Where Should Our Editor Go in Hawaii?

In Maui, hit Paia fish market restaurant for great fish plates and fish tacos.
Across the street is flatbreads, another great joint.
Best restaurant in the world is close too with killer food and views, Mamas fish House.

1. Mililani farmers market at Mililani high school on Sunday mornings
2. Drinks at sunset at the Halekulani in Waikiki. Best Mai tai and coconut cake with live music and hula dancer every night. This is a posh cocktail spot.
3. Liliha Bakery for cocoa puffs
4. Taniokas for poke (best selection available on the weekends)
5. MW restauarant
6. Lemona Shave Ice

Originally from Hawaii and when I visit Oahu or Maui these are the places I must go to: Oahu: Side Street Inn, Leonards, Liliha Bakery for cocoa puffs, Waiola Shave Ice, Koko Head Cafe, Teds Bakery (for chocolate haupia pie). Maui: Star Noodle, Maui Specialty Chocolates for peanut butter/chocolate or chocolate truffle mochi, Tasaka Guri Guri, Sam Sato for dry mein, Da Kitchen Cafe

Injera (Eritrean/Ethiopian) place in China town on Smith street and a Moroccan place called 'Casablanca' in Kailua might be of particular interest (I just noticed it was mentioned below already).

We were in Maui in December, and found a lot of great spots. Leoda's Kitchen and Pie shop is a hole in the wall on the main road in Lahaina, but the food was FANTASTIC--their chicken and waffles was luscious, and the pies were universally delicious. Along the Road to Hana, Mama's Fish House is great, and one of our favorite stops is the Ke'anae Peninsula, about halfway to Hana. There is a gorgeous beach with waves crashing on rocks (we actually got engaged there a few years back), and Aunt Sandy's Banana Bread is the BOMB.

There are fun day snorkeling trips from Lahaina to Lanaii. The Gazebo in Kapalua has the best breakfast, the pancakes are a must! Ululani's has awesome shave ice on Maui.

Bar Leather Apron on Oahu. Shhhh.

My husband was an inter-island pilot for fifteen years, and these are some of our favorite places, what we recommend to friends and family!

On Oahu: Sushi Sasabune is one of the best places for sushi on the islands -- worth the indulgence. A tiny Moroccan restaurant in Kailua called Casablanca is fantastic. (We'd recommend the beach in Kailua -- it is not as crowded as Waikiki.) Watching the big waves on the North Shore with a picnic lunch and a bottle of wine. Scones from Diamond Head Market (after you do the steps at Diamond Head -- although do that first thing in the morning, before the hot part of the day!) Malasadas from Leonards. Fruity beverages with sunset watching (and seeing Kanoe Miller do hula) at House Without A Key at the Halekulani in Waikiki.
On Maui: A meal at the Hali'imaile General Store, one of Bev Gannon's restaurants, is incredible. A drive up to the top of Haleakala for sunrise/sunset or star watching (it gets cold after the sun goes down, so bring a jacket!) Take the ferry over to Lana'i from Lahaina, whale watching between Lana'i and Maui is fantastic. (Lana'i is one of my favorite places in the world -- you can do a day trip, or stay for a few days!) The road to Hana is worth it, but not if you are in a hurry. It's the journey, not getting there!

Moke's Bread and Breakfast serves best Lillikoi pancakes. We loved it !A Must try in Oahu.

Run through Ho'omaluhia botanic garden on Oahu!

Go hike up to the Makapuu lighthouse! It's a fairly easy hike and the views are wonderful.

If you're going to Oahu and are looking for some traditional Hawaiian cuisine, definitely go to Highway Inn! They have several locations around the island.

I live on Maui and have for 15 years. I would be happy to help you sort out the real from the guidebook - even the special "secret places guidebook" is now all played out. For food recommendations you need to connect with Edible Hawaiian Islands magazines, Dania Katz, Shannon Wianecki and Melissa Chang, to start. Hawaii can be amazing, or Hawaii can be just a nice place to vacation. Find locals and ask questions - we'd love to help! Www.facebook.com/gypsymaui

mud hen water

Thank you all for these great suggestions! I can't wait to see how many we can fit in!

