Hawaii Travel Podcast | Maui, Oahu, Kauai & Big Island Vacation Tips & Guide

Hawaii Travel Podcast | Maui, Oahu, Kauai & Big Island Vacation Tips & Guide

By Jennifer Davis and Dan Schulz help you plan a Hawaii vacation, covering budget trips, honeymoon planning, and Hawaii travel hacks for first-time and repeat visitors.Society & CulturePlaces & Travel
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Hawaii Travel Podcast | Maui, Oahu, Kauai & Big Island Vacation Tips & Guide episodes

  • The Hawaii Crosswalk Ticket (Spoiler, Not Jaywalking), The Waterfall Swim That Can Make You Sick Weeks After You’re Home, and What’s the Best Swimwear Shop on Oahu?

    In this episode... a crosswalk ticket that has nothing to do with jaywalking, a Hilo waterfall that now charges, and five more things to know before your Hawaii trip.

    OAHU

    The Honolulu law most visitors break by the first crosswalk

    If you’re walking around Waikiki, a quick look at your phone in a crosswalk can get you a ticket. Honolulu’s distracted walking law covers all of Oahu. You can’t cross a street while looking at your phone or another mobile device, and checking the time counts. Tickets started in October 2017. Fines run from $15 up to $99 for repeat offenders, and visitors get cited the same as locals. Stop on the curb when you need your map, a text, or your ride app, and finish before you step off. Using walking directions? Put one earbud in and keep your eyes on the traffic. Ten seconds on the curb keeps you off the ticket list.

    BIG ISLAND

    The Hilo waterfall that now charges at the gate

    If you’re stopping at Rainbow Falls in Hilo, bring a credit card, because it isn’t free anymore. Since January, out-of-state visitors pay $5 per person and $10 per vehicle at Wailuku River State Park, home of Rainbow Falls and the Boiling Pots. The same fee started at the Kua Bay section of Kekaha Kai State Park on the Kona side. Children three and under are free, and Hawaii residents with ID skip it. Two adults in one car pay $20. One payment covers both Rainbow Falls and the Boiling Pots, so see both in the same visit. Cards only, no cash. And 14 Hawaii state parks now charge visitors, so check the state parks website before any park stop.

    ALL ISLANDS

    The waterfall swim that can make you sick weeks after you’re home

    If you’re planning to cool off in a waterfall pool or a stream, here’s one easy thing to know first. It’s called leptospirosis, and it’s very simple to avoid. When it rains, animal waste from rats, mice, and mongoose washes into fresh water, and the germs can get in through a cut or through your eyes, nose, or mouth. Hawaii sees more cases than any other state, mostly from October through February. The fix: skip swimming and wading in freshwater streams and ponds. The state is clear on that, and a bandage doesn’t change it. Beaches are still a great pick. Just skip brown or muddy water, and after a brown water advisory, wait 48 to 72 hours after the rain stops. If you feel flu-like in the month after your trip, with a fever, chills, a headache, or sore muscles, tell your doctor you were around fresh or muddy water. It’s treatable with antibiotics, especially when it’s caught early.

    MAUI

    The Maui beach you think you’re not allowed on

    If you’re on Maui and the best beach belongs to a resort you’re not staying at, good news. The beach doesn’t belong to the resort. Hawaii has no private beaches. The state holds the shoreline up to where the waves wash at their highest, so a resort can’t make the sand guests-only. What it can control is the way in, so look for the marked public beach access signs and stay off hotel lawns and decks. Parking is limited, so get there early. Bring your own towel and chair, because the pool and loungers are for guests. You don’t need a room or a day pass to use the beach itself. Parking may cost you, but the sand is yours.

