The AAA Hawaii experts shared their favorite hotels and restaurants:

• The Old Lahina Luau. You have to do a luau in Hawaii, it doesn't really matter where you do one!



• The charbroil place in a town called Anahola on Kauai. It's called Duane's Ono Burger. It's not a pretty place and it looks like a shack alongside the road, but it has great burgers.



• Cheeseburger in Paradise on Kalakaua Avenue on Oahu. It's like the Hawaiian version of the Hard Rock Cafe -- a very nice place, good food, and reasonable prices.



• Duke's at the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach -- awesome food, great atmosphere, looks out at the ocean. It's a cool hot spot with great food and live music -- all on the beach! What's not to love?!



• Sansei, which is an excellent sushi and seafood restaurant. There are four of these restaurants: one at the Waikiki Beach Marriott on Oahu, two on Maui, and one on the Big Island. I love sushi and this had the most variety and the best I've ever had.



• I love Roy's restaurant near the beach walk area of Waikiki. They have the best service I've ever had and the food is excellent.



• In Maui, Mama's Fish House is excellent.



• In Kauai, JJ's is an open bar/restaurant that overlooks the ocean. The view is great and the food and service are terrific too!

Hotels

• On Oahu I loved Turtle Bay, but it isn't near anything other than the North Shore.



• In Waikiki I liked the Sheraton Waikiki. It was in a great location and within walking distance to many shops and great beaches.



• On Maui I liked the Sheraton Maui and the Hyatt . They are both on a great beach, have good restaurants, and are easy to get around.



• On the Big Island I liked the Hilton Waikoloa Village. It is huge -- 62 acres! There were a ton of activities and restaurants. If you are looking for something smaller, I liked the Fairmont Orchid.



• I stayed at the Aston Kaanapali Shores and loved it. The condo was great and there was a grocery store right across the street. It was well-landscaped and spacious.



• My favorite is the Sheraton Maui . It's on one of the best beaches, it's reasonably priced for everyone, and is just overall a great property.



• I love the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, or the Royal Kona Resort -- a Hawaiian landmark.



• I love so many, but if pressed I would say that the Sheraton Maui Resort in Kaanapali is probably my favorite. It has the best beach on Kaanapali. Black Rock is there, which is a volcanic eruption that formed a great reef wall and is excellent for scuba diving and snorkeling. They also have a nightly cliff dive ceremony off of the top of Black Rock. It has a meandering pool with waterfalls, and is just a beautiful property in a great location.



• The Hilton Hawaiian Village is great, but it is huge, so make sure you are willing to be patient finding your way around.



• The Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island is spectacular.



• The Hyatt Regency Maui and the Sheraton Maui are really nice with great locations and great beaches.

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