Exploring 4 Hawai'ian Islands by Cruise & Car

We flew into Honolulu, Oahu, two days early and rented a car at the airport.

On the first day, we went to the Polynesian Cultural Center. We purchased our tickets before leaving home. They have a wonderful Hawai'ian luau show at night called the "HĀ: Breath of Life Show." The show was amazing and showcased the culture of Hawai'i.

We drove along the coast to reach the PCC. Oahu has the famous Waikiki beaches, and the Laniakea Beach on Oahu’s south shore has sea turtles sunbathing on shore. You are able to get up close to them, but you cannot touch them. They are tracked and protected green turtles.

On the second day, we went to Pearl Harbor, which was a trip highlight for us. We also purchased tickets ahead of time as the Arizona Memorial can sell out. The memorial was amazing to experience and learn about. Seeing the memorial is an emotional experience and hard to describe.

You can stop at the famous Shrimp Shack for lunch. Or, for another treat, stop at a 7-Eleven for the local favorite: musubi, a spam and rice sandwich that will actually knock your socks off. The rest of the day we drove around following the Shaka app on the North Shore tour. We stopped to see several wonderful sites and enjoyed Dole whip at the Dole Plantation.

We returned our rental car to the airport and took an Uber to the cruise port to embark on the Pride of America. We have been on several Norwegian Cruises and knew this one would not be the same as the others—because it is in the US, laws say that the crew must be 80 percent American, so the service is not the same. We considered it a floating hotel for us as we wanted to see as much of the Hawai'ian islands as we could on our budget. The port stays are very long and two overnight stays are included, so the entertainment on the ship is limited. We unpacked and had dinner after a long day on Oahu.

We got up early and went off to the airport to rent a car and start to explore Maui. After the fires, Maui is quite different from when we were there, so I am not sure how Front Street looks today.

I would definitely go and see the serene Lahaina Banyan Tree and follow the Shaka app as you drive the road around Maui. We stopped to watch surfers in the water and walk along the beach in many places. We went to the Sheraton Hotel and sat on the beach to watch the sunset cliff divers off of the Black Rock. We chose not to do the Road to Hana based on reviews of it being a one-lane road and a long drive to the town of Hana. We drove to the top of Haleakala National Park during the day and actually walked on the crater. You can get a ticket ahead of time online to drive up at 3 am for the sunrise and stop at the Komodo Store bakery on the way back to town.

Where to eat dinner

Mama’s Fish House: Get reservations months in advance! Our reservations were at night and we wish they were around sunset as the area and grounds are breathtaking. We were just glad to get to eat there. The fish was so fresh and the drinks were great, too.

We hiked and drove up Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, which was a bit curvy! It was cooler at the top and the view was amazing, as you could see several areas of steam coming up from the surface. It was like your school science books coming to life.

We walked on the black sand beach. Most beaches are small around Hawaii with way too many to see in one trip. We saw breathtaking waterfalls at Rainbow Falls, a stop on the driving tour. The weather was perfect for us to see a rainbow over the beautiful falls.

Sadly, weather did not permit us to go to Kona, so we had a sea day.

We were up early and off to the airport to get a rental car. We drove to the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, Waimea National Park, which also offers hikes. We then continued and drove to the Spouting Horn, which was such a fun spot—it was crazy how the water spouts up over and over again.

The following day, the Pride of America sailed along the Nā Pali Coast while a local guide told everyone the history of the area. It was one of the most beautiful places to see.