    KAUAI

    The one empty day every Kauai trip needs

    If you’re planning a Kauai trip, build in some slack, because the island’s most famous places close more often than most visitors expect. Haena State Park and the Kalalau Trail were shut for about 14 months after floods in 2018, storm damage closed the trail again this March, and Hurricane Lowell hit in September. As of the state’s October 8 notice, all Kauai state parks are still closed except a partial reopening at Wailua River State Park, and Kokee Road and all Kauai camping are closed too. Check Hawaii State Parks before you book and again the week you fly, and call every tour company the day before. Keep one backup day with nothing reserved. A closure can still cancel a Haena or Kalalau reservation, so don’t make it your only plan. Travel officials ask visitors to adjust plans instead of canceling Hawaii altogether, which can mean moving your Kauai days or spending a few on another island. If you do go, eat and book local.

    BIG ISLAND

    Your hiking shoes are carrying something the Big Island can’t afford

    If you’re packing hiking shoes for the Big Island, the dirt on the bottom of them can kill a forest. Rapid Ohia Death was first found on the Big Island in 2014. It kills ohia trees, most of Hawaii’s native forest, and there’s no recommended treatment. Scientists found the fungus at 28 of 34 trailhead boot brush stations they tested. Brush the mud off your soles and gear before and after every forest hike, then spray the bottoms with 70 percent rubbing alcohol and let it soak at least 15 seconds. Pack a small brush and buy the alcohol at a drugstore when you land. Clean everything again before flying to another island. Moving soil, ohia plants, or ohia wood off the Big Island without a permit is illegal, with fines starting at $100. Two minutes at the trailhead protects the forest you came to see.

    OAHU

    The best free hour in Waikiki happens once a week

    If you’re in Waikiki on a Saturday evening, there’s a free hour of real hula on the beach, and it’s easy to miss. The Kuhio Beach Hula Show runs Saturdays from 6:30 to 7:30 PM at the hula mound near the Duke Kahanamoku statue, with hula schools and live Hawaiian music. Older guidebooks list several nights a week. These days it’s Saturdays. Bring a beach mat or chair and get there a little early. Rain, a hurricane watch, or a street closure can cancel it, so check the show’s own calendar that week. There is no show October 17 or October 31. It’s free, no reservation, and it might be the best hour of your trip.

    Want all seven tips in one place? Email [email protected] with “episode 104” in the subject line and the cheat sheet comes right back.

    We want to know what you think is the best swimwear shop on Oahu. Tell us on Facebook: facebook.com/hawaiitravelpodcast

    Get the free newsletter twice a week at hawaiitravelpodcast.com

    And tell us where you’re going. The hike, the beach, the rental car, the luau. We’ll find the one way people mess it up and tell you how not to.

    12 min
  • The Souvenir That Costs You $5,000, The 2% You Didn't Order on Your Maui Dinner Bill, and What's the Best Helicopter Tour on the Big Island?

    Seven Hawaii rules nobody warns you about, and what they'll cost you if you find out too late.

    BIG ISLAND

    Two Hours Up the Mountain, and Some Drivers Never See the Top

    If you're planning to catch sunset from the top of Mauna Kea on your own, don't assume your rental car will get you there. The paved road only goes as far as the Visitor Information Station at 9,200 feet. Past that, it's eight more miles of steep, unpaved switchbacks, and rangers check vehicles there. No 4WD with low range, no summit. Here's the part that catches people off guard: even if your rental is an SUV, most rental contracts ban driving that summit road. Call your rental company and ask, in those words, "Is Mauna Kea summit driving allowed?" Get the answer before you book. If the answer is no, book a guided summit tour instead. Expect to pay $240 to $315 per person. Either way, plan to leave the summit by 30 minutes after sunset, because that's when rangers close it for the night. Skip this check and you'll drive up to two hours up Saddle Road, sit through altitude acclimation at the visitor center, and still get turned around at 9,200 feet.

    MAUI

    The 2% You Didn't Order on Your Maui Dinner Bill

    If you're eating out on Maui, read your bill before you tap your card. Some restaurants have started adding a "kitchen appreciation fee," usually 2% to 3% of your total, as a separate line at the bottom of the check. It's not printed on the menu. It's not a scam. It's a real fee, usually meant to support the kitchen staff. But almost nobody expects to see it. The name changes from place to place: kitchen appreciation, hospitality fee, service fee. Before you tip 20% on top, scan the bottom of the check for one of these lines. If it's there, ask your server whether it's separate from the tip or meant to replace part of it. Skip this and you could end up tipping twice for the same thing.

