Search Results for ‘oahu’
.jpg)
TheBus is a great way to get around Oahu without driving. Not only do you not have to find or pay for parking, but you also can look at the great views along Hawai‘i’s roads instead of the taillights of the car in front of you. The fare is $2.25 (it increased 25 cents this summer) and correct change is required. If you need to change buses, request a transfer upon boarding that you can use as the fare on the next bus. If you plan to take buses frequently, you might consider the four-day visitor pass. It allows unlimited rides for $25.00. They are sold at ABC Stores throughout Honolulu.
Most bus stops have a sign that lists the route that stop at that location, although occasionally the sign will be generic. That is not a problem unless you are trying to catch an express bus — they do not service all the stops. There must be an Express notation. Usually there also is a spinning cylinder that shows the express routes and frequency of service.
Drivers will help you find the correct stop if you let them know what you need. The buses have recorded announcements of major streets and upcoming stops so if you know the intersection of your destination it is easy to know when to get off. Pull the cord that runs along either side of the bus to signal that you want the next stop.
Seats in the front of the bus are reserved for elderly and handicapped and are usually occupied by those individuals. Locals tend to go to the back of the bus to stay out of the way because they know where to get off. That leaves the middle section for tourists and others who might need to hear the driver call their attention. Occasionally, buses are so full that people need to stand but that is often only for a short distance until seats open up again.
Rather than carrying around bus schedules, I use Google maps to find my route most days. It has options for driving, walking or mass transit and will give you several choices to choose from for bus connections. My iPhone uses GPS to chart a bus route from my current location to my destination. It will tell me where and when to catch which bus. I am addicted. I can also check my progress to see if it’s about time to exit the bus — handy on unfamiliar routes or after dark when it is harder to see landmarks.
Posted by Cindy Scheopner Follow me on Twitter @Scheopner
Links:
Follow us on twitter
See our latest videos
Book your Hawaii vacation here
Follow us on Facebook
August 3rd, 2009
Last Saturday my boyfriend Rick and I went to a friend’s birthday party in Kanehoe by bus. On our return, we changed busses at the junction of Kamehameha Highway and Kalanianole Highway with a young back-packing couple from Hungary.
Upon boarding the bus to Kailua (our home), a young man across the aisle noticed our red ball caps that say “Transpac 2009”. He asked, “Did you come across on a boat?” Transpac is a sail boat race from Los Angeles to Honolulu that takes place every other year. It has just concluded for 2009, in fact, the wrap-up party for the 600 local volunteers was Monday. “Oh no,” I said. “We just welcomed those who did.” I figured he was someone who knew that Transpac means the Transpacific Yacht Race. It has been going on since 1906, after all. “So you hosted a boat?” he asked. At this point, I knew he had participated in some manner. “Hosting a boat” is when local yacht clubs or other groups welcome a boat and its crew as they finish the race. People keep track of exactly where the boats are as they cross the ocean and when your boat hits the 100-mile mark they call everyone to get the party ready (day or night). Details differ but they always involve leis and Mai-Tais.
The young man on the bus had come across on a boat in the race and was leaving the next day for the return voyage. He was going to Kailua from Honolulu to try to find a friend before leaving the island. He and Rick had a discussion about sails and weather for the rest of the (brief) bus trip. I can hand out Mai-Tais and pretty much stay out of trouble on a boat but Rick is the sailor in our partnership.
I did enjoy seeing the really cool boats as they arrived and along the dock at the Ala Wai boat harbor in Honolulu. Everyone has such a good time and they are all so happy to arrive in Hawai‘ii I wasn’t surprised at the abundance of good spirits, or the lei that seem to mark every significant occasion in Hawai‘i. But I have to admit the boat lei caught me off guard. Hosting party people make a very large lei that they drape around the front of the boat (yes, I know it’s called a bow).
This year, a really fast boat made by Alfa Romeo zoomed across the ocean in record time. We got a peek at it while it was docked at the Aloha Tower. The race is over until 2011, but next summer there is a race called the Pacific Cup. It is also in July and I’m looking forward to finding out what it is like.
Posted by Cindy Scheopner Follow me on Twitter @Scheopner
Related links:
Transpac race: http://www.transpacrace.com
Links:
Follow us on twitter
See our latest videos
Book your Hawaii vacation here
Follow us on Facebook
July 30th, 2009
I’m going to tell you about a chance encounter on a city bus with a young man preparing to sail from Hawai‘i to California and a couple from Hungary camping their way along the shore of Oahu. But first, I have to introduce someone and tell you a little about me. When I am not working or in class at UH, I am usually with my companion, Rick. I call him my boyfriend but our kids think that sounds weird for a couple in their 50’s. They said I should make up a different word. I haven’t come up with anything yet, so let me know if you have any ideas.
