Aloha!
This will be a running commentary on the Best of Hawaii.
First, we have been to Hawaii several times over the years, the first time together was 51 years ago for our honeymoon (we were originally booked for 2024 but a surgery got in the way. I typically post many photos with my narrative, but if the first two days are any indication, there won’t be all that many this time.
We fly out of east coast airports so, had to start very early, We chose an alternate routing- rather than flying to the west coast first, we flew to Atlanta then had a non-stop flight to Honolulu with lay-flat sleeper seats. We left RDU at 0630 and since we were chasing the sun, got to HNL a little after one in the afternoon. We were the only travelers (in an Escalade) for the Tauck transfer to the Royal Hawaiian. The driver was very pleasant and informative. We remarked at how things had changed since we were last there 10+ years ago. There were a lot of people in town for the festival that runs all week. That evening Kakakaua was blocked for several blocks and filled with street vendors (mostly food) and wall to wall people.
Check-in went smoothly, though we had to wait about 30 min for our room to be ready. I need to check with our TD, but we were handed a piece of paper with bag # to ensure our bags were delivered to our room - printed on the form, it said porter gratuity not included and would be charged to our room bill. I think it was a scam but it wasn’t worth arguing about at the time, we were tired! An envelope with Tauck info and forms was waiting. We also received an email from our TD a few days earlier- only about the third time in nearly 20 tours that has happened
Our room was nice enough, though nothing special, like a room at a Hampton Inn, except for the fantastic view of the beach and Diamond Head and the Toto bidet-like toilet seat in the bathroom. Breakfast was included with the pre-stay, but if we had to pay it would have cost $93 for the two eggs, potatoes, sausage, and Coke my wife had and the bagel w/cream cheese, sausage, and OJ I had! 
The welcome dinner is tomorrow.
View from our room:
The spot on Ft Derussy where the room we stayed in on our honeymoon was located- it was an old WWII wood building for visiting officers. It came with open spring metal frame beds, anoles on the walls, etc. The Hale Koa, the military R&R hotel was under construction.
Comments
Alan, so glad you made it. Have a great time. Everybody on the forum looks forward to your report.
Surfing on Waikiki is a good morning workout for you. Easy to get out to the waves, but more difficult to get back to the beach with the currents. 😁
Have a great time Alan.
A few additional comments before the day starts- remember you mainland types are a few hours ahead of Hawaii. Hotel- our room is in a “newer” tower not the old pink palace. We have Disney-like wrist bands for payment (resort/hotel is cashless) and room access. All hotels in this area are crammed together but landscaping is beautiful are disguises that fact at ground level.
Sam, as to surfing, even if I still had the arms to do so I wouldn’t waste my time or money. The Waikiki waves are a joke, worse than those we used to surf as kids in New Jersey. They are low rise, and close out quickly so if you catch one the ride is brief. There are tons of people out there who don’t know surfing etiquette and literally wait hours for “the big one” which never comes!! Maybe it is better during a different season or there is storm off shore- this ain’t the North Shore or Makaha!
Alan - The surf is larger everyone in the islands during the Winter, especially the North Shore.
I agree that Waikiki surfing is only a 'I did it' activity. More fun would be an outrigger canoe ride or a catamaran sail.
Waves are much better in the winter months and not so much in the royal Hawaiian area. I love the pink wrist bands! Alan’s, please have a Mai tai for me tonight!
A few more comments- since it is Monday, there are a lot fewer surfers. Surprisingly, a lot of locals must “surf” here- the entire length of the walkway to Kalkaua St, between the hotels, is lined with mostly-full, locking surfboard racks.
Don’t forget to tell the maitre de you are with Tauck!! Breakfast prices are high like any resort area. Our breakfast bills for the last two mornings came to $95 for the both of us each day. We had different meals today and the price was the same as yesterday and did’t match with what was listed on the menu- a Tauck contracted amount? The menu is limited. No buffet, and prepare to wait to be seated. I’m not sure of the best time to go. The wait staff is older than you might expect, but they are excellent.
It seems the Royal Hawaiian is popular with Japanese tourist (and other Asians) who make up 50-70% of those we saw. There didn’t appear to be any group tours so far. Most were young families with two, pre-school age children per couple.
Off to the beach. Fewer surfers today. Some actually caught little waves.
If you get some free time, walk to the Halekulani Hotel and have a special adult beverage while watching the sunset! They have a beautiful orchid pool with evening entertainment!
