Suggestions for extended stay? (Hilo, Kihei: sales, rentals, condos)

[whitelotus]

We are a retired couple with a small dog and are planning a 3-4 month winter stay somewhere in Hawaii.
We'd prefer not to have to rent a car so would like to have easy access to public transportation, the beach, sunshine, and grocery stores. The only island we have visited (several years ago) was Maui which we loved but can stay anywhere in the state. And we have a strong preference to stay on an island where East Coast commercial planes arrive (don't want to have to change planes once we arrive in Hawaii). We would appreciate your suggestions, thank you in advance!

[WaikikiBoy]

I think Oahu, and Waikiki in particular, best fits your description of a walkable area near a beach with easy access to a store and public transportation. To a lesser degree, maybe Kailua-Kona on the big island could work or Lahaina or Kihei on Maui might be workable.

But I think the biggest obstacle will be your dog and finding a short term rental (less than at least a 6 month lease) that accepts dogs.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Oahu.

The Big Island requires a car to get around, especially to good beaches.

Agree that finding a rental that accepts dogs and that will have availability in the winter will be hard. Sometimes you can contact a vacation rental owner directly and ask if they give a multi-week discount.

[kauailover]

On VRBO you can specify your search for pet friendly rentals. Come to Kauai, lots of dog owners here and nice walking path on the eastside near Kapaa. Lower cost long term rentals here too. County buses, close shopping too. Checkout 1bedroom rentals at Plantation Hale. Older 1 bedroom condos but well kept. Close to coconut market place, Long's, Safeway etc. etc.
Only 15 minutes from Lihue airport.

Goodluck, Aloha

[RosieSD]

Make sure you understand Hawaii's requirements for entering pets. You'll need to plan ahead.

Official state info on bringing pets to Hawaii for vacation: https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/ai/aqs/aqs-info/

Simpler basic information: https://thehawaiivacationguide.com/c...dog-to-hawaii/

[Futuremauian]

Originally Posted by whitelotus

We are a retired couple with a small dog and are planning a 3-4 month winter stay somewhere in Hawaii.
We'd prefer not to have to rent a car so would like to have easy access to public transportation, the beach, sunshine, and grocery stores. The only island we have visited (several years ago) was Maui which we loved but can stay anywhere in the state. And we have a strong preference to stay on an island where East Coast commercial planes arrive (don't want to have to change planes once we arrive in Hawaii). We would appreciate your suggestions, thank you in advance!

Your quest would be so much easier if you could leave your dog on the mainland with a trusted person. Otherwise, just getting the dog Hawaii-ready and finding a place that will accept pets will be an enormous undertaking. Perhaps you should consider Florida instead, since you are coming from the East Coast.

With that said, Oahu has the most direct flights and the best public transportation options.

[terracore]

As someone else mentioned, if you want to bring your dog to Hawaii next winter, you need to start jumping through the rabies loopholes NOW.

And if you are planning to bring your dog in the CABIN of the aircraft with you, last I checked the only airline that allows that with flights to Hawaii is Alaska Airlines. And be prepared that when the flight lands they will take your animal from you and transport it directly to the quarantine facility, where you can retrieve your animal in an hour or two if all the import paperwork checks out. If your flight arrives after they are closed, you will have to pick your pet up the following morning. I don't think Alaska has any direct flights to Hawaii from the east coast nor aircraft that could do it. Neighbor islands have a different, "direct release" program that I haven't used but if I recall it means you hiring a vet to meet the animal at the airline's cargo facility ($).

You can transport your pet interisland and LEAVING Hawaii in the cabin of Hawaiian Airlines, but not TO Hawaii. Most other airlines allow pets to be transported in the baggage/cargo holds of the aircraft, but the direct transport to the quarantine facility still applies.

Here's a website that helps owners find accommodations for their pets: https://www.bringfido.com/ Not an endorsement, I have never used them.

I think the only island with viable public transportation / walking is Oahu. My preference is to stay downtown. It's close enough to Waikiki to enjoy it but I get sick of Waikiki pretty quickly. Maui has possibilities too but without a car you'll be stuck to walking around Kihei or Lahaina or wherever you're staying and that will get old after a few days. Kauai and Kailua-Kona are probably worse and the East side of the big island walking to anywhere is going to limit you to Hilo and although public transportation is available it's unlikely you'll want to use it.

A better option might be to rent a car for a few days until you can buy a used car here to use for your visit. Chances are that after several months you could sell it for roughly the same as you bought it for. I would just make sure the registration and safety check doesn't expire until after your stay is complete, so you will only have to pay a $10 title transfer fee. I sold a Jeep to a traveling nurse who was going to stay here for four months, and I updated the safety check for her before she bought it so she wouldn't have to deal with it during her stay. I gave her a fair deal on the sales price, she very well may have sold it for more than what she paid for it after driving it for 4 months.

[RosieSD]

Another factor to consider when renting a temp vacation home: Most that do allow dogs specify that the dog can't be left alone in the house/condo. That means taking your pet with you everywhere, which might make relying on public transportation an issue.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by terracore

I think the only island with viable public transportation / walking is Oahu. My preference is to stay downtown. It's close enough to Waikiki to enjoy it but I get sick of Waikiki pretty quickly.

You'll soon have a new hotel option downtown - AC Hotel by Marriott is opening in the Remington College building Q1 2024