Tag Archives: Waikiki

Hot Hawaiian Travel Deals: Luaus and Love

It’s been a while, but it appears the traditional Hawaiian luau is headed back to Waikiki Beach. The Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa located near downtown Honolulu on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu recently announced that it is resurrecting the traditional local feast on the shores of the world’s most famous beach. The “Waikiki Lu’au on the Lagoon” is being offered twice weekly, on Sundays and Wednesdays. It includes a lei greeting, traditional luau meal and a Polynesian entertainment extravaganza. Beginning just before sunset guests will be greeted with live Hawaiian music and a flower lei on the … Continue reading →

Celebrating the Fourth in Hawaii

Despite what you might think we do celebrate with fireworks, BBQ’s, and parades just like the rest of the country. Spending Independence Day in the 50th state is a dream come true for most folks, and as someone who was born and raised there I must admit there are quiet a few tourists that time their Hawaiian vacations to coincide with Fourth of July celebrations… and rarely are they disappointed with their decision to do so. This year Waikoloa Beach Resort is once again hosting the Great Waikoloa Rubber Duckie Race. The annual Fourth of July festival has been going … Continue reading →

Feeling Safer During Your Next Trip to Hawaii

Frankly, I don’t see what all the fuss is about. For those of you who plan to travel to Hawaii in the near future you might be interested to know that dozens of surveillance cameras will soon be installed in Waikiki and on various spots on the Big Island. County officials say the new cameras are part of an effort to reduce crimes against tourists. Good news, right? Not according to the American Civil Liberties Union, which objects to the cameras over privacy concerns. ACLU attorneys say the cameras divert taxpayer money away from other crime reducing measures such as … Continue reading →

Educational Programs for Kids in Hawaii

In a previous blogs I mentioned that you would regret traveling all the way to Hawaii and not visiting the state’s most famous tourist attraction–Pearl Harbor Naval Base. The base is home to the USS Arizona, the USS Utah, the Battleship Missouri, the USS Missouri Memorial, and the newest addition to the area, the Pacific Aviation Museum on Pearl Harbor’s Ford Island. What I failed to mention in those blogs is that youngsters (age 5 and up) have the opportunity to get more out of their visits by enrolling in special summer programs. Pearl Harbor’s Educational Summer Programs are designed … Continue reading →

Ocean Front Hotel Seeks New Beach

If you book a reservation at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel and Resort on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu you won’t have a problem getting an ocean-view room, but don’t expect to see much more than water. The Sheraton has no beach. For years waves from the Pacific have been eating away at the sand, but appears now hotel managers are looking to change that. Hotel exectuives just announced they plans to extend T-shaped rock barriers into the water and pump the shoreline full of sand. Doing so would add about 38,000 square feet to the beach at the rear of … Continue reading →

My Don Ho Memories

The man who made me feel at home 5,000 miles away from where I grew up is dead today. Legendary Hawaiian entertainer Don Ho died Saturday morning of heart failure. Long-time friends of the singer called Ho “the greatest ambassador of Hawaii,” and that he was. I was born and raised in the “Aloha State,” but no matter where in the world I travel when people learn I am from Hawaii they ask me if I know Don Ho. Until a few years ago my answer was: “Not personally.” It wasn’t until a few days before my 30th birthday that … Continue reading →

Waikiki Beach Makeover

It’s an event that hasn’t taken place in more than three decades, but now it is just days away from starting—Hawaii’s famed Waikiki beach is getting a makeover- of sorts. It’s really more of an expansion than an actual makeover, but when the project is complete you will be able to spread out on the powder white sand without worrying about elbowing the visitors tanning themselves next to you. According to state Department of Land and Natural Resource, the sand replenishment project should take a month to complete—just in time for the influx of holiday travelers. Project organizers plan to … Continue reading →

Hawaii–Rainy Day Fun

When you travel to Hawaii there are certain things you expect to find: brilliant sunshine, balmy temperatures, endless beaches that scream “tan on me,” and cobalt blue waters to dip into when the sun sizzles your skin a bit too much. Ninety percent of the time that is exactly what you will find, however—news flash—it does rain in paradise (and I’m not just talking about passing trade showers that traditionally hold off until after sunset). So what do you do if your Hawaiian holiday is not as bright as you expected: golf. That’s right, golf. I’m not talking about the … Continue reading →