Hawaii aerial pics good for planning and inspiration

There's a 95 percent chance Senior Editor Christine Sarkis is thinking about travel right now. Follow her on Instagram @postcartography and Twitter @ChristineSarkis.

Christine Sarkis is an SATW-award-winning journalist and executive editor at SmarterTravel. Her stories have also appeared on USA Today, Conde Nast Traveler, Huffington Post, and Business Insider. Her advice has been featured in dozens of print and online publications including The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, and People magazine. She has also shared travel tips on television and radio shows including Good Morning America, Marketplace, and Here & Now. Her work has been published in the anthologies Spain from a Backpack and The Best Women's Travel Writing 2008. She is currently working on a travel memoir.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: The Trtl Pillow. It's easy to pack and comfortable, and makes it so I can actually sleep on flights.

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Seeing the Aurora Borealis from the comfort of somewhere warm, like a glass igloo or hot spring.

Travel Motto: Curiosity is an amazing compass.

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: Aisle all the way.

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Sometimes there’s nothing like a sweeping aerial view to add a little inspiration to vacation planning. BlueHawaiian.com has photo and video tours of the Big Island, Kauai, Maui, and Molokai. These helicopter’s eye view shots capture many of the beaches, hotels, golf courses, and attractions in Hawaii. The website also has video tours of Lanai and Oahu. And it sounds like more content will be added soon.

This can be a useful resource in a couple of ways. You won’t have to wonder if the hotel you’re thinking about booking is on or off the beach, you can just check the photos. And, many of the photos are pretty inspiring, and can offer ideas as you plan your trip.

To get to the photos from the homepage, click on one of the islands.

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