Anyway, Rick and I moved to Oahu last summer and we still don’t have a car. We have a boat but no car. We travel on land by foot or by TheBus (the city bus system on Oahu). Last weekend we went to a birthday party for a friend in Kaneohe. That is a town right next to Kailua, where we live. Both are on the windward side of Oahu. Although they are next to one another, the bus connections are a little odd. There’s no direct shuttle but there are a couple of ways to get back and forth and we usually just wing it by waiting at a stop where several buses pass and working out the route depending on which bus we catch.
It is very common to see tourists on busses in our area because the beaches are fabulous and the bus connections to Honolulu are frequent and inexpensive (more about that later). The bus drivers are almost always very helpful and so are fellow passengers. On our return after the party, we got off the 55 bus and were walking to the stop to transfer to the next bus to Kailua. A couple carrying backpacks and bedrolls got off at the same place. It was obvious they needed to get to the same stop we did, because that was the next major transfer point. I waved to show them there was a walkway in the median of Kamehameha highway. We hadn’t seen it on our first couple of trips and attempted to walk along the roadway, which is a very bad idea in the dark because the cars can’t see you.
They had taken the 55 (also called the “Circle Island”) bus along the North Shore to Kaneohe and now wanted to finish the trip around the Mokapu‘u point to Hanauma Bay to go snorkeling. It can be done, but not after 7 pm because the bus doesn’t go that far on the late night runs. They planned to camp on the beach at Kailua and get back on the bus in the morning for the rest of the trip. We helped them catch the 56 bus into Kailua (the 57 would also work) and pointed out an all-night grocery store and the direction of the beach.
TheBus is a great way to get around during your Hawaii Vacation and a wonderful way see all the island has to offer and meet interesting people. Our new friends had a nice tour of the top of Oahu for the price of two bus fares each: $4.50 ($2.25 each bus).
Posted by Cindy
Links:
Follow us on twitter
See our latest videos
Book your Hawaii vacation here
Follow us on Facebook
July 28th, 2009
Aloha! I’m Cindy Scheopner, a new blogger at Hawaii-aloha.com. I’m also fairly new to Hawaii, just finishing my first year in the islands. I moved to Oahu for graduate studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. This is my third degree path and career. My undergraduate studies were in journalism at the University of Kansas (Rock Chalk Jayhawk!). I worked in television, radio and newspapers before law school at Baylor University (Go Bears!). I practiced briefly as an attorney specializing in criminal defense and family law; eventually combining law and journalism in writing/producing a series of legal reports for K*USA-TV in Denver, Colorado, where I also worked on the assignment desk and did weekend web posts. Now I am studying the philosophy of law and philosophy of religion at UH (W00t Warriors!). I have no idea what job that will lead to but it is enormously satisfying intellectually.
I think my various career paths have three things in common: variety (I am easily bored), information (I love to know what’s going on), and writing (I love to share what I’ve learned). I plan to share what I am learning about Hawai‘i with you in this space. Let me know if you have questions or areas you’d like to see covered. Believe me, you can’t come up with a more basic question than I had in my visits and then move. If I don’t know, we’ll figure it out together.
July 28th, 2009
There’s a part of Oahu that very few tourists ever get to experience, Waianae on the westernmost part of Oahu. We recently took a ride out to this part of the island and were reminded just how awesome it is on the Leeward side. The major reason many folks don’t venture out to the Leeward side is the distance from the usual tourist hub of Waikiki. However, that shouldn’t discourage you; in fact this is what makes this part of the island such a wonderful place to visit. There are a couple of resorts nearby including the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina and Makaha Resort & Golf Club. Both of these properties are good choices if you plan to stay outside of Waikiki.
The Waianae coast stretches 20 miles from the town of Nanakuli to Makua Beach. A nonstop ride from Waikiki takes about 1 and 1/2 hours. The main attractions on this side of the island are the beaches, but you’ll also find some great local plate lunch spots including our favorite, the Maile Deli located in Maili. The Maile Deli is reasonably priced and famous for their gravy and burger bowl (aka “loco moco”). If that’s “over the top” for you there’s Sun Sushi, a great sushi takeout place with a few tables. The sushi there is fresh, tasty, and nicely prepared.