    OAHU

    Blue Skies at the Trailhead Don't Mean the Stream Stays Safe

    If you're hiking to a waterfall on Oahu, like Maunawili Falls, Kaʻau Crater, or Lulumahu, check the sky over the mountains, not just the sky above you. Hawaii's valleys are steep and narrow. Rain falling miles upstream can turn a shin-deep stream crossing into a dangerous flash flood in minutes, even while the trailhead stays sunny and dry. Flash floods have killed 19 people statewide over the last 23 years, and hikes like these cross the same stream more than once, so a flood can trap you between rising water on both sides. Before you start, check the National Weather Service Hawaii page for any flash flood watch or warning. On the trail, watch each crossing for three signs: the water turning muddy or brown, a rumbling sound of rocks rolling underwater, or the water rising against a rock while you watch. Any one of those means don't cross. Get to higher ground and wait it out. Skip this and the crossing that was ankle-deep on the way in can be waist-deep and moving fast on the way back.

    ALL ISLANDS

    That Fruit You Bought on Your Last Day Probably Isn't Flying Home With You

    If you're heading home from Hawaii with fresh fruit in your suitcase, don't count on it making the flight. Every bag leaving the islands for the mainland, Alaska, or Guam, checked and carry-on, goes through a USDA agricultural inspection before you board. Untreated produce doesn't pass. That papaya or mango from a roadside stand gets pulled and tossed at the inspection counter, no exceptions. Pineapple is the one people usually get right, because most gift shops sell it boxed and treated for travel. If you want to bring fruit home, buy it pre-packaged for exactly that purpose. Eat the rest before you get to the airport. And if you're carrying anything agricultural you're unsure about, like flowers, leis, seeds, or plants, declare it at the counter. It's free and fast, and it's the only way to know before you're standing at the gate without the souvenir you paid for.

    KAUAI

    The One Road on Kauai That Can Turn a 15-Minute Drive Into an Hour

    If you think a small island like Kauai can't have real traffic, you haven't met the Kapaʻa Crawl. One road, Kuhio Highway, connects the whole east side, and it funnels straight through the town of Kapaʻa, where several stoplights sit within a few hundred feet of each other. The backup regularly adds up to an hour to a drive that should take fifteen minutes, especially in the morning and late afternoon. There's a bypass road behind town that can save you up to 30 minutes, but it still feeds back into the same highway. If your day has a hard start time, like a reserved hike, a boat tour, a dinner reservation, or a sunset you really want to see, and your route touches Kapaʻa, build in 30 to 60 minutes of buffer. Skip this and "we'll just leave a little early" turns into missing the thing you planned your day around.

    ALL ISLANDS

    The Souvenir That Comes With a $5,000 Price Tag

    If you're tempted to pocket a piece of lava rock or a jar of black sand, put it back. This isn't just the old "Pele's curse" superstition. It's the law. Hawaii bans removing rocks, sand, or coral from state parks and shorelines. Inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park or Haleakala National Park, it's a federal offense, with fines up to $5,000 and up to six months in jail. The land is also sacred to Native Hawaiians. Pele is considered to still live in these islands, and taking pieces of her is seen as a real violation, not a quirky local myth. Every year, the National Park Service gets thousands of pounds of lava rock mailed back from visitors who regretted taking it. Take a photo instead, or buy volcanic jewelry from a licensed local artist who sources it legally.