Agree with the Halekulani comment, it is a very easy walk if you cut thru the Sheraton. The piano/jazz bar is also highly recommended. If you love great food and service, go enjoy La Mer for dinner!
We are beef folks, so are headed to Ruth’s Chris Steak House on Wednesday night.
That brings up another issue- the high restaurant prices and high number of meals on our own will increase the price of this tour considerably!!!
There's always poke at the ABC Stores!😉
I loved Liliha Bakery in International Market Place...try the mochi donuts. Took this tour in Jan. 2023. I remember rain only once, when it poured all day on one of the planned helicopter days. Hope you have better luck. Enjoy the nostalgia, Alan!
I second the trip to the Liliha Bakery, get your sweet tooth on! Aloha!
On my recent The Best of Ireland tour we only had 2 nights where we had to buy our dinner, and with one exception all the dinners we had on Tauck included wine. Very rare.
Well, so much for the "running" commentary- maybe a delayed/convalescent commentary?
First, I was lacking motivation and too tired on tour to post in the evenings and we suffered from severe head colds after we got home! Now where did I leave off???
Day - 0 As I mentioned previously, Day -1 and the morning of Day 0 were pretty much days of recovery for us, so, though we had received a note, initial schedule and miscellaneous info about local attractions and dining from our TD, unlike many previous tours, which we filled with a lot of pre-tour activities, this time we took it easy. In the morning of Day 1 we slept in then walked along the narrow beach (the hotels grab as much of it as the government allows) to Ft DeRussy, checked out the PX in the Hale Koa for necessities- fridge magnets, cheap souvenirs, etc., then walked the grounds to see where our "room" was 50 years ago. We were able to find the area because the nearby tiny old chapel was still there, but the "barracks" building where we stayed is now just a patch of grass (see pic above.) The evening of Day 0 we wandered over to Kalakaua Ave, the main drag in Waikiki, to see the festival, grab a bite to eat, and check out what remained of the old Duke Kahanamoku (surfing great) International Market Place which we had loved to wander so many years ago. Other that the large banyan tree in the middle, nothing was the same. The street in the Waikiki area is filled with high-end clothing and jewelry stores. Though much of it looked and smelled delicious, we didn't want to eat standing up, so ended up grabbing pizza at the Royal Hawaiian Center mall which is only a block from the hotel. The mall parking garage is where we boarded our tour bus each day. One thing we realized for the first time is that most of the major streets and avenues in Honolulu were named for Hawaiian kings!
Day 1, Monday, Sept 22 We slept in again! Today we went for a dip in the ocean- the bottom is quite shallow and changes from sand to mostly sand covered smooth rock/coral, which is what causes the waves to build. Though not high the waves can knock you around even a few feet from the shore. Afterwards we went for a swim in the hotel's tiny pool, then ate lunch at the Mai Tai Bar in the hotel. Dining at the hotel is limited. Breakfast (menu only, no buffet, but you can mix and match- price is always the same for Tauck, regardless of what you get- see note above) in the Surf Lanai and dinner is in the Azure Restaurant- same place! For both, you show up, tell the attendant you are with Tauck, then wait until you are called. We ate lunch at the immediately-adjacent Mai Tai Bar (burgers and such come from the same kitchen
)
The tour began at 4:30 with the typical Tauck TD meet and greet- drinks and light snacks, name tags, data sheet return, introductions, and future dining selections- in the hotel's "newer" Mailani Tower where all our "ocean view" Royal Hawaiian hotel rooms were located. Though she still has a bit of German accent, our TD lived on Maui for 13 years, so is very knowledgeable about the Islands. Afterwards we walked 5 min. to the bus area of the mall where we boarded a nice motor coach for the 20 min. drive to Queen Emma's small Summer Palace (Hānaiakamalama) for a typical Tauck welcome dinner. She was the wife of King Kamehameha IV and revered for her work establishing Hawaii's superb hospital system. We were entertained by docent stories and ukulele player and two hula dancers (one of which was an pediatric oncologist at one of the hospitals funded by the Bishop Trust (more about that later)). By today's standards the Summer "Palace" would be considered a "cottage." Once occupying a large area, it is now a small, hillside property hidden from neighboring houses by flowering trees and shrubs in a northern suburb of Honolulu. We returned to the hotel around 8:30 pm.
