Adventure travel has always been our style and we go to Kauai for that. Hanalei Bay has the best beach and hiking Waimea Canyon, especially the swamp that has a boardwalk trail right through the middle is an experience of a lifetime.

For a short cheap getaway (3 day), Oahu can be alot of fun. There are some great tour package deals going on now.

@JSprague – have a great trip and tell us about your trip and things you did when you get back!

Oahu-
-Don’t limit yourself to Waikiki. I compare Waikiki to NYC with a beach, and, while nice, honestly wasn’t all that impressed having been to beaches in places such as Puerto Rico, Jamaica, St. Barts, Anguilla & St. Maarten before.
-The real beauty of Oahu can be found by traveling around the island. If you get the chance, rent a car, take a tour, or find a way to the following beaches:
–Waiamea Bay. This is a must. With a large beach, crystal-clear water, and good snorkeling opportunities, it’s incredible and DID pick up the title of my favorite beach, though it lost that personal title 45 minutes later to…
–Hanauma Bay, which is a must, as pdlakhani said. I somehow picked up a flu bug the last time we were there & didn’t really get to stay, but I’ve never seen anything like it & have it at the top of my list for this trip. What’s better is that it’s only a few miles away from Waikiki and Honolulu.
-The USS Missouri is impressive, especially if you’re into anything to do with war or military history. You could also check out the Pacific Aviation Museum and/or the Bowfin while there (all tours originate from Pearl Harbor).
-Rent a car and do a lap around the island. You can make a fun day trip of seeing the scenery. We started through Honolulu, went North to Dole Plantation, up to the beaches known for their surfing, then South along the Eastern side of the island to your choice of beaches (Waiamea and Hanauma were our stops). This could be done in reverse, as well.
-Go to the Punchbowl, which is the U.S. Military’s Pacific cemetery. It’s carved inside an extinct volcano, features tile displays showing all the Pacific battles in WWII, and provides great views of Honolulu from the highest point of the cemetery.

Oahu – Make sure you visit hanauma bay. It is very scenic and probably one of the best snorkeling out there.