Due to global spread of COVID-19 that has led to the shutdown of travel to Hawaiʻi, many of our local boutiques and designers have been forced to close—and that’s rough. Fortunately, we all have the power to support them—from leaving our homes. Our sister publication, HONOLULU Magazine, is hosting a special collaborative shopping event, now through […]
Hawaiʻi’s beaches may be its star attraction, but these one-of-a-kind curated gardens, with their picturesque views and unique collections of flora, are lush places of wonder. Read on for the Oʻahu botanical gardens our readers voted the best in 2020. 1. Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden Photo: David Croxford Run by the nonprofit Hi‘ipaka LLC, this gorgeous
If any one thing defines Hawai‘i to travelers, it would be our beaches. The Islands boast some of the most diverse stretches of oceanfront, from the jet-black sands of Punalu‘u on Hawai‘i Island to the otherworldly red landscape of Kaihalulu Beach in Hāna on Maui. And there’s so much to do on these beaches, from
Eric Dill, CEO of Koʻolau Distillery in Kailua, had heard about other craft distilleries on the Mainland coverting their operations to making hand sanitizers amid the coronavirus pandemic. The demand is extraorindarily high—and the supply nearly nonexistent in Hawaiʻi. He thought, “If you’ve got the ability to help, why wouldn’t you be helping in these
Four-leaf clovers are a symbol of good luck and ubiquitous with St. Patrick’s Day, celebrated on March 17. And while the holiday is the feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, some 7,000 miles away from Hawaiʻi, the Islands boast its own version of the lucky plant. The ʻihiʻihilauakea (Marsilea villosa) is a rare, endangered
In our new video series, Holoholo, the HAWAIʻI Magazine team goes behind-the-scenes at ʻIolani Sportswear, a Honolulu-based aloha wear company that has been in business since 1953. We chat with Lloyd Kawakami, whose parents started ʻIolani Sportswear in Honolulu more than 60 years ago. The longtime kamaʻāina company started in a small, two-room shop on
You can always count on finding new dining adventures in Waikīkī, and now, you can find eight more in Royal Hawaiian Center’s new food hall opening on March 7. The Waikīkī Food Hall is located on the third floor in Building C, which is just past Wolfgang Steak House and above The Cheesecake Factory. Wait—food
Last summer Nik and Jennifer Lodendahn, who already run a successful brunch spot in Kailua called Over Easy, expanded into American-style barbecue with a new restaurant a short walk away. The brisket loco moco. Photo: Catherine Toth Fox I predict the most popular dish will be the slow-cooked brisket loco moco ($18) with house-made brown
Experience ganban yoku, this hot stone treatment, available only at Spa Pure Waikīkī.
When Ken Hirata vacationed in Hawai‘i more than 20 years ago, he tried poi, a traditional Hawaiian staple made from mashed taro. Realizing that fermentation was a key process in making both poi and shochu, a beloved distilled spirit made in his home country, Japan, Hirata wondered if he could craft good shochu with Hawai‘i-grown
Traveling can be expensive. And a vacation in Waikīkī can definitely add up. Fortunately, the HAWAIʻI Magazine team has spent its fair share of time in the buzzing visitor hub of Oʻahu, and know a few cheap(ish) options when it comes to food, activities and museums. Here are a few ways to enjoy Waikīkī without spending more
If you see a shark approaching you, be sure to make eye contact with it.” As someone who’s never once seen a shark in person, this is troubling advice. I have to look at the shark? In the eyes? I have trouble doing that when I’m talking to strangers. My head is racing. I can’t
