Fifteen years ago, I started a journey that I never knew would last this long! I was taking a break from an engineering and project management career in the pharmaceutical industry. When I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next, Andy suggested I try travel blogging. I enjoy writing and traveling, so I thought it was worth a try.
At first, I wrote about any travel destination, which wasn’t all that motivating. I noticed that whenever I wrote about Hawaii, I really enjoyed it. It was then that I discovered that focusing on Hawaii was my true passion. We started Go Visit Hawaii and the rest is history.
What has Go Visit Hawaii accomplished in 15 years?
Let’s look at some of the stats:
- 19,241,125 unique users have read Go Visit Hawaii.
- We’ve published 2,890 articles.
- We have over 111,710 people who follow our Facebook page.
- We’ve taken over 12,900 photos of Hawaii.
- Our videos have had over 1,091,088 views.
It’s not always been easy.
Remember the old normal? Ah, those first 13 years of Hawaii were fantastic! We focused on all the fun stuff of what to see, where to explore and how to make the most out of a trip to Hawaii.
Once COVID hit the Hawaiian shores, 19 months ago, we had to pivot to cover Hawaii COVID travel restrictions and information. As you might imagine, that’s not nearly as fun. Even though we’ve remained impartial during this COVID era and just reported facts and information, COVID is highly polarizing. As such, people love to shoot the messenger even when the messenger has no input into the decisions. The last 19 months have been the most challenging, for sure.
Hopefully, in time, COVID will be in the proverbial rearview mirror and the new normal will become more like the old normal. We’d love to get back to being able to focus more on the fun content.
Calendar giveaway
To celebrate our 15th anniversary, we’re giving away a 2022 calendar with vintage-style travel posters to a randomly selected reader.
To enter to win, please enter a comment at the bottom of this blog post to let us know how long you’ve been reading Go Visit Hawaii. Entries will be accepted through October 31, 2021.
Mahalo
Mahalo to you, our readers, for joining us during these 15 years! Many of you have been an encouragement to us and drive us to continue through the good times and the bad. Here’s hoping for more good times ahead!
Sheila Beal
54 comments
Reading Go Visit Hawaii ever since FB posted it! Hawaii is my happy place and coming bAck this December! Thanks for all the great info about the islands,much appreciated! Mahal and much Aloha!??????
Making my first trip to the Hawaiian Islands next fall. Recently started reading GoVisitHawaii, which is helping to inform our travel plans. So excited! ???????
I’ve been following GoVisitHawaii for several years now. I love your Aloha Friday photos and have found the Covid info helpful as we (someday) plan for a return to the islands. Mahalo for everything you do!
It has been two years since I’ve been following GoVisitHawaii! Love the articles and all the updates on what’s been going on! My wife and I will be visiting Maui and Kauai next month! So looking forward to it!
I have been receiving your emails twisted a week for about three years. GoVisitHawaii is informative and Aloha Friday is a picture reminder that I will always go back.
Love Go Vist Hawaii! I have been reading it for 2 years. It helped us greatly planning our last trip. Congrats on 15 years!
I came across Go Visit Hawaii a few years ago when I was planning a Hawaiian trip with my dad. This was our second trip in the making and we wanted to explore a different island this time. Go Visit Hawaii had some amazing pictures and information for us to make the decision on going to a different island. I love all of the beautiful pictures of each of the islands. It not only brings back great memories with the pictures it makes me want to book another trip to Hawaii!
Reading this now for 3 or 4 years. The Covid coverage was terrifically helpful, but now am stuck for ideas on our trips out every couple of years.
I live in Hilo on the Big Island and I always open my GoVsitHawaii email because I still learn about news and new places to visit in the islands. Thank you! For fun I paddle on outrigger canoe and mountain bike on the slopes of Maunakea. Life is good. ?
I found you 3 years ago after one of my many trips to Hawaii and have enjoyed it very much. And have appreciated the cover updates as I plan to return the end of November
I found Go Visit Hawaii about 2 or 3 years ago. Great emails and I love the content.
I have been reading go visit Hawaii for about 6 months. Love it. We love Hawaii. Visited Oahu, Maui and Kauai on our first trip June of 1989 for our 10th wedding anniversary. We have been back to Maui 3 times celebrating graduations and anniversaries. Please keep writing and taking beautiful photos.
Want come back to Maui again just waiting for things to settle down some. So appreciate all the work you all do to keep us up to date during Covid.
Love GO VISIT HAWAII! The most informative site for Hawaii. Been reading it for at least 10 years. Used to be a Kama’aina! This site has beautiful photos and their information is up to date, concise and precise. Aloha!
I have been following your wonderful blog since I visited Hawaii six years ago. It was the trip of a lifetime and every Friday your blog would help me relive that holiday. My daughter and I visited three islands and your pictures and blog bring back such amazing memories.
Congratulations on fifteen years of giving people great pleasure and please continue this wonderful gift of sharing with us.
Thanks for sharing your story! I had no idea of your background in Engineering. I have kept every email from Hawaii Go Visit for reference. I visit the Islands at least once a year. In fact, I just returned home from Maui. I believe it to be my favorite island next to Kauai and Oahu. Thank you for the blog.
