10 Mistakes When Planning a Trip to Hawaii

There are a lot more than 10 mistakes when booking a trip to Hawaii! Share your mistake in the comments! We have a lot of great ones already. See our itineraries to prevent you from making a mistake: thehawaiivacationguide.com/be...
We’ve made these Hawaii trip planning mistakes so you don’t need to for your Hawaii vacation. Knowing these 10 Hawaii trip planning mistakes may save your vacation, or just be good info to know. Thanks for watching!
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10 Hawaii Travel Mistakes
00:00 Intro
01:03 1. Don’t Forget This
02:09 2. Fees
03:17 3. No Doing This Early
04:32 4. Not Respecting The…
05:39 Get Wet Store!
06:44 5. Too Many Islands
07:51 6. A Good Visitor
08:50 7. When to Dress Warm
09:35 8. Not Understanding the Weather
10:41 9. Not All the Same
12:10 10. Not Trying…
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[@dorkyvonmunchmunch9912]

Biggest mistake I made was on our second trip to Maui. Do not plan TOO many activities that will take up a bunch of "windshield time". Do enough activities to make it worthwhile but be sure to enjoy the relaxing island vibe. Too much driving is less time for relaxing.

[@H..M..]

My wife is incapable of planning a relaxed vacation. She *thinks* she is planning a relaxed vacation, and then we end up with 2 activities a day every day. Last time we went to Maui, I made her not schedule anything half the days, and that worked out perfectly. One day, we just played at the beach and got lunch at Okazuya Deli. That was all. It was the best day of the vacation.

[@kendawg8085]

Biggest you tourist make is doing research on seasons locations and places that are off limits I’m a Hawaiian who lives here for 41 years and I seen so many tourists 1 week to a month vacation become a nightmare because they no listen

[@cjcab3158]

This was my big mistake when I traveled to the big island. Sure I got to see and do plenty but I did not feel relaxed at all always on the rush to the next thing.

[@carment1000]

Sunrises. Whale watching. Relax. No crowds. No noisy. Peace and nature. Lighthouse. Our resort is 99 a week. 😅. No parking. 38 a day. No way.

[@carment1000]

I book tours a month before. Relax. No rush.

[@jjdrama]

I'm a concierge on the big island and the top two mistakes I see guests make are over scheduling themselves, and not leaving time to travel to the sites they want to visit. When people have three days of tours booked in a row, why are you staying at a luxury resort with a resort fee? When they ask to see a waterfall or the volcano, but are unwilling to drive 1.5 to 2 hours one way from the Leeward side...it's a big island, it takes time to reach the tropical side. The happiest travelers enjoy the resort and nearby beaches for 2/3 of their time, and execute a well planned daytrip, manta tour, our scenic drive for the other 1/3.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

That’s great advice from someone with lots of experience. Thanks for sharing.

[@msliz1029]

THIS. We did the self guided tours Shaka guide and beach day, resort days, volcano day, and a Hilo day…it was perfect.

[@akamano5]

..FYI...on the Big Island.. it is a long hard drive all the way around from the Kona side..be careful and try not to drive at night..there is not to much to see in Hilo but a good place to stop for a rest..

[@komandagleby_GB]

@@akamano5 I have seen Kamehameha stone there, a Farmer's market, and nearby beaches with turtles... vegetation is rich and beautiful around. The main roads are extremely well-marked for night driving.

[@angiebear8727]

Ty❤

[@kdickinson8224]

Our biggest mistake on our last trip was underestimating the power of the ocean. My husband took my two kids (10 and 7 years old) out with a boogie board. They were quickly swept out and could not get back to shore. Thankfully a kind man with a surfboard jumped into the water and rescued them one by one as I stood helplessly on shore watching. It was terrifying! We’ve been to Hawaii several times before on vacations and haven’t had any problems. I think it gave us a false sense of security. Lesson learned for sure.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

thanks for sharing you lesson learned! It is a powerful ocean.

[@user-xs7dw8et6j]

They should give every arriving tourist an ocean safety guide. There are way too many sad stories where it didn't turn out so well

[@RyanRosario]

@@user-xs7dw8et6j Last time I went was 2017 and Hawaiian Airlines had a video that played about 20 minutes before landing, but you had to already be watching the screen.

[@matthewbeasley7765]

I'm a frequent world traveler. My advice on the jet lag is to pre-adjust yourself. You want maximum productivity (or relaxation time) away. If you start 3-5 days beforehand on the destination time you can greatly reduce the acclimation time.

[@SmallParadiseKona]

Good timp! I have trouble adjusting, but I figured out that I can make up for it by taking lots of little naps, and eventually I even out.

[@dahheelerboy]

One mistake is not borrowing a shelter dog to take on adventure with you! We meet people all the time that miss their pup while visiting Hawaii. If you look into doggy day trips at the local shelters you can help out a pup and get some dog time in :)

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

That’s a lovely tip. There is a pit bull shelter in Waihe’e, Maui that looks for support.

[@911eVoX]

Bro we aint taking care of your dog

[@kristynabradley4587]

@911eVoX Well, nobody asked YOU to lol. It's an idea if people don't mind helping a dog in the shelter is all. Lol

[@kanenomoja]

What a cool idea!

[@kgirl182]

@dahheelerboy Are there any specific shelters that are still doing this as of August 2023? Thanks!

