LastMinuteGuide.com

“- with Hawaii it seems to be love at first sight. Those for whom the islands were made, or who were made for the islands, are swept off their feet in the first moments of meeting, embraced and are embraced.” –Jack London

Hawaii, as tourist bureaus and Hollywood constantly remind us, is ‘paradise.’ Push past the hype and what do you find? Darned if they’re not right. Hawaii is hiking sculpted cliffs or diving coral-reef cities in the afternoon and drinking mai tais to slack-key guitar at sunset. It’s slurping chin-dripping papayas with hibiscus flowers in your hair; it’s Pacific Rim cuisine, fiery volcanoes and cavorting whales. By serendipity and design (and popular consensus), Hawaii is an almost flawless destination. It’s an enchanting multicultural society whose roots lie in Polynesia, Asia, North America and Europe, and it’s an expression of nature at its most luscious and divine.

Hawaii is a dream destination for many people from around the world. Millions come here each year to enjoy a vacation in paradise; others make Hawaii their permanent home. There are six main islands – Oahu, Kauai, Maui, the Big Island of Hawaii, Molokai and Lanai. All of them are different and they represent the beauty of Hawaii in a unique and unforgettable way.

Hawaii has it all – from tropical blue lagoons, white-sand beaches, beautiful waterfalls, lush rainforests and serene mountains, to active volcanoes and even snow (believe it or not!). In Hawaii you can experience nature, quaint villages, city life and superb shopping. Dive into the turquoise ocean and into the rich culture of the islands. The possibilities are endless and with all that you’ll discover on these precious islands, you’ll find that one vacation is not enough.

Hawaii activities range from land and air tours, nightly entertainment shows, surfing, snorkeling and museums to enjoying the best cuisines of the East and West and so much more. Don’t forget to visit a luau go to a Pearl Harbor tour, or to a Hawaii Volcano Tour, which is a must-do for every visitor to Hawaii. If you plan to move on the islands, check out our real estate and moving to Hawaii pages. This Hawaii guide and web portal has been created for you by people who know every inch of Hawaii and who want to share the Aloha with the rest of the world. On these pages, you will find useful information and tips about the Hawaiian Islands and we truly believe that To-Hawaii.com, or also known as DaHawaiiWebsite.com, will answer all your questions about everything you always wanted to know about Hawaii.

Get in

By plane

Most flights from the mainland US and almost all international flights land in Honolulu on the island of Oahu. Direct service from the mainland is also available to Kahului on Maui, Kona on the Big Island, and Lihue on Kauai as well.

Depending on the airline, nonstop flights to Honolulu leave from most major gateway airports on the West Coast (as well as some smaller ones), as well as many major airports in the Midwest and East Coast. The flight from Los Angeles or San Francisco takes about 5 hours, comparable to a flight between the West and East Coasts. Thus, a flight from New York can take about 10.5 hours.

Jetstar  is a budget Australian airline that recently started connecting Honolulu to several cities in Australia at very reasonable prices.

By boat

While the days where everyone arrived in Hawaii by boat are long gone, there are limited numbers of trans-Pacific cruises to Hawaii that leave from ports on the West Coast. However, one fascinating way to experience Hawaii is by taking a cruise ship between the islands

The Grand Canyon, Sedona’s famed red rocks, Flagstaff’s forested mountains, Lake Powell’s blue waters and Monument Valley’s sandstone spires are some of the natural wonders that await you in Northern Arizona.

Enigmatic landscapes that captivate the imagination and capture the soul are found throughout this singular landscape. Here, the mile-deep Grand Canyon slashes its colorful course across 277 miles, the cobalt-blue waters of Lake Powell mark a stunning contrast against the sandstone shoreline, and the flourishing forests of the San Francisco Peaks seem to reach to the sky.

In addition to beautiful scenery, Northern Arizona also offers the excitement of traveling the “Mother Road”, Route 66, the opportunity to explore Native American cultures, interesting local artwork and delicious regional cuisine.

The Mother Road - Route 66

There was a slower, simpler time before the Interstate picked up the pace of today. Route 66 was the Main Street of America. Arizona is home to the longest original stretch of this road, which is one of 25 scenic byways in Arizona, and much of it is still preserved by the locals who lived it.

If you are lucky, you may run into a couple who still live and work on the road and can tell you a story or two. History and nostalgia lie along the way on this classic road trip. So get your kitsch on Route 66.

Canyons and Monuments Adventure

You have read about it, heard about it and dreamed about it, now experience Northern Arizona and some of its most famous attributes - from the Grand Canyon to the Navajo Nation. You’ll encounter unusual and majestic landscapes, many of which Native Americans believe to be sacred. You will hike, raft and take advantage of photo opportunities unlike anywhere else in the world, so do not forget your camera.

