Hawaii Vacation Blog

Looking for pau hana meaning? You must be in Hawaii, where this is a common phrase echoed by locals celebrating the end of a hard day’s work.  In fact, Pau Hana means “done with work.” It’s a time of relaxation and socializing in Hawaii.  But even if you’re on vacation, thousands of miles away from […]

This house has to be the most festive residence in Manoa. Christmas, Thanksgiving and even Fourth of July – the old Victorian-style dwelling gets decked out from yard to rooftop. But Halloween in Manoa is an especially spooky affair – with its tricks and its treats and its…ghostly occupants? A Manoa home goes all out […]

No Luau in Hawaii is complete without a big, juicy, steaming laulau. The translation of the word laulau in a food context literally means “wrapped package,” and is truly a little gift of ono (oh-NO; delicious). Today, salted pork or beef is the usual meat source for laulau. In ancient times, Hawaiians used dog as […]

Waikiki Hi is one of the top places to visit in Oahu (and all of Hawaii). But that means it’s also incredibly popular. This neighborhood has lots of resorts, shopping, and dining, and a gorgeous stretch of beach.  Whether you are staying in a Waikiki Grand Hotel or driving over to visit, you’re likely wondering […]

A soda with flavors like mango, lilikoi and pineapple can only come from a tropical island. Waialua Soda was born in Hawaii and continues to thrive, with recent mentions in Hawaii Five-O and Oprah’s “ O” magazine. The soda manufacturing company is located on Oahu’s North Shore, alongside a sugar mill from Hawaii’s past. A […]

Dramatic drum beats and gong hits poured into Waikiki’s buzzing streets below, starting from the door of a Pacific Beach Hotel ballroom. A colorful Chinese lion bobbled its over-sized head to the concussive musical medley and danced around guests celebrating my nephew’s first birthday last Saturday. The party included more than 100 of our family […]

At Waimanalo Country Farms, it’s all about ohana (family). Every day, Dominic Kadooka, his wife Shawn and the rest of their ohana plant and harvest their 52-acre farm, nestled against the Koolau mountain range. The farm was established in 1948, and since 2001, the main crop has been a variety of sweet corn, sold from […]

Hoping to see coconuts in Hawaii? Lucky for you, they are everywhere! Washing up on remote or busy beaches, floating in the ocean, or falling on city streets. But there’s more to these tropical delights than meets the eye.  Ahead are four things I’ve learned about coconuts since moving to the Islands. There are many […]

Sand has a sneaky side. It plasters itself onto the roots of your hair, finds a home deep in your swim trunks and decorates your ankles like an au natural kind of body art. Sand gets everywhere, and oftentimes no matter how carefully you stretch the corners of your beach towel to prevent those tiny […]

Driving down the bumpy dirt road to Honolua Bay gives one the sense of stepping out of civilization and into another world. The car rocks back and forth, and its passengers resemble popping kernels of corn, thumping and bumping about. It’s almost as if they’re in Disneyland; the car slowly rolls slowly towards steep sea […]

Discussing the Hawaii pidgin phrase “da kine” reminds me of the many concepts of “Hawaii” that people hold, often without realizing it. For some, Hawaii is the magical island of Bali Hai in South Pacific – a mystical place where time never changes. These people are dismayed when they find that much of Hawaii is […]

Tantalus & Round Top Drive is a scenic journey with sweeping views of Honolulu and the Pacific Ocean. Come along with us as we explore this historic route.  Round Top Drive is About the Journey AND the Destination As the sun sets over the Waianae range, an electric wave of city lights washes across Honolulu […]