Try a Korean cucumber! Delicious...we picked them up from a Farmer's Market.

Maui: Road to Hana, Hana Farmers Market, Hamoa Beach, Hana; Paia Fish Market and Mamas Fish House Near Paia. Big Island: Volcano and Volcano's National Park, Kiauea Lodge and Restaurant, Mauna Kea Summit, Hawaiian Tropical Gardens. Kauai: visit Hanelai, NaPali Coast, Waimea Canyon, Allerton Gardens,
and Waikiki not to be missed!

Go to the Kailua Farmers Market and check out my friends' Wicked Hi Slush!

tasaka guri guri (kahului, maui): pineapple guri guri
joey's kitchen (lahaina, maui): braised short ribs
cafe o'lei (kihei, maui): coffee creme brulee

Where to start... Nimitz Fish Market? Ono Seafood? Side Street Inn? Morimoto Waikiki? Ono Hawaiian Foods? Waiola Shave Ice? You will be in foodie heaven in Oahu. There are so many good izakayas, dim sum places, noodle houses, etc.

The road to Hana is amazing!! Rent a car and do it yourself without taking a tour bus. Check out the seven sacred pools and the hidden red sand beach. Koki beach is great too. There is a great fruit tour on a fruit farm on the road to Hana. Learned so much and tasted lots of exotic fruits. Finally, Check out the nice hotel called travaasa where you can dine/yoga/etc.

The Honolulu Nature Center has a great visitors area and is also ground zero for a ton of really awesome trails up in/around the Manoa/Tantalus area. And I've never been, but Waikiki Brewing Company on Kalakaua Avenue is supposed to be really nice, and it's about a 15 minute walk to the beach. Also, some of the nicest Chinese food I've ever had was at Little Village Noodle House in Chinatown. Have fun!

Go to Waiola for the best, creamiest shave ice you've ever had and Leonard's bakery for delicious malasadas.

You'll have to take me with you if you want to find my happy places!

Download the Road to Hana Gypsy Driving Tour app. It is a great guide while driving the Road to Hana and provides suggestions of where to stop along the way. Definitely don't make any concrete plans for the rest of your day if you do the drive - we had to cancel our whale watching tour last minute because we were stuck on the road due to some construction. Also - don't plan for any cell reception when you are on the drive. It is beautiful and definitely stop at the Rainbow Eucalyptus Forest

Make sure you pick up a good snorkeling book. There are so many great spots along the shore in Maui. If you see a craft fair stop and check out the local offerings. Look up a list of the ongoing farmers' markets. Go early as opposed to later for the best apple bananas, pineapple, mangos and everything else tropical that is picked ripe. If you can, take the ferry Friday to Molokai to go to the Aloha Friday at the Hotel Molokai. The locals come to the bar and sit at a long table with their ukuleles and guitars. They sing from their songbooks and occasionally a few of the ladies will hula. It is special.

If you are staying near Waikiki, a great run is to head towards diamond head and then around diamond head. diamond Head road takes you along the water. You could also drive and park at Kapiolani Park if you are not near Waikiki. Bring water, there are some drinking fountains along Waikiki, but none once you start running along Diamond Head road. There is also a nice run on the old Pali highway. In Maui, if you are staying in the Wailea area, there is a beach path that the resorts all connect too. It's narrow, so expect to dodge walkers and other people.

Go to the farmer's market at Kapiolani Community College in Waikiki and pick up some lilikoi (passionfruit) curd.

Go to Star Noodle in Lahaina! And yes, the drive to Hana is TOTALLY worth it. Look for the rainbow eucalyptus forest on the way there, and stop your car on the side of the road when you find it and wander through it. In Hana, the hidden Red Sand Beach is incredible.

Izakaya Gaku is my favorite restaurant in Honolulu, and one of my favorites regardless of location. Please call for reservations (you want the seats at the counter) and to see if a vegetarian menu can be prepared. Omakase is definitely the way to go....it can be expensive, but so worth it!

Please please please go to Opal Thai on the North Shore. It was the absolute highlight of our trip to Oahu over the summer. It's a hole in the wall place next to a Radio Shack, but probably the best Thai we've ever had. Opal, the owner, is a character.