However many times you visit, New York is sure to move you. Its mesmerising appeal comes in different forms from other world-class cities: the lights that hold back the night, the zany characters on the streets, the neck-wrenching buildings and the exhilarating pace. A tranquil moment in New York is undoubtedly fleeting but it is this endless, inexhaustible energy that makes the city inimitable.

In no other city is more top-notch culture, architecture, food, entertainment, excitement and glamour caught within the confines of a net-like grid of streets. Perhaps the reason that New York is so frenetic is that visitors and locals simply feel there’s not enough time to sample everything that this extraordinary city has to offer.

New York City is one of the global centers of international finance, politics, communications, film, music, fashion, and culture, and is among the world’s most important and influential cities. It is home to many world-class museums, art galleries, and theatres. Many of the world’s largest corporations have their headquarters here. The headquarters of the United Nations is in New York and most countries have a consulate here. This city’s influence on the globe - and all its inhabitants - is hard to overstate, as decisions made within its boundaries often have impacts and ramifications literally across the world.

Immigrants (and their descendants) from over 180 countries live here, making it one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. Travelers are attracted to New York City for its culture, energy and cosmopolitanism.

Get in

By plane

John F. Kennedy International Airport

Many international airlines fly into JFK and it is a major international hub for Delta Airlines (Terminals 2 and 3) and American Airlines (Terminal 8). Air France (Terminal 1), Lufthansa (Terminal 1), British Airways (Terminal 7), and Virgin Atlantic (Terminal 4) each provide several flights daily into JFK. JetBlue, a large low-cost carrier in the US, occupies Terminal 5. A free AirTrain connects the terminals. Always make sure you know which terminal your flight arrives at or departs from.

Newark Liberty International Airport, 1-800-EWR-INFO, (IATA: EWR) is located to the west of the city in Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey. The airport has three terminals labeled A, B, C. Terminal C is the home of Continental Airlines which has a major hub at Newark. Most other international airlines use Terminal B while domestic flights are from Terminal A but there are exceptions, so check your terminal before you head for the airport.

LaGuardia Airport (IATA: LGA)  is a smaller, older airport providing many of the domestic services for the city including the shuttles to Boston and Washington, D.C.. The Marine Air Terminal, currently the terminal used by Delta Airlines for shuttle services to Washington D.C. and Boston, is one of the oldest, still-in-use, airport terminals in the world. LaGuardia is conveniently located for getting to and from the city and is well connected by public transport.

By train

Amtrak

Amtrak, 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245), operates from New York Penn Station, which is directly under Madison Square Garden, its largest hub in Amtrak’s east-coast system, with dozens of arrivals and departures daily. Amtrak’s Acela express train provides regular fast commuter service between major points on the east coast from Washington, D.C. up to Boston, with stops at Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Haven, and Providence. Direct Amtrak services are available to points along the East Coast down to Florida; to points between New York and Chicago (including Pittsburgh, and Cleveland); to New York State (including Albany, Rochester, Buffalo and Niagara Falls); and to Toronto and Montreal in Canada. Service to California (three days) requires a change of train in Chicago. Popular trains leaving near rush hours can fill up quickly: it’s a good idea to make reservations online, or via phone, and pick up your ticket at one of the electronic kiosks.

By bus

New York Airport Service (NYAS) is the only authorized scheduled bus service from the NY airports to Manhattan. It offer economical scheduled service to and from Manhattan (Penn Station, Port Authority, Grand Central Terminal), JFK and LGA Airports and Midtown Hotels.

Greyhound is the largest and oldest private bus company in the US, and operates its east-coast hub out of Manhattan’s Port Authority Bus Terminal . Recently Peter Pan Bus Company has come to dominate bus travel from New York to Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, coordinating some schedules with Greyhound, while competing vigorously against Greyhound on many routes. The terminal operates on a 24-hour schedule, with regular departures to practically every city in the country, as well as to Toronto and Montreal, Canada. Big cities like Boston, DC, Chicago and LA will have multiple departures daily—smaller cities may only have one or two, so be sure to check the schedules in advance! Remember that distances in the USA are large and you could be on the bus a long time—a very long time.

Super cheap buses

A cheaper group of bus companies, some of them known as the “Chinatown Bus”, go to Boston, Washington, Philadelphia and a few other destinations, usually picking up and dropping off passengers in ethnic Chinese neighborhoods (though in Boston the buses stop at the main bus station). Fares listed are one-way unless otherwise noted:

Chinatown Buses

• The Fung Wah Bus , granddaddy of all Chinatown buses, with service to and from Boston at the corner of Canal and Bowery streets. $15. Departures: hourly M-Th 7AM-10PM, F-Su 7AM-11PM (4.5 hrs).
• The Lucky Star, competitor to Fung Wah.
• The Boston Deluxe , connecting New York with Boston and Hartford. $15.
• The Today’s Bus and Apex Bus service Washington D.C. ($20), Philadelphia ($10-12/20 round trip), Richmond ($40) and Atlanta ($105).