekends?

We will leave Aulani a few days to see Pearl Harbor, Climbworks and maybe some beach sightseeing. Is Pearl Harbor a good idea for a Sat?

We are going traveling Easter week 2022. Will spend Easter at Aulani with a cabana. Looking for ideas for Sat.

There are no hard and fast rules about which days are best for touring while staying at Aulani. Do what works best for you. If you’re traveling during peak times (holidays, school breaks, etc), just be aware that there will be lots of people with the same idea you have. Whatever day you do the North Shore, leave early to avoid traffic on the way there. Depending on the time you head back, you may encounter some traffic. Keep in mind that traveling to the North Shore mainly involves traveling a two lane road with limited sight lines for passing a slow car. I left Aulani at 7am for an 8am tour in Haleiwa and pretty much had the road to myself. When I left around 2pm, the traffic was bumper to bumper in both directions and was moving slowly. Just pack your patience, think country road, and you will be fine.

if you are not “purchasing“ your Pearl Harbor ticket online, get there early to have the least amount of wait time to see the Arizona. Arizona tickets are free when you get them at the park, but they are timed. The parking lot can also fill up quickly. When I did Pearl Harbor, I arrived about 8:30am but the earliest timed ticket I could get was 11:30am. I was fine with that because it gave me time to visit the USS Missouri and Bowfin(separate tickets) before going to the Arizona.