[@melissah2990]

We just came back from our first trip to Maui and the family itinerary made our trip! I cannot say thank you enough for all of your content, but I would have missed so much and wasted so much time without that itinerary! Thank you for helping make our first Hawaii trip incredible! We will be back 🏝️

[@jf1890]

Thanks for helping to educate tourist visiting Hawaii - It is so important right now. Locals get upset when tourists don't act properly or with no respect. Mahalo!

[@marvelousmaria92]

When I went to Oahu recently, I rented a car but didn’t even use it much so it was a waste of money to me. Parking spots are very limited too. So we walked everywhere around Honolulu and it was so fun. The tour buses and guides were great for us first timers to explore the scenic spots and beaches when you don’t know where to start.

[@jordantrehy23]

Heading over for the first time in April from Australia. Gathering lots of info from your guys videos. Thank you 🥰

[@allene2307]

The timing of this video is perfect! This is the weekend I'm finally, finally, finally going to book my trip! I've spent quite a bit of time doing the planning (perhaps overthinking a few things), but now it's time to actually make reservations and commit! I can't tell you how much you've helped me in this process!!! (And yes, that includes your itinerary for Hawaii.) I'm still a bit terrified of doing something wrong in terms of planning, but with all your help, I don't think I'll do things too wrong. Thank you!!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

You’re ready! Make those bookings. We also put it off at times, like our next trip needs activities booked!

[@anne8511]

This is a great video! You nailed it! I love that you mentioned taking care of the islands. Malama the aina. I think you would be doing the islands a great service if you did a video on aloha, treating the island and its inhabitants with respect and sunscreen. You have a lot of followers and although people mean well sometimes they don’t know so you have a great platform to help out. Your videos are refreshing and full of great information. Mahalo!

[@TropicalDestinationsChannel]

When I was in Maui in 2018, I did parasailing, a helicopter tour & finally a Lula. This was out of my comfort zone; but now I am glad I did it. Try something new on your vacation. You will not regret it. Aloha 🌴😎🤟

[@stevenmeade9531]

These are all amazing tips. My wife and I got back from our honeymoon in Maui about three months ago. From the moment she said “yes” to my proposal, I started researching various honeymoon destinations. A month later, after watching a few of your videos, we decided on Maui-the activities and vibes from your videos matched what we wanted our honeymoon to be like-particularly the overnight trip to Hana (we love a good road trip!). I then sorted through all of your videos and watched everything related to Maui in great detail-multiple times! I think 90% of our honeymoon activities and restaurants came from suggestions in your videos. I’m sure you hear it all of the time, but THANK YOU, thank you, thank you! You guys have amazing and wonderful suggestions! I don’t think our honeymoon would have been half as memorable without so many amazing suggestions! Now, for what we learned… a mistake to avoid. Take some time to relax! We were coming from the east coast, so to get the most out of our visit to Maui, we took the earliest flight out of Savannah to Maui and the latest flight back home. In all, we had 7 full days, a half day after arriving, and a half day before leaving. Because we thought this would be a once-in-a-lifetime trip, I crammed many of the amazing things your videos have covered into our visit. I didn’t want to regret missing something amazing. Sunrise on Haleakala, a day and a half roadtrip to Hana (with highlights at Twin Falls, Wai’anapanapa State Park, and the Pipiwai Trail), sunrise snorkeling at Molikini Crater, a sunset dinner cruise, a luau at the Feast at Lele, checking out the shops in historical Lahaina, farm tours (pineapple, coconut, chocolate), a special dinner at Mama’s Fishhouse, a doors off helicopter tour with Air Maui, lunch at Duke’s Beach House, shakes at the Burger Shack, seeing the Nakalele Blowhole up close, jumping off of Black Rock, ziplining at Kapalua Ziplines, visited beautiful Kepaniwai Park, had a Mai Tai at Monkeypod, used the GyPSy Guide app across the entire island (it was a lot of fun and very informative)… oh goodness, there’s even more, but those were the highlights! I even built in a “makeup” day in case weather forced us to reschedule or if we wanted to do something we didn’t account for. I spent the better part of 6 months planning everything-researched AirBnBs/hotels and car rentals (we went through Turo), made reservations for everything (as suggested), and used Google Maps to calculate drive times between activities and meals to ensure we had enough time to commute to everything. And in the end, we did a LOT, and we had an amazing, memorable time. But with everything we did, I think we forgot to relax! Quite frankly, I’m surprised we were able to fit in as much as we did. Luckily, the weather was very cooperative-barely a drop of rain, even on the Road to Hana. We have since vowed to come back to Maui (maybe as a major anniversary trip) and make it a bit more relaxing. We want to visit Kauai too (that was our runner-up honeymoon destination), so I’ll have to take my own advice when we visit that island. So our lesson-a mistake to avoid-is don’t over-do it. Relax. Soak in the Hawaiian vibes. If you want to do as much as possible, plan a longer trip. If you can’t afford a long trip just yet in your life, plan to come back (like an anniversary trip). There’s too much to see and do in a short visit. I’m glad that I was able to convince my wife to stay more than 5 nights, but even 8 nights wasn’t enough. I blame you guys-your videos are far too informative-you make everything look too enticing! LOL Thank you Erica and Jordan for your amazing work!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Steven, congrats on the epic honeymoon! We’ll done on the planning and execution. What a trip and glad to hear everything went well. I’m glad we could help and enjoy more videos for that anniversary trip!!

