Hawaii Travel
Aloha! Welcome to Hawaii, a state blessed by beautiful beaches, live volcanoes, great surfing and friendly people. Hawaii is primarily a vacation destination, although plenty of people have been known to go for a visit and stay for a lifetime. Before you make the move, explore what Hawaii has to offer, get guidelines for traveling there and find out where to stay using this Web guide.
Expand All Guide SectionsTravel in Hawaii
Hawaii offers a diverse and magical collection of tourism activities, mostly based on the state’s natural wonders. Hawaii is home to the country’s most active volcano, some of the best surfing and recreational beaches, exquisite sea mountains, as well as remarkable scuba diving and snorkeling. Explore the possibilities with the sites below.
Dulcinea's Insight
- In addition to standard vacation activities, Hawaii offers some unique tourism opportunities: the peninsula of Kalaupapa, Molokai, home to once-exiled community lepers, is also a pilgrimage spot for those wishing to visit the former home of newly named saint, Father Damien.
Dulcinea's Picks
For an overview of Hawaii …
Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau
Web site entices and educates you on the wonders of Hawaii. Start by choosing an island to get an overview of each of the six islands that welcome tourists. The FAQs page prepares you for general Hawaii travel.
The Lonely Planet
guide to Hawaii offers a basic overview of the islands and how to travel there. Be sure to check out the section on sights to get an idea of the spots you’ll want to hit while you’re there.
The New York Times
Hawaii guide collects articles and information about travel to Hawaii. Learn about the different islands, how to travel cheaply, where to stay and what to do. Explore Hawaii via the Times’ variety of features.
To learn about Hawaiian history …
The Hawaiian Historical Society
provides some scholarly information on Hawaii’s rich history, but the casual reader can peruse a series of essays called “Hawaii History Moments.” Originally written for radio, these essays cover noteworthy events in the state’s history.
The Hawaii Center for Volcanology
has information about how the Hawaiian Islands were formed. There’s also a list of active Hawaiian volcanoes.
For tours and activities…
Trilogy is Maui
’s oldest sailing company and has been featured on “Oprah” and “Good Morning America.” Trilogy offers a variety of day trips out of Maui, including snorkeling, scuba diving and whale watching. Most trips include meals, island tours and activities.
Whalers Village
in Maui is ideal for those who are less eager to leave land. Officially a mall with restaurants, stores and daily Hawaii-themed events and activities, Whalers Village is located on a luxurious beach and suited to those who want to enjoy natural beauty and creature comforts simultaneously.
National Geographic
describes activities and tours at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Learn about hiking opportunities and driving tours. Explore the left side bar to get all the essential information on planning your trip, such as how to get there, what to expect and what do to.
Where to Stay in Hawaii
Hawaii offers many diverse travel experiences depending on your interests. Your goals as a tourist can help you choose which islands and cities to visit. Use the sites in this section to help you search for a hotel in a particular location, or choose a luxury hotel based on its offerings and see where you end up.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Visit findingDulcinea’s Travel Web Guide for even more hotel directories.
- Some of the sites below allow you to sign up to receive information on upcoming deals. If your dates are flexible, sign up for alerts so you can plan a Hawaii vacation when the bargains come along.
Dulcinea's Picks
For reviews of hotels …
TripAdvisor
lists hotels in Hawaii by city. In addition to finding basic information about pricing, rooms and what sort of crowd the hotel is geared toward, you’ll also get to read user reviews.
RealTravel
also provides user reviews of Hawaiian hotels. Scroll through the featured reviews, or browse a list of Hawaiian hotels by city.
For luxury hotels …
Frommer’s
lists and describes some of Hawaii’s best luxury hotels and resorts. It’s a short list, so you can be sure they’ve picked out the best.
Five Star Alliance
names 25 luxury hotels in Hawaii and includes photos and descriptions. The site also makes it easy to check availability.
For camping …
GoCampingAmerica.com
allows you search for campgrounds and RV parks in Hawaii. Search by region or city to see if there’s a place to camp out nearby.
Getting Around Hawaii
Wherever you go, you need to prepare for certain aspects of travel when you arrive: getting around the airport, traveling to your hotel, renting a car and accessing tourist sites. Hawaii also comprises several islands, so if you want to visit more than one of them, you’ll want to investigate options for inter-island travel.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Many of Hawaii’s activities and tourist attractions revolve around boat and car trips. Find them in the “Travel in Hawaii” section.
- You can still enjoy Hawaii without renting a car. Stay at a hotel on the beach, and book chartered tours that provide transportation.
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For general travel information …
The Hawaii Tourism Authority
official Web site is your fully equipped guide to travel to and around Hawaii. Learn where to find baggage claim at various airports and get information on inter-island travel with links to four airlines. Also find advice on ground travel from the airport.
The Hawaii Superferry
is relatively inexpensive, offers a great deal of flexibility and even allows you to take a car onboard, if you’ve rented one and would like to keep it with you. Note that if you book 14 days in advance, you’ll get a $5 discount.
For tips on renting a car …
Dummies.com
offers advice on renting a car in Hawaii. If you’re wondering whether you should get a convertible or how to stay safe, Dummies can help. Be sure to read the related article on “Figuring Out Hawaiian Directions.”
For driving maps …
Hawaii Drive Guide
offers a broad selection of island maps that you can download and print. Also look for maps of driving routes between specific destinations.
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