First-timers' guide to Honolulu: 10 do's and don'ts

Maybe you scored one of Southwest Airlines' cheap introductory fares to Honolulu or finally saved enough money or airline miles for that dream anniversary trip.

If you're Hawaii bound for the first time, excitement aside, you probably have questions galore about where to stay, what to do and pitfalls to avoid.

Here are 10 travel tips for first-timers.

1. DO your homework on hotel fees when shopping for a place to stay. Resort fees, which are mandatory nightly charges hotels say cover things like internet service and use of the pool, are as prevalent at Honolulu resorts and hotels as they are in other vacation hot spots, including Las Vegas. So are parking fees. Together they add up. My three-night stay at the Holiday Inn Express Waikiki, booked on Hotwire, was $335 including taxes. At checkout, I paid an additional $186 for the nightly resort fee ($25 plus tax) and parking fee ($35 plus tax.)

More:These are the most ridiculous travel fees to look out for

2. DON'T assume you'll dodge fees and taxes by booking an Airbnb or other vacation rental. Vacation rentals come with their own lineup of fees, including service fees and cleaning fees, and taxes may be on the horizon. Hawaii legislators in April passed a plan to tax Airbnb rentals as many other cities do.

3. DON'T expect instant paradise when you arrive. Yes, there's a warm breeze, palm trees galore and leis for sale at the airport. But lush scenery, not so much. Honolulu is a city, with high rises and traffic you might sit in on the way to your hotel or vacation rental. The main drag in Waikiki, a Honolulu neighborhood, is like Fifth Avenue in New York, with luxury stores from Chanel to Kate Spade a block from the beach. 

More:The best things to do on Oahu beyond Honolulu

4. DO rent a car. Unless you're flying to Hawaii for a weekend of sunbathing on Waikiki Beach, you'll want to explore the island. Yes, you could take an escorted day trip to the must-see North Shore, but you won't be able to pull over anytime you see a cool shrimp truck, shave ice spot or beach not on the tour itinerary. Taking an Uber or Lyft is cost-prohibitive, too, unless you're shuttling to and from a nearby restaurant or beach. I put more than 200 miles on my rental car in three days.

5. DO budget for activities. Luaus, snorkeling excursions, parasailing and sunset catamaran sails aren't cheap. The luau at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, for example, is $111 per adult and $71 for kids ages 4-11. Admission to the popular Polynesian Cultural Center is $65 for adults and $52 for children. For discounts on activities, check out advance purchase offers on attraction websites, deals sites, including Travelzoo, Groupon and Living Social, and thumb through the tourist brochures at the airport and hotels. For a less expensive taste of Hawaiian culture, check out the free shows at shopping centers and hotels. The open-air Royal Hawaiian Center mall posts a schedule of daily activities including hula, ukelele and lei-making lessons.

6. DON'T mistake a timeshare sales desk for the concierge. Some hotels, including the popular Sheraton Waikiki, label timeshare counters, but others aren't so transparent. If the person manning the desk is offering free luaus and a snorkeling trip for the family in exchange for a couple hours of your time, he or she is selling timeshares. Ditto for the recorded message on your hotel room phone telling you there's a welcome gift waiting for you. There's nothing wrong with sitting through a lengthy timeshare sales presentation to save money on vacation, but know the requirements for the freebies and beware of high-pressure sales tactics if you're not in the market for a timeshare.

7. DON'T be fooled by the plethora of Pearl Harbor sites designed to look official.  Plenty of visitors take organized tours, of course, but if you're a do-it-yourself vacationer, go straight to the National Park Service's site for the Pearl Harbor National Memorial for advance reservations and other visitor information. Note that the USS Arizona Memorial, the centerpiece attraction at Pearl Harbor, is closed for repairs until at least the fall. Until then,visitors are taken on a 15-minute narrated tour of Battleship Row near the USS Arizona Memorial. Tickets are still required, and advance reservations are recommended. Other facilities, including the visitor center, remain open.

8. DO take a hike. Diamond Head is an obvious choice because it's a landmark close to Waikiki Beach and is family friendly. Another option: The Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail about 30 minutes from Waikiki at the southeastern tip of Oahu. The paved path, also family friendly, offers stunning ocean views at every turn. It's 2.4 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 500 feet. It took 70 minutes with stops for photos. 

9. DON'T limit your beach time to Waikiki Beach. It's iconic, yes, and within walking distance of countless hotels. But it's also crowded and not very wide in most parts. For starters, check out stunning, uncrowded Waimanalo Bay, less than 20 miles from Waikiki. The turquoise water will remind you of the Caribbean. 

Related:10 must-visit beaches in the Caribbean

10. DON'T buy souvenirs at the airport or the hotel gift shop. You'll pay a premium. Check out ABC Stores, a Honolulu-based chain, which has shelves of macadamia nuts, coffee and other souvenirs and regularly runs a five for $20 T-shirt special. Costco members should check out the warehouse's offerings, too. For a splurge, bring home decadent shortbread cookies from Honolulu Cookie Company, which has several outlets in Honolulu.

More: Flying Southwest to Hawaii: Coconut rum, snack packs and "Forgetting Sarah Marshall''