[@Maggy776]

Congratulations! Headed to Maui in Aug. Did you use Air bnb? Or what advice do you have about accommodations? Thank

[@princesskkay221]

my fiancé and i are planning our honeymoon now and we’re also choosing hawaii. we’re lucky to be able to do 14 days so we decided on 7 days on o’ahu and then a 7 day cruise to visit all the other islands. hawaii has always been our bucket list vacation and since we’re coming from the east coast as well idk if we’ll ever get to go back so my plan is to use the days we’re in o’ahu as our relaxation days since we have a full 7 days there so we have time to just chill and then the more activity driven part of our trip will be the cruise portion, we are going to be up early for the road to hana but luckily the ship overnights in maui so we won’t have to rush through it. i felt like doing 1/2 on land and 1/2 by cruise is a good way to get the most out of our trip bc we might never be able to make it back again

[@stevenmeade9531]

@@Maggy776 I did use AirBnB. I did a lot of research, compared prices, compared amenities and other nice-to-haves (was it oceanfront, did it have air conditioning, was there a washer and dryer, etc.), and I think my biggest lesson that I learned (or wished I had known when I was planning) was to book a place closest to where you are planning most of your activities. I had no regrets about the place I chose... It was an amazing price, the hosts were very accommodating, it was beautifully decorated with island decor... But it was in south Kihei, and while that is a pretty nice area (very close to the ritzy resort area of Wailea without the resort prices), we spent over half of our time on the northwest coast (up around Lahaina, Ka'anapali, and Kapalua), so we wasted a lot of time driving. I knew we would be all over the island, and I thought Kihei would be a good compromise. Ma'alaea might have been the most centrally located place, but it seemed like a very quiet town, and other than a sunset dinner cruise, we had no plans there. We had a sunrise snorkel adventure out to Molikini Crater, snorkeling around Turtle Town, and some dining around the Wailea area, but we were far busier on the northwest side of the island. We had a luau, several farm tours, zip lining, and many lunch and dinner plans all on the northwest coast, so we should have stayed up there. We went in late October when travel is usually the lightest, and we still spent about 30 minutes driving one way from south Kihei to Ka'anapali. The only other piece of advice... Book your dining at least a month out. We used OpenTable to book tables at oceanfront restaurants around sunset almost every night, and it never got old! It's so beautiful! Many of the places The Hawaiian Vacation Guide recommends are on OpenTable. We saw a lot of people putting their names on the waiting list for tables, and we walked right up and got great tables with great views at amazing restaurants. A bit of planning goes a long way!

[@bman99ss]

My wife and I generally spend about half of our Hawaiian vacations relaxing (we're currently on our third trip this year). Since we're both in our sixties, we need recovery time after our excursions. We know that whatever we miss out on during a given trip can be done instead on the next trip (living in L.A. is convenient for hopping over to the islands).

[@jasminepedroza4315]

Definitely take advantage of the jet lag, we were visiting family on Oahu last year for an event so there wasn’t much time for sightseeing but our Airbnb was on the beach so I was able to get in the water and enjoy the sunset every morning before the kids got up. Especially when traveling with family, make time to take in the quiet moments.

[@pacset2]

Awesome, thanks. I'm planning for this August. Great info and fly-fishing the flats

[@wesd2671]

My biggest “watch out”advice for friends, be careful of sunburn on the first couple of days in Hawaii. You’re at the equator and burning is a lot easier than wherever you just came from so get sun gradually. Wear a hat and a coverup

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

That’s a great one! Folks don’t realize they are in the tropics. Local residents wear a lot of sun protective clothing.

[@kobelaflame]

Thanks for the weather tip!! That helps a lot

[@jamesmay9955]

Love you guys!! We went to the Big Island in April last year and it was a great trip. Your recommendations for beaches and local cuisine was spot on. Hapuna is still one of my favorite beaches of all time. I am super thankful for all you do!!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

That is wonderful to hear James! I'm glad your Big Island trip was a success. Thanks for the comment!

[@TheKarver79]

We are coming from the east coast in august leaving at 6:30AM landing in Maui at 12:00. We had the same idea you did and we booked our sunrise tour for the next morning since we will be on east coast time. We did Alaska this past August, jet lag is no joke folks. Good video great tips guys…..thanks

[@toddf7582]

I think a mistake is to underestimate how long it takes to get from place to place. Most of the roads are 2 lane, and can back up. Plan for that so you’re not feeling rushed and anxious! The first time I went up Haleakala, it was rainy/sleet and cloudy. The next time I went up, I almost didn’t go because of the clouds - but did. It was clear above the clouds and amazing. And 2 weeks ago, got to do the night time manta ray snorkel - it was amazing. :)

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Thanks for sharing Todd!

[@sophiebaillargeon6478]

Where did u that night tour?

[@majikdivaa6199]

Beautiful couple , nice , humble and normal ....Thankx for all the tips.

[@billhobartclairvoyantmedium]

GREAT VIDEO! One of the best yet since I’ve been watching from the beginning. You guys keep it up! ❤🙏❤️

[@julienordlie698]

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE your itinerary guide. I planned my whole trip to Maui with it and plan to use it while I'm there. Thanks again.!!!!!!!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Thanks so much for grabbing one and for the review. Have a wonderful trip!!

[@marthazuniga82]

We just got back from our first trip to Maui and your itinerary and tips were a time saver! When we arrived we had a good sense of how to get around the area and where to go. We had an incredible time and are looking forward to returning. Thank you!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

that is wonderful to hear! Thanks for sharing your review. We hope you can come back to explore some more.