Day 2, Tuesday, Sept 23 No sleeping in (and, for most of the remaining tour). We departed the hotel for the bus pick-up at 7:15 for a guided visit to I'olani Palace and view of the Aliʻiōlani Hale, which houses the Hawaii State Supreme Court - you know the place- it is where McGarret's and the Hawaii 5 - 0 offices were located on TV
- and a driving tour of Oahu's south coast and return via the Pali Highway. The Hawaiian royalty and palace were very modern for their time and for being so remote from the mainland. The palace was the royal residence of the rulers of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi from 1845 beginning with Kamehameha III under the Kamehameha Dynasty until the monarchy was overthrown by the US Government in 1893. Queen Liliʻuokalani succeeded her brother upon his death on January 20, 1891. She was determined to strengthen the political power of the Hawaiian monarchy. Her attempts to affect change caused great opposition from the Committee of Safety, who later orchestrated the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and the establishment of a provisional government with support of the American Minister to Hawaiʻi. Back on the bus we did a drive-by of the National Memorial Cemetery Of The Pacific at the Punch Bowl, and with photo stops, the surf and beach area where the famous Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster kiss from the move "From Here to Eternity" was filmed, one of the many blow holes along the coast, (famous snorkeling spot, Hanauma Bay was closed (on Mondays and Tuesdays), "Rabbit Island" and the Pali highway and historical site, Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout, where, in 1795, King Kamehameha I won the the last major struggle that finally united Oʻahu and the Hawaiian islands under his rule.
Day 3, Wednesday, Sept 24
Another early, 7:15 go. First up was a trip to Pearl Harbor to "see" the Arizona Memorial. Unfortunately, repair work wasn't finished so we could only see it from afar. (We have seen it before) It opened a day later! They were running boats around it but those in our group who elected to do that could not get tickets. Instead we visited the several small museums that are located near the dock area (they weren't there the last time we visited) and (paid to tour) the Bowfin a WWII submarine- all very interesting. Afterwards we re-boarded our bus for a trip to Ford Island to tour the USS Missouri where Japan signed the unconditional surrender. (We had been aboard the Missouri many years ago when it was undergoing work in the Bremerton, WA Naval Shipyard). The Missouri is a bit different today- it still has its big guns, but other, more modern weapon systems and radars were added and below decks there were some new comforts- ice cream, popcorn, doughnut, etc. machines. Pearl Harbor is still an operational US Navy base.
In the afternoon, we had a choice of an outrigger canoe experience- it was fun, or a tour of the historic section of the Royal Hawaiian which my wife said was very interesting. It wasn't until days later that I remembered to take a photo of the "Pink Palace" the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, (it is a "Luxury Collection Hotel" run by Marriott on land owned by the Bishop Trust (Kamehameha Schools)) and is one of the two original hotels on Waikiki!
Day 4, Thursday, Sept 25
Up early again- breakfast opened and bag pull at 6:00. We departed for the bus at 6:55 for the trip to the airport. Today's flight to The Big Island and the next two inter-island flights, were in coach on scheduled Hawaiian Air flights so all TSA rules and procedures applied. In addition to sitting on the plane today we had some significant bus time. After we departed the Hilo Airport via bus we headed to Volcano National Park. Along the way we stopped for (pre-selected) lunch at Kilauea Lodge. At the park we had a walking tour around one side of the rim of the Kilauea crater and viewed the caldera and a large, active steam vent. The vent was the site of the previous eruption and the eruption that occurred just a few days later on Oct 1! ( In the last 6 months we have missed two eruptions by only a few days and hours- we also missed the one in Iceland earlier this year- our route to the airport came within a half mile of site of the eruption which occurred while we were in the air headed home!) The bus had to back-track towards Hilo so it could take the Saddle Road that runs between the Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea volcanoes, to our very nice Fairmont Orchid hotel on the west coast of the island. We had our choice of two excellent dining locations at the resort.
The smallest tray table I have ever seen!!
Even in a hostile environment there were pretty flowers. The ʻōhiʻa lehua below is a species of flowering evergreen tree in the myrtle family that is endemic to the six largest islands of Hawaiʻi. It holds significant cultural and spiritual meaning in Hawaiian culture. They are often seen as symbols of love and fidelity, representing the idea that true love can endure even the most challenging circumstances. It is said that if you pick the ʻōhiʻa lehua flower, you are separating the lovers and it will rain, which is symbolic of the lovers crying. Therefore, if you need to gather lehua, you should always ask permission first and only gather what you need. Lehua is the official flower of the island of Hawaiʻi.
