Hawaii Travel Made Easy Podcast—Hawaii travel tips, Things to do in Hawaii, Hawaii vacation planning

Hawaii 101: 2026 Edition

Hawaii 101 for 2026: What’s Changed, Reservations, Islands, and Smarter Planning Marcie updates a “Hawaii 101 for 2026,” warning that much online advice is outdated due to West Maui’s post-2023 fire reality, expanding reservation requirements, new fees, and changing vacation-rental laws. She explains best timing (peak: Dec–Apr, Jun–Aug; shoulder: late Apr–May, Sept–mid Nov; September favorite) and flags logistics like REAL ID, shifting airline routes after Alaska’s 2024 acquisition of Hawaiian, Southwest’s Las Vegas–Hilo route, and Hawaiian ending most free main-cabin meals July 1 in favor of paid pre-orders. She compares island personalities and notes Lahaina remains a recovery area while nearby resorts operate and Pac Whale resumes Lahaina Harbor tours June 1. She stresses booking required reservations early, budgeting higher lodging taxes including the 0.75% “green fee,” verifying legal vacation rentals, renting cars on most islands, packing lightly, and choosing luaus carefully, with itinerary reviews and consultations available. 00:00 Hawaii 2026 Reset 01:14 Best Time to Visit 02:17 Flights and REAL ID 03:35 Choosing Your Island 04:39 Maui After the Fires 05:41 Big Island and Kauai 06:35 Reservations Are Mandatory 08:03 Itinerary Reality Check 09:41 Taxes and Rental Laws 11:10 Cars Packing and Luaus 13:20 Planning Help and Wrap Up How to Plan a Trip to Oahu [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2453978/episodes/17526577] How to Plan a Trip to Maui [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2453978/episodes/17548682] How to Plan a Trip to the Big Island [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2453978/episodes/17790686] How to Plan a Trip to Kauai [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2453978/episodes/17958965] About Your Host: Marcie Cheung is a Certified Hawaii Destination Expert who has visited Hawaii 40+ times and spent 20+ years as a professional hula dancer. Through Hawaii Travel with Kids, she helps families plan authentic, affordable Hawaii vacations that respect local culture while creating unforgettable memories. Learn more at hawaiitravelwithkids.com [https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/] Connect: @hawaiitravelwithkids [https://www.instagram.com/hawaiitravelwtihkids] on Instagram | Book a Consultation [https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/hawaii-travel-consultant/] 🌺 Join 11,000+ families receiving free Hawaii travel tips, island guides, and insider advice - subscribe now! https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/free-5-day-email-course-how-to-travel-to-hawaii-like-a-pro/ [https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/free-5-day-email-course-how-to-travel-to-hawaii-like-a-pro/]

How to Decide Hawaii vs Mexico vs Caribbean With Kids

Hawaii vs. Mexico/Caribbean: Choose the Vacation You Actually Want The episode argues that the better question than “Hawaii or Cancun?” is what kind of vacation you want: a resort-style, all-inclusive trip focused on ease and relaxation, or an adventure trip built around exploring. The host explains that Mexico and much of the Caribbean excel at all-inclusives with included food, drinks, and kids clubs, while Hawaii has no all-inclusives and costs add up quickly through meals, taxes, and activities, though it offers unique nature and cultural experiences like volcanoes, black sand beaches, scenic drives, luaus, and sunrise at Haleakala. It breaks down how kids’ ages, multigenerational preferences, flight times (West vs. East Coast), passports, language, and weather seasons affect the decision, provides 2026 cost ranges, and advises doing full-trip math before booking. 00:00 Hawaii Or Cancun 01:40 Resort Vs Adventure 02:09 All Inclusive Reality 03:26 Kids Age Factor 04:47 2026 Cost Breakdown 06:52 Flights And Passports 08:22 Weather Expectations 10:08 Family Preferences 11:32 When Hawaii Wins 12:35 When Resorts Win 13:33 Personal Trip Examples 14:43 How To Decide 16:41 Wrap Up Resources About Your Host: Marcie Cheung is a Certified Hawaii Destination Expert who has visited Hawaii 40+ times and spent 20+ years as a professional hula dancer. Through Hawaii Travel with Kids, she helps families plan authentic, affordable Hawaii vacations that respect local culture while creating unforgettable memories. Learn more at hawaiitravelwithkids.com [https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/] Connect: @hawaiitravelwithkids [https://www.instagram.com/hawaiitravelwtihkids] on Instagram | Book a Consultation [https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/hawaii-travel-consultant/] 🌺 Join 11,000+ families receiving free Hawaii travel tips, island guides, and insider advice - subscribe now! https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/free-5-day-email-course-how-to-travel-to-hawaii-like-a-pro/ [https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/free-5-day-email-course-how-to-travel-to-hawaii-like-a-pro/]