[@janzurovec9048]

So my husband and I thought we could just grab a boogie board and hop in the water in Waikiki like we saw all the little kids doing. We both almost drowned and we both had to be rescued. The gentleman that pulled me out said he had been pulled out from the exact same spot 20 years earlier!! Treat the water, the waves, the ocean with the utmost respect!!

[@revivewithbhavana]

You are blessed & glad you learned from the experience! I totally agree to respect the nature having lived on beautiful Kauai for 6 yrs. A longer time resident taught me in my first weeks here to be mindful of the ocean. I listened and enjoy the beauty often from the shore, or close to it, knowing how the ocean can take you under in minutes. Aloha

[@andreaislandgirl720]

I love Hawai'i, and I have been there maybe 8 times in the last 10 years and have learned some things along the way to help my experience. I usually go between 2-4 weeks and divide my time between two islands. I've learned to check if where I'm staying has laundry facilities because that will cut down on how much clothing I need to bring. I also like to buy coffee over there, mostly from the Big Island, so I always go there last. I don't want to lug extra weight around any more than necessary. I also don't have to worry about going over budget on coffee and not being able to enjoy activities on another island.

[@pattijepson-snyder5642]

Continue to love watching your Hawaii video’s!! Learned so much. Also, love reading your newsletters!! Going to order the Maui and Oahu Itineraries soon!! Finally, going in May!! Mahalo for your knowledgeable information!! 🤙🏼

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Congrats! Enjoy the vacation in May! Thanks for being a newsletter subscriber!!!

[@msliz1029]

One mistake people do is not taking WATER SHOES! I saw so many people get into the water and some get cut on the lava rock. We took ours and even then I have a big scar from lava rock “kiss” 😂

[@walkietalkietraveller2932]

sounds like a very useful tip. thanks, Ms Liz :)

[@allene2307]

Although I had a few things I wish I would have planned/organized better, the biggest mistake I made was waiting so long to come to Hawaii!! I wish I would've done this earlier in life.

[@tonymurray2398]

You two are awesome! We are arriving the first week of June with the kids, planning on staying in Maui/Kauai,I just purchased two itineraries Thursday thank goodness! So helpful

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Have a great trip and thanks for grabbing our itineraries!!

[@rickwest2818]

We were on Hawaii back in May of 22. We crossed the Saddle road and saw a car flipped upside down off the side of the road. Nobody was in it so it had been there a little while. I wondered how that happened. A few days later, we were on our way back to Kona from Volcanoes National Park via Hilo, so we crossed the Saddle road again. All of a sudden a wave of extreme sleepiness came over me and it was a genuine struggle. I thought of the overturned car and had a pretty good idea how it happened. Jet lag can affect you for many days so be very careful about being out late.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Wow, good story. Thanks for sharing. And a good point. Parents wake up early with their kids and then stay up late to enjoy hawaii. It makes for an exhausting trip at times.

[@obijuankenobi420]

Thats cursed land....nothing to do with being tired.

[@rickwest2818]

@@obijuankenobi420 spent the day walking at volcanoes. It was around 11:00 pm, and I'm from MI, which means it was 5am. Yeah, I was tired.

[@HG-os3dy]

Your video made my day! So informative and adorable 😘

[@soccer0928]

You guys are the best! Thank you 😊

[@kristenplatt1434]

Associated with jet lag coming from EST - we made dinner reservations for a "normal" time - 7:00pm or so - but we were consistently so tired we couldn't enjoy our carefully chosen restaurants. Anyway, had an amazing trip to Maui last May using many of your recommendations and hope to make another trip someday!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

thanks for sharing! I hope you can come back to Hawaii soon!

[@Nachiwiz-bh5rw]

I just visited Big Island for the first time and Hawaii in general and I fell in love And the think I learned is aloha Aina The love for this Land and what Hawaii can give you during your visit

[@ranceysparks]

Just got back from Oahu and watched a ton of your videos while planning. Thank you!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Thanks for watching Rancey! I'm glad you had a good trip!

[@saranyabiswas2057]

All the tips are golden !

[@randallraines1]

Can't get enough of your awesome videos, addicted to your song choices lately for the intros, but nostalgic for the old intro🙂 Our latest mistake was: Besides underestimating the need for warm clothes on Haleakala, we also underestimated the need for Dramamine and that drive🤢but, we survived, and made it, still 100% worth it. Tackling it again soon with hoodies/blankets/dramamine/bags, and less mess😬.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Thanks for sharing the tips. Motion sickness medicine the night before is clutch for many. I like to mix it up with the music but great to hear you like our theme song, I’ll bring it back.

[@michelleheisler6813]

Just got home last week 😢 6th trip 2 islands only so far . Can’t wait to go back . Great tips!

[@Tylerbolen]

Notification gang. HVG always releasing bangers

[@CalistaHo]

My friend and I went to Maui last year -- all thanks to your family's tips and tricks! We just booked a trip to Kauai for April. Can't wait!!!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Thanks! Enjoy your next Hawaii adventure!!

[@Kiki-Kauai]

Hi calista. Just saw your message and wanted to offer any help from someone who has lived on Kauai for nearly 20 years but traveled to Hawaii some 40 times prior. I then worked in tourism for over 10 years. So I have a pretty good perspective. Not sure how much you know of Kauai, but it’s nothing like Maui. I don’t get in the ocean here as I’m not a strong swimmer and unless in an area with a lifeguard, no one should get in the ocean here in my opinion. Anyway, enjoy the island! Aloha!

