I was assigned four weeks’ worth of AAA inspection work in Hawaii, specifically two weeks in Oahu and two weeks in Maui.  For those of you who have never been to Hawaii, let me tell you it is truly one of the most beautiful and romantic places I have ever been.  I have vacationed in the Bahamas, Jamaica and Cancun.  I have snorkeled off the island of Isla Mujeres (favorite snorkel spot), toured the ruins of Chichen Itza, Climbed Dunn River Falls and gone scuba diving near Ochos Rios, Jamaica.  Hawaii is second to none in my opinion.
To start, did you know that Hawaii is 2390 miles from the US mainland, is the only state that grows coffee (Mmmmm, Kona coffee – more on this later), provides for more than 1/3 of the world’s commercial supply of pineapple, from east to west is the widest US State, has its own time zone, is home to the southernmost point in the US and oh so much more!

I had planned the assignment day by day, made all my reservations in advance and had purchased a sweet new Oakley computer back pack to haul my gear in while moving from call to call. I got on the plane around 3 or so in the afternoon and after a few “Run as fast as you can to make your next flight” connections I arrived in the HI state around 10 p.m.  It was a long flight, bumpy in places but overall tolerable, certainly should not be a reason to prevent anyone from going.  Once I landed in Oahu I grabbed my luggage and took a shuttle to my hotel.  Public transportation is great in Honolulu!  I didn’t need a rental car for the first week I was there.

Just a quick note, I was there late October-November, before Thanksgiving.  It appeared to me to be a good time to go as most hotels had rooms available.  It was windy some days and did rain quite a bit while I was there but usually it dispersed later in the afternoon.  Also, if you’re planning to go to Maui, I was told that mid-December to March is when the whales show up, that they are 100-150 yards offshore and constantly jumping.  I, unfortunately, did not get to see any whales even though a few had been spotted on snorkeling excursions.

Waikiki
The Waikiki area was amazing. Landscaping was lush with tropical plants and flowers everywhere, tiki torches lined the walkways so at night for a completely new visual effect.  The shopping ranged from surf shops to designer brand name stores with price tags I could only imagine ever being able to afford.  There were always lots of people about and I always felt safe walking alone even at night.  Some of my favorite things:
Pearl Harbor - plan on waiting in line and come early to beat the crowds, or later to see the street performers at night. 
International Marketplace – stands with souvenirs and crafts. 
Waikiki Beach is a must see. 
The Ala Moana Shopping Center was fun with many shops and restaurants, said to be the world’s largest outdoor shopping mall. 
The Hilton Hawaiian Village lagoon, with a small island in the middle and walkway around it that connects to Waikiki Beach, is most impressive. 

When looking for a hotel, keep in mind that they are all within walking distance to the beach and a few have some of what I call “wow” factors.  The Hilton Hawaiian Village has penguins on display.  The Kahala Hotel & Resort has a dolphin pool that some guests are allowed to swim with.  The new Marriott Waikiki Edition has its own private sunset beach with imported white sand and a lagoon pool. You can find a hotel to match any budget, just start at AAA.com/travel to make sure it is AAA approved. 

Some of my favorite restaurants in the Waikiki area for breakfast were Nico’s at Pier 38, Town and Jimmy Buffets (French toast is amazing!).  For lunch I enjoyed Ono Hawaiian Foods (cash only), Mariposa and Yard House.  For dinner my favorites were Oceanarium, Sansei Seafood and Sushi Bar, Top of Waikiki, Sarento’s Top of the I, 3660 on the Rise and my all-time favorite restaurant of anywhere I have ever been – La Mer in the Halekulani Resort, an unforgettable experience.

Haleiwa, Kahuku and Kapolei
At the North Shore, I saw gigantic waves, mountains and postcard-perfect beaches.  Many surfing competitions are held in the North Shore and the biggest waves come during the winter months.  I would literally go just for Matsumoto Shave Ice – this little sweet treat is located in Haleiwa and is absolutely amazing.  Make sure you spend the extra $ and purchase a holder. 

Turtle Bay Resort is a fun place to stay, eat or golf and if you have a little free time take the Kualoa Ranch Movie Tour, you will get to see where scenes from “LOST,” Jurassic Park,  George of the Jungle,  50 First Dates and many more movies were filmed.  A couple places to mention are the Polynesian Cultural Center, where you can plan on spending the day viewing and learning about Hawaiian culture and partake in a luau. Also, Hanauma Bay, where you can experience some of the islands' best snorkeling – there is a fee and they are closed on Tuesdays to let the fish have a day off.

Kona
For the weekend I traveled from Oahu to the “Big Island” where I stayed in the Kona district.  I spent the weekend visiting the National Volcano Park where I saw steam vents, a lava tube (really cool) and the Jaggar Museum.  Overall a very neat experience, be sure to bring a jacket, maybe a rain poncho and, of course, your camera! I also hiked to see the Green Sand beach, this is a two-hour hike if you follow the coast so bring water and sunscreen.  The hike is beautiful and very windy.  I saw The Punalu’u black sand beach, didn’t see any green sea turtles though. Lastly, I got to see a lava plume (steam from the lava flowing into the ocean).  Very fun place. 

As I mentioned before, this is where they grow Kona coffee – I’m not a huge coffee drinker but this was some very good coffee. Because of the mineral-rich volcanic soil in combination with the specific climate conditions found only in this part of the world, Kona coffee is one of the most expensive and sought after brands.  On the way from Kona to Volcano Park there is a place called the Hilo Coffee Mill, this is a must stop.  They will talk to you about the coffee and let you sample some of the different blends.

More AAA travel resources:
Honolulu Travel Guide
Packages from AAA.com/travel
Locate AAA Approved lodging and restaurants in Hawaii and get directions to attractions with TripTik Travel Planner online.
Get the Hawaii TourBook guide and Hawaii maps free to members from your local AAA office.

Next: Maui   

Read Hawaii: An Inspector's Notes, Part Two