    BIG ISLAND

    Half of What You've Read About Hawaii's Erupting Volcano Is Already Out of Date

    If you're planning your Big Island trip around seeing the volcano erupt, know that Kilauea doesn't erupt on a vacation schedule. It's been erupting in episodes since December 2024. Each one lasts a few hours to a few days, then the volcano pauses for days, sometimes up to three weeks, before starting again. A lot of travel blogs still say it's either "constantly flowing" or "the eruption ended," and neither is accurate on any given day. Check the USGS Kilauea status page the morning of your visit, not weeks ahead. Even during a pause, the crater often still glows at night from vents inside Halemaʻumaʻu, visible from overlooks along the Crater Rim Trail. Go for the overlooks either way, and let the glow be a bonus.

    Want all seven tips in one place? Email [email protected] with "episode 103" in the subject line and the cheat sheet comes right back.

    What's the best helicopter tour on the Big Island? Tell us on Facebook: facebook.com/hawaiitravelpodcast

    Get the free newsletter twice a week at hawaiitravelpodcast.com

    And tell us where you're going. The hike, the beach, the rental car, the luau. We'll find the one way people mess it up and tell you how not to.

    12 min
  • Your Kona Coffee Is 90% Not Kona, The Beach House That Isn't Legal, and What's the Best Luau on Oahu?

    Welcome to the Hawaii Travel Podcast. This is the podcast where in every episode you're gonna get seven different little-known travel tips about Hawaii's main islands. Plus, you're gonna get five more answers to problems that would have been just as annoying to run into without warning while you're already in Hawaii. And by that time, it's too late.

    Ready? Let's jump in!

    1. Your Kona coffee might be 90% something else

    If you're buying Kona coffee on the Big Island to bring home, you might want to read the bag before you pay. A bag labeled "Kona Blend" can legally contain as little as 10% Kona beans. The other 90% can be coffee from anywhere in the world. The word Kona is printed big. The percentage is printed small. Hawaii passed a law raising the minimum to 51%, but it doesn't take effect until July 1, 2027. So right now, a lot of what gets sold as Kona is mostly something else, and people who buy it go home wondering what the fuss was all about. So look for the words "100% Kona Coffee" on the label, and read the percentage, not just the biggest word on the bag. "All Hawaiian" is not the same as 100% Kona. Better yet, buy it at the source. Coffee farms up the hill from the Kona Coast around Holualoa and Captain Cook offer tastings and sell bags right off the farm. Many will ship it home for you. You'll taste the real thing, you'll support a local farmer, and you'll bring home the coffee your friends think they're getting.

    2. The Oahu snorkel spot that sells out before you finish your coffee

    If you're planning to snorkel Hanauma Bay on Oahu, you can't just show up. Nonresidents need a reservation, and online tickets go on sale only two days before your visit at 7 AM Hawaii time. The good time slots can be gone in minutes. That's 10 AM Pacific and 1 PM Eastern in summer, and an hour earlier in winter. The bay is also closed every Monday and Tuesday. Entry is $25 per person for nonresidents 13 and older. Kids 12 and under get in free. So pick your day, count back two days, and set an alarm for 6:55 AM Hawaii time. Book on the official City and County of Honolulu website and grab the earliest slot you can. Your ticket does not save you a parking spot. Parking is $3, cash only, and the lot fills up, so get there early. If you miss the online window, a few walk-up tickets go out when the gate opens at 6:45 AM. Everyone in your group has to be there to get them. Get this right and you get some of the calmest, clearest beginner snorkeling on Oahu. Miss it and you get turned away at the gate.

    3. Kauai's most famous tide pool has a locked gate for a reason

    If you're staying on Kauai's North Shore, you'll see Queen's Bath all over social media, and those photos don't tell you the whole story. Queen's Bath is a tide pool on a lava rock shelf in Princeville. On a calm day it looks like a giant natural swimming pool. But winter swells on the North Shore can top 15 feet, and one big wave can wash right over those rocks with no warning. People have been swept into the ocean there and drowned. The county locks the trail gate when the ocean gets dangerous, and it usually stays locked through the winter. People still climb around it, and rescue crews still have to go get them. So if the gate is closed, it's closed. Don't go around it. When it's open, check the North Shore surf report and the posted warnings before you go. If there's any real surf, water surging over the rocks, or you're just not sure, skip it. The trail gets slick and muddy after rain, so wear real shoes. The pool is beautiful, but it's not worth your life, or the life of the rescuer who has to come get you.