[@jrxxiv2851]

I’m surprising my wife with a trip over from Florida for our late honeymoon/anniversary. jet lag will more than likely hit us but we’ve been watching all your videos and just can’t wait to come visit. Mahalo for making these videos.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Have a wonderful anniversary/honeymoon to Hawaii! That is a big trip from Florida. I’m glad our videos are helping.

[@faceheadstudios]

Jet lag is a huuuuugggge advantage. Honestly it helps you get out and enjoy everything while tons of others chill in their resort or condo. One thing in our many trips to the Islands is that we have packed less and less. We are generally in a few bathing suits, maybe something nice for a luau or dinner. Anything else, if we need it...we can find it there. The benefit of Hawaii, though it might be a bit more expensive...they have everything there that you have at home, and some things even better like tons of reef safe sunscreen, beach toys, towels etc. Many times if you are doing an Airbnb, they have all that stuff at the condo or house. Another thing is recognize what type of vacationer you are. Many people love the resort life, shopping and eating with a bit of beach time. Others want to be out all day, hiking, snorkeling, biking, sightseeing etc. Each Island kind of lends it's self to the kind of vacationer you are. Kauai more outdoorsy and adventure as well as very tropical. Oahu Tropical, but alot more amenities, shows, cultural things, shopping, city type life. Maui, a good mix of the two, shopping, dining, adventure. A lot drier in major areas than you'd think...other than the Mountains, Iao Valley and the Road to Hana. I have yet to do the Big Island, but realize it's very big, so more driving...but every climate zone you can think of is there. Volcanos and newer reef is there as well. Love Hawaii....it's my favorite spot. I just got back from the Yucatan, Cancun, and Cozumel...and it was amazing. Stuff there I don't get in Hawaii...but I never felt relaxed, never quite got the Island vibe. Hawaii is till my spot.

[@joshprygon3423]

great content. I am planning a first time ever trip and have found your channel very helpful. Keep up the good work!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

I'm glad you found us! See our Start Here playlist for a concise place to start.

[@sylviachacon4152]

If trying to save a little money, meal plan as much as possible and hit Costco in Maui for the meals you've all decided to make. It truly saved us tons with snacks. Saved the dinner for local dives.

[@Yourverygoodsis]

That itinerary guide looks awesome !!! Definitely need to purchase this before my trip🙌🙌🙌

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Folks love them! Have a wonderful trip and thanks for watching!!

[@brantk81]

Love your videos!

[@brendamclean8447]

Awesome video guys! And as usual, cutest baby on the planet❤

[@baq8680]

Great video! Looking forward to our trip to Oahu in April this year!!!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

have a great trip in April!

[@kathleenabela702]

Watching this while traveling back from our first trip to Maui. Your videos and blog helped so much with planning. Thanks! Biggest mistake was try to save money on a rental car by reserving an older model “well maintained “ car from Aloha Rental. We were afraid it would fall apart. They gave us our money back though and we were able to get one from Hertz. If you plan on doing more than just chilling on the beach near your hotel you will do a lot of driving so it matters. Also I had a pretty balanced itinerary planned but we sadly had a lot of rain and mostly poor snorkeling conditions. We had to rearrange some plans to make things work better with the weather so I advise flexibility while planning. My husband lost his mask in the surf when trying to exit where there was a 5 foot shore break. Save snorkeling for calm waters! All in all it was a great trip though.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

thanks for sharing after your trip! Yes, the weather has been horrible over the past two weeks. I'm glad you made it out of the surf okay and had a flexible itinerary. well done.

[@phylander1]

Planning our 1st Hawaiin trip now! Definitely going to purchase some itineraries.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

have a wonderful first trip! Enjoy those itineraries and thanks for subscribing!

[@tracifreeberg6460]

My hubby and I watched your videos before planning our trip last September and ended up booking The Road to Hana, was so fun! We also stayed on Maui and took a day trip to Ohau for Pearl Harbor! Our last night we did the Luau and had the best time. Thanks for all your information, we enjoyed watching.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

that sounds like a wonderful trip! I'm glad we could help. thanks for watching!

[@Kurlyk7041]

Which luau did you do? Going to Oahu and Maui in August and need to choose one luau experience. Thanks in advance!

[@TheDb2000rn]

Parking at beaches can be painful, so start your day early - thinking you can have a sit-down breakfast and hit the road at 10 am and drive to the beach will not be beneficial, besides, you may have to pay for parking and you may have to try and retry a beach. My favorite is 69 Beach Big Island, early morning or around lunch - great for snorkeling and swimming - quiet black sand beach.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Thanks for the thoughtful tips!

[@HerAvenue]

I love the star tour at Maui, it was definitely cold 🥶

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

The temp drops fast when stargazing! thanks for sharing!

[@emericklamontagne3652]

Great tutorial! Helpful Hawaiian words as far as correct pronunciation goes: HONO lulu, not HANA lulu. Hana is a very beautiful town on the island of Maui.....The 4 string instrument, (Ukulele) pronounced, OOH KOO Leh Leh, not You-Kah-Lel-Lee. This instrument was introduced to Hawaii by the very first wave of Portuguese immigrants in 1878. This word means, Jumping Flea, because of the fast fingering movements upon the fret board and plucking of the strings when played. Original Portuguese name for this instrument, Braguinha......Factoids: You know them as Flip Flops, in Hawaii we call them Slippers....Hawaii and Arizona the only two states with no daylight savings time.....Hawaii and Utah, the only two states with no form of legalized gambling not even lottery tickets.....Hawaii Five-O, Five-O meaning the 50th State and not just the detectives call numbers......Motorcycle enthusiasts, no helmet laws in Hawaii......In our many local restaurants, Saimin is actually Ramen, but in Hawaii we call it Saimin.....And please, do not turn your back on ocean waves, heed lifeguard warning signs, watch for rip currents, and the occasional sharks, especially around Maui waters. Sadly, the highest percentage of drownings are tourists related. BE CAREFUL! And most of all, Mahalo (thanks) for supporting our number one economy, the Visitor Industry. Visitors like yourselves are helping to keep our economy strong. So while here, please spend spend spend!..........Aloooooooooha!