I have enjoyed GoVisitHawaii since my trip nine years ago; eager to return soon. The Aloha Friday photo always brings happy memories and wishful thinking!
I love keeping up with Hawaii news as it is one of my favorite places to visit.
I’ve been following Go Visit Hawaii for about three years now. But I get emails, usually twice a week; I didn’t know about the Facebook page. Anyway, though I’ve visited the islands of Hawaii for about 15 years, I still find the insights provided by Go Visit Hawaii to be helpful for my planning. Keep up the good work!
Congratulations on 15 years. I started checking you out about 5 years ago said was planning our first trip to Hawaii to celebrate our milestone birthdays. It was a great help.
We Love Kauai and can’t wait to get back.
Here’s to many many more!!
Loyal reader since 2013. GVH has helped in my planning of 3 trips to Kauai and 2 to Molokai.
I have even had two pics get posted on Aloha Fridays. Keep up the good work my friends.
We went to Hawaii 4 years ago and started reading your email about a year before our trip. It was great because we got to see so much more of the islands due to your pictures and posts. Congratulations on 15 years. Way to Go!!!
Fell in love with Hawaii about 19 years ago. Returned for yearly visits 11 years ago. Actually started Good Visit Hawaii shortly after covid-19 began to learn when it might be time to visit Hawaii again.
We’ve been going to Maui/Kauai for over 30 years – don’t remember when we started reading/enjoying “Go Visit Hawaii” – but haven’t missed an issue. Even had one of my Honu shots featured on your Aloha Friday photos. Mahalo for a great publication.
Been a follower for 3 years. After 4 cancellations we made it to Kauai. Reading all the updates from govisithawaii gave us all the info we needed to get there last month. Seeing all the beautiful photos and having that connection to the island and all the helpful updates really made our trip a breeze. Still enjoying keeping up. Makes me feel like I’m still on vacation. Thank you for such a wonderful website. Appreciate you very much. Mahalo
Been reading Go Visit Hawaii for 9 years. We do vacation in Hawaii every 3 years and we have been keep up-to-date with all current events over the past several years…thank you for such a wonderful publication!!!!
We made our first trip to Hawaii in 1965, did all the Islands, went to all the “tourist” spots,
Polynesian Cultural center, Leonards of course, Sandy Beach, Lahina, Volcano etc.
and finally settled on the Big Island, being that is No Ka Oui, it has everything you would want on a visit to Hawaii. Since that first visit, we have ben to the Big Island about 35 times, also made visits to Oahu as well. We think of Hawaii everyday and are planning a return
visit in 2022. Our favorite Resort is Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, there is nothing like it anywhere. Most of all it’s the PEOPLE that bring us back, they are the friendliest and most accommodating anywhere.
Alooooha & Mahalo nui loa
Love “Go Visit Hawaii”! Have been reading it for a few years now and find it brings back memories of all of our trips to Hawaii. Would especially like to thank you for these last couple of years and although it was difficult for you through the virus months “Go Visit Hawaii” was my go-to blog for travel restrictions in Hawaii. You’ve helped tremendously when I was deciding how long wait to pull the plug on my trip in 2020. Unfortunately I did have to cancel but am waiting anxiously to reschedule. Aloha!
It has been three years since I began following “GP VISIT HAWAII:
We spent Christmas and New Years in Hawaii in 2016/2017 as a family, our first trip to your beautiful island and have been following your blog since then. Every time your email appears I feel a sense of happiness and hope!
We loved Hawaii so much, the atmosphere, weather, the natural beauty and the amazing people. We even went to church on Christmas Day at the Greek Orthodox Church. Such an amazing experience. Your blog is happy, useful and a pleasure to read! Thank you. We are from Melbourne, Australia.
Go Visit Hawaii is awesome! I started following about 13 years ago when my friend and I were planning a trip to Maui. It was so helpful to see all of the suggestions you had on things to see, places to eat. Of course, I still love visiting the blog and receiving my Hawaii Friday photos in my inbox.
Mahalo for everything you do! Please don’t stop!
Aloha
Kara
I have been reading your blog for over ten years now. You have helped me narrow down where I wanted to visit. My husband and I have been fortunate enough to have been able to visit all six of the main islands, and some of them 3 or 4 times. I have seen some of my photos and comments used on your Friday blog and hope they have also helped others. As we are now in our golden years, we realize that many “adventures” that we have taken in the past are only memories for us now, but we share our memories with others that ask. Our grandson was just married this past Saturday, and he is honeymooning on Maui today. Guess who was able to give him some guidance!
May you and your husband have many more years of being able to share your memories and knowledge with generations to come.
I’ve been a follower for about 2 years. This is the most informative blog ever. Keep up the good work!
I like the website a lot!
I began to read GoVisitHawaii 3 years ago before my first trip to Hawaii. It really helped me to keep up with what’s going on there. I still read it and dream of going back someday. Thank you for being there for me.
