For 33 years, Hawaiian Quilt Collection has been a mainstay in Hawaiian quilting. Started by Michael John Gillan, who was raised in the beachside community of Kailua, the simple yet iconic patterns and prints featured on Hawaiian Quilt Collection’s pillows, bags and—of course—quilts have become household items among many residents and visitors. And the company […]
Maybe you canceled your vacation to Oʻahu this year. Or maybe you’re just looking for something cool to do while you’re quarantined at home. ʻIolani Palace, the only official residence of royalty in the U.S., launched free virtual experiences and online educational resources that allow you to tour the palace without leaving your living room.
It’s strange to see Waikīkī hotels dark at night. But amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. David Ige issued a mandatory 14-day quarantine for anyone visiting the state last week, causing travel to the Islands to slow to barely a trickle. On March 30, only 906 people arrived in Hawaiʻi, 161 of them visitors. In
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
Hawaiʻi now has 10 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus and the federal government has advised the public to avoid groups no larger than 10. That has triggered businesses around Hawaiʻi to close or modify their hours. The latest is Hanauma Bay, a protected marine bay in East Honolulu, which is closed today until further
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
The votes are in and our readers have decided: Below is their ranking of six Hawaiian Islands. Of course, all of the islands, from Hawaiʻi Island to Kauaʻi, are winners, and you really can’t go wrong booking a plane ticket and hotel room for anywhere in Hawaiʻi. 1. Kauaʻi Beautiful day in Kīhei on Maui.
Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino Setting up its first bikes in Waikīkī in 2017, Biki, a nonprofit bike sharing organization, has grown at an extraordinary rate, and its iconic aqua-blue bikes can now be seen throughout Honolulu. Riding with Biki means you won’t have to deal with walking in the hot Hawaiian sun, or driving a
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
Built in 1975, the Hale Koa Hotel in Waikīkī, one of only four U.S. Armed Forces Recreation Centers in the world, has catered to millions of guests who are eligible through their military service—active or retired—or Department of Defense or Coast Guard status. (See the hotel’s eligibility requirements here.) Starting in January, though, the hotel,
