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Hawaii Golf splurge: Ko Olina Golf Club
Aloha Bruce made another one of his casually astute observations on the latest Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast: most people booking a Hawaii vacation want to plan a day or two to “splurge” on their holiday budget. An expensive dining experience, perhaps, or a helicopter tour. Maybe a night in a luxury suite at an exclusive…
Read MoreRoyal Lahaina Resort gets new ownership
Ownership of the Royal Lahaina Resort will be taken over by the locally-owned real estate investment firm BlackSand Capital. The Royal Lahaina is hugely popular among visitors and island-hopping residents because of its ideal location in Kaanapali, highly competitive rates, and world-class amenities. It also happens to be the top-selling resort property in Hawaii Aloha…
Read MoreHAT Blog Maui dispatch: Lahaina
Our Hawaiian Airline flight from Honolulu to Kahului was uneventful, which was enough to make me nearly ecstatic. In the nights before the trip, I had fever dreams of getting seated near some violent anti-mask wingnut of the variety that go instantly viral on social media. Please, no, I begged the Cosmos. We boarded without…
Read MoreMaui ALOHA Shuttle offers rental car alternative to resorts
As Aloha Bruce has noted many times on the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast, finding transportation options for a Hawaii vacation is exceedingly difficult and expensive. In early July, the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) announced the launch of the “Maui ALOHA Shuttle”, with service from Kahalui Airport to the resorts of Wailea and West Maui. It…
Read MoreHawaii tourism survey headline misleads visitors
The University of Hawaii Public Policy Center (UHPPC) has just released the results of a survey conducted by Anthology Research. A recent Honolulu Star-Advertiser headline construed the results of the survey of 700 residents to indicate that a majority of “Hawaii residents support limits on tourism”. Sure, 52% is a majority. But the margin of…
Read MoreWaikiki’s Diamond Head History: Legend of Love
Waikiki’s Diamond Head is arguably one of the most recognizable natural landmarks in the world. It’s been a picture postcard image of paradise for generations, and it towers in the background of countless millions of vacation photos taken by giddy beach-goers. Beyond that iconic image, Diamond Head, or “Leahi” in the Hawaiian language, has been…
Read MoreBreaking down Hawaii vacation rental numbers
The Hawaii Tourism Authority has released its statistics for December 2019 Oahu vacation rental units. The numbers suggest that Oahu’s crackdown on illegal vacation rentals is having a significant market impact in The Gathering Place. The numbers include the supply and occupancy rates, as well as average daily price. The numbers do not distinguish between…
Read MoreVacationing During the Rainy Season in Hawaii? Go Local!
Even if you’re vacationing during the rainy season in Hawaii, you’ll likely still be able to enjoy a good amount of sunshine. Still, a rainy day is the best time to discover local Hawaii businesses. Here’s what to do if the idealized “day at the beach” isn’t in the forecast during your Hawaii vacation. When…
Read MoreCheap Activities in Hawaii: 20 Things to Do for Under $20
If you’ve been reading my posts for a while, then you know that I’m all about cheap activities in Hawaii. There are lots of free outdoorsy things to do, like swimming, hiking, and chasing waterfalls. Not only are they incredible experiences, but they are usually free or very cheap. To make it easier to enjoy…
Read More10 Quirky & Unique Things to Do in Hawaii
We all know about Oahu’s must-do activities, like Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, and the Dole Plantation, just to name a few. But if you want to discover something different, there are lots of unique things to do in Hawaii. In fact, some of the activities are distinctively quirky! We put our heads together and made…
Read MoreHow to Have a Hawaiian Wedding Vow Renewal Ceremony on Oahu
Whether you had your dream wedding thirty years ago or eloped in a small ceremony two years ago, Hawaii is the perfect place to renew your wedding vows. If you are planning a romantic vacation to Hawaii, why not use the backdrop of the beautiful sunsets and sandy beaches to renew your vows? A Hawaiian…
Read More10 Free Things to Do in Hawaii Big Island
Last week, I wrote all about the best free things to do on Oahu. And when I went to the Big Island a few months ago, I was on a tight budget. So, I was interested in finding the best free things to do in Hawaii Big Island. During the process, I learned that there…
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