Planning a Trip to Hawaii with Artful Agenda

10 Dec Planning a Trip to Hawaii with Artful Agenda

Planning a trip to Hawaii can be difficult, especially if you haven’t been before or you aren’t sure what activities or excursions you want to do. Artful Agenda can help you stay organized from the initial planning stages all the way through your flight back home.

Pick the Dates for Your Trip

The first step to planning any vacation or trip is deciding when you want to go. This is especially important to do well in advance if you are going to be using paid time off from your job, since this generally needs to be approved ahead of time.

If you have children and plan on leaving them behind for the trip, getting dates set sooner than later will help with arranging childcare. If you are planning on traveling with your children, check out our tips here!

Artful Agenda allows you to share calendars with your family and friends, so you can easily see when everyone going on the trip is available to travel (or available to help with childcare). This makes it easier to coordinate with multiple schedules.

As for when to visit Hawaii, there is really no bad time to go! Winter is considered the busy season. It’s perfect for people looking to get away from cold weather where they live, and whale watching is best during this time. The water can be rough during winter, so this time of year is better for more experienced surfers and swimmers.

Summer is the most popular time for families since it’s when the weather is warmest and when kids are usually out of school. The water is calmest during the summer, which is great for less experienced swimmers and surfers.

Spring and autumn are the least busy seasons, making them perfect for those trying to avoid crowds and stay within a budget.

Book Your Flights and Place(s) to Stay

Once you have decided when you want to go, it is time to book your flights and find a place to stay. The Lists tab in Artful Agenda is a great tool to help you stay organized as you pick both.

Use Artful Agenda to create a list that compares different flights. Since most people have to take connecting flights to get to Hawaii, you might benefit from having a list that compares the different flight lengths and how long each layover is, as well as which airport you would fly through and the perks of the different airline choices.

From all-inclusive resorts to cute Airbnb bungalows, there are so many different options that it can get overwhelming. Create a note in the Lists tab to help you compare your options. This is especially helpful if you plan to visit more than one island or stay on multiple parts of an island.

Curious about the perks of each Island? Check out their pros and cons here!

Decide On and Add Your Events

Want to hike some waterfalls? Or spend a day reading on the beach? Use events in Artful Agenda to keep track of your vacation schedule. You can create a calendar just for your vacation or color-coordinate the different events you plan. For example, you can use a different color each for excursions, activities on-site where you are staying, and meal reservations. Check out the different ways you can color code using Artful Agenda here!

Hawaii is filled with fun activities for whatever kind of vacation you want! Whether you’re searching for adventure or just looking to relax, you can find fun things to do on the islands.

Add Reminders

Artful Agenda’s reminder feature has so many applications for vacationing, including:

• Requesting PTO on time
• Checking in to your flights
• Remembering to make reservations
• Booking any rides/Ubers you may need
• Checking out of your hotel on time

Use the Lists Tab

In addition to planning flights, the Artful List tab can be used to:

• Plan your vacation budget and keep track of vacation-related expenses
• Create packing lists for your carry-on bags and your checked bags (Here are some suggestions for when you’re packing!)
• Make a list of the things you need to buy for your trip
• Track activities you want to do
• Keep a list of any suggested activities or recommended places to go while you are there
• Remember everyone you want to buy souvenirs for

Utilize the Custom Notes and Event Description Sections

Use the Custom Notes section in Artful Agenda’s Day view to keep important information for all of your daily activities, including phone numbers and addresses. You can also keep information like your flight and hotel confirmation numbers in the descriptions for the events you’ve added to your calendar.

Track Your Water Intake

It can be easy to forget to drink enough water when you are on vacation, especially if you are drinking adult beverages or are being more active than you usually are. If you can, bring a water bottle with you on your trip, and use Artful Agenda’s water tracking feature to make sure you are getting at least eight glasses.

Want to plan your next trip with Artful Agenda? Start your free trial today!

Hawaiian Vacation Inspiration: See How Artful Agenda Owner Katy Enjoyed Her Time in Hawaii

Our owner, Katy, recently traveled to Maui with her husband and is excited to share her photos & itinerary with you!

Katy’s Itinerary

• Saturday, July 17 – Stay the night in Kula
  • Land at OGG 2:42pm
  • Pick up Jeep – used Turo! HIGHLY recommend!
  • Dinner in Paia (Paia Fish Market)
  • Pick up wine at local Kula market
  • Check into Airbnb – Watch sunset and drink wine

• Sunday, July 17 – Stay the night in Hana
  • Haleakala sunrise (you have to make reservations!)
  • Breakfast or lunch in Paia
  • Baldwin Beach Park
  • Road to Hana Day 1:
    • Huelo Lookout – MM 4.5
    • Rainbow Eucalyptus trees – MM 7
    • Honomanu Bay Lookout – MM 14
    • Ke’Anae Peninsula – MM 16
    • Halfway to Hana Banana Bread and Sign MM 17 (get the banana bread sundae!)
    • Nahiku Marketplace – Coffee at Nahiku Cafe – MM 29 (get the macadamia nut iced coffee)
    • Hana Lava Tube – MM 31
    • Waianapanapa State Park MM 32 (black sand beach) – you HAVE to get a reservation. We didn’t know this and had to miss it.
  • Our resort was AMAZING. It’s pricey, but we booked it with points. Definitely get the oceanfront bungalo.

• Monday, July 19 – Stay the night in Hana
  • Coffee at My Titas’ Cafe
  • Hamoa beach – MM 51 (this beach is insanely awesome – SO beautiful with amazing water/waves to swim and body surf in)
  • Incredible Thai food at Ae’s Thai kitchen

• Tuesday, July 20
  • Road to Hana Day 2:
    • Wailua Falls – MM 45 (best waterfall I’ve ever seen)
    • Oheo Gulch at Kipahulu MM 42 (more amazing than you can imagine because of the way the ocean comes into it)
    • Fish n chips at Nahiku Marketplace – MM 28-29
  • Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice in Paia
  • Drop off Jeep at airport

Katy’s Photos

Check out Katy’s Hawaii Instagram highlight here.