[@user-wh8gs8jy4k]

Take dramamine before you go on a boat ride, even if you don't normally get motion sickness. We went to dive with the mantarays. The ocean was a bit rough that night and it was 20min. super bouncy ride. My wife got really sea sick and felt bad for 2 days.

[@sfc5774]

Or Bonine for motion sickness. Doesn’t make you groggy and works great!

[@vernasmith1108]

I'm planning my very first trip to Oahu. Looking forward to it

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

have a great trip! see our start here playlist or visit our website for planning help!

[@joerampley1562]

One of your best videos.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

we appreciate that! it was fun to make.

[@kevinlisabigmackattack1825]

My wife and I love you videos, will be in Maui in a week.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

have a wonderful trip to Maui! thanks for watching

[@markriggs4024]

Thank You!!!!

[@cherylahia8982]

We are planning our March anniversary trip to Oahu and the Big Island. I know kinda late, but couldn’t be helped. Thank you for this list. I hadn’t thought about the jet lag being an advantage! Also got your big island guide WOW! So impressed with the detail. We will be on the big island probably 8 days, so this guide will be gold to us.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Thanks for grabbing our Big Island itinerary! I’m glad you like it. Have a wonderful anniversary to Hawai’i!

[@vickyhachey9240]

I am heading to Oahu in March this year as well! Happy Traveling.

[@SmallParadiseKona]

Not covering up from the sun; or not protecting their children from the sun. Hats hats hats, people! You need a hat. I worked in a tourist shop in Kona; that's my #1 tip for enjoying your trip. Avoid the burn!

[@Yourverygoodsis]

Great video ❤

[@ja-lj2tb]

Thanks again for another cool info video. I do all the planning and research for our trips to the islands 🏝. We rarely do tours unless it's the only way, like going to Halawa Valley on Moloka‘i or snorkeling at Napali coast. We bring our own snorkle gear and camelbacks with us. Also first aid kit. It's really expensive eating out all the time so getting a vrbo rental with kitchen is cheaper.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

that's great tips! Agreed on the tours, you don't need a tour but sometimes it is best to be respectful to the land or it is the only option. The Road to Hana is turning into a journey that is best done with a guide as to reduce traffic and prevent trespassing.

[@ja-lj2tb]

@@TheHawaiiVacationGuide yes, we have done the road to Hana a few times and last time was crazy busy, I think because of the pandemic restrictions opening up. Always being respectful to the people and the land 🤙

[@harrymiram6621]

FYI....Hawaiian lawn bowling aka ulu maika(Oooh-loo-my-kah)distant cousin(?) to bocce ball. If wanting to visit multiple islands, look into NCLAmerica/Hawaiian Island cruise...4 islands, 5 ports, 7 days. You can book tours/activities uniquely specific to each island. Haleakala(House of the Sun) is 10,023 ft above sea level. Haleakala is so named from Hawaiian legend involving demi-god Maui, as referenced in "Moana"

[@msliz1029]

We loooved Shaka guide!! Self tour and we saved $100’s bc we downloaded the app.

[@AmeeraG242]

Yes !!! Makena beach on maui is gorgeous but it has rough waves and strong currents

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Be safe at Makena!!

[@AmeeraG242]

@@TheHawaiiVacationGuide thank you , yes definitely agree. I haven't been since 2014. Hopefully a trip soon 😀

[@user-nr1gt7eb4k]

I really appreciate your videos. My wife & I are planning a month long trip in 2 years for our 30th anniversary. Neither of us have been there before. My wife wants to go to all the islands & im trying to tell her that’s too much. I’ll definitely show her this video & download your itineraries.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Share this with her too thehawaiivacationguide.com/how-to-visit-4-hawaiian-islands-in-2-weeks-itinerary-included/

[@daniellec239]

Thanks your videos are the best!! I love your hotel tours. I would really like to see ones on The Courtyard Oahu North Shore (there is no videos, and all the reviews are so sporadic with the dates of stay). Also The Laylow Waikiki. Having a 1 and 5 year old daughter and son, I really enjoy the family perspective you give 🌺 Mahalo!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Thanks Danielle! The courtyard near the PCC is more like a motel as it is meant to be a place to stay for the luau. If the rate is good, book it but don't expect a resort experience. We show the Laylow in our Best Best-Value Waikiki hotel videos. it is a good option but serves more of the younger crowd

[@daniellec239]

@@TheHawaiiVacationGuide Thank you. We have stayed at the Waikiki Beachcomber, we will probably stick with that. Just looking for something to offset the cost of staying at Aulani. We get our resort time then, and the rest of the time we basically need a place to lay our heads at night. We like to explore the island and spend our time at the various beaches. Being a Marriott rewards member the price of the Courtyard looked enticing. Mahalo 😎

[@olinecamhol]

Hiii Ive been watching your videos and I have some questions. I will be in Hawaii in Oct for 3 days. Which places should I go to since I only have limited time and how much is Royal Hawaiian resort fee? Thank you.