He ‘oi ‘oe! Hydroplane from Honolulu to Lihue, first trip to the Islands in the 70’s — since then we’ve explored every Island county — so many delightful memories! So appreciate your timely updates and photos … here’s to another 15 years and more, Mahalo & Aloha!
We have been a follower of Go Visit Hawaii for 10 years now. We visit the Islands of Hawaii 1-2 times a year and the information provided on the website is very helpful each and every time.
Happy 15th Anniversary and keep up the good work.
Mahalo!
I’ve been reading Go Visit Hawaii for 4 years. I started in 2017 while researching for my visit to celebrate my big 5-0.
Looks like the earliest newsletter I kept was from early 2014. Love the blogs with the pictures of Hawai’i – it keeps me in touch with the islands when I am not there. It has been tough during the pandemic but your blogs kept me aprised of what needed to be done to travel back to the islands. Please continue the good work!
I am not sure but somewhere between 5 and 10 years. I have been to Hawaii 3 times, it is my absolute favorite place on earth.
Hi, I’ve been reading Go Visit Hawaii posts since I bought my condo in Kihei in 2016. I share news from here every chance I get on my condo FB page. I wish you more success and a long future with Hawaii and tourists!
Congratulations on 15 years!!! I found your blog when I was planning my 50th Birthday Trip in 2014 (I can’t believe it’s been 7 years since that incredible trip). Thanks for “taking me back” with your words and the photos!
Mahalo
I’ve been subscribing to Go Visit Hawaii since my latest trip to Kauai in 2020! A friend turned me onto it so I could be informed about the latest travel restrictions. Love it and have recommended to many more.
Kathleen
Aloha from Mississauga, Ontario Canada. I have been reading Go Visit Hawaii for 4 years. Thank you for all the great information and stories you share. I look forward to reading each post.
I’ve been following Go Visit Hawaii for 3 years now ~ we had our 40th anniversary trip scheduled 2 years ago, but COVID postponed it. Go Visit Hawaii kept our dreams alive and kept us informed. We are here now and having the time of our lives! Thank you for the pictures and articles that have helped us plan our trip!
We went to Hawaii in 2006 to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. The following year we took our 2 daughters to celebrate their graduation from high school and college. Our younger daughter got married on the far side of Diamond Head on Oahu in 2013 on a beautiful beach with over 30 of our family and friends. Then in 2017 my husband and I came back in January to see the whales since that was on our bucket lists. We were going to go back Oct 2021 for our 40th wedding anniversary but with Covid getting bad and the governor of HI asking people to not come, we could not go. We are handing on to hope we can go Oct 2022 for a delayed 40th anniversary!!!!!
your blog during the pandemic has been a God send, as we tried to plan future trips to our favorite vacation spots. Hopefully you will be in our future. The best to you.
Bill
It is obvious that a lot of work goes in to the writing of these articles they are all so informative and well thought out. That takes time. I want to say these articles and pictures refresh my senses. I can feel my toes in the ocean. I can smell the ocean mist. I can smell the flowers. I can feel the sunshine on my face. Reading these articles truly is a journey that I can take any time I want to. We’ve been going every year except Covid and I miss my happy place. Happy 15 years! May you have many more successful years.
I believe it has been about 5 years as a reader of Go Hawaii- I find it very informative and interesting- I hate to miss any articles in case I miss something I did not know about the Islands- 27 is my number for how many beautiful times I have been there- missed last year cause of COVID-19 but hope to be back again in May- keep up the great work Sheila – you have kept me wonderfully informed during this pandemic and I appreciate it mucly. Much Aloha
I’m not sure when I started reading Go Visit Hawaii. Our daughter moved to the Big Island in 2011, so it was probably right after that when we started planning our trip to visit her there. We have been back on average once a year since then. Our last visit ended one month before everything shut down for COVID. We have tickets to return in January, and we are really looking forward to it! Thank you for helping us “visit” Hawaii from home,…even during COVID! Mahalo!
My husband and I enjoy reading Go Visit Hawaii! Also, you featured one of my pictures for Aloha Friday Photo! My husband and I have plans to return to Maui in December 2022. We certainly will be reading your website for useful information. Congratulations on a job well done. Keep up the good work! Mahalo!
I have been reading since 2017 when we planned our honeymoon. Everything was perfect and I can’t wait to go back someday.
Mahalo from Sweden!
Congratulations !! This is an excellent site. I don’t remember when I started reading it, but glad that I did. I’ve gotten a lot of information here.
I missed the past 2 years , but am planning to return to Hawaii in the spring. We’ll celebrate our 50th anniversary with extended Ohana a year late, and excited to do so.
Thank you for all of your effort. It’s appreciated.
Mahalo nui loa for all the wonderful comments! I am overwhelmed with all the kind words!
We numbered all the comments and used a random number generator to select the winner. Congrats to Kathleen.
Mahalo for reading Go Visit Hawaii!
I spent my 40th bday on Oahu 3 years ago and am so excited to return this year to ring in another birthday, this time on the Big Island. I discovered go visit hawaii 4 years ago and really enjoy the pictures submitted from the readers.