After visiting the Hawaiian islands more than a dozen times, enough for them to feel like home, I’ve ventured to more sites, nooks, and beaches to list. Of all my Hawaiian excursions, my favorites are kayaking across Kaneohe Bay on Oahu (with the flu, no less), parasailing off Waikiki, and hiking the grunt-muddy Pihea Trail on Kauai into the Alakai Swamp.

Due to timing and weather during my trips, the three top skitteroos I have yet to do in Hawaii include hiking the Haiku Stairs on Oahu (though “The Stairway to Heaven” is likely closed for good), seeing the sunrise from atop Haleakala on Maui, and driving the entire Road to Hana, also on Maui. I’ve never had luck with weather on Maui, and that road is renowned for being slow and winding.