Harmony Show Choir Hawaiian Tour 2019 - Day One

SUGGESTED ITINERARY AS OF

OCTOBER 18, 2018

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7

4:00 AM Arrive at Philadelphia Airport 

We suggest you arrive at least 2 ½ hours prior to flight time.

Transportation to/from the airport not included in BRT package

Upon arrival Begin check-in process and head through security.  EVERYONE needs to bring a picture ID along with their ticket. Anyone 18 yrs. and older will need a government issued id.  Keep them handy throughout check-in and security processing.  

6:00 AM Depart from Philadelphia for Houston on United Flt. 2113

8:45 AM Arrive in Houston; switch planes

9:40 AM Depart for Honolulu on United Flt. 253

1:13 PM Arrive in Honolulu, HA

Upon arrival Receive a fresh flower lei greeting in the baggage claim area after arriving in Honolulu

PM Load motor coach; depart for the *BRAND-NEW Queen Kapiolani Hotel

3:00 PM Check-in; get settled 

these photos are from the Queen Kapiolani Hotel

The view from the hotel

5:00 PM Depart for Hilton Hawaiian Village

Enjoy the evening to explore on your own 

PM Dinner on your own (traveler cost)

 Some thoughts and Insights on our First Day of Tour

Traveling from Phl to HNL is a long trip. The island of Hawaii is 6,000 miles away. Six hours will be flown over the Pacific. The flights that we have now are ideal because it breaks the trip up into some doable segments.  The last trip to Hawaii, we flew 3 hours to Chicago and then 10 hours straight to  HNL.  this trip breaks it up pretty well with a 6-hour segment and 8-hour segment for our 13-hour trip. Yes, we get to the airport at 4 am but we have a good 10 hours or so to sleep on the plane and sleep you should because when we get to Hawaii it will be 1:13 pm in the afternoon and we still have a full day to put in.

Tip:  Even though it will be a full day of travel and your body clock will tell you it is bedtime, try like crazy to stay awake at least until 9 or 10 pm once in Hawaii. The jet lag is not bad going from East to 

West. Here is the thing: Even if you go to bed at 9 or 10 pm (Hawaiian Time) your body will get you up at  5 am. It will take a few days to get settled into Hawaiian time. What this means is that you will be up very early in the morning and ready for bed by 10 am. Trust me, this is perfect. everything in Hawaii happens early. Hardly anything is open after 10 pm in Waikiki. It is a great schedule if you can get yourself in bed by 10 pm and up at 6 am. Everything happens in the day.  The sunsets each night at 7 pm. People watch the sunset, have a cocktail, take a stroll and then off to bed by 10 pm.

We will probably be staying at the Queen Kapiolani Hotel on the Diamond Head side of Waikiki.  It is an older hotel with a lot of old world charm, a great location, and stunning views. It is a one-half block from the beach and directly across the street from the Zoo, Aquarium, and Kapiolani Park. When you find yourself up early the first morning, it is a great place to take a stroll in the park or along the beach.

I have asked our travel agent, Stacy, to try to get us into the Hilton Hawaiian Village.  It is a long shot and I only think it is possible because, on my first trip to Hawaii, I booked a budget tour and got a room in the Hilton Hawaiian Village. This is the place where they are always filming Hawaii 5-0. It is the most tropical resort in Waikiki and the rooms generally are about $300 and up, per nite-- but hey-- it doesn't hurt to ask.

Even if we don't stay there, everyone should see it. The Hilton truly is a village, much like Disney's Aulani. There are shops, restaurants, take-out places, entertainment, pools, a beautiful lagoon, surfing, outrigger canoe rides, boat rides, just about everything. It is a great place to stay, and if we cannot stay, it is a great place to start our trip. 

It is a 30-minute walk from the Queen Kapiolani Hotel. If you are not up to walking, we will have a bus to take us and take us back to our hotel.

I suggest that you bring your bathing suit and go for a swim there. it has great pools, a lagoon, and one of the nicest beaches on the island. People often swim till 7 -8 pm (the water is warm and the sun is not as intense). Then something to drink, some food, and head back to the hotel. Trust me- you will have no problem falling asleep.

Everyone will automatically wake up around 5 AM --- we will talk about that in the next post.