Hawaii Things to Know

The Hawaiian Islands

1.) Select Your Island(s) to Visit

Six Unique Islands - Which one is for you?

You've got several options here, so how do you go about choosing that perfect island for your own trip? In fact, why choose just one?

You might want to take our Which Hawaii Island to Visit quiz. Once you know which island (or islands) best suit you, then you can really begin to plan.

2.) Determining When to Visit

Selecting the Best Time of Year

Honestly, there isn't a 'bad time' to go to Hawaii. Visiting Hawaii is a dream come true for many visitors, and who can blame them? It's a remarkable, unique, & beautiful paradise.

If you're like most visitors, you're probably asking, "What is the best time of year to travel to Hawaii?"

Be sure to read that article, and then try the Best Month for You quiz. Doing so will help if you're still not exactly sure about the Best Month to Visit Hawaii.

Credit: Gary Riegel / Shutterstock.com

3.) Make your Bookings/Reservations

Flights, Accommodations, and Rental Vehicle

Once you've decided on the island and when you're visiting, it's time to start booking. There's the flight (or cruise), your accommodations, and reserving a rental vehicle.

Hawaii Accommodations & Lodging

Whether you're looking for a luxury resort, a budget-friendly vacation rental, or something in between, we've got you covered. We provide an overview of the different areas and types of accommodation on each island and some recommendations for where to stay based on your interests and budget. So, if you're planning a trip to Hawaii and wondering where to stay, check out our articles on the Best Places to Stay on Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island.

Hawaii Vehicle Rentals

On any Hawaiian island, including Oahu, a rental car is the best option for getting around and seeing all the sights. Discount Hawaii Car Rental is where we recommend that visitors book their Hawaii vehicle rentals. They offer the best deals on Hawaii rental cars because they compare all the major car rental businesses in Hawaii. They offer no prepayment or cancellation charges and guarantee reservations.

4.) Choose your interests

Sights, Beaches, Trails, Activities, and more...

If you've decided on the island(s) you're going to visit, you're set to begin planning. The next step is to consider your interests. One could spend years in Hawaii and never see everything, so carefully narrowing down your favorites is worth the time and effort now, ahead of time.

Our Hawaii Attractions page has categorized all the best spots in general categories: Sights, Beaches, Trails (Hikes), Regions, and Towns. We also have travel Articles and Facts for each island, plus a listing of Activities you can book on the island in question. On some islands, like Maui, we've even split the Road to Hana into its own category - since so many places fall into that popular scenic drive. Our Hawaii Must See and Do for each island may also be a big help for some folks by presenting the top-rated attractions on our site.

5.) Learn beyond the basics

Educate yourself on Hawaii's history, weather, our Safety tips, & more

OK, once you've nailed down a list of your favorite places you can get to the nitty-gritty of 'Beyond the Basics.' Some of this may seem irrelevant, but we highly encourage visitors to read as much as they can on the islands before visiting. Hawaii is like no other places in the United States, and quite honestly, is very much like visiting a foreign country. Check out topics like our Hawaii Safety page, our Rental Tips, and our Accommodation Tips.

You might also want to read up more on Hawaii Weather, Hawaii History, and the Geology of Hawaii.

6.) Book some Tours & Activities

Guided Tours & Activities are one of the best ways to experience Hawaii

One of the premier ways to experience the islands is by taking one of the many Hawaii tours, excursions, and activities available. These activities range from adventurous hikes and zipline tours to dolphin and whale watching.

On this site, we've broken the tours down by island so you can browse at your convenience. You can also opt to use our free Hawaii concierge tool, and we'll do all the research and offer our suggestions. If you just want to browse, we have over 2,000 of the very best Hawaii tours and activities that you can sort and filter at the bottom of our tours & activities page.

7.) Packing your bags

What to pack & What NOT to pack...

Regardless of how much you've traveled in the past and where you've been, there is one good rule to follow when coming to Hawai'i, leave as much as you can at home! Seriously, bring only what you'll need during your stay and nothing more. Chances are a pair of shorts, and a nice Aloha shirt is all you'll need for even some fine dining. Leave the formal wear back home. And please don't bring your passport if you're a U.S. citizen (you'd be surprised how many folks do).

A light jacket and a long pair of pants might also be helpful for those visits to higher elevations around the islands. You'd be surprised at how many "chilly" people there are in Hawaii each day. Sure it's tropical, but not everything's at sea level either. On the other hand, don't overdo it and bring your winter coat to Hawai'i unless you feel you need it for visiting the summits of Haleakala or Maui or Mauna Kea on the Big Island at sunrise or sunset. If you're visiting Kauai or Oahu, add your larger coat to the list of do NOT bring.

With the motto, 'less is more' in mind, here are a few other items to bring. Sunblock (the UV on Hawai'i is typically 14+ in the spring, summer, and fall), a backpack (for any hikes) and a water bottle, slippers (flip flops, shower shoes, zoris), mask, snorkel, and fins (or rent locally instead), two bathing suits (one to wear while the other dries) and a cover-up, camera and film (or digital cards), lightweight raincoat or poncho (it's tropical here), bug spray with DEET (for any forest hikes), flashlight (for just in case), hiking boots / hiking rods (even if you're not a hardcore hiker, it's not a bad idea to bring proper footwear for some trails), and most importantly a list of all your troubles to leave behind. Seriously, we enforce that last one! For more tips and suggestions, visit our What to Pack page.