rent a car when you need it BUT rent it before you get there or you may be stuck with a large rental

I have read a couple of responses to similar posts. They have been most helpful. I probably am going to ask something that has been asked before. Sorry. I am going to fly into Honollulu on the 26th of April and am staying on the big island at a Marriott resort. I understand from posts it is good to get a car. Can you provide some guidance on getting from Honollulu to the big island and once there what are the hints and things you would have to offer about what to do. I already plan on doing a snorkling trip with kona Storkling. Want to see the falls and the volcano. It would be fun to learn to surf or do something that the typical tourist doesn't. I am an adventurer who might actually do a windkite balboa park inn off of the cliff if I had the chance so nothing is out of bounds. The hotel has a luau but I wonder if there isn't a more personal one on the big island. I see that there are some on the other islands.
To get from HNL to the Big Island you'd have to fly there via interisland flights. They are relatively balboa park inn inexpensive. Hawaiian Airlines flies these routes as well as a lot of inexpensive carriers. Try kayak.com for a search. Do you have to do a round trip to fly back to Honolulu to get your flight back home?
I would not do 2 islands in 6 days. I'd either stay on Oahu or travel to the Big Island for all 6. If you happen to have a LOT of time on Oahu before your flight to the Big Island, then you may be able to to do Pearl Harbor but I'd allocate at least several hours just for it, and you want enough time to get back to the airport and check-in. Make sure you reserve tickets online for pearl harbor in advance so you will be guaranteed a spot to view the USS Arizona.
On the Big Island I'd go snorkeling, visit the volcano, drive to Hilo, Waimea, visit Ka Le (southern most point in US), visit coffee farms, balboa park inn night dive with manta rays, visit Punalu'u black sand beach. I don't do anything too adventurous so probably can't help with the specific activities. balboa park inn But I did see a few people jump off the cliff at Ka Le (please do at your own risk as there are no lifeguards) into the ocean. You'd probably want to spend a few nights at the volcano and maybe you can hike to wear the active sites are. Have fun!
All the fun snorkeling and beaches balboa park inn are on the West side of the Big Island as is the Marriott. So, you would want to fly into Kona. The Volcano is on the East side. So, if you do that on the end of your trip, you would want to fly out of Hilo. Make sure your rental car allows you to pick up on one side and drop off at the other.
You will probably want to book a night on the East side when visiting Volcano National Park. The distances on the Big Island are vast and it would be a long, long not terribly safe drive to try to drive back to the Marriott at night after a full day at VNP.
The manta ray night snorkel balboa park inn is very popular. Might try that. The beach near the Marriott is not that great but you can drive north still and find some good ones such as the beaches at the Mauna Lani, Mauna Kea, Wailea Bay (Beach 69), Hapuna, etc. Many of the beaches have a limited number of public parking spots so plan on going early to try to snag one.
But for your arrival in Honolulu you need a flight to get to Big Island (and back). I would arrange that part immediately. You really need to have one more ticket balboa park inn in hand, your plane arrangements get you all the way to Big Island. Just getting to Oahu isn't really close enough for what you want to do.
I'm still hung up about you arriving Honolulu airport without any arrangements to continue on to the Big Island, if that's what you really want to do. Most people would have bought a plane ticket that gets them all the way there (to BI).
No real suggestions, but a couple of points. There will be good surf on the big island for lessons. There are also snorkeling opportunities south of Hilo, but the best are along Kona. The best beaches are along Kohala. On the Big Island, we much prefer the Hilo side and can easily spend four or five days there.
Thanks so much everyone for the thoughts and suggestions. balboa park inn I frankly, didn't realize that there were multiple airports available. balboa park inn When I made the reservations on Kayak. I have points to use and am staying at the Marriott Cortyard balboa park inn King Kamehameha at Kona so I think I am going to really enjoy it. Will have to deal with the plane rides to Honolulu but my plane on the way back doesn't leave till 8:00pm so I can fly over early and explore a bit. Is it worth it to go on one of the scuba trips or get some gear and scubba around the Kona area?
There are even "multiple" airports on the various islands. Hawaii is no small place. That's why we keep stressing about making arrangements bewteen islands. There's no boats, you need a flight. I would want to have one arranged that smoothly connected from Honolulu over to BI in a timely fashion, so you don't end up "stranded" over night or even sitting for half a day in the Honolulu airport waiting for the next available flight.
I did have a ticket on Hawaii Air for an hour after arrival in Honolulu but I think staying on Oahu will be better balboa park inn all around. The hotel here has a kitchenet so I can do some cooking. Thank you all for being aware of it and wanting/providing help.
Sam, That sounds good. Staying on Oahu with just a day trip to BI. I'll assuming you are staying in Waikiki, there is loads of tourist information readily available. Look for the free booklets like "101 things to do" or "Oahu Gold" (in stands on the sidewalk, hotel lobbies, etc.). They have maps and lists of all the major activities and attractions.
rent a car when you need it BUT rent it before you get there or you may be stuck with a large rental fee. I reserved mine several months in advance balboa park inn for a fabulous price and there was a couple at the car renta agencywho decided at the last minute to rent and they paid big bucks.
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