Day Trip to Lana'i from Maui: The Honest Version

Day Trip to Lānaʻi from Maui: Ferry Logistics, What to Do, and Who It’s For Marcie Cheung explains how to plan a day trip to Lānaʻi from Maui via the Expeditions Ferry (now from Maʻalaea Harbor), including schedules, booking tips, arrival timing, parking, whale-season seating advice, and motion-sickness precautions. She frames Lānaʻi as quiet, small, and different from other Hawaiian islands, noting limited Hawaiian cultural feel and that it’s best for repeat Maui visitors, off-the-grid travelers, snorkelers, hikers, and cat lovers—not first-time Maui trips. With about 5.5 hours on the island on the common 11:00 AM–5:30 PM schedule (or nearly 10 hours via the 6:30 AM ferry), she recommends prioritizing early lunch in Lānaʻi City due to limited afternoon food, then visiting Hulopoʻe Beach, Sweetheart Rock, the Four Seasons area, the cat sanctuary (with shuttle), or booking a guided 4x4 tour for sites like Garden of the Gods and Shipwreck Beach; she also notes Cathedrals dive trips can depart directly from Maui. 00:00 Whales and First Impressions 01:03 Who Should Day Trip 01:43 Lanai Reality Check 02:41 Ferry Logistics and Parking 04:08 Best Seats and Seasickness 04:45 What to Pack 05:36 Choosing Your Ferry Time 07:02 No Car Highlights 07:39 4x4 Tours and Four Seasons 08:09 Cat Sanctuary Visit 08:33 Lanai City and Food Tips 09:48 Cathedrals Without Ferry 10:28 Families and Final Verdict 11:55 Resources and Wrap Up About Your Host: Marcie Cheung is a Certified Hawaii Destination Expert who has visited Hawaii 40+ times and spent 20+ years as a professional hula dancer. Through Hawaii Travel with Kids, she helps families plan authentic, affordable Hawaii vacations that respect local culture while creating unforgettable memories. Learn more at hawaiitravelwithkids.com [https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/] Connect: @hawaiitravelwithkids [https://www.instagram.com/hawaiitravelwtihkids] on Instagram | Book a Consultation [https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/hawaii-travel-consultant/] 🌺 Join 11,000+ families receiving free Hawaii travel tips, island guides, and insider advice - subscribe now! https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/free-5-day-email-course-how-to-travel-to-hawaii-like-a-pro/ [https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/free-5-day-email-course-how-to-travel-to-hawaii-like-a-pro/]

My 12-Year-Old Has Been to Hawaii 14 Times. He Has Opinions.

Owen’s Kid’s-Eye Guide to Hawaii: Acai Bowls, Island Rankings, and Flying Solo at 10 Host Marcie welcomes her 12-year-old son, Owen, to “Hawaii Travel Made Easy,” highlighting his extensive Hawaii experience: about 14 trips, visits to Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island, and a solo flight to Kauai at age 10 to see grandma. Owen shares his February “best acai bowl” mission and picks Tropical Tribe in Waikiki as the winner, recommends shave ice, and says the beach is his must-do every trip. He ranks the islands: Big Island (zip lining on the Kohala zip line), Kauai, Maui, then Oahu. He contrasts Maui as best for pools and beaches and Kauai for food, advises that kids don’t care about long drives for quick photo spots, and urges parents to schedule pool/chill time. Owen reassures families about unaccompanied minor travel and encourages staying in the moment because Hawaii is worth the flight. 00:00 Meet Owen 00:57 Hawaii Credentials 02:15 Acai Bowl Quest 03:24 Kid Approved Activities 04:38 Island Rankings 06:26 Flying Solo 09:43 Parents Plan Too Much 11:07 Five Minute Hawaii Advice 12:08 Wrap Up Resources About Your Host: Marcie Cheung is a Certified Hawaii Destination Expert who has visited Hawaii 40+ times and spent 20+ years as a professional hula dancer. Through Hawaii Travel with Kids, she helps families plan authentic, affordable Hawaii vacations that respect local culture while creating unforgettable memories. Learn more at hawaiitravelwithkids.com [https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/] Connect: @hawaiitravelwithkids [https://www.instagram.com/hawaiitravelwtihkids] on Instagram | Book a Consultation [https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/hawaii-travel-consultant/] 🌺 Join 11,000+ families receiving free Hawaii travel tips, island guides, and insider advice - subscribe now! https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/free-5-day-email-course-how-to-travel-to-hawaii-like-a-pro/ [https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/free-5-day-email-course-how-to-travel-to-hawaii-like-a-pro/]

How Slowing Down in Hawaii Creates the Trips You'll Actually Remember

JOMO in Hawaii: Stop Optimizing Your Family Trip and Leave Room for Real Memories Marcie Cheung shares a lesson from a Big Island trip when her five-year-old resisted a packed itinerary, leading them to spend a happy day at the Kona pool that became a standout memory. She argues families often arrive in Hawaii exhausted and over-scheduled due to “once in a lifetime” pressure, creating a checklist mentality that prevents actually experiencing the islands. She explains JOMO (joy of missing out) as intentionally cutting activities you’d feel secretly relieved to miss and recommends a “one main thing” rule: one primary plan per day with the rest unstructured to allow spontaneity, especially for kids. She offers island-specific examples (slower Volcanoes visits, a two-day Road to Hana, staying put in an Oahu neighborhood like Kailua, and taking an unhurried day on Kauai’s west side) and promotes her consultations and itinerary audits. 00:00 Pool Day Wake Up Call 01:00 Why Hawaii Trips Burn Out 02:05 Fear And Checklist Trap 02:43 Relief Test For Plans 03:06 One Main Thing Rule 04:05 Island By Island Slow Travel 05:43 Kids Need More Margin 06:26 Plan Space For Spontaneity 06:46 Consultations And Itinerary Help 07:41 Memories That Actually Stick 07:59 Resources And Farewell About Your Host: Marcie Cheung is a Certified Hawaii Destination Expert who has visited Hawaii 40+ times and spent 20+ years as a professional hula dancer. Through Hawaii Travel with Kids, she helps families plan authentic, affordable Hawaii vacations that respect local culture while creating unforgettable memories. Learn more at hawaiitravelwithkids.com [https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/] Connect: @hawaiitravelwithkids [https://www.instagram.com/hawaiitravelwtihkids] on Instagram | Book a Consultation [https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/hawaii-travel-consultant/] 🌺 Join 11,000+ families receiving free Hawaii travel tips, island guides, and insider advice - subscribe now! https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/free-5-day-email-course-how-to-travel-to-hawaii-like-a-pro/ [https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/free-5-day-email-course-how-to-travel-to-hawaii-like-a-pro/]