For people looking forward to fun and enjoyable Hawaii vacations, planning ahead is always a good idea. This type of foresight includes researching different destinations, skimming through guidebooks, mapping out locations, and determining what is the best way to spend precious hours in the islands. There are several places across the island chain that are popular in books, however, but not at all good places to go in reality. One place to skip is Poipu Beach Park on Kauai. The always crowded beach is quite popular but is nowhere close to the serene and quiet beach getaway many people look forward to. If on Kauai, Lydgate Beach is a much better alternative and has better facilities and much less people.

On Maui, the Kahului Shopping Center is a place for all visitors and tourists to avoid. The generic set of shops is desperately trying to attract non-locals although all of its stores are geared toward residents. A close by alternative is Market Street in Wailuku which not only has a greater spread of shops but also charming restaurants and a much nicer town vibe. On the Big Island, tourists typically flock to Lulu’s. However, the overpriced, deepfried establishment has nothing special and is quite similar to the overexposed Senor Frogs chain. A much better choice would be the Kona Brewery which has more live music, outdoor seating, authentic cuisine, and local beers.

With a population of about 10,000 residents, the town of Kailua is located in the North Kona District of the Island of Hawaii. However, in order to avoid confusion with the Kailua, the town on windward Oahu, the post office designates the Kailua in Kona as Kailua-Kona, even though the locals often refer to the town as just “Kona.” The town is served by the Kona International Airport and is the main center of commerce and tourist destination on the west coast of Hawaii, opposite of Hilo, which is the other large settlement on the island located on the eastern coast.

Fueled by tourism and major investments, Kailua has recently undergone substantial real estate and construction development in the past decade. Today Kailua is home to numerous attractions and hosts the annual Ironman World Championship triathlon and the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament. Kailua is also known for its variety of coffee known as Kona coffee, which is a variety of Coffea arabica cultivated on the nearby slopeds of Mount Hualalai and Mauna Loa. Many of Kailua’s popular sites of interest are located along the town’s main road, Ali’i Drive. Attractions include the Kamakahonu royal residence, Ahu’ena Heiau, Hulihe’e Palace, Mokuaikaua Church, the Sadie Seymour Botanical Gardens, La’aloa Bay and Kahalu’u Bay.