Hawaii Vacation Blog

From mauka to makai, Maui has many spectacular places to visit. Haleakala National Park (HNP) is one of those rare gems that encompass it all. From the alpine martian-like landscape of its summit to the welcoming waterfalls and rainforest at its coast, HNP showcases the best of Maui in its truest and most natural form. […]

You probably dream of seeing a rainbow in Hawaii, but Rainbow Falls in Hilo is unlike any other rainbow you’ll see. Here, the morning sun reflects the waterfall’s mist and casts a pastel rainbow across the rushing Wailuku River.  Best of all? This is one of the easiest waterfalls to see in Hawaii. No hike, […]

One of the most impactful Hawaiian words is also one of the shortest: Ha. This means breath, but it also means so much more. In Hawaii, ha is a greeting, a shared experience, a sign of respect and love. Ha is the breath of life.  Ha as a Hawaiian Greeting Hawaiians often greeted each other […]

It’s a typical Friday evening – the sun has just set, and you’re sitting outside on the lanai with a bunch of friends enjoying the typical pau hana spread. Some beers, ahi and tako poke. Everyone is talking about their day and relaxing from the workweek. Then, someone’s about to pull out a guitar when […]

Have you ever heard of Shipwreck Beach on Kauai? While not much of a wreckage remains, there’s still a lot to love about this Hawaii beach.  Shipwreck Beach Kauai Decades ago, an old, wooden ship crashed in waters offshore of Poipu on the South side of Kauai. It may not have been as exciting as […]

Growing up in Hawaii, I was fortunate to have a plethora of island fruits to nibble on. Guavas, mountain apples and liliko’i sustained my sisters and I as we played in the mountains by our house, and almost every yard had apple banana, lychee, orange and tangerine trees. Mango art at its finest. This is […]

Hanalei Bay Pier has become a popular and iconic Kauai hangout over the years. Teens cannonball into the waters below, fishermen cast out lures, and tourists chill under its pavilion. It’s a favorite spot of mine whenever I’m on the island – I come to slow down and cool off with a mid-day plunge into […]

Who knew a jealous battle for love in Hawaiian mythology would result in one of the world’s top snorkeling destinations? When fire goddess Pele and Molokini – who took the shape of a moo (gecko) – fell for the same prince, Pele cut her in two, turned her to stone and threw her into the […]

Public transportation is oftentimes one of the best ways to getting around when traveling because it’s affordable, convenient and one of the best ways to sightsee. Take San Francisco, for example; they’ve got the SF Municipal Railway (Muni, for short), which includes a fleet of buses, trolleys, light rail, streetcars and cable cars. New York […]

In days of old, foot travel was de rigueur. But even on the small island of Oahu (16-miles wide at its narrowest), it was no easy feat to get from one side to the other, especially if you factored in getting over a 2,000-foot mountain range. The Pali Road (RT 61) was their answer. Meaning […]

Although the Easter Bunny hops into town just once a year, Hawaii has a floppy-eared one that has been cruising Oahu’s eastern waters for several centuries. Rabbit Island, or Manana Island in Hawaiian, is an uninhabited islet less than a mile from Kaupo Beach, near Makapuu lighthouse. Lots of history goes with Rabbit Island (left) […]

The trend in traveling with pets continues to get even more popular over the years. According to a recent survey, about 60 percent of travelers opt to bring their furry, four legged friends with them. Some go monthly while more than half of these jet-set pets take a vacation every year. (Wow, that’s more than […]