2025 Hawaii Visitor Guides
EIGHT UNIQUE ISLANDS.
SIX DESTINATIONS TO EXPLORE.
ONE REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE!

Get Your Free Hawaii Starter Guide (Limited Time) Below + Unlock the Full Experience with Our Deluxe Edition
Below, we'll review in more detail what our updated Hawaii Travel guides include. You can also click here to compare all of our Visitor Guides.
Crafted by Two Hawaii Experts
Trusted by Millions of Visitors Annually
Created by two Hawaii Destination Experts, John and Tori Derrick, don't miss out on our 20+ years of inside Hawaii knowledge, tips, and recommendations.
Our travel guides are updated twice a year (or more) to ensure they're entirely up to date with the latest Hawaii details, graphics, restaurants, charts, and visitor information. We provide a free introductory 'lite' copy of each guide, and our premium guides can be purchased directly from our store. Both free and premium copies are available below.
"I purchased some of the Hawaii Guides last spring. The guides have been quite helpful. I really appreciate the tips to enhance our visit. Mahalo and keep up the great work!"
Ralph M.
Individual Island Guides
Highlights & Essential Visitor Guide for Each Island
If you already know which island(s) you're visiting; great! - Our individual island visitor guides have NO third-party advertisements or paid product placements. Ad-free, beautifully designed, and perfectly curated for quick access on your trip. Our guides package the best of our website into a streamlined, ad-free, printable format for your ultimate convenience.
Still not sure which island you're visiting and need help deciding? Our Statewide Guides are just below.
Get Your Insiders Guide to each Island Now
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Premium Statewide Guides
2025 Hawaii Travel Guide & Visitor Planner
Get Instant Access to the Best of Hawaii
Grab a premium copy and take advantage of our destination expert's Hawaii insights. Our new 2025 travel guides contain over 70 visual pages (Highlights version), and over 100 visual pages (Deluxe Essential version) of pertinent Hawaii travel information to assist in planning your perfect Hawaii trip.
Our visitor guides also have NO third-party advertisements or paid product placements. Ad-free, beautifully designed, and perfectly curated for quick access on your trip. Our guides package the best of our website into a streamlined, ad-free, printable format for your ultimate convenience.
The islands of Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island are covered in detail. A complete table of contents is additionally included within each travel guide. The top attractions are included for each island (top 9 in the Highlights guide, and top 11 in the Deluxe guide). The Highlights and Deluxe planner also include our Best Places to find Authentic Hawaii food guide.
Want to explore before going Premium?
Keep scrolling—your Free Intro Starter Guide awaits just below.
"I would highly recommend this guide! Helpful information and e-delivered immediately!"
Kelli B.






Free Starter Hawaii Visitor Guide
+ 2025 Hawaii Guidesheets
View your FREE intro copy today and take advantage of our destination expert's Hawaii insights. This free travel guide contains nearly 50 visual pages of pertinent Hawaii travel information to assist in planning your perfect Hawaii trip.
Upgrade to our premium guides to unlock even more valuable Hawaii travel insights; more information is above.
Visitor Guide F.A.Q.
Why choose this guide over free online information?
While free information is abundant online, it’s often scattered, outdated, or influenced by sponsorships. Our Visitor Guides provide clear, accurate, unbiased recommendations curated by independent Hawaii travel experts. We’ve distilled over 20 years of local knowledge, genuine traveler feedback, and continuous on-the-ground updates into one convenient resource—saving you countless hours of research and ensuring you get the most out of your trip to Hawaii.
Who created these guides, and why should I trust them?
These guides were created by John & Victoria Derrick, the independent owners of HawaiiGuide.com—the second most visited Hawaii travel website behind only GoHawaii.com. With over two decades dedicated to exploring, photographing, and writing about the Hawaiian Islands, they’ve personally experienced Hawaii’s best (and worst), carefully documenting it all. Unlike corporate-owned sites, they maintain complete independence, meaning recommendations are always unbiased, honest, and crafted from genuine expertise.
Is this guide regularly updated?
Absolutely! Our Visitor Guides are reviewed and updated by our team at least twice a year—often more frequently for digital editions. We’re committed to ensuring our visitors always have the latest information, whether it’s new attractions, updated maps, safety tips, or current local insights. With this guide, you’re never stuck with outdated or incorrect information, ensuring your Hawaii vacation is seamless from start to finish.
Is this guide unbiased and ad-free?
Yes! Our Visitor Guides are completely ad-free and independent. Unlike other websites or guides funded by advertisers, our recommendations are driven solely by what’s best for travelers—not sponsors. Creators John and Victoria Derrick have personally explored and evaluated the Hawaiian Islands for over two decades, ensuring honest, unbiased insights you can trust.
How does this guide compare to the official Hawaii visitor guide?
Unlike the official visitor guide, which is now available only digitally and filled with numerous advertisements—often occupying half or even full pages—our Visitor Guides are entirely ad-free. Official guides typically have frequent commercial interruptions, making it harder to quickly find useful, trustworthy information. Our independently created guides prioritize clear, unbiased advice without distractions. Because we're not funded by advertisers, you can rely on our honest and straightforward recommendations, ensuring your trip planning remains stress-free and focused.
What makes your recommendations independent and unbiased?
