Hawaii for Dummies

We are planning our first trip to Hawaii with our best friends who live far away. So coordinating day trips was not an easy task. She found your book, and I also purchased it. Now we can coordinate trips and talk about what's on page 237, tag it for future reference, etc..... We definitely think this book will be an excellent reference material for all you who are thinking of a trip.... I'm sure Ms. Leas has many other books out there for other places, but we're just excited to get to Hawaii first.

I have traveled a lot, and own a lot of travel books, but have never felt compelled to write a review of one-- until now. Three years ago, while planning our two-week honeymoon to Maui and Kauai, I bought a LOT of Hawaii books. In the planning stage, I kept finding myself returning to this book. Unlike Fodors and Frommers, the author actually makes JUDGMENTS about places and activities and tells you what the BEST of each category are. Imagine that-- rather than just providing a rote listing of the hotels on an island with a short description (and maybe a star or two), the author actually tells you which hotels to go to if you want serious romance, which are best for families, and which rooms to request (or not). Rather than listing activities, the author actually tells you which are the safest and most reliable helicopter companies, which are the best companies to to take for a private, romantic and uncrowded sailing trip. There are "heart" symbols to denote the most romantic lodging, restaurants, and activities, and they never steered us wrong. (I specifically remember one romantic restaurant, for which the book said to be sure to make a reservation, and ask the hostess to seat us outside at exactly sunset. It was a perfect suggestion, and I will never forget that evening.) Once we arrived on the islands we were visiting, we used the book almost exclusively (our other books found their way to the backseat of our convertible and stayed there). It was incredibly accurate. Since that first trip, my husband and I have returned to the islands multiple times, and our book has been put to such good use that it is practically falling apart. The other Hawaii books are still in pristine condition! (As an aside, I also highly recommend www.fodors.com for planning Hawaii travel-- go to the message boards, which are searchable. Forget the other books; this book and fodors.com are all you need for a perfect trip!)

When my wife and I were planning for our "once in a lifetime" trip to Hawaii last summer, we looked at perhaps 15 different tranvel books on the islands. They all had a little of something, but Hawaii For Dummies had a lot of everything. Save yourself some time and just buy this book. Perhaps after you read it you might want to get a book on a specialty topic, but this is the "Hawaii Travel 101" class textbook to read to get a great start on the topic. Nuff said.

This book helped us decide which islands to visit. It has all of the practial information to make these decisions. It helped us figure out where to stay. We took it with us on the trip. We looked at this several times a day. It was really the only book we needed. There was a great tip for the best picnic spot on the road to Hana. It was the most romantic afternoon we spent on Maui. This book is a must for anyone planning a trip to Hawaii. There is just too much to see and do.

Normally, I try to avoid these "Dummies" guides, as I'm just the slightest bit offended by the idea that I'm a "dummy" just because I don't know EVERYTHING. But after flipping through books at the local bookstore looking for a good guidebook for my honeymoon trip to Oahu and Kauai next October, I finally decided on this one. It's got great maps, for one thing, as well as extensive lists of hotels, places to eat, and things to do. Because the descriptions are full of personal anecdotes, I really trust that Leas has seen and done it all herself and she's being straight with me about what she thinks -- traditional travel guides always make me nervous because they're written in the third person. If I'm going to spend ... on a vacation, I really want to know what things I should do and what things I shouldn't! Possibly the greatest feature, though, is the fact that at least 75% of the entries for places and activities have web site URLs. Even though the book is extremely detailed and I could easily plan my entire trip without a single tap on the keyboard, I definitely love the fact that I now have the option of logging on to learn more about some of the museums and restaurants she recommends. I probably would've done searches on many of them anyway, and Leas has just saved me a step. Since I've got about a million things to do between now and my trip, every step saved is a pretty great thing! I also have to say that after reading the book, I asked a friend who had been to Honolulu several times for some tips. Every single thing he said I'd already read in Leas' book. Right down to the "don't call it 'shaved' ice -- it's 'shave' ice" one. When the author knows enough to help you avoid making yourself look like a disgusting tourist, you know you've picked a good guide. Recommended!