[@thevaldezfamily4605]

So I stumbled upon your channel in excitement as we are planning our trip to Hawaii. I'm actually a kama'aina born and raised on Oahu until we moved to the mainland in my high school years. I'm now close to 40 and heading back for the first time since with hubby and our 6 kids ages 3-15. Outside of what I typically know, I want to be careful being a large family. I debated staying at a resort or airbnb. Any recommendations for large families outside of Polynesian cultural center & pearl harbor(that's where we would take people when they visited us). I did a band trip in middle school to the big island so I'd like to go there as well, and wondering if the chocolate farm is worth traveling too if we do the other side of the island, seahorse farm and volcanoes park tour. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. I've reached out to a few friends still living there but none have kids hahaha so they aren't a huge help lol. I will be showing them where I grew up though!

[@anitaklara7428]

Our family doesn’t mind jet lag coming to Hawaii… we were happy to be up for every single day sunrise and we loved it😉. Thanks for a great video!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Agreed, it isn’t a bad thing. Hawaii goes to bed early and gets up early. It isn’t a nightlife place.

[@michaellatta]

One trip staying in Kailua we had 2 weeks of clouds and rain. So we just drove to other parts of the island for sunny beaches.

[@shelliejerome4391]

Your baby girl is adorable! What a cutie My husband and I are bringing our sons, DILs, and 4 grandkids to Maui at the beginning of March for a week. We love Maui, especially during whale watching season. Originally we booked staying at the Kaanapali Alii and the Westin, but changed our reservations over to Honua Kai because of storm damage in front of Kaanapali Alii. Has the pedestrian walkway been repaired? Mahalo for your fabulous youtube channel

[@amydanos349]

Resort fees for us was a total surprise. We used a travel agent and was not told of the resort fee. 😂 I will definitely be booking our next trip myself. Thanks for the great videos! ❤

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Plus parking adds up to a lot! See our where to stay directory as we share places without fees, better than an agent!

[@amydanos349]

@@TheHawaiiVacationGuide Absolutely will do! Thank you! Thankfully, we didn’t rent a car, but we’ll keep parking fees in mind for next time 🥰

[@taiyonatiare7918]

Not planning our routes and overloading our schedule. We went to the big island last year and for some reason had activities planned on the same day on different sides of the island 🤦‍♀️ honestly don’t know how we didn’t notice that but then we assumed it’d be fine not realising how long the travelling between would take. Ended up missing 2 of our 4 planned activities that day and the last 1 of the 4 we just cancelled bc we were too exhausted to do anything 😂

[@victorialopez4148]

Going to Maul in June. I have been binging all your videos. Planning on buying the itinerary and just entered into the giveaway!!❤

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Best of luck Victoria! Thanks for binging our channel!

[@mypointofview6118]

We are going in august for our third time to Maui!!! It’s our happy place!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

have a wonderful trip in August! watch our Maui 2023 guide video too kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHexinidhNlmiqM

[@adventureescape1929]

Make dinner reservations a month out. Opentable is a good site to do it on. Also on Maui we stay in Kihei for half our trip and Lahaina/Kaanapali for the second half. We do all the hikes, Haleakala, Iao needle, up country and road to Hana etc. from Kihei. The drive to these places from Lahaina area is long but not from Kihei.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Great point! Lahaina is getting worst traffic on the pali making for a longer journey from West Maui.

[@josh112677]

Our biggest mistake was scheduling our Road to Hana day on our last full day in Maui. They had massive flooding and trees down blocking the roads. Thunderstorm warnings the entire day. Road ended up being closed and local shops like Auntie Sandy’s even put out a message they were closed. Since it was our last day we never were able to do it. Mother Nature doesn’t care about your schedule. Give yourself a buffer and try and do it in the beginning of your stay. One thing we did do that worked perfect was sunrise at Haleakala our first full day. Like they said jet lag is real. We were going to be up early with the time change so doing that worked perfect.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Thanks for sharing! Agreed, we recommend booking big tours in the beginning of a trip so their is a buffer. I’m glad you got up to Haleakala! Road to Hana needs a do over

[@elizabethjones4959]

Thanks so much, going in August to Honolulu.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Enjoy Honolulu!

[@geralds5834]

As you stated research and book restaurants early mistake may be to realize how expensive food is at the grocery store and particularly the restaurants. You need to plan on this cost.

[@martinulloa696]

Make sure your airline departure match up with your accommodations dates match up.

[@rdnugent1]

Edith is just DARLING! :)

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Stole the show

[@barbaravernon7597]

On Oahu, be sure to take traffic into consideration when trying to get to the sites you are going to see. It can take a very long time to get from Waikiki to Pearl Harbor during morning rush hour. Check traffic reports, leave early, get there with time to spare so you can walk around to see the historic displays. This holds true for getting anywhere that requires an appointed time for your visit.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Great tip on traffic and making a reservation!

[@chloecastillo3373]

When you are going to the beach in Hawaii, PLEASE WATCH OUT FOR MAN O WARS. THEY HURT AND ARE KINDA HARD TO SPOT. Not only man o wars, but there are sea urchins, turtles, and many other marine animals you definetly dont want to touch. I live in oahu and recently went swimming and i wasnt even out that far in the ocean and there were hundreds of urchins EVERYWHERE. Not only the animals, but people can also steal your beach stuff when you are swimming. Be careful and dont litter please.

