Hawaii Vacation Blog

The wind and rain continue to howl and lash here in Honolulu, and throughout most of Hawaii, with no sign of letting up any time soon. It’s fine, though, except perhaps for my wife’s new clutch of doomed houseplants and the Aloha State residents who’ve been inundated by turbid floodwaters or had their property whipped […]

Wind and rain are battering my lanai, rattling the sliding glass doors and my normally steady state of relative calm. A “Kona low” has settled in over pretty much the whole state of Hawaii and I’m scrolling through the photo gallery on my phone, unable to muster the gumption to do…anything. Pictures of a recent […]

One of the most common concerns we hear from visitors regards tipping in Hawaii. Who should be tipped? When? How much? Food and beverage industry workers should be tipped, certainly. Parking valets, too. Leaving a few bucks for the cleaning staff at your hotel/resort/vacation rental is also a fine way to express your aloha for […]

Kilauea Volcano is again erupting on Hawaii Island, with a lava lake formed in Halemaumau Crater. Officials say that the lava is likely to remain contained within the crater. As new images and video of the spectacular event at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, something else is spreading from the volcano: vog in Hawaii has returned. […]

We’re a week into the New Year of 2023 and it occurs to us here at the HAT Blog that there is a whole lot of “new” in this Year of the Rabbit. New Governor and Administration. New Legislature. New County Councils. Even a new eruption at Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii Island. We’re hard-pressed to […]

After my recent dinner at Moku Kitchen, I’m eager to share all about this fantastic restaurant. For our 13th wedding anniversary, my wife and I decided to forgo our tradition of dining out at a fine-dining Oahu steakhouse and opt for something different.  We were after something more casual, and with a more eclectic selection […]

Each year, usually in mid-December, a weather system moves over the islands of Hawaii bringing thunderstorms, lightning, (relatively) cold temperatures, and high winds. Hawaii winter weather is unique in that what makes it special is the fact that it is actual weather. For the rest of the year, it’s mostly sunny skies and gentle trade […]

There is nothing on Earth more certain than the fact that the sun will rise. We’ll submit that it is equally certain that Hawaii sunrise views are spectacular, every day. Without exception. Full stop. Rain or shine. What the new day brings, good or ill, always begins with beauty. This is one of the many […]

Hawaii residents and visitors from abroad flock to Hawaii Island, the Big Island, to witness eruptions at the Mauna Loa Volcano. Thousands of images and videos of the spectacular event are zing around the internet when that happens showing the full glory of an active lava flow. We want to point out that fire goddess […]

 Aloha Bruce Fisher was kind enough to invite the HAT Blog (me) plus-one (my wife) to a small gathering with some of the Hawaii Aloha Travel ohana at the home office in Hawaii Kai to celebrate Yaling Fisher’s birthday. Sipping tasty sunset cocktails over the lapping waters of the Hawaii Kai marina, I got to […]

The annual Made in Hawaii Festival returned to Ala Moana Shopping Center over the Veterans Day holiday weekend. The HAT Blog bought a ticket ($15) and attended for a two-hour time slot just before lunchtime. It got us thinking about buying local in Hawaii, and about how many Hawaii small businesses rely on direct sales […]

It seems like every few months, Hawaii’s volcanoes make an appearance in the news. After all, the state is home to three active volcanoes, something that makes a visit here both special and sometimes nerve-wracking. So where do you go when you want a Hawaii Volcano Update?  Luckily, it’s easy to get info on what’s […]