Here are some Q&A asking for tips and advice on Hawaii-and the answers from our AAA experts.

Going to Hawaii and would like restaurant recommendations in the Kohala/Kona area of the Big Island. One of our group has a birthday and we want a place to celebrate. Can you help me out?
A couple of good choices for a birthday celebration are in Waimea: Merriman's and Daniel Thiebaut - Waimea is a little north of the Kohala/Kona area, but not a bad drive:
Merriman's: Peter Merriman is a great chef and is one of the founding chefs of Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine
Daniel Thiebaut: Thiebaut is another creative, innovative chef

Some other, more casual options:
- Fujimamas Restaurant & Sushi Bar, 75-5719 Ali‘i Drive, Kailua-Kona (808) 327-2125: hip, fun Asian restaurant and the food is supposed to be outstanding.
- Sansei Seafood, Steak & Sushi, in Waikoloa (808) 886-6286: "new wave" sushi, fun.
- Norio's Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar at the Fairmont Orchid (808) 887-7386: more traditional sushi.
- Oodles of Noodles, in Kailua-Kona, 75-1027 Henry St, Kailua-Kona (808) 329-9222: just what it says, all kinds of Asian noodles fixed in interesting ways.

I'm a U.S. Permanent resident with a Filipino passport and want to take a Hawaii interisland cruise. Do I need a Visa for this?
Hawaii is one of the 50 United States. There is no need for a visa. Please get full details from your cruise line before you depart for any other document requirements.

We are looking for temporary luggage storage in Honolulu, Hawaii for a few hours before taking a cab to our home-bound flight.
If you're not staying in a hotel we recommend that you simply store your luggage at a hotel in the area you are staying. Typically, hotels will do this even if you're not a guest - give the bell person a nice tip, of course ($5 for 2/3 bags), and also tip the guy - if it's a different guy - when you pick up your bags. A Google search yielded two web sites that may also provide you with the service you need: Hawaii Beach Bum and Aloha Airport Delivery and Storage. These are not affiliated in any way with AAA so if you need more details, please contact them directly.

How is the road to Hana, Maui right now? There was construciton there during my last visit.
There are currently no advisories in TripTik Travel Planner for the road to Hana in Maui, click here for complete driving information, including a number (808-986-1200) to call for daily road condition advisories.

What island is best for first time visitors to Hawaii?
If your trip is more than a few days duration we suggest not limiting yourself to one island . Perhaps two days on the Big Island and 2-4 days in Maui or Kauai for the complete Hawaii experience.

Does a person need a passport to go to Hawaii?
If you are a U.S. citizen traveling from a U.S. state to the state of Hawaii, no passport is required. If your nationality is different, or your travel plans involve a different departure country, a passport is required.

We are going to Hawaii, the big island for a couple days and Maui for 7 days. We just joined AAA and are not familiar with the information available on things to do in these destinations. What is available and how do we get it?
Please go to AAA.com and ‘explore’ the site to see the many benefits and services available to our members. For instance,  there will be a TourBook link to view destination information online, or you can order a TourBook and your loacl club will send you a Hawaii TourBook guide and map at no charge. You’ll also see links for our e-reader versions and our mobile apps.
More resources:
Hawaii blog posts.

To submit your question to the AAA travel experts, click here.