Vacations Blog

Aloha, hula!

Hawaii puts its rich cultural history on display for visitors in many ways, but once a year, they really pull out all the stops with the Aloha Festival.

On my recent visit to Oahu to explore the island and experience the festival, I was hosted by the very friendly and laid-back representatives of the Hawaii Convention and Visitors Bureau, so I had a bit of an inside look into how Hawaii is faring these days.  It was hard to tell that tourism is down.  Everywhere I looked there were tourists, and most of those were happy and smiling.  With perfect weather, lush surroundings, and gracious staff at almost every place I visited, how could one not be happy?

(Don’t forget, you  can enter to win a trip to Hawaii until October 23rd.  Details here.)

For a busy mother of two, this trip held lots of promise of down time and relaxation.  But.  Once I got to Hawaii and there was an undiscovered delight lurking around every turn, I found I couldn’t stop my mind from spinning even when my body was exhausted.  I only had just over three days there.  “I’ll sleep on the plane,” I told myself. Read More »

This weekend marks the spectacular close of the 63rd annual Aloha Festival in Hawaii, a month of festivities that celebrates Hawaiian culture.  With this year marking Hawaii’s 50th year of statehood, the celebration is even more special.  The grand finale is Saturday’s Aloha Festival parade which will feature 13 floats, 4 schools of hula dancers (hula halua), 14 marching bands, 4 trolleys, and representatives from all 8 Hawaiian islands.

I am visiting Oahu to get a first-timer’s taste of the island, as well as peeks behind the scenes of the parade’s attractions.  Tune in for photos and stories from this adventure.  For now, I venture out for a few hours of exploration.  I’m off to explore the USS Arizona Memorial at Peal Harbor, and later take a ride on a submersible vessel called Atlantis.  This is one tough job.

My home base in Waikiki at the Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk is beautiful, but who wants to stay inside on a day like this?

View of Diamond Head from Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk