> about all I have it narrowed down to is "you'll really like Maui"
> "skip Honoloulou-you've got enough of that big city crap in Chicago,"
All I can say is Maui Nö Ka `Oi -- Maui is the best.. Yes, you probably
should skip Honolulu, although there's quite a bit on that island.
> We're both early 30-somethings, and pretty active. We've been to the
> Carribbean and Thailand in the past. Having the beach or water close
> at hand for snorkeling is a priority, and we will be looking to dive
> oh... say, 4 or 5 days over the course of our 2 weeks. I've got about
> 25 dives under my belt over the past 7 years and my SO was certified
> last year, so we won't be looking for adrenaline filled diving or
You can get great diving in Maui or Hawai'i (Big Island). Maybe anywhere.
>
>I wanna see the volcanoes, maybe some kayaking, maybe rent a
> car and drive around the island. And I think I'd like to pick up camp
> and move only once during the stay (so, I guess i'm looking for 2
> hotels, one in Maui somewhere, and one on another island..unless
> inter-island transport is too much of a pain).
It's a pain, but not excessively so. If you've never been to the state
before, 2 islands are probably worth the trouble. Personally, I'd pick Maui
and the Big Island. Totally different, but both still pretty Hawaiian (esp.
Big Island).
>
> We don't have money to burn by any stretch, but I'm also willing to
> pay to be in a place that's clean and not run down. I've got a mental
> idea of wanting to stay under $225 a night but I've also not looked
> enough to whether that's terribly realistic.
Really easy to find a nice place for that either island. You gotta look
around a little, but it's do-able. It's really easy to pay too much if
you're not careful.
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