Downtown Honolulu hasn’t had a new hotel open since the Executive Centre was built in 1984. With the pandemic fading and efforts towards the revitalization of the neighborhood on the rise, it was time. Located at 1111 Bishop Street between the Hawai’i Theatre, Capital Modern Museum and ʻIolani Palace, the AC Hotel by Marriott Honolulu […]
Since 2020 the House of Mana Up has served as a public retail space for 100% Hawaiʻi-based artisans, designers and makers to share Hawaiʻi’s ingredients and culture with the world. This month the local retailer opened its new Kakaʻako store inside South Shore Market in Ward Village. There are now five locations across O‘ahu and
With so many hotels, restaurants and retail stores in Hawaiʻi owned by overseas companies, a large portion of visitor dollars may not directly profit the residents or indigenous people of Hawaiʻi. Below, we have put together a list of more than a dozen Native Hawaiian-owned businesses—one that we will update. Choosing to spend your dollars
Hawai’i has a long history of beer making. Honolulu Brewery, established in 1854 (now closed), was the first commercial brewery on Oʻahu, followed by Primo Beer in 1901. After a long lull, the craft beer movement made its way back to the Islands in 1994 slowly growing over the years. Oʻahu has a tight craft
Every Friday since 1988, with the exception of two years during the pandemic, the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikīkī Beach Resort has lit up the sky with fireworks just after sunset. Visitors and locals enjoy the show from high-rise and beachfront restaurants, the beach and even from the water. Here are a few of our favorite
Want to hop in the ocean for a quick swim without orchestrating an entire beach day? If you’re staying in Waikīkī, you’ll need a beach that is close by, not too rocky and has easy parking. Here are five options right in Honolulu. Ala Moana Regional Park and Magic Island A favorite among locals, the
Where spring brings the Merrie Monarch Festival on Hawaiʻi Island, summer brings the Prince Lot Hula Festival to Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi’s largest noncompetitive hula celebration presented by conservation nonprofit Moanalua Gardens Foundation. The free annual festival, which started in 1978, honors Hawaiʻiʻs centuries-old legacy of hula and chanting, which was perpetuated by Prince Lot Kapuāiwa during
Sometimes it is nice to take a break from the beach and enjoy the hotel amenities you have worked so hard to pay for. A day at the pool is a rejuvenating way to spend the afternoon while still getting the most of your Oʻahu experience. Lost & Found Wayfinder Waikīkī Locals will remember the
At 9:30 p.m. I sat at a table outside of Fête restaurant and watched a four-piece band set up on the corner of Hotel Street and Nuʻuanu Avenue on Oʻahu. “This guy comes every weekend,” co-owner of Fête Chuck Bussler said of the drummer. “He shows up with different musicians each time. It’s great.” With
If you have ever wondered where the shaka, or “hang-loose,” hand gesture comes from, the answer is: Hawaiʻi. Although most residents have already known this, the symbol of aloha was not formally established as belonging to Hawaiʻi until this year. This week residents, government officials and media gathered at 1938 Indochine in Kakaʻako to celebrate
Coconut, or nui in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), arrived in Hawaiʻi via canoes sailed by Polynesian voyagers roughly 4,500 years ago. Native Hawaiians considered the coconut tree to be the god Kū in physical form. For them, coconut water was sacred and therefore used for important ceremonies and rituals. Many of the coconut trees’ ancient
Hawaiʻi has produced beer since the mid 19th century, but it wasn’t until the early ’90s that craft breweries began popping up. By the 2010s Hawaiʻi’s craft beer movement was in full swing. Although the Kakaʻako neighborhood on Oʻahu is the local craft beer mecca, the five best local beers —voted by HAWAIʻI Magazine’s readerss—are
