July 8. It’s the day vaccinated U.S. travelers have been waiting for. It’s the anticipated day Hawaiʻi will allow Americans with proof they’re fully vaccinated to fly to Hawaiʻi—any island—without any travel restrictions. Meaning no quarantine or pre-travel requirements, as long as they upload their vaccination records to the state’s Safe Travels website and arrive […]
The Merrie Monarch Festival is back this year—and competition starts today in Hilo. There is one change: It will be broadcasted on television—meaning no spectators—due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The performances and announcement of winners will be broadcast on July 1 to 3. In 2020 festival president Luana Kawelu made the crucial decision to cancel
It should be a rule that if a restaurant (or, in this case, a food truck) gets recommended to you more than five times, the question isn’t if it’s good—it’s how good. When I was first introduced to Island Style Grindz on Hawai‘i Island, I immediately tried to Google when and where I could get
Maui has long been the favorite of visitors to Hawaiʻi, beloved for its gorgeous beaches, stunning vistas and charming towns. And right now, as the Islands welcome more and more visitors, there are dozens of new (and perpetual) reasons to visit the Valley Isle. 1. Haleakalā National Park Most of the 30,000-acre Haleakalā National Park
Hawaiian singer-songwriter Paula Fuga (@pfunklove) joins Kevin on the “Have Aloha Will Travel” podcast to talk about her new upcoming album, “Rain on Sunday,” which will be available for purchase on June 25. Born and raised in Waimānalo, Fuga has performed all over the world, from Madison Square Garden to The Sydney Opera House Forecourt—she’s
Some of the grandest hotels and resorts on Oʻahu are those with only a few hundred rooms. Standing in defiance to the saying, “bigger is better,” these boutique hotels have astounded visitors and locals with their perfectly manicured properties, stylish rooms and distinctive personalities. Below are just five—trust us, there are many more—of the best
It was my first trip to Kauaʻi—to anywhere—since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, and I wanted to do everything. Lounge on Hanalei Beach. Drink mai tais at Tahiti Nui. See the Nāpali Coast by boat. Eat kūlolo. And trek to a secret waterfall somewhere on this ridiculously lush and gorgeous island.
Located in the heart of downtown Hilo, Kula Shave Ice is taking the beloved local treat to the next level with organic and fresh ingredients. Kula is committed to providing the highest quality shave ice on the island without using processed syrups and preservatives like the more “traditional” shave ice. “We make all our fruit
There aren’t many honey companies in the U.S. making mead from its own honey. And there are only two Hawaiʻi meaderies. That makes Mānoa Honey & Mead in Wahiawā on Oʻahu, which started off as a honey business and now makes mead, very unique. Yuki Uzuhashi, a beekeeper from Japan, took over Mānoa Honey in
One aspect of traveling to Hawaiʻi that has caught a lot of travelers off-guard—including our editorial team—is just how hard it is to find a car rental in the Islands. A shortage created by the COVID-19 pandemic, visitors have been left scrounging for a vehicle to take them to all of the magical places they
Effective immediately Honolulu County—which encompasses all of Oʻahu—will move into a less-restrictive Tier 4 of its COVID-19 restrictions. This change allows social gatherings of up to 25 people outdoors, including at parks and beaches. Outdoors weddings can now have up to 200 people. But the group size for indoor social gatherings remains at 10 people.
The view from Uēkahuna, the highest point on the rim of Kaluapele, the caldera of Kīlauea, is unlike any other—and the popular bluff has reopened this week after being closed since 2018. That year, magma drained from Halemaʻumaʻu, the summit crater, triggering months of repetitive earthquakes, damaging ash clouds and the eventual collapse of Kīlauea
