My wife and I will be taking a cruise through the Hawaiian Islands in April. We've never been there and we want to avoid the tourist traps and see the real Hawaii.

By definition, cruises drop you off in the 'tourist traps' and shopping malls so you can spend your money at the tourist trap and then get back on the boat. I like cruises, but if you want to see the 'real' anywhere, skip the cruise and just go there. Cruises are good for 'sampling' a place but not for getting a real good look at it.

My favorite Hawaii guidebooks are the 'Revealed' series. They seem to have the most user-friendly layout.

If you do the road to Hana, definitely prioritize what kinds of things you want to see and budget your time. We tried to see everything and it took us all day just to get to Hana. Then we had to drive back in the dark and didn't get to see the 'other side.'