Best of Hawaii: Oahu, Big Island and Maui

Program Registration: 3:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table in the lobby to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived.

At the hotel.

The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead as we begin to explore Hawaii from an insider’s perspective. This Road Scholar program is designed for students of lifelong learning who may be first-time visitors as well as those returning to a place they love. Please read the daily schedule carefully to understand what is included. There is a limited amount of free time so that we can cover as much as possible. If you have special interests that are not part of the Road Scholar program, we recommend making plans to arrive early and/or stay on after its conclusion. Road Scholar Travel Services can assist you in making such plans.

At the hotel.

Orientation: We'll review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles, responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We’ll learn from a series of local experts who will give lectures and lead field trips. Travel and transfers will be via bus, and/or van depending on local conditions and schedules at the time of the program. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/current conditions. In the event of changes, we’ll alert you as soon as possible. Mahalo for your understanding. Our field trip begins at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial Visitor Center where we’ll explore the museums, view a historical film, and take a boat ride across Pearl Harbor to the USS Arizona Memorial. The National Park Service reminds us, “Pearl Harbor was the home port for much of the Pacific Fleet and the surprise attack on December 7, 1941 drew the United States into World War II. A total of 2,390 American service members and civilians were killed that day.” Please note the National Park Service does not allow expert interpretation of the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. Our visit will be self-directed. Due to unprecedented demand, boat ride tickets to the USS Arizona Memorial are limited and not guaranteed in advance. A stand-by line is available for those without a ticket. If you would like a ticket in advance, you may purchase one directly on www.recreation.gov for $1. The group will arrive at Pearl Harbor at approximately 9 a.m. and depart Pearl Harbor by 12:00 p.m. If your ticket time is outside of those hours, you will need to coordinate your own transportation to and from Pearl Harbor.

At a local restaurant

We will be joined by members of the local community who will share the “Aloha Spirit” in a performance and enlighten us about its resonance in past and present life in Hawaii. Through Hawaiian music, hula, use of Hawaiian vocabulary, and an introduction to Hawaiian values and traditions, we’ll gain a better understanding of the foundations of Hawaiian culture and begin to understand what makes Hawaii unique and definitely not “just another tropical location.”

At a local restaurant.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

Our focus today will be how today’s Hawaiians are supporting their cultural and spiritual practices through environmental restoration and by breathing life into cultural practices that exemplify a lifestyle respectful of kanaka (people), aina (land), and kupuna (ancestors). We’ll learn about restoration of agricultural wetlands for the local community as we explore an agricultural farm and see cultivation of native plants and traditional foods such as taro. We’ll be joined by a local expert who will teach us about Hawaiian history and culture “post-contact” – since the arrival of Captain Cook and other Westerners. The discussion adds to the cultural context for our time in Hawaii and includes the growing importance of olelo Hawaii (Hawaiian language) as a carrier of Hawaiian culture, “Hawaiian world view,” and cultural pride. We’ll depart on bus to venture around Oahu along spectacular mountain and coastal roads with stunning views of the ocean and the lush forests of the Koolau volcano. This scenic route takes us by Diamond Head and other sights of interest.

Box lunches.

Our next field trip will take us to an ancient Hawaiian fishpond - one of the few remaining from what was once a plentiful resource. We will learn from a local expert about this technologically advanced form of aquaculture was unique to Hawaii. The pond's construction regulates both the flow and salinity of the water for optimum results.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. If you have something special in mind, we recommend making reservations in advance.

At leisure. Prepare for morning check-out and transfer for our flight to Hilo.

At the hotel.

We will have a morning check out and transfer via bus to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport for our flight to Hilo on Hawaii Island.

Lunch will be on your own either before heading to the airport or at the airport.

We will visit Rainbow falls and learn about the significance of the Wailuku River with our group leader. Later in the afternoon, we will be joined by a local volcanologist to learn about Hawaii's unique geological formation over a traditional Polynesian meal.

At a local eatery.

At the hotel.

We will have a docent-led visit to the Imiloa Astronomy Center, which is situated on nine verdant acres in the Science and Technology Park of the University of Hawaii at Hilo. We’ll focus on exploration of the planetarium and exhibition complex that links early Polynesian navigation history and knowledge of the night skies, today’s renaissance of Hawaiian culture and wayfinding, and contemporary developments in astronomy occurring on nearby Mauna Loa.

On your own to have what you like. You might also like to check out food choices at the Farmers Market.

We will regroup at an announced time and place and set out via bus for a field trip with a local expert to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. From the National Park Service: “Hawaii Volcanoes National Park displays the results of at least 70 million years of volcanism, migration, and evolution in the Hawaiian Island-Emperor Seamount chain — processes that thrust a bare land from the sea and clothed it with complex and unique ecosystems and a distinct human culture.”. We will make multiple stops, determined by the evolving conditions of this fascinating geologically active area.

At a local restaurant.

After dinner, we will ride back to our hotel in Hilo. Prepare for morning check-out and transfer for our flight to Maui.

At the hotel.

We will check out in the early morning and transfer via motorcoach to Hilo Airport for our flight to Maui. Upon arrival in Maui, we’ll hop aboard a bus for a visit to a local pineapple farm. Long associated with Hawaii, pineapple plantations used to be large and numerous throughout the islands, but for reasons we’ll share during the field trip, they are now almost entirely gone. With a local expert, we’ll see field operations first hand. We'll also learn about the growing cycle of pineapples and cultivation techniques. And we’ll taste fresh pineapple!

At a local restaurant.

We will embark on our field trip to Iao Valley State Park in Central Maui. A local expert will guide us on a paved path as we stroll through a botanical garden to a lookout point. We’ll learn of the historic significance of this valley which was the location of a significant battle – the 1790 Battle of Kepaniwai - in King Kamehameha I’s quest to unite the Hawaiian Islands. This lush valley also features one of Maui’s most photographed landmarks, the 1,200-foot Iao Needle. In the late afternoon, we will head to the hotel and check in.

On your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. If you have something special in mind, we recommend making reservations well in advance.

At leisure. You might like to take a walk along the beach, explore local galleries and restaurants, or seek out live music.

At hotel

We will learn from a local marine biologist about Hawaii’s unique marine life and ecosystem. We will also learn about various fishes we may see during tomorrow's snorkeling adventure.

On your own to enjoy what you like.

Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

We’ll enjoy a luau where the pua’a kalua (roasted pig) is taken out of the imu (underground oven) — the centerpiece of an elaborate, multi-course meal of traditional island fare with a variety of tropical and other beverages included.

We’ll enjoy live music as we dine, followed by a performance of music, song, and dance conjuring myths and stories from throughout Polynesia. The luau culminates with a spectacular fire-knife-dance finale.

Light continental breakfast aboard snorkel vessel

We'll depart the hotel via bus and join other passengers to embark on a boat-based snorkeling field trip and wild dolphin watch. Local naturalists will lead us as we explore a coral reef that is home to abundant fish and other marine life. Wild dolphins are often found year-round in these waters so we will be on the lookout for spinner, spotted, and bottlenose dolphins. From December-April, we’ll also look for the migratory humpback whales that visit each year.

Aboard the snorkel vessel.

Upon our return to the harbor, we'll have free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.

At the hotel. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

At leisure. Free evening to enjoy last night on Maui. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

Breakfast at hotel. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys. Aloha and a hui hou!