Day 5, Friday, Sept 26
To the joy of the group, breakfast at the Fairmont and hotels on the remainder of the tour were excellent buffets. Today was primarily a day "at leisure" unless you had booked optional resort activities or optional helo tour (all on your own dime) or the free Garden Cultural Experience. We did the helo flight and it was fabulous- smooth, excellent seating, great viewing through huge bubble canopy, and very informative and entertaining pilot. The only negative was that the clouds were a bit too low to be able to reach the summit of Mauna Loa or fly over the Kilauea crater. It was a bit expensive, but we thought worth it. That evening we had a 2 hour catamaran (powered, not sail) cruise with snacks and drinks before dinner on our own (on Tauck)
The Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) facility. It is an analog habitat for human spaceflight to Mars currently operated by the International MoonBase Alliance.
The Fairmont. A nice little snorkeling beach and cove is at the right.
Day 6, Saturday, Sept 27
We had an 8:00 departure for a drive south along the coast towards Kona. There were two extremely interesting stops. The first was for a guided visit to the "Painted Church"- and interesting story and fantastic interior woodwork and art by a self-taught priest. The perspective he used to represent the interior of a European cathedral while painting on simple wood plank walls and ceiling, was, incredible. The second was a visit to the D. Uchida Living Historic Coffee Farm. This was not your typical, "how coffee is grown" tour but a tour of a historic 5.5-acre site that offered a glimpse into the life of early Japanese immigrants who cultivated coffee in Kona, Hawaiʻi, during the period of 1925–1945. The farm, preserved by the Kona Historical Society, features original buildings like the farmhouse and coffee mill, along with authentic details and demonstrations by docents of the manual processes of the time period. We also made a brief rest stop at a coffee vendor who sold "tourist bags" of various blends of coffee (at inflated prices!). Before dinner there was a very interesting movie presentation, "Kilauea- Hawaii on Fire." Dinner on Tauck (off the menu) tonight at one of two restaurants.
Day 7, Sunday, Sept 28
Another early day- bags ready by 5:30 am, boxed breakfast, 6:30 am departure for the Kona airport and flight to Lihue, Kauai. We had a tasty lunch at Kilohana Plantation by Gaylords. Lunch included a demonstration of the extraction of sugar from cane and a taste and sampling of their sugar cane-based Koloa rum. In the afternoon we visited Allerton Gardens, one of the five gardens of the non-profit National Tropical Botanical Garden. We had been there in 2016- the gardens and docent narrative had not changed! It is known for its variety of plants and as a filming location for South Pacific, Donovan's Reef, and numerous other films and TV shows. In the film Jurassic Park while hiding from dinosaurs among the huge roots of Moreton Bay Fig trees Dr. Alan Grant and the children discover dinosaur eggs- the supposedly infertile dinosaurs created in a lab could reproduce. We arrived at the Grand Hyatt at about 4:30.
Day 8, Monday, Sept 29
A morning at leisure, the Tauck provided helicopter flight over Waimea Canyon and the Na Pali coast at pre-arranged times. Though we had done a similar helo flight on our own in 2016, this flight was better and more professional (same company and type helos as on the Big Island). The flight was more interesting and dramatic and flew into canyons to see waterfalls up close. The pilot narration was excellent. Lunch was on our own, dinner on Tauck, even the lobster! The afternoon was free. The grounds were beautifully landscaped. They had an interesting lagoon-like pool with a small sandy beach, lava rock edges, and two little islands. Upon closer inspection, however, it was a Disney-like creation. The small beach and sand area gave way to a regular pool bottom and the "lava rock" edges were artificial "lava" (cement?) boulders painted black.
These facilities are part of the Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands (PMRF) which is the world's largest instrumented multi-domain range. We stayed in an R&R cottage on this base in 2016.
The arch pictured below was location for the movie Pirates of the Carribbean
During the day these colorful parrots occupied perches around the hotel atrium.
Thanks for the running commentary. And really good pictures. Looks like you enjoyed the tour.
It was in September
Alan - Loved the pictures.
The only thing missing is some pictures from some of Hawaii's great golf courses (for us golfers). Had one of my best rounds ever at the the Plantation course of Kapalua on Maui. This is where they play the PGA tournament of champions tournament each year in January.
He's also missing pics of the GHM - the Grand Hawaiian Museum. Or has the opening been delayed again?
Alan - Great pictures and nice narrative. Looks like you had a good time.