As mentioned, the beaches are a main attraction on the Waianae coast. The ride up the coast is magnificent and you can sample some of the beautiful beaches along the way. During the winter months, the surf may be intense so you may wish to visit during the summer months when the surf is calmer. We decided to ride all the way up to the end of the coast to Makua Beach and work our way back. Makua Beach is tucked away behind the mountains and good for a little private time with that special someone. Unfortunately, it is not a good place for recreational swimming so we just enjoyed a picnic lunch there.
Our next stop was Makaha Beach. This beach is wide and not too crowded; the water was perfect for swimming. There’s a wonderful beach park there with beautiful views of the mountains. We then went to Maili Beach Park. We were lucky to go during a festival and got to see wonderful local handmade items for sale. Although we did some sunbathing; short breaks made it a bit hazardous for swimming. However, Maili Beach is great for boogie boarding.
Our last stop was Pokai Beach Park. We spent the rest of the day here because it’s perfect for swimming. A protective breakwater makes Pokai Beach Park the safest place on the Waianae coast to swim. This is the ideal place to enjoy a day at the beach if you have children. I can recommend many other beaches on the Waianae coast, including Ohikilolo and Nanakuli.
A trip to the Leeward side of Oahu is certainly worth your time; there is so much to see and experience and should be included in your Oahu vacation plans. If you need more information about the Leeward side of Oahu or would like to plan a day on the Waianae coast, please give me a call at 1-800-843-8771 extension 22 and I will be happy to hook you up with everything you need.
July 27th, 2009
If you’re lucky enough to be on your Hawaiian Vacation during the 4th of July, you’ll find plenty of celebration. Independence Day in Hawaii. It’s as American as poi, surfing and the Humuhumukununukuapua’a.
Each year, on all the islands, we celebrate pretty much as you do at home. We cook out, we throw horseshoes, we play softball and volleyball, we splash in the water, we hold parades and we watch fireworks.
At the edge of the Downtown Honolulu Harbor, The Aloha Tower Marketplace will celebrate a day early – on Thursday the 2rd — with live entertainment on several stages, street entertainers, restaurant specials and a fireworks display.
The definitive fireworks display Friday on Oahu will erupt on Magic Island and feature a music simulcast on two Hawaii radio stations. Anyone can pick up a free pair of 3-D fireworks viewing glasses with any purchase at Ala Moana Center starting Tuesday.
On Maui, the fireworks will shoot from a barge moored off of Lahaina, preceded by a concert on the lawn of the Lahaina Public Library.
The Makawao Rodeo and Independence Day celebration has taken place in upcountry Maui for 50 years over the 4th of July weekend. It includes bareback bronco riding, barrel racing, calf roping, live music and country-western dancing.
The Kauai 4th of July festival is held at the Vidinha Stadium in Lihue with live entertainment, food and game booths, and a fireworks display.
On the Big Island, The Parker Ranch 4th of July Rodeo is an award-winning event that includes horse races, team sorting, double mugging, dally team roping and other rodeo events.
Visitors enjoy Turtle Independence Day at Mauna Lani Bay. People gather to celebrate young Hawaiian green sea turtles gaining their freedom. The little amphibians from Sea Life Park on Oahu have been nurtured in the ponds at Mauna Lani Resort and are released into the ocean on July 4.
If you’re going to be in Hawaii over the Independence Day weekend, we’ll give you the latest scoop about events on your island. Check with an agent at hawaii-aloha.com, or call 1-800-843-8771.
Posted by: AlohaBruce
Links:
Follow us on twitter
See our latest videos
Book your Hawaii vacation here
Follow us on Facebook
Bruce Fisher
Create Your Badge
July 2nd, 2009
Most of the states have great places for hiking, but it’s hard to beat Hawaii’s variety. All the islands have great hiking territory. Here are a few to consider if you’re a hiker or if you just enjoy beautiful walks:
- On Kauai, the Kalalau Trail hosts some of the most spectacular views in the Hawaiian Islands, and the Hanakapiai Falls Trail begins two miles up the Kalalau Trail on the Na Pali Coast at Hanakapiai Beach.
- On Maui, the Halemauu Trail to Holua Cabin descends the sheer cliffs of Haleakala on the west crater wall.
- Waipio Valley and Mauna Kea are near the northernmost point of the Big Island. Once the home President John F. Kennedy’s first Peace Corps training camp, the area today is a remote and little-visited place modern man has all but forgotten.
For the full spectrum of all that is Hawaii, consider the 1,875 acres of Waimea Valley on Oahu’s North Shore. It’s been a sacred place for more than 700 years of Native Hawaiian history. 78 sites of interest have been identified in the valley, including religious sites and shrines, house sites, agricultural terraces and fishponds.
The valley’s150-acre botanical collection contains more than 5,000 kinds of tropical and subtropical plants, including native and endangered Hawaiian plants. Four out of five species of native freshwater fish can be found in Kamananui Stream.
