When I pictured Hawaii in the past, it was all palm-fringed beaches, smoldering volcanoes and scenic mountains. In my mind could see the big city of Honolulu, and I could imagine resort towns like Lahaina and Waikiki. What I didn’t know to expect were little hidden gems like Puna, funky tucked away regions where eccentric people…

You know when someone asks you if you want the good news first or the bad? I always want the bad first. I guess that’s why I’m starting with my biggest disappointment from my trip to The Big Island — watching, or shall I say attempting to watch, the sunset from Mauna Kea. By Heather Holt…

It was with a heavy heart that I said aloha (goodbye!) to Oahu. I absolutely loved my time there, and I didn’t know when I would see my lovely hosts Wim and Dave again. But my blues were tempered by the fact that Heather and I were en route to say aloha (hello!) to a new…

My favorite part of visiting friends when I travel is getting to jump in and live their lives for a while. When Heather and I went to visit Wim and Dave in Oahu, we got a little taste of what it’s like to live in Hawaii — Dave showed us where he goes surfing in the…

I’ve said it before, and in all likelihood I’ll say it many more times — one of my favorite things about Hawaii is that life is lived outdoors. Sure, I slept in a room with four walls and roof (most nights!) but my days were spent surfing, diving, ATV-riding — and hiking. I never considered myself…

What do you think the most visited tourist destination in all of Hawaii is? An exotic luau, a famous surf break, maybe one of the filming sights from Lost? Actually, it’s Pearl Harbor. Just a few short miles west of Honolulu, Pearl Harbor is home to America’s naval base in Hawaii. But that’s not why it’s…