Aloha Reader,

I had a consult recently that I keep thinking about.

A couple reached out wanting help planning their granddaughter's first trip to Hawaii. They used to live there, and it was clear from the first few minutes that this trip meant everything to them. They weren't asking me to find the best resort deals. They wanted cultural experiences, real moments, things that would make her fall in love with the islands the way they did. They wanted her to feel it.

Something about watching people who already know Hawaii deeply still want a second set of eyes made me smile. It wasn't about not knowing what to do. It was about it mattering too much to wing it. That's honestly the kind of planning session that reminds me why I do this work.

A few things I keep seeing in my inbox right now:

• Families hesitating because of the storm coverage. The Kona Low storms in March were serious (real flooding, real road damage, real disruption for locals). But the coverage made it look like the entire state was underwater, and that's not what happened. People canceled Waikiki trips because they saw footage of the North Shore. Kona visitors bailed over Maui headlines. Most of those trips were completely fine to take. By May, the islands are in great shape. Quick tip: check the Hawaii Tourism Authority or island-specific sources instead of general news before making any decisions.
• Everyone wanting to plan a Big Island trip around the volcano. I get it. Kilauea has been doing something spectacular since late 2024, and the lava fountaining episodes are genuinely unlike anything most people have ever seen. But each episode tends to last less than a day and there's no way to predict exactly when the next one starts. You can't schedule around it the way you'd book a luau. Visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park regardless (it's worth every minute even between eruptions) and keep the USGS app on your phone once you're on island.
• Summer activities not getting booked until it's too late. Flights are locked in, hotel is confirmed, and then families land and discover the snorkel tour they wanted is sold out. Na Pali Coast boat trips, helicopter rides, popular luaus (these fill weeks out, not days). If you're going this summer, your activity list should be the next thing you open.

Three things worth knowing right now:

Hawaii is open, and going there right now actually matters. The March storms cost the state an estimated $300 million in tourism revenue, mostly because travelers canceled trips to places that were completely fine. Local business owners who survived the pandemic are going through it again. The best thing anyone can do for Hawaii right now is visit, eat at locally-owned restaurants, book the small tour operators, shop the local markets. Your trip is not frivolous. It genuinely helps.

Kilauea keeps erupting, but it's unpredictable on purpose. Episode 45 of the current lava fountaining eruption just wrapped on April 23rd after about 8.5 hours. Episode 46 will come, probably within days to a few weeks, but no one knows exactly when. The lava is contained to Halemaumau crater within the park, the park itself is open, and the glow is visible even between active episodes. If you're heading to the Big Island, plan a full day at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Just don't book your flights around a specific eruption date.

Airfare is genuinely high this summer, but Kauai has something interesting going on. Domestic summer fares are up significantly over last year, and Hawaii feels it harder than most destinations since flying is your only option. If you're flexible and Kauai is on your list, there's actually more competition on flight routes there this summer than any other island, and the San Francisco to Lihue nonstop has two airlines going head to head right now. That doesn't make it cheap, but it makes it comparatively better. Bottom line: if your dates are set, book the flights. Waiting for a summer sale that doesn't come is a gamble most experts aren't recommending right now.

Something I've been working through personally:

I'm in the early stages of planning a Kauai trip for November. My mom lives there, my son hasn't seen her in a while, and his school has teacher conference days that could give us a window without using too much vacation time. The problem is I'd still have to pull him out for a few extra days, and I go back and forth on it constantly.

Rationally, I know he learns more on a Hawaii trip than sitting in second grade for three days. We do cultural activities, we talk about the land, we cook with my mom. It counts. But the mom guilt still shows up. Do I pay more to go during an official break and just feel clean about it? Or do I stop overthinking and go?

I haven't decided yet. But I'm guessing I'm not the only one who's been exactly here.

One thing that might help before you travel:

For $50, I'll do a full review of your Hawaii itinerary before you go. You send me what you've put together and I go through it looking for anything I'd flag, anything that could save you real money, anything that might make the trip dramatically smoother. I've caught double-booked travel days, spotted better options for things people had already settled on, and flagged activities that just don't make sense for the family doing them.

A Hawaii vacation costs thousands of dollars. Fifty bucks to make sure your plan is solid is about as low-risk as it gets.

​Grab an itinerary review here​

Until next time,

Marcie