Hawaii in October - First time!

With 6 days think one island. Don’t waste the time in transit to visit two. It’s hard enough to get into the aloha spirit in that short of time as it is. You did not mention nightlife, luxury hotels so I’m going to recommend Kauai, and specifically the Poipu Beach area. We have been staying at the Kiahuna Plantation condominiums for many, many years. They are on the largest beach in Kauai. The units are mostly one bedroom, a few two bedroom. I am suggesting a condo as dining in Hawaii is really expensive. We tend to eat a large breakfast in the condo, snacks and happy hour in the afternoon, going out for dinner. Kauai is the garden isle. It is lush with many opportunities for hiking, small towns to explore, snorkeling galore. Feel free to PM me for more specifics.

Pick just one island. Any island. Six days is not enough time to do 2.

Lodging recommendations is dependent on how many people and what your budget is.

I have always done a condo. I find having a drink in hand, at the bbq at sunset with a steak or fish grilling is a perfect end to the day.

Aloha

Lived on Maui for three years and have been to all the main islands several times, plus Molokai. You can relax and snorkel on any if the islands, but Maui is No Kai Oi!

Agree with other posters, stick with one island for your time frame.

We went to Oahu and Kauai in October. Kauai had horrible traffic congestion wherever we went. It was not fun except for the coffee plantation. Our resort’s beach was full of plastic pollution that washed onto the shore.
I’d suggest Oahu if you like WW2 history and the north shore beaches are good. It’s been years since we visited Maui but I’ve heard it’s still fun and the beaches are good.

Any traffic congestion on Kauai is usually in Kapaa, a notable choke point that most repeat travelers avoid and, currentely, on the east side northward due to storms last summer which washed out roads and bridges, still under repair. Been going for 20+ years and have never seen beach pollution to the extent the previous poster described. I’d like to know what beaches had that. I doubt it was Poipu. And while the coffee plantation is fun to visit, if you really like coffee you won’t enjoy the product. They grow low quality beans which are used elsewhere as filler. When visiting we stick with Starbucks and Peet’s, available at Costco.

Alan - How is the snorkeling on Kauai? Is there good snorkeling from the beach(es) or do you need to go out on a boat?

We snorkel mostly on the South Shore where you can snorkel from the beach. Poipu and Brenneckes are walkable for us so we default there. Still walkable, but longer is Lawai Beach also known as Beach House Beach as that is the name of the restaurant at one end. The fish there can be quite numerous and we have seen many turtles as well. Great snorkeling can be found ion the north shore as well, but I’m not sure of accessibility after the big storm last summer. Here is a link to the spots near Poipu: https://poipubeach.org/blog/snorkeling-in-poipu

Good advice from alan regarding Kauai. The traffic cited by a previous poster was no doubt in or near Kapaa, which is notorious for its traffic jams . Better to stay in our near Poipu and avoid the east side as much as you can. The prevailing trade winds make the Kapaa side the "wet" side, and the beaches will be much more windblown and prone to the accumulation of whatever flotsam is blowing in that day.
A hidden gem of a snorkeling spot (and a hidden gem in general) is Mahaulupu, located at the end of a dirt road just past the Hyatt Hotel. There's protected snorkeling along a very pretty little reef, and you can roam over several hundred acres of undeveloped beachfront - some really nice seascapes there.
Anyone who has lived in Hawaii for any length of time will tell you that the "real Hawaii" lives out on one of the neighbor islands ... ie not Oahu unless you just really, really need to see the Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head and Waikiki. If you're goal is to just chill out and enjoy a more relaxed ambiance (and less traffic) then head to any one of the outer Islands. Kauai is a good choice, as would be the Big Island of Hawaii. The best snorkeling in the state is on the Kona side (west side) there - featuring warm, calm waters with lots of critters, especially Honaunau Bay near the City of Refuge. There's lots to see on the BI, which is larger than the rest of the Hawaiian chain combined.

If you go to Kauai, and if your budget allows a splurge, be sure to take a helicopter ride over the island. The views of the valleys, incredible waterfalls, and the Napali coast are absolutely breath-taking from the air. I wish we'd had more time, as it would have been interesting to go along the coast in a boat, too.

hey jpolishook
stay on one island, 6 days will wet your whistle to go back to another island. i was born and raised on the big island. everyone has their favorite and they each offer something different. going south is pahoa near the volcano eruption and upper side in volcano national park which may be closed due to lava flow damage. the hilo side is old style from plantation days, lush and green, we call the rainy side, waterfalls, farmers market, some beaches along hilo bay and further down keaukaha. going north along hamakua coast, tropical garden along scenic route, wide open land, more waterfalls, bridges crossing across gulches, closed sugar plantations, a train museum, cliffs along the coast, small towns, honokaa "home of the malasada" (portuguese donut), waipio valley "hiking", cowboy country, ranches/farms, produce, great view of mauna kea mountain (sometimes it snows), parker ranch, up the mountain road to kohala, original king kamehameha statue, pololu vaaley lookout "you can hike down and up", "fluminkohala.com, come down the coast "hot and dry" to beaches along west side to south kona. (kawaihae, mauna kea beach, puako.
hapuna. A-Bay, kailua bay, white sands, kahaluu, kealakekua "captain cook", city of refuge) south kohala has hotels/condos, grocery store in waikoloa and mauna lani. get a map of big island, lovebigisland.com, shows you snorkling, beaches, other interesting facts. that's why we say "Big Island Mo' Bettah" any other questions ask. hope this helps, puts alot on your plate.
aloha

everyone has their favorite and they each offer something different

The first part of the statement is arguable--- I am still trying to decide on a 'favorite', ......so the 'research' continues

The 2nd half of the statement has my full support and agreement

Short trip for sure...one island .... I'd pick Maui - better snorkeling than Kauai hands down. Some descent hiking not as good as Big Island, which would be my second choice as it has the best snorkeling but 6 days would be tough on such a BIG island. We travel to Hawaii a couple times a year have visited all the 4 main islands a several times each. We have taken many a first timer and I think Maui is the best for first timers. I'd stay in West Maui in October.
IF you pick Kauai, please note that there are big changes on the North Shore due to the significant flooding that occurred earlier this year. It will be a while before it all gets sorted out up there. I am not a fan of South Shore so I won't comment more on that. Kauai has good hiking - crummy snorkeling.
If Big island is your pick stay on the Kohala Coast (not the Kona coast) for the best snorkeling and least VOG, but you probably won't get to see the volcano given recent events. But depending on your dates you could have issues with the IronMan competition.
October could be quite hot if the trades aren't blowing so find a condo with AC at least in the bedrooms

For such a short first time trip - Maui!

Well, I'm partial to the Big Island and agree with a lot of the suggestions by Princess Pupule and Donna. You could make a very nice visit by including Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hamakua Coast and the sleepy town of Hilo for the Saturday farmers' market. Love swimming at Richardson's Beach Park - just east of Hilo. It is a lovely black sand beach and is a wonderful spot for a picnic. Pick up some loco moco or plate lunches for "grinds on the beach."

Lived here from 1985-1996... many fond memories.

Linda

EDIT: The Volcanoes NP is currently closed and probably won't be open for some time. Still, I feel the Big Island has so much to offer.

Yes, the lava flows have impacted life on the Big Island. My daughter and I cried when we saw Pohoiki and Kapoho ponds destroyed recently. Some would say that new land is being created.... but we sure will miss Kapoho... Give the Big Island your touring dollars, that is my 2 cents.