    4. Your Hawaii hotel just got more expensive and the rate didn't change

    If you're comparing hotel prices for Hawaii, the number you saw last year is already out of date. On January 1, 2026, Hawaii raised its lodging tax. The state portion went from 10.25% to 11%, and that was on top of a county tax and the general excise tax that were already there. Stack them all up and you're looking at about 18.7% tax on your room. On a $400 room, that's about $75 a night, or more than $500 across a seven-night stay. The increase alone adds roughly $3 a night on that same room, which is about $21 for the week. And it's not done climbing. The state portion is scheduled to go to 12% in 2027. So if you're working off a price you wrote down on a past trip, or a quote from a few months back, add about 19% and check it again before you commit. If you booked a while ago at a locked-in total, you're fine. If you're still shopping, build the newer number into your budget now, so the difference comes out of the planning spreadsheet instead of your dinners.

    5. The Oahu beach house that could get pulled out from under you

    If you're booking a vacation rental on Oahu, that cute beach house online might not be legal. On Oahu, renting a home for less than 30 days is illegal in most residential neighborhoods. Short stays are mainly allowed in resort areas like Waikiki, Ko Olina, and Turtle Bay, plus a small number of permitted homes. Owners caught running illegal rentals can face fines up to $10,000 a day, and booking sites pull listings that get flagged. When that happens, you're the one left scrambling for a new place, often when prices are highest and the good spots are already gone. So before you book, look for two numbers in the listing. One is a registration number or an NUC number. The other is a TMK, which is the property's tax map number. Legal short-term rentals on Oahu have to show both in their ads. If either one is missing, keep looking. If they're there, check them on the City and County of Honolulu short-term rental page and screenshot the listing. Or stay in Waikiki or Ko Olina, where short stays are allowed. A few minutes of checking keeps you from losing your only place to sleep.

    6. How close is too close to a Big Island sea turtle?

    If you're going to Punaluu Black Sand Beach on the Big Island, you'll probably see green sea turtles sleeping right on the sand. It's one of the best turtle spots in Hawaii. It's also where a lot of people get way too close. Sea turtles are protected by federal and state law. Touching, chasing, or bothering one is illegal, and the fines can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. The guideline is to stay at least 10 feet away, on the sand and in the water. Hawaiian monk seals sometimes rest on this beach too. Give a resting seal 50 feet. If it's a mom with a pup, make it 150 feet. There are only about 1,600 monk seals left. If you see ropes, cones, or a volunteer, stay behind them. For some Native Hawaiian families, the honu is an aumakua, a family guardian, so a crowd around a sleeping turtle feels like disrespect. Use your phone's zoom, not your feet. Never stand between a turtle and the water. You'll still get a great photo, the turtle gets its nap, and you leave knowing you did it right.

    7. The part of Maui people are skipping for no good reason

    If you're planning a trip to Maui and someone told you to skip West Maui because of the fire, that advice is out of date. The August 2023 fire destroyed much of Lahaina town. But the resort areas just up the coast, Kaanapali, Napili, and Kapalua, are open to visitors. The beaches, the snorkeling, and the sunset dinners are all there. And on August 1, 2026, the main stretch of Front Street in Lahaina reopened to cars for the first time since the fire, with more than a dozen businesses back. The north end of town has been open for a while, with oceanfront spots like Star Noodle, Mala Ocean Tavern, and Aloha Mixed Plate serving guests. So don't cross West Maui off your list. Book a few nights in Kaanapali or Kapalua, or at least plan a full day there. Check that the places you want are open before you go. Take the Lahaina Bypass when it fits your route. Stay out of fenced areas and neighborhoods still being rebuilt, and don't stop to take photos of empty lots. Many West Maui businesses are counting on visitors right now. Spend at locally owned places, and you get a great Maui day while helping a town come back.