My wife and I played a golf course when we did that Tauck Hawaii tour. Talk about expensive...
But it was a nice course. Here are a couple of pictures https://www.mikeandjudytravel.com/2020-1Hawaii-06.htm#Golf
[I forgot - we played one more course during that tour - https://www.mikeandjudytravel.com/2020-1Hawaii-04.htm#Golf But I only have a couple of pictures.]
Also, for AlanS - We had Heidi as the TD. From your description of your TD that's likely who you had.
Overall, that was a really enjoyable tour. I'd recommend it to anyone.
Mike - I've played the Mana Lani course captured in your second link. It is very picturesque. I believe there is one par 3 in which you must tee off across the ocean to the green. Those holes are always fun. We spent a week at the Mana Lani resort.
Here is one of the par 3s and the result of my tee shot.
Happy to hear you made it. Enjoy.
Yup, been back for a few weeks now! Better late than never!
Day 9, Tuesday, Sept 30
Our brief visit to Kauai ended early today with a 6:45 departure for Lihue Airport and flight to Maui.
After landing we boarded a bus for a short trip to see the 'ʻĪao Needle and nearby waterfall. (It was interesting but somewhat of a time killer) The 1200 foot tall volcanic pinnacle is a famous landmark known for its "unique" or symbolic (male)
shape and as the site of the historical Battle of Kepaniwai, a decisive battle fought there in 1790 where the forces of King Kamehameha I fought and defeated the Maui army, a key step in his campaign to unify the Hawaiian Islands.
Speaking of volcanic activity- as most of you know, the Hawaiian Islands were formed by volcanic activity but, you may not know they were formed over a tectonic plate "hot spot." The islands are slowly moving to the northwest and as they move farther from the hot spot a new island is formed. The Big Island is the youngest of the islands, but an even newer island is slowly forming at the site of a volcanic seamount southeast of Hawaii.
Next up was a guided visit to the Maui Ocean Center (small aquarium) and lunch (preselected choice) at the adjacent Seascape Restaurant. Following that we traveled southeast along the coast to an exclusive area of the island where hotel, the Fairmont Kea Lani, was located. All rooms were suites! From our balcony we had a beautiful view of the islands of Lanai and Kaho'olawe the tiny island (partial caldera open to the sea) of Molokini, a popular snorkeling and diving site. This area and further north between Maui and Lanai and Molokai is popular for whale watching In season December - April (peak: February and March)
Factoid: Larry Ellison, entrepreneur who co-founded the software company Oracle Corporation, owns about 98% of Lanai. He purchased the majority of the island, including its two resorts and golf courses, in 2012. The remaining 2% is owned by the state of Hawaii or individual homeowners.
Two notes about hotels on this tour. They were all excellent, especially the last three, however-
Except for the Royal Hawaiian in Waikiki, and to some degree, the hotel on Maui, the tour hotels on the other islands were not located in resort 'areas' so engaging in any off-site activity or dining could require significant travel.
Except for the Royal Hawaiian, hotels on other islands are all 'low rise' since Hawaii code restricts their height. To get enough rooms for anticipated guests, these hotels were built outward with multiple adjoining wings. What that means is you must be prepared for long hikes to the lobby, dining areas, pool, etc.
Dinner on Tauck tonight was in KO's or Nick's Fish Market. (in one tonight and the other the following night). Reservations were taken at an earlier time, like most dinners.
Day 10, Wednesday, Oct 1
Today was a day of leisure (yes, there was plenty of leisure time or time to do your own thing, on this tour!! With one exception, I'm not sure what we did, but whatever it was it wasn't picture-worthy. We did have one optional and interesting activity- we met Maui Artist and Sculptor Dale Zarella for a tour of his sculptures on the hotel lobby (mostly around the atrium). He had some incredible large samples of his work on display. He has worked on and sold commissions to quite a few rich and famous people. He is best known for his statue of Saint Damien of Molokai, created for the Damien and Marianne of Moloka'i Heritage Center in Waikiki. A second copy of the statue, done in bronze, was later presented to Pope Benedict XVI in commemoration of Father Damien's canonization. He was a very interesting person the talk to- check him out.
