Before you go (before you even start planning), find a travel guide written by someone who has actually spent time on the island and can give you more than simple list of when the Pearl Harbor opens and how much it costs (anyone can give you this information).

A wonderful place to start is with the Revealed series of books - 'Oahu Revealed: The Ultimate Guide to Honolulu, Waikiki & Beyond', 'Maui Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook, Second Edition', 'The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook: Kauai Revealed (Ultimate Kauai Guidebook)', 'Hawaii the Big Island Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook (Hawaii the Big Island Revealed)'. These guides have been written by people who have lived on and researched each island for over a year. They truly know the ins-and-outs and their guides are amazing (full color, maps, photos, and more). Another book containing inside information is 'Hawaii: The Best of Paradise: A Haole Insiders' Guide to Honolulu and Beyond (DiscoverGuides)'. This gives some great tips on what's worth seeing and doing on each island.

Once you've chosen where you'll be going, where you want to stay, and what you want to do - you'll need to decide if you want to use a travel agency or not. If you want to book everything yourself, check out http://www.travelagentdiaries.com - they show you secrets (from travel agents) to finding the best deals for your vacation. They don't sell anything from this site, it's just a lot of helpful, free information. Follow their advice and you'll have your dream vacation booked in no time!

Lastly, don't forget to grab 'Hawaii: True Stories of the Island Spirit (Travelers' Tales)' for the plane ride. It's fantastic book from a variety of writer's telling about their experiences in Hawaii. It will certainly relax you and get you into the Aloha spirit!