Once you’re in the valley, for which there’s an admission fee of $5.00 to $10.00, you can participate in several free activities including lei making, kapa demonstrations, hula lessons, Hawaiian games, crafts, music and story telling.
Several free (with your paid admission) walking tours are offered at 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.
You want to be sure to take in the Valley’s 45-foot waterfall, Waihï. It’s about 3/4 of a mile from the park entrance booth.
Waimea Valley hosts larger tours – from easy and moderate family walks every Saturday to strenuous five-hour scrambles on the last Saturday of every month. Guides will help you identify the native and exotic plants, and will point out the indigenous birds and fish. The family hikes cost $5.00 per person, and the five-hour hikes cost $10.00 in addition to the valley entry fee. You’ll need reservations.
As you finish your visit, there is a retail store that showcases the work of local artists and Hawaii crafters of locally made products. The store also hosts weekly demonstrations by featured vendors. The valley’s on-site concession services uses locally grown, made-in-Hawaii ingredients for tasty local dining.
Posted by: AlohaBruce
Links:
Follow us on twitter
See our latest videos
Book your Hawaii vacation here
June 9th, 2009
.jpg)
One of the great things about living in Hawaii is that when friends and family come to visit we get to play tourist with them. This weekend my cousin and his wife from Miami came to visit us and we got to experience some fun places we haven’t been to in a long time. It was so much fun I had to share our experiences.
Miami is another tourist destination but nothing like Hawaii. One of the big differences I noticed is our beautiful mountain ranges. As we drove to Waikiki from the airport my cousins could see mauka (toward the mountain) up into Manoa Valley. As we drove down the H-1freeway they could see the Honolulu skyline and Diamond Head. We checked them into their hotel and 30 minutes later we were at the Hula Grill celebrating the restaurant’s fifth anniversary. I could feel the Aloha spirit all around Waikiki. People were friendly and smiling and it made me proud that we have such a wonderful opportunity to help folks plan vacations in Hawaii. Next we took a walk down Kalakua Avenue and showed them the beautiful Royal Hawaiian Hotel and the Moana Surfrider. The great thing about these hotels is that you can just stroll onto properties and hang out; there so much Aloha spirit and history that you feel very welcome. Both properties are very beautiful and you can relax while having a drink and watching a wonderful Hawaiian sunset. The Pan Pacific Festival was happening in Waikiki that evening so we spent some time enjoying this wonderful event. I especially enjoyed seeing the festival and other activities through my cousins’ eyes; the multiculturalism, the beauty and excitement of being there was overwhelming.
On Saturday we started very early. My cousin told me about all fun they had doing simple things such as enjoying the sunrise, taking pictures of the beautiful scenery from the hotel room, and getting food at one of the ABC stores. After picking them up we drove up to a beautiful rainforest in Manoa with a trail that leads to a waterfall. Later, we went to the Waioli Tea Room, a wonderful restaurant located the heart of Manoa. As if that wasn’t enough, we took them back to the East side of the Island to our home in Hawaii Kai and took a little boat ride on Kuappa Pond.
Sunday was just as much fun but with a little twist. It was my cousin’s anniversary so we took them to Hanauma Bay for snorkeling. They had a great time enjoying the beach in this beautiful sanctuary. Unfortunately, when we returned to the car I discovered that I had my keys in my pocket while I was swimming. Little did I know that would cause my car not to start! We had plans to go to dinner in the evening in just a couple of hours. I thought to myself “What a bummer!” along a few other choice words, but my cousins were so relaxed it didn’t even faze them. They took the bus back to their hotel and we had our car home (only 3 mile away). We ended the night at Alan Wong’s, our favorite restaurant. I am not a food blogger so I will spare you all the details. I will tell you though, our meal was just incredible and I highly recommend you check out Alan Wong’s restaurant when you’re on Oahu.
We actually enjoyed being tourists again, seeing and experiencing Hawaii anew. It was the perfect end to a perfect weekend in Paradise.
.jpg)
Posted by: AlohaBruce
Related Blog posts:
Hanauma Bay
Exploring Manoa Valley
Freee Honolulu Festival for your Hawaii Vacation
Links:
Follow us on twitter
See our latest videos
Book your Hawaii vacation here
June 8th, 2009
I think one of the most important things you should do before you take a Hawaiian vacation is to learn as much as you can about this wonderful place. This is one of the main reasons I blog every day. I think Hawaii travel blogs are the best resources to learn about what’s happening in Hawaii. I embrace them all and I encourage you to read as many as possible before coming here.
