I've been studying this area of the DIS to help plan my family's Aulani trip next year and unlike cruising or theme parks, doing a big destination trip is a lot more daunting! My parents are older (60's and 70's) and my father cannot do a lot of walking or physically tasking activities. My plan so far is to rent a car and stay at the resort at least 5 nights by renting DVC points (we are not members). Things we definitely plan to do are:
1. Pearl Harbor
2. The market across from Pearl Harbor at the stadium (?)
As for what else, I'm not so sure. My brother and his wife went to the Polynesian Cultural Center, but it sounds like it's a day-long extravaganza that some people do not care for and that may be a bit much for us. The North Shore sounds awesome, but I'd be interested if there are other things other than the beaches and food trucks around that may interest my parents. So far, I've researched the Valley of the Temples, which sounds like a wonderful place to spend a couple hours. Also, while I know Aulani has the Starlit Hui, I wonder if we would also enjoy a more full-fledged luau and Chief's Luau pops up as the "most recommended." Are there any whale watching tours in the summer?
Also, how did everyone get to Hawaii? It looks almost cheaper to do a few days in San Diego first than direct from Florida. I'd love to include
Disneyland but I'm trying to do this on a teacher budget! Thanks in advance for any tips!