    We want to know: what's the best luau on Oahu?

    Search Hawaii Travel Podcast on Facebook, find the post, and tell us your pick. We read every one, and we answer back.

    Want all seven tips in one place?

    Email [email protected] and put episode 102 in the subject line. The cheat sheet comes back to you instantly.

    That same email works for anything else, too. Tell us where you're going. Not just the island, the actual thing. The hike, the beach, the rental car you booked, or the luau you're planning to attend. We'll find the one way people mess it up, and we'll tell you how not to.

    New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Get the free newsletter at hawaiitravelpodcast.com.

    13 min
  • The Big Island Hike You Can't Walk, The $460 Seat You Lose to Rain, and What's the Best Catamaran Cruise on Maui?

    Welcome to the Hawaii Travel Podcast. This is the podcast where in every episode you're gonna get seven different little-known travel tips about Hawaii's main islands. Plus, you're gonna get five more answers to problems that would have been just as annoying to run into without warning while you're already in Hawaii. And by that time, it's too late.

    Ready? Let's jump in!

    All Islands

    Four Islands in Seven Days Is a Tour of Five Airports

    If you're planning your first Hawaii trip, you're probably trying to fit in too many islands. On a map they look close. Maui to the Big Island is about 35 to 40 minutes in the air. So people book seven nights and try to see four islands. Here's what that actually costs. Every island change eats the middle of a day. You check out, drive to the airport, return the rental car, drop bags, get through security, fly, land, wait at baggage claim, pick up another rental car, drive to the new hotel, and check in. The state asks travelers to arrive 90 minutes early for interisland flights. Do that three times in a week and you've spent most of three days moving instead of being anywhere. For a first seven-night trip, pick one island. Two at most. If you do two, fly into one and home out of the other so you're not backtracking, and leave real buffer between the interisland leg and your mainland flight, because a separate ticket won't protect you if you miss it.

    Kauai

    The Helicopter Money You Lose by Booking the Wrong Day

    If you're booking a Kauai helicopter tour, know what you're risking before you pick the date. A doors-off flight out of Lihue runs about $345 to $460 a seat, and more if someone in your party needs a second seat for weight. If the company cancels for weather, you get a refund or a reschedule. If you cancel, it's different. Several Kauai operators require 48 hours notice and charge the full fare inside that window, including no-shows. Booking sites and large groups can have their own rules. So find the cancellation policy before you pay, not after. And book the flight for early in your trip. Day two or three gives you room to rebook if weather scrubs it. Book it for your last morning and a rainy day costs you the tour and the money. Also read the doors-off rules before you pay, because there are age minimums, weight limits, and camera restrictions, and they weigh passengers at check-in.

    Maui

    The Snorkeling Warning Sign People Swim Right Through

    If you're snorkeling on Maui, learn the warning signs before you get in the water. Hawaii researchers studying snorkel deaths found something that surprises people. In a survey of snorkelers who nearly died, almost none had inhaled water. They ran short of oxygen. Most of them reported calm water and good visibility, and many were experienced swimmers. Researchers are still working out exactly why it happens. What they do know is the warning signs: sudden shortness of breath, unusual tiredness, weakness in your arms, or confusion. So snorkel with a buddy, never alone. Pick a lifeguarded beach and check conditions before you go. Test your mask in shallow water first, and stay close enough to shore that you can get out easily, without standing on the reef. And if you feel short of breath out there, get out of the water immediately and get help, even if it looks perfectly calm. That feeling is the warning. It's not something to push through.