We’re committed to maintaining our independence because it's essential to providing genuine, trustworthy advice. Many other guides rely heavily on advertising revenue, which inevitably influences their content. We refuse ads entirely, ensuring our recommendations come solely from direct experience, traveler feedback, and expert insights. When we suggest a location, activity, or accommodation, it's because we've personally verified its value—not because someone paid us to promote it.
How can this guide save me time?
Free online resources and AI (especially AI) often require extensive searching, fact-checking, and cross-referencing. Our Visitor Guides eliminate this hassle. We've done all the legwork, organizing 20+ years of Hawaii travel experience into an easy-to-follow format. With accurate, carefully curated, and regularly updated information at your fingertips, you can confidently plan your trip faster, without second-guessing or endless scrolling through conflicting online advice. Save yourself 10 hours of searching with our expert advice.
What type of information will I find in this guide that I might not easily discover elsewhere?
Beyond standard tourist spots, our guides offer insightful local tips, lesser-known gems, detailed safety recommendations, updated maps, and practical advice tailored to genuine traveler experiences. We highlight valuable insights that other sources might overlook, ensuring your Hawaii vacation is uniquely enriching and hassle-free.
Visitor Guide Comparison
2025 Hawaii Travel
Free Starter Hawaii Visitor Guide
+ 2025 Hawaii Guidesheets
View your FREE intro copy today and take advantage of our destination expert's Hawaii insights. This free travel guide contains nearly 50 visual pages of pertinent Hawaii travel information to assist in planning your perfect Hawaii trip.
Upgrade to our premium guides to unlock even more valuable Hawaii travel insights; more information is above.
Where to Stay in Hawaii Guides
Hawaii is a destination that attracts a unique mix of tourists from all over the world. There are resorts and hotels all over the major islands, but there are also many free-standing hotels and vacation rentals, which allow you to choose from a wide range of accommodations. We provide a list of these top favorable destinations by island, according to the popularity of each area.
Our Where to Stay guides will highlight the best places to stay in Hawaii and the best parts of each island. Hawaii offers several favorable areas for different types of vacationers on each unique island.
Details on Hawaii's Weather & Climate
Hawaii weather is known for being rather sporadic, but that doesn't have to leave you guessing what to expect.
Know what you're likely to experience weather-wise on your trip by reading through our Hawaii Weather summary. Our weather information additionally includes a rainfall map, a precipitation chart (for each month of the year), and a high/low-temperature graph/chart so you can plan accordingly for your trip.
We've also included the best links of where to check the daily forecast for the most accurate weather outlook.
When to Visit & Seasonal Hotel Rates
Wondering what the hotel prices will be during the weeks of your visit? Look no further, we've got you covered with our Hawaii Hotel Price averages graphic that provides insight into what pricing you can expect at different times throughout the year.
We've also covered the Best Time to Visit, including a graph showing the monthly visitor statistics for each major island.
BEST TIME to... Hawaii FAQ
When is the best time for good weather? How about when to avoid crowds? Or when exactly is the best time to book your trip to Hawaii? We've covered each of these questions and several others in our Best Time to.... Hawaii FAQ.
Discover which time of the year is the best time to visit for local Hawaii festivals and events, or when hiking conditions are prime for hitting Hawaii's incredible plethora of trails. We've also covered when to go whale watching, take a Hawaii cruise, and much more.
Individual Hawaii Islands in Detail
Each of the four major Hawaiian Islands is covered in our Hawaii Travel Guides, including Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii.
A general introduction to each island is also provided, along with our recommendations for each island. If you haven't decided on which island(s) to visit yet, these sections should help you narrow down your choices to a favorite or two.
Detailed Overview of Each Island's Regions
Learn more about each of the regions of Hawaii's major islands in our detailed region section for each respective major Hawaiian Island.
This section covers the basic geography of each island, the top attractions within each region, along with tips on the best nearby attractions to visit.
Hawaii Road & Beach Maps
Our travel guides wouldn't be complete without detailed high-resolution Hawaii Road Maps for each island. For Maui, we've added a bonus road map for the Road to Hana (Hana Highway), the premier drive on the island.
We've additionally included Beach Maps for each island, so you can quickly and easily determine which beaches are best to visit during your trip; not to mention which are closest to your hotel.
Discover Hawaii's Top Attractions
For each of the major four islands, we've covered their top attractions in detail, including how to visit and where each attraction is located on the island.
Photos and details are provided for each top attraction, so you can quickly decide which sights, beaches, and/or hiking trails are right for you during your visit.
Top Local Grindz - Best Eats
Sun, sand, and surf are not all Hawaii is known for. Sure, we travel to islands for a relaxing time that will incorporate all these things, but you gotta eat too, right? Hawaii certainly doesn’t let us down on that issue. Hawaii offers some of the best culinary experiences in the world.
In this section, we cover some of our favorite places for authentic Hawaii food on each island, the best 'ono grindz (delicious food) that can be found in Hawaii.
Free Starter Hawaii Visitor Guide
+ 2025 Hawaii Guidesheets
View your FREE intro copy today and take advantage of our destination expert's Hawaii insights. This free travel guide contains nearly 50 visual pages of pertinent Hawaii travel information to assist in planning your perfect Hawaii trip.
Upgrade to our premium guides to unlock even more valuable Hawaii travel insights; more information is above.