Hawaii Vacation Blog

During a trip to Maui in late September, some of our group set out on a couple of hikes that were, simply, marvelous. There are countless hiking trails on the Valley Isle, but the Waihee Ridge Trail and the Waiakoa Loop Trail were chosen as our hiking destinations in Maui for a couple of important […]

The 2021-2022 Winter Season on Oahu’s North Shore has begun with the recent arrival of significant swell and favorable winds. It’s getting good, and we are thinking about how different this season will differ from those past. 2020-21 was exceedingly weird and quiet for terrible reasons. Major surf contests at iconic breaks are off this […]

The 2021 Made in Hawaii Festival at Ala Moana Center takes place this week (November 11-13), showcasing Hawaii-made products, arts and crafts, food, fashion and apparel…all things Hawaii, really. Aloha Bruce has talked about the importance of being a respectful and mindful visitor to the Aloha State on the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and we’ve […]

The completion of improvements to the Koko Crater Stairs hiking trail made headlines in the local news media last week. It has become a popular hike for residents and visitors over the past few years. High traffic had degraded the trail, which is made of railroad ties. The trail is much safer now thanks in […]

We’re in the middle of one of Hawaii tourism’s “shoulder seasons” when demand for travel, accommodations, and tourism-adjacent businesses like restaurants and tour companies dips below peak summer and winter levels. But what does shoulder season mean? Right now, in the middle of October, daily visitor arrivals are averaging ~20,000. Just this past August, that […]

A couple of weeks ago when settling in at a West Maui condo, I started looking into tee times at various golf courses in the area. Several are legendary, home to PGA events and some of the most dramatic views you’ll see in coverage of the pros on major networks. Green fees and club rental […]

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 […]

A flight instructor on Maui was first to spot the arrival of humpback whales in Hawaii waters, marking the beginning of the 2021-2022 “whale season” in Hawaii at the start of October. It was an early arrival, so to speak, in that whale season is generally regarded as beginning in November and lasting into April. […]

It happened in a geological instant. A “swarm” of low-magnitude earthquakes rattled Hawaii Volcanoes National Park near the Halema’uma’u Crater on Tuesday night before Kilauea Volcano erupted anew mid-Wednesday afternoon. Within minutes, images from the Hawaii Volcanoes Observatory, the US Geological Survey, and other agencies that monitor volcanic activity were flooding social media feeds around […]

Let’s head to the Valley Isle, where Surfing Goat Dairy is a great place to visit during a tour of gorgeous Upcountry Maui.  Our Day Upcountry During a recent visit to Maui, we stopped by the Surfing Goat Dairy and explored Upcountry. With an 11:00 am checkout at the West Maui condo (between Kaanapali and […]

After our pilgrimage to Maui’s petroglyphs at Olowalu, I was wrought and marveled by the spirit of learning. I needed a drink. We headed to the Sly Mongoose on the outskirts of Lahaina. It’s been recommended by every bar industry person I know on Oahu. A proud dive. Google it. No website. It’s just “out […]

Have you ever heard of Nakalele Blowhole Maui? This is one of the most amazing sights on the island, and it’s part of a day exploring the west side. Here’s a recap of our adventure seeing this cool spot and how you can include it on your next Hawaii vacation. Nakalele Blowhole Maui Nakalele Point […]