Lanai Itinerary - Day 1 - Information On Lanai Hawaii

This is the first day of your Lanai, Hawaii vacation and it's likely to be full of stress and general unpleasantness, or at least it will likely start off that way. The bottom line is that the actual traveling portion of a vacation isn't fun at all, regardless of the destination.

You'll probably start your day off with plenty of stress. Did you pack everything you're going to need? Is your flight on time or delayed? Will you get to the airport on time? And then there is the dreaded TSA. A marvel of engineering that seems destined to rain on your parade while simultaneously crushing your dreams.

Get through it all and now you've got a long flight in a tiny, uncomfortable seat on a loud airplane that's likely full of rude passengers who all like to sneeze without covering their mouths. Okay, maybe it won't be that bad but I'm probably not far off in most cases. No matter what, plane travel is stressful. Of course, if you're traveling to Lanai as part of a larger Hawaiian vacation and this is simply an island hop then it likely but won't nearly as bad but there's still a lot going on during this day of travel.

The Lanai Airport is too small to be stressful at least!

Once you land you'll claim your luggage, get ground transportation to the car rental place which isn't at Lana'i City Airport (LNY), and then get to your hotel. And yes, you want a rental car on Lanai. Oh, and that hotel room better be ready, clean, and exactly what you booked! Arghhhhh! Well, at least Lanai is such a tiny island with so few streets (and no stoplights!) that getting lost is very difficult.

Hulopo'e Bay Beach Park

Assuming you're staying at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay which is right by Hulopo'e Bay Beach Park, then go walk to that beach and enjoy it right away. Play in the water, read a book in the shade while listening to the ocean waves, or take a nap. Of course, be very careful in the sun and be sure to Protect Yourself From Sunburn & Skin Cancer. You do not want a bad sunburn but if you do get burned, be sure read Get Rid Of Sunburn.

If you're instead staying at the Four Seasons Resort Lana'i, The Lodge at Koele or it's just too late in the day for a beach trip then hop in the hotel's pool instead. If you're staying at the smaller Hotel Lana'i or one of the islands B&B's then a refreshing shower is the way to go. Cool off and just soak it all in. This island is all about slowing down so don't get yourself in a hurry today.

Kailani

When you're all relaxed and calmned down, start thinking about where you'll want to eat. Keep in mind that Lanai isn't exactly loaded with tons of restaurants like the other main islands. Click here to see a list of all Lanai restaurants.

If you're at the Four Seasons Resort Lana'i, The Lodge at Koele or Hotel Lana'i you'll have some options at your hotel and easy access to more in the tiny town center of Lanai City. If you're staying at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay you'll find a few dining options there or you can make the drive back up to Lanai City.

After dinner, go for a short walk around your hotel / resort area or along the beach. Watch a sunset if possible. When you've had enough just head back to your room and spend a little time unpacking and getting your stuff setup for the days ahead. This is the perfect time to unpack while you unwind.

Avoid staying up late on Day 1. If you've come here directly from the east (like the U.S. mainland) then your body already thinks it is several hours later because of the time zone change. So, if you've come from California (for example) your body will think it's 10:00 PM when it's actually only 7:00 PM in Hawaii (or 8PM depending on DST, see What Time Is It In Hawaii?). Don't fight the time, use this to your advantage to go to bed early as you'll want to get an easy, early start for Lanai Itinerary - Day 2. Of course, if you came from another island you're body is already on Hawaii time and you won't have this easy, early start advantage tomorrow.