Day 11, Thursday, Oct 2
The best laid plans . . . Today we were supposed to ride to the top of the Haleakala volcano summit, but the government shutdown got in the way. Technically the park was 'supposed' to be open, but not the bathrooms nor visitor center, and there would be no Park Ranger. Since there was ample warning, our TD and Tauck HQ were prepared. (we had been to the summit before so were not disappointed)
Tauck substituted a very interesting visit to the Maui Gold Pineapple Company, one of the last operating pineapple plantations in the islands, located on the north slope of Mt. Haleakala. I am not a fan of most fruits, I rarely eat them, and have NEVER knowingly eaten pineapple- it would be the last thing I would eat if stranded on a desert island- I literally hate it. That being said, while on a short excursion into the fields, our docent sliced and offered us small samples of fresh Maui Gold pineapple. I was very hesitant to say the least, but gave it a taste. It was amazing, incredibly tender, juicy and sweet!, and nothing like any pineapple I had tasted before. Because of lower labor costs, most US pineapples are now imported, so to last longer during transit and in stores, they are often not ripe when picked and sold. However . . . unlike many fruits and vegetables, pineapples don’t ripen any further once they’re picked!!!! This small plantation barely survives on pineapple tour ticket sales, souvenir sales, pineapple sales to locals, tourists and limited exports. They also sell various by-products to a local brewery, candy makers, and farmers for cattle feed, etc. Nothing is wasted. We were each gifted a boxed pineapple to take home. By the way, it takes 18 - 24 months for a planted "crown" to grown into a pineapple that is ready to harvest.
Tonight we had a private luau with buffet, music, hula dancers, and a fire twirler.
The yellow color is artificially induced and not a reliable indication the pineapple is truly ripe!
Day 12, Friday, Oct 3
Homeward bound. Flights on smaller planes with standard 1C seats leave from Maui for the mainland, but to get to our destination on the East Coast, we would need to stop at LAX, SFO, etc. Instead, we booked a Hawaiian Air flight back to Honolulu where we caught a Delta flight with lay-flat seats in business class that took us non-stop to Atlanta. I picked the 'correct' (left) side of the aircraft to get parting shots of Honolulu, Waikiki, Diamond Head, and Mānana Is. ("rabbit Island) and Kāohikaipu Islet Seabird Sanctuary at the southeast end of Oahu.
A few parting remarks. This tour only provides a brief look at the Hawaiian Islands and its people. It may not be for folks who have been there before, unless, like us, you have a special attachment or a reason to go (or go back.) We honeymooned there 50 years ago and have visited two times since. At least five other couples on our tour were celebrating anniversaries!! - almost half of our small group of 26. The tour also gives a deeper dive into and appreciation for the Hawaiian culture, history, and some sites, than you might get otherwise. We truly enjoyed it. It has changed over the years, but we love Hawaii and it will always have a special spot in our hearts.
I know Heidi does this tour. We've had her for several tours and I used to correspond with her regularly, but this time we had Battina (she, of course, knows Heidi)
Amazing report Alan.
We went to a pineapple plantation near Waikiki years ago, I think it was owned by Dole. Has that gone?
We took a pineapple plantation tour in Costa Rica with Tauck years ago. And another one with another tour company. We never realized until then that when you buy a pineapple, it is picked ripe, refrigerated for transport. It should be firm, not necessarily yellow. They bruise and turn to mush easily when over handled. When you buy one, it should be from a refrigerated display and placed in the fridge at home, not on the countertop where it will start to go off and lose its sweet taste. The only grocery store I have found that displays them like this is Wholefoods. Anywhere else. I pick the coldest firm one in the pile. Since then, we’ve never had a sour pineapple.
My mom and her boyfriend did that tour with Tauck over 20 years ago and they loved it. Sounds like it hasn’t changed much. Next time go visit Larry on his island and play golf, but stay in at Sensei, it’s in the mountain part of the island and it’s lovely.
Nice review, one small comment the Grand Hyatt on Kauai is in a resort area and a 10 walk on the path will take you onto Poipu beach to see the turtles and other dining options! Next time!
We stayed at that hotel 26 years ago for our silver wedding anniversary. Do they still have the swans?
We spent an afternoon at Poipu in 2016 when we were staying in an MWR cottage at Barking Sands PMRF. It was one of the nicer public beach parks - with sandy beach, restrooms, semi-protected lagoon good for wading and swimming, looking for sea turtles, and watching really large monk seals sunning on the rocks from afar. But it is over a mile and nearly a 30 min. walk for me and my knees. The Grand Hyatt is a resort. When compared to Waikiki on Oahu or Lahaina or Kaanapali Beach on Maui, neither the town of Poipu nor the beach are what I would consider "resort areas."