Hawaii For Dummies (Dummies Travel) (ISBN 0470008695)

Hawaii for Dummies - good publication:
I bought this book from Amazon because I had borrowed several from the library and thought this one was one of the best.

Great Travel Book:
This is the best travel book I have ever used. Very complete and easy to use. The recommendations are flawless. If you are going to Hawaii,especially for the firt time, make your trip better and get this book.

Good for Land Dwellers but Not your Only Book:
The Dummies series is known for providing practical, easy to understand information to get you started on any topic. The Dummies book for Hawaii does this same thing - black and white, highlights, with short descriptions. It's important to understand this. This book has quality information - and they are helped out by the Frommer's team, so you are getting Frommer's advice here in the book. However, there are no lush full-color photos to help you absorb the beauty of Hawaii. There are not turn by turn directions to get to those secret locations like the Southernmost Point in the United States. The book does shine at what it provides. If you're looking for hotels, other travel books often skim over this information. The dummies book provides price ranges, 'best' choices and explains exactly what to look for based on your needs. You get phone numbers, website URLs and details about parking and specials. The same is true for restaurants. You're told what items on the menu are worth ordering, what seats give the best views and what is great for romantic couples vs for families. Often you are just on a given island for a day or two and don't have time to figure these things out for yourself. Following the advice can make the difference between a so-so dinner and an evening you will remember for a lifetime. The book in general is a great reference for people who are going to stay on land, with its heavy emphasis on hotels and restaurants. People who are cruising will find it far less helpful. It's description of the famous black sand beach on the big island of Hawaii is super short. The Southernmost Point gets 2 sentences and you aren't even told how to get there. The book is thick - but all in black and white, so you miss out on the gorgeous atmosphere of Hawaii. You learn how to find a good taco, but not the meaning behind the location you are visiting. So I'd suggest this book primarily for people who are staying on land, and make sure this isn't the only book you get. Go through this book to choose your hotels and restaurants, but get another book or two to go into the background of the location and to map out the sights you wish to see.

Dummies books are great:
I bought this book in anticipation of going to Oahu for a week. I have read everything in it about getting to the islands, Oahu, and Waikiki. I also read other guide books on the islands and this one has been the best. It gives pretty much any information that you might need to get there and back.

A must-have for the novice hawaii vacationer:
I purchased this book about eight months before my husband and I went to Hawaii. I read it cover to cover, and felt very well-informed about all of our travel and accomodation choices. I suggest you really stick to the hotels and restaurants she reviews - the ones not in there are not mentioned for a reason - we stayed in a bad hotel in Waikiki that she didn't mention, and almost booked a terrible luau (Germaine's) that is also not mentioned in the book. Everything we did that she mentioned, however, was great! She offers a wealth of knowledge in a very easy to read book, we would have been lost without it. I bought several other books on Hawaii, but found myself returning to this one time and again.