[@mrs.wooderson7966]

Always love your videos! Here are some other things to add to the list: - Don’t just stay in Waikiki when staying on Oahu - explore the whole island. Whoever you are, get out and explore! - Try the local restaurants and food trucks. - Stay longer!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Thanks so much for sharing! Great advice.

[@johnstacey7653]

My wife and I have been talking about taking a trip to Hawaii. Is it a must to rent a car? I'm just starting to research things but the biggest things we wanna do is beach time, maybe a few trips on the ocean (whale watching, etc) and local restaurants, shops, and culture type events. Bucket list item, attend a Lūʻau. Every vacation we've taken I've spent a lot of time driving and would really really like to look around for change. Awesome video, thanks for the tips.

[@akamano5]

..depending on which island...public transportation.."The Bus"..in Honolulu is very good for around town..but if you want to sightsee around the island you will need a car..some tourist bus companies offer island tours..this can be nice so you can sightsee and not hassle driving and parking...reserve your spot in advance they can fill up..!!!

[@corinaalmaguer2454]

We r planning our trip this September Celebrating my daughters 40th birthday 🎉. Our first time! Thank u for the information. It was definitely help full

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Happy birthday to your daughter! Enjoy your first trip. Check out our website for more info on trip planning! thehawaiivacationguide.com/

[@corinaalmaguer2454]

@@TheHawaiiVacationGuide Thank you!!

[@corinaalmaguer2454]

Actually my boyfriend sent this information to me . He will going as well. Question? Is it worth renting a car? Or taking the bus? To sight see.

[@jessicab87]

I’m leaving for a 4 island Hawaiian cruise on Saturday… I’ve wondered if this is the best way for my first trip to HI! I’m thinking I’ll get a taste of them and see which I want to come back to in the future! Can’t wait!!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Exactly, see what island speaks to you the most. Enjoy the cruise!

[@sjohnson9403]

We had 3 snorkelers. We traveled from Texas. Usually, one person stayed on shore anyway, so I would now just take equipment for 2. We took 3 full-face masks, 3 float belts and three sets of fins, plus towels, etc.. For the amount of time we went snorkeling was a lot to lug around. I'm glad I had all I needed, but I'm traveling lighter next time.

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

When I read the first sentence, I thought it was a disaster story. "We had 3 snorkelers. One made it back. But I got the sharks eye." Good tips on snorkeling and gear. That is why we travel with our small snorkel gear set or we rent locally. Our big fins don't travel anymore.

[@HowardandHilda]

Coming for our first visit end of April and you might slap our wrists as squeezing in staying on all 4 islands Coming from the UK so it’s a once in a lifetime trip We have from 28 April to 18 May so 🤞🏻 Hard to miss things out but hopefully we will have time for good snippets Can’t wait

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

We know our international friends come for extended stays so four islands is acceptable. We will let it pass this time! Have a great trip! Watch our island hopping video.

[@EweTube4]

Each time I have gone to Hawai'i it goes like this: sight-seeing one day, relaxing the next, then sight-seeing, next day relaxing. Take water shoes. My Keens and pair of flat sandals were all I needed. I take shorts, tops, cotton dresses and a hoodie. Buy an underwater camera! Remember: reef protecting SPF! Malasadas! Yum!

[@sanchezryno]

Two words....Sandy Beach. Respect it!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

good tip. that is a rough shore break. Only for the best bodyboarders.

[@kehaulaniwhite4634]

Mahalo for #6 ❤

[@karengrohs4942]

The worst mistake we made on our trip to Maui was taking an overnight flight home. We couldn't sleep and were really, really exhausted when we got home. I can't wait to go back!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

there are a lot of red eye flights from Maui. Yes, they are rarely comfortable and not a great red eye. thanks for sharing!

[@caseybc6342]

I second this. Worth the extra $ not to have red eye

[@guitaristinseattle]

Don't take red eye!

[@camilaespin5736]

Hi guys! I'm planning a trip to Oahu this April (2023), and your videos have been SUPER helpful! What are your thoughts on the Go City Oahu pass? Is it a big-mistake or a big-saver? thanks!

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

we researched the pass a few years ago and wrote an article but a lot has changed since then. I'd think you can save by finding the tours you want to do and book those directly. We recommend one or two tours while you are visiting an island. You can find our favorite tours here: thehawaiivacationguide.com/activities/

[@monykalynf3604]

So biggest mistake is not doing any research at all!! Huh didn't make a single one of these mistakes thanks to your guides!! Our biggest thing we were glad we did was get that free timeshare on Oahu-as Hawaii was on our bucket list forever, Covid hit and we did the impulsive thing (we have other timeshares so we know what we were getting into)-now it "forces" us to plan trips back-otherwise it would be another of those "we'll get back someday" things.

[@MrMattDat]

Great video. I suggest two, slight edits. Instead of bringing refillable water bottles and warm clothes, make them your own souvenir choices! I LOVE my Maui water bottle and I happily discovered the Sunday fair on Maui (so much stuff there, including tons of sweatshirts and coffee from local vendors at great $$). I understand that other islands have these vendor fairs too (the one on Oahu is supposed to be awesome!).

[@TheHawaiiVacationGuide]

Thanks for the tips! Those are good souvenirs

[@anitamendez116]

Thank you for mentioning to be respectful of Hawaii Lands and enjoy the the local food, however, it would also be educational and respectful to mention the Hawaiian Culture. Hawaiians are a Race and have their own culture. Hawaii is NOT just a vacation destination. There are Native Hawaiians that have lived there for 100’s of years and have their own sovereign and distinct culture. That is the core of respecting the land as well.