Many readers may recall that Andy and I played the role of Hawaii tour guide for my parents in April. The four of us vacationed in Maui for a week plus we hopped over to Oahu for a day trip. It was rewarding for me to be able show my parents why I’ve been inspired to write over a thousand ... Read More »

On our first trip to Kauai, we were exceptionally excited to hit some of the island’s outstanding hiking trails. High on our list was hiking the first two miles of the Kalalau Trail. Through our research, we had read that the Kalalau Trail was a fairly strenuous hike. We had also read advice to bring a picnic along to enjoy ... Read More »

Seems like our Hawaii vacation news roundup is always such a potpourri. Today’s edition is no exception as it includes sweepstakes, cheap rates, and even a haunted lagoon canoe ride. * Outside Magazine, Travelocity and Hawaii Visitor’s Bureau have teamed up to offer a Hawaii vacation sweepstakes. You can enter here to win airfare for two, a 5-night stay at ... Read More »

In April, we shoehorned a trip to Maui in between other trips and around the schedules of four very busy people. On top of that, we booked the vacation only eight days before the trip! It was a surprise trip that we’d been planning for my parents for quite some time, but for many reasons hadn’t been able to book ... Read More »

Last weekend, Andy and I were reminiscing about our Hawaii vacations. Somehow our conversation evolved to recalling the many funny mishaps from our trips. So, I thought I’d share some of our laughable experiences that weren’t so funny at the time, but have turned into fond memories. With each post in the series, I hope you’ll find both a good ... Read More »

Among all my other nerdy tendencies, I’m a recycling/reuse nerd, too. I always think twice before throwing something away. About a year ago, I got the idea that the plastic newspaper delivery bags might make great shoe bags to protect my clothes from germy, dirty shoes in my luggage. I tried the idea and it worked like a charm! I ... Read More »

If you are looking for cheap, local eats in Honolulu, the Rainbow Drive-In will fit the bill. You’ll find this Honolulu favorite along Kapahulu Avenue, near the eastern edge of Waikiki. If you’ve heard the Hawaii dishes of “mixed plate”, “plate lunch” and the “loco moco”, but you don’t know what they are, Rainbow Drive-In is a great place to ... Read More »

Here’s another blast from the past post, that’s worth reviewing again. This post, Tips for Planning Your Trip to Hawaii, was first published September, 2007. As a former industrial engineer, I can be a bit of a planning nerd. I’ve found that by investing a couple of hours into research and planning, the effort has paid off with some perfect ... Read More »

There’s lot’s cooking today, so let’s dive right into the vacation news. * Maui News has issued their annual “Best of Maui 2009” list. Though the publication is separated out into multiple pdf files, it’s worth your time to review it, if you’re headed to Maui. In the publication, you’ll find the best restaurants in multiple categories, plus you’ll find ... Read More »

This blast from the past post, A Vacation Time Saving Tip, was originally posted in March 2008. Andy and I have used this time-saving trick a number of times when we’ve chosen to check luggage. It really makes a difference! This time saving idea will help you if you check your luggage and you are traveling with someone else. When ... Read More »