Our whole little company is based on this principle. When you get involved with us you speak directly to someone who is either born or raised here or have lived here most of their lives. This is not to say that other travel agents aren’t very knowledgeable about Hawaii but it certainly does give us an advantage because all we do is focus on Hawaii and everyone who works here are from islands.
With this in mind, you can imagine how excited I was to hear that a group of top bloggers were coming to Hawaii.
Starting today (May 27th, 2009) bloggers will be arriving in Hawaii for the So Much More of Hawaii blogger tour. The brainchild of Christine Lu, and sponsored by the Hawaii tourism Authority, bloggers will embark on a seven day trip to Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. Each of the participants have varied interests from ecology to bargain-hunting and they will be paired up with Puka Shell Tour guides who will act as hosts and have volunteered to accompany these folks along their journey. They will blog about their experiences and also meet local folks on each of the islands at "tweet-ups", which is an outgrowth of the social networking tool "Twitter" at which people meet IRL, "In Real Life", Face to Face.
This is a fantastic concept and one which you can experience too! All you have to do is connect with people here. With today’s technology it’s really easy. There is a huge Hawaii stream of Twitter folks and bloggers you can connect with in a real way. Just join Twitter and start following the folks from Hawaii. Of course we can make it very simple too, just give us a call and connect directly with someone who lives and works here.
Today’s technology allows us to communicate in ways we have never done so in the past. It allows us to get information and make informed decisions. Social media venues such as Twitter and Facebook allows us to do it in a more personal way.
A big mahalo to the Hawaii Tourism Authority for embracing this blogger tour, Christine Lu for having the insight to make the connections, and to Neenz Faleafine who coordinated and supported this effort from its inception.
Bloggers on the tour reposted from @hawaii Blogging from the Aloha State and Beyond
- Rick Calvert (@blogworld) from Las Vegas, Nevada, founder of Blog World Expo.
- Leah Lamb (@leahlamb) from San Francisco, California, a writer and producer at Current.
- Shira Lazar (@shiralazar) from Los Angeles, California, a self-described “media empress” with a long resume in lifestyle and travel shows.
- Aric S. Queen (@aricsqueen), a globetrotting new media producer with a focus on China.
- Sheila Scarborough (@SheilaS) from Austin, Texas, a travel writer with a taste for NHRA drag racing and social media.
- Mark Tafoya (@ChefMark) from New York City, a personal chef who creates food and travel videos for the Culinary Media Network.
- Jim Turner (@Genuine) from Firestone, Colorado, a “social media renaissance man” and Social Media Director of Blog World Expo.
Related posts
Selecting a Hawaii Vacation area isn’t easy
Getting Around the Hawaiian Islands
More links:
Follow me on twitter
See our latest videos
Book your Hawaii vacations here
Posted by Bruce Fisher
@AlohaBruce
May 27th, 2009
The first thing you’re likely to notice about Hawaii as you descend to the airport on your destination island is the purity of its beauty. One group is responsible for that: The Outdoor Circle (TOC). Founded almost a century ago, TOC’s determined mission is to protect that beauty.
You won’t see a billboard anywhere, but that wasn’t always the case. In 1925, TOC established a foothole and, through awareness efforts and pressure on the state legislature, all billboards were banned statewide. But TOC’s efforts to protect Hawaii are far broader than watching for billboards. Most of what they do has resulted in subtle phenomena that rarely occur around the world.
Since 1948, the Outdoor Circle has been at the forefront of successfully preventing the skies over Hawaii from becoming littered with aerial advertising. In 2006, The Outdoor Circle persuaded the State Legislature to ban the elsewhere-pervasive billboard trucks in Hawaii. Early Outdoor Circle members are responsible for the planting of a lot of Oahu’s largest and most recognizable trees. TOC works closely with the government to ensure that Hawaii’s tree protection laws are enforced and that public trees are properly maintained.
Land use is a core issue for TOC — especially when it concerns the inappropriate use of special places such as landmarks, parks and green space, or in the protecting of view planes. The next target: those unsightly utility wires that get in the way of otherwise perfect views. In recent years The Outdoor Circle and other organizations have made some progress in supporting laws that require new developments to place utilitiyutility to invest in doing so. But TOC charges on resolutely.
So a lot of effort has gone into the environment you’ll enjoy. As the The Outdoor Circle slogan says:
“What you see is what we protect.”
Hawaii Vacation101
Getting Way out There
More links:
Follow me on twitter
See our latest videos
Book your Hawaii vacations here
Posted by Bruce Fisher @AlohaBruce
May 20th, 2009
Next Posts
Previous Posts
