Hawaii Vacation Blog

Mother Marianne Cope joins Father Damien de Veuster as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. The two are also joined in their service to Hawaii, caring for victims of Hansen’s disease (leprosy).Mother Marianne Cope in 1883, the same year she arrived in Honolulu. Mother Marianne came to Hawaii in response to a letter asking […]

One of the best ways to get around on the North Shore of Oahu comes in the form of a winding, asphalt, two-lane bike path. It stretches from Velzy Land to Waimea Bay and serves as the main artery of transportation (by foot or bike) throughout the busy surf destination. It’s not only become an […]

When one thinks of a cityscape, what comes to mind? Busy streets, skyscrapers, commuting businessers and… threatened native bird species? Honolulu has all of the above with its native seabird city dweller, the Manu o Ku! Also known as the White Fairy Tern, the Manu o Ku (pronounced mah-NOO oh KOO) is the only native […]

I live in the beautiful valley of Palolo. It’s a quiet, hilly neighborhood with lush greenery and gentle afternoon rains. Only 10 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki and downtown Honolulu, it’s hard to pull myself away from my serene valley home. So that’s why I decided to get out and go […]

Leonard’s Bakery could arguably qualify as the malasada capitol of the islands for its wonderfully delicious, delightfully fluffy, sugar-coated puff of pure doughy goodness. They sell them daily by the dozens, with a long line beginning to form outside the store before the sun’s even up. And you know they’re finally open when the big […]

Visitors who like to bare it all on beaches will wonder whether there are good Hawaii nude beaches. Today, we’re exposing the truth about nude beaches here so you can soak up as much sunshine as possible during your vacation.  Is Nudity Allowed on Hawaii’s Beaches? Public nudity is illegal in Hawaii. And the law […]

We already taught you the basics of surfing, which means now we can jump right in to the history of it. No one knows for sure how the idea of surfing came about; it could have very well been by accident. But by the eighteenth century, Hawaiians mastered the ocean activity, impressing European explorers and […]

In Hawaii, we are blessed with warm sunny weather year round. When some places in the world are three feet under snow, we’re slathering on the sunscreen for a hot, bright beach day. However, occasionally in the winter months, the temperature in Honolulu can dip into the 60s- freezing by local standards! Laugh you may, […]

Our visit to the Lyon Arboretum and Botanical Garden this weekend got off to a startling start when a big black creature jumped across our path and into the bushes, sending a couple of finches in flight. The lauae fern shook this way and that on the windless Saturday morning before the creature revealed itself […]

On this day in particular, the sweet fragrance of flowers will be especially apparent to your senses, with bouquets as one of the most popular ways to say, “I love you.” But in Hawaii, pua (flowers) color the islands all year long. You’ll see them in full bloom along the streets and in shopping centers […]

When reaching the serene state park on Waahila Ridge, cool, refreshing air instantly let’s you know that you’ve made it to the top of St. Louis Heights, an area guarded by the vast Norfolk pine trees standing astutely at the park’s entrance. They shade and protect the ridge while padding the ground with several layers […]

Bruce Fisher spends his days telling visitors about Hawaii, but his own first impressions are somewhat hazy. His first visit was when he moved here in 1992. Working a radio shift at night, Bruce got a crash course on Hawaii culture during the day. That crash course took on new intensity when Hurricane Iniki hit […]