(21 Reviews)
100% Recommended

Kimberly Brownlee

Kansas City, MO

Family & Romance Travel Specialist

 

My favorite memories are traveling with family, a legacy I have striven to pass on to my own sons, helping them learn about the world by exploring it. One of my greatest joys is helping families craft vacations that leave a lasting impres...
Learn more about me.

 

My favorite memories are traveling with family, a legacy I have striven to pass on to my own sons, helping them learn about the world by exploring it. One of my greatest joys is helping families craft vacations that leave a lasting impression for  generations to come. 

What sets me apart is my genuine love for couples & families and the memories that they are making. The experiences of my travelers are of paramount importance. I live vicariously through your travel, and I want it to be the most memorable time of your life. 

I pride myself on keeping up-to-date with the most current trainings possible for my suppliers. I have certifications from all of my preferred suppliers and destinations, and I have a lifetime of global travel experience that allows me to craft unique, personal vacations using the connections and relationships I have with hospitality professionals in my specialty destinations.

As I have grown older, I have increasingly embraced living life to the fullest. As a someone intensely invested in family, helping others to plan their adventures and helping them to live their lives to the fullest fills my heart. Next Adventure Vacations was born out of my love for travel, family, and making memories.

I believe that time invested in a well-designed vacation – whether couples, groups, family, or solo – is an investment in your relationships, your legacy, and your quality of life.

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Kimberly Brownlee

Can Be Reached At

1-816-866-8883

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O'ahu Destination Specialist

I LOVE a Hawaiian Lei Greeting!

Whether you’re spending your entire Hawaiian vacation on Oahu or catching a flight to another island, Honolulu International is likely your first stop.

Fun Facts about Oahu:

• O’ahu is the third largest and most populous island.


• Average temperatures range from 74° F to 88 F° with moderate humidity of 53 percent during the day.


• The state capital, Honolulu, is located on Oahu’s southeast coast.


• Honolulu International Airport (HNL) was featured in the old and new Hawaii Five-O TV series, Snakes on a Plane (2006), and Godzilla (2014).


• In Hawaiian, Honolulu means, “sheltered bay” or “calm port.”


• Waikiki Beach in Honolulu is one of Hawaii’s most popular tourist destinations.


• The attack on O’ahu’s Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, pushed the U.S. into the global war.


• Four years later, on September 2, 1945, Japan signed its unconditional surrender on the USS Battleship Missouri, which rests in Pearl Harbor today.


• In 1959, Hawaii became the 50th U.S. state. 

Getting to Oahu

The Honolulu International Airport (HNL) is on the island’s south coast. Currently, 27 international and domestic carriers, 3 inter-island airlines, and 4 commuter airlines use the airport.

• Fun Fact: One of the airport’s runways, known as the Reef Runway, was the world’s first major runway constructed offshore. It was a designated alternate landing site for NASA’s space shuttle program.

Getting Around Oahu

Public Transportation: Visitors have access to all ground transportation services at Honolulu International Airport. The airport is about 10 miles from Waikiki and 6 miles from downtown Honolulu. Oahu’s public transportation is the City & County of Honolulu’s excellent bus system, TheBus. Access is on the airport’s second level.

• If a bus transfer is needed, it should be requested when the fare is paid.


• Exact change is compulsory.


• Monthly bus passes are available.


• Senior citizens and riders with disabilities qualify for discounted fares.

The open-air Waikiki Trolley is fun way to get around inside the city. One, four, and seven-day passes are available and can be purchased online. Tram-style shuttles pick up passengers around Waikiki Beach to take them to the expansive Ala Moana Center.

• Pro Tip: Traffic in the city is very congested. I recommend using public transit or a tour until a trip outside the city is planned.

Accommodation

Most travelers to Hawaii find accommodation in the Waikiki District. The rest of the island is less touched by tourism with only a few resorts and B&B on the Windward Coast and the North Shore.

Attractions

North Shore:

North Shore beaches are renowned for towering surf that attracts surfing professionals and spectators. Big wave season is from November through February. 

• The legendary Waimea Bay, along with other famous spots including Ehukai Beach (Banzai Pipeline), Sunset Beach, and Haleiwa Beach host renowned surf competitions.

Waimea Valley is a tropical park with birds, hiking trails, pools, waterfalls, and entertainment programs of hula and cliff diving. The grounds include more than 2,500 tropical plants and trees and several ancient Hawaiian sites. Guided and self-guided walking tours are available, as well as horseback riding, kayaking, and mountain biking.

The Turtle Bay Resort is the North Shore’s only large hotel – the setting for the short-lived TV series North Shore. A few condos and house rentals are available.

The town of Haleiwa on the North Shore has a casual rural character marked by a wide variety of surf and sports shops offering everything from custom-made surfboards to mountain bikes and wet suits. The town has boutiques, art galleries, and places where tourists can eat and cool off.

Windward Coast:

The windward coast on the east side of Oahu is the wetter and more lush part of the island, with secluded beaches, quiet villages, and one of the Pacific’s largest Marine Corps bases. 

South Shore / Honolulu:

The South Shore includes Hawaii’s capital and business center Honolulu and its resort district of Waikiki. Although the City and County of Honolulu encompasses the entire island, “Honolulu” in conversation usually refers to the urban center.

The city is home to Foster Botanical Garden, Liliuokalani Botanical Garden, and Walker Estate. Waikiki is for many visitors a destination complete in itself. Waikiki Beach is Hawaii’s best-known beach, remarkable for its festive atmosphere.

Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor is Hawaii’s largest natural harbor, a World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, and the only U.S. Naval Base to be designated a National Historical Landmark. Much of the harbor and surrounding land is part of the base, the headquarters of the Pacific Fleet. In 2010, the Navy and the Air Force merged their two bases: Pearl Harbor joined with Hickam Air Force Base to create Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Pearl Harbor honors the December 7, 1941, history-changing event with several sites.

There is so much more to O'ahu than can fit here - contact Kimberly to talk about your visit to the island of O'ahu today!