    Oahu

    What the Shrimp Truck Advice Online Gets Wrong

    If you're driving to Oahu's North Shore for garlic shrimp, bring cash and go on a weekday morning. The trucks in Kahuku are worth the drive, but two things people repeat online aren't quite right anymore. First, everybody says Giovanni's is cash only. Some reports now say cards work with a processing fee added. Payment practices change, so bring small bills either way and don't find out while standing in line. Second, Giovanni's isn't the only truck, and it has the longest wait. Fumi's, Romy's, and Famous Kahuku Shrimp are all on the same stretch of Kamehameha Highway within a few minutes of each other, and Fumi's runs a family shrimp farm. Plates run roughly $12 to $20 depending on the truck. So go late morning on a weekday if you can. If the line at Giovanni's is thirty people deep, drive two more minutes. And know that most plates come shell-on, so it's messy, and worth flagging if anyone in your group has a shellfish allergy.

    Big Island

    The Big Island Hike Your Guidebook Doesn't Know Is Illegal

    If you're planning to hike down into Waipio Valley on the Big Island, you can't. As of September 2026, you're not allowed to walk down. The county closed Waipio Valley Road in February 2022 after a study found rockfall and slope problems, and it's been renewed over and over since. The rule bans pedestrians completely. It bans ATVs and horseback. The only vehicles allowed down belong to Hawaii County residents, county-permitted tour operators, and Native Hawaiians exercising traditional rights, and even those need low-range four-wheel drive. Renting a 4WD does not get you in. The trouble is that guidebook photos and hiking apps still show the valley floor like you can just stroll down. So here's what to do instead. The Waipio Valley Lookout at the top is free and open, and it's one of the best views on the island. For the valley floor, book a county-permitted shuttle ahead of time and confirm the operator actually holds the permit. Check the Hawaii County emergency rule notice right before your trip, because the rule gets renewed on a short clock and weather can close the road to everyone.

    All Islands

    The Car Seat Rule That Surprises Mainland Families

    If you're bringing kids to Hawaii, check the car seat law before you get to the rental counter. Hawaii requires a car seat or booster for children under 10. The exception is a child age 7 to 9 who is taller than 4 feet 9 inches and fits a lap-and-shoulder belt properly. Kids under 2 need a rear-facing seat. Families from states where the booster ends at 8 get caught by this, because an 8-year-old who's short for their age still needs one here. A first offense is a fine of up to $100. A second within three years runs $250 to $500, plus a required safety class. So reserve a seat in writing when you book the car, and check what it costs, because it's a daily charge that adds up. Confirm the type matches your kid's age and height. If you've got a baby, bring your own seat, since most airlines check car seats free and you'll know its history. And note that taxis are exempt from the law but Uber and Lyft are not, and neither will bring you a seat.

    Big Island

    The Stone Walls You Should Never Climb On

    If you're visiting a heiau in Hawaii, treat it like a working church, not a ruin. A heiau is a sacred Hawaiian temple or ceremonial site, usually a stacked stone platform or a walled enclosure. Some are still culturally significant and used for practice today. Damaging a protected historic site can carry real legal consequences, but the reason to be careful isn't the law. It's that these places matter to people. So stay on the marked paths. Don't climb the walls or walk on the platform. Don't move a stone, and don't add one. Skip the rock stacks people build for photos. And don't leave offerings unless the site's posted protocol invites them, because a well-meant offering left the wrong way is still a problem for whoever maintains the place. If you want to see one done right, go to Pu'ukohola Heiau on the Kohala Coast. There's a visitor center with no entrance fee, and if you check the park schedule you can catch a ranger program. Twenty minutes there and you'll understand what you're looking at anywhere else on the islands.

    We want to know: what's the best catamaran cruise on Maui?

    Search Hawaii Travel Podcast on Facebook, find the post, and tell us your pick. We read every single answer, and we answer back.

    Want all seven tips in one place?

    Email [email protected] and put episode 101 in the subject line. The cheat sheet comes back to you instantly.

    13 min

About Hawaii Travel Podcast | Maui, Oahu, Kauai & Big Island Vacation Tips & Guide

From the publisher's feed

Hawaii Travel Podcast is your guide to planning a Hawaii vacation on Maui, Oahu, Kauai, or the Big Island — practical tips for first-time visitors on what to do, where to eat, and how to get around…