Hawaii For the First Time
Planning to visit Hawaii for the first time can start out as a an exciting adventure that quickly becomes overwhelming. There are just so many choices! Where to stay, what to do, which island or islands to visit…Plus, visiting the “Aloha State” is not like visiting any of the other 50 states. For extra help, see my first timer ebook here with my other free hawaii guidebooks.
Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. that has its culture and language. But don’t worry, English is the primary language spoken here, meaning English will be spoken at the places you stay, shop, visit, etc. Many of the locals speak Hawaiian Pidgin, mostly to each other at home, at play, etc. It’s much like slang but with a melodic rhythm and is based on English with influences from other languages, especially Hawaiian.
Of all the tropical places to vacation, Hawaii is the easiest for Americans to visit because, well, it’s part of the United States. There’s no currency exchange or passports to hassle with, but you still get the warm tropical weather (average 82 highs and 67 lows near the shores) and beautiful beaches.
If you are flying from the West Coast, jet lag won’t be much of an issue because Hawaii is only 2 hours behind Pacific Standard Time. When it’s 7 a.m. in the islands, it’s 9 a.m. in California. We don’t have daylight saving time, so add another hour during the summer. It’s about a 5-hour flight from LAX to Honolulu.
As far as what island to visit…if I could only visit one island, I think it would be Oahu.
I know Waikiki is crowded and all, but there’s so much to do here and I love all the energy (maybe that comes from living on the laid back Big Island). Oahu has lots of beaches too that aren’t crowded. And it’s got the royal palace, Bishop Museum, Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor…
Maui, the second most visited Hawaiian Island, has the famous Hana Highway and more humpbacks than the other islands all put together. Kauai, the Garden Isle’ lives up to its name and is where you’ll find the legendary Na Pali Coast, and the Big Island (Hawaii Island) is home to an active volcano.
To help you plan your first visit to Hawaii, I have a free first timers ebooklet available for download (no strings) at: http://www.hawaii-lisa.com/answers/hawaii-guide-book/
The most visited islands in Hawaii are Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island. It is impossible to see them all in only 8 days. A good vacation would involve staying all 8 days on one island. Even if you want to see 2 islands in 8 days, you will spend too much time and energy getting from one island to another. The Big Island has the only active volcano. Pearl Harbor is on Oahu. All islands have luaus. I would recommend getting a Hawaii travel guide that describes the sights on each island and after reading that, you will get an idea of which island seems to draw you the most. First Time to Hawaii Adult Kids and Parents
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