HGVClub Hilton Hawaiian Village

On this trip we took my mother-in-law to Hawaii for her 70th birthday. It was a lifelong wish of hers to visit the Hawaiian Islands.

We have stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village three times since 1995 when we went there for our honeymoon. Every time we go to Hawaii, we include a stay at this resort on our trip and visit another island while we are there.

The resort is in my opinion a world first-class and I always enjoy being back at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

The people there are very friendly and there are many shops and restaurants to choose from at the resort. The resort is located on famous Waikiki and is the only resort on Waikiki. The food at their buffet is the best in the world with many fresh fruits and a must-try is the fresh pineapple. You have not tasted fresh pineapple unless you've eaten it on Hawaii.

We stayed in the Kalia tower, which is part of the Hilton Grand Vacations Club, and as an owner of any of their properties, you'll have access to their resorts on the Hawaiian Islands, which is a BIG plus as it's easier to get a reservation there.

The breakfast buffet at the Rainbow Lanai is expensive, but worth the money. They have a wide selection of food including fresh fruit and juices as well as the traditional breakfast items and custom made omelettes. The buffet also includes some Japanese breakfast items to please the many Japanese tourists visiting the Hawaiian Islands.

The dinner buffet at the Rainbow Lanai is excellent too.

When visiting Hawaii, walk into a McDonald's and get a Pineapple Pie, a local specialty. No matter where you travel, you'll find local specialties at McDonald's. Also don't forget the SPAM breakfast meal.

The hike up Diamond Head is for sure something you want to do and you'll have absolutely stunning views of the island of Oahu and the city of Honolulu. Even if you are an inexperienced hiker, it is worth doing the hike, but make sure to do it slowly and take water with you as you WILL need it.

They have a helicopter available to rescue people who get in trouble once they get on top of Diamond Head Crater, which when I made the climb they had to use, because an elderly man suffered a heart attack while reaching the top. BE CAREFUL!!!

A visit to Hanauma Bay has to be included in your Oahu visit. Once a spot only accessible to the Hawaiian royal family, it is the prime spot to find fish and turtles while snorkeling.

The Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is one of the world's most unique natural environments.

Within the Hawaiian Islands is a volcanic crater that the Pacific surf opened to the sea, creating Hanauma Bay. The volcano's floor is now a living reef.

Both local residents and visitors from all over the world come to Hanauma Bay to observe hundreds of species of fish and other marine organisms in their natural environment. Over the years, Hanauma Bay has become such a popular place to observe Hawaii's marine life that the Preserve is visited by thousands of people daily.

This constant and intense visitation threatens the environmental and ecological balance of the bay and its marine life. To help protect Hanauma Bay, a group of concerned citizens formed a nonprofit organization, the Friends of Hanauma Bay.