Hawaii Places to Go
From major cities to the off-the-beaten-track destinations, we’ve got this place covered. We’ll share the hidden gems that only a local can discover.
Iolani Palace
The only official royal residence in the United States is not located in any of the continental states, but across the Pacific on the island of Oahu. Iolani Palace in Honolulu was the official residence of only the last two Hawaiian monarchs—King Kalakau (who built the palace in 1882) and his sister, successor and last ruling monarch of Hawaii, Queen Lili’uokalani. During the rule of these last two monarchs, Iolani Palace was at the center of social and political activity on the islands. After decades of neglect, however, the palace was in bad shape until restoration began in the 1970s and has continued until today.
As a National Historic Landmark, efforts have also been made to recollect many of the art pieces and furniture that originally decorated the palace. Most of these items were sold off and stolen after the fall of Queen Lili’uokalani at the turn of the twentieth century. Today the palace is a popular tourist destination and location for wedding receptions and other private events. The palace also provides a beautiful and dramatic backdrop for the free concerts by the National Hawaiian Band on palace grounds most Fridays. These concerts are held on Fridays from 12:00-1:00 p.m. and are a great (and free!) way to participate in the bands long tradition of sharing Hawaiian music with the world.
Date: March 12th, 2008 |
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Nude Beaches on Molokai
Nude sunbathing in Hawaii might be illegal in a technical sense, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen all the time. Here’s where to go to find the prime spots to shed your suit.
Nude Beaches on Molokai
Papohaku Beach - While not even “unofficially” a nude beach, this one is extremely long and so you’re bound to find a secluded spot or twelve where you can sunbathe in peace, with or without clothing.
Really, most of the beaches on Molokai are quiet and secluded enough that you’ll probably be able to go nude at just about …
Date: January 21st, 2008 |
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Nude Beaches on Oahu
Nude sunbathing in Hawaii might be illegal in a technical sense, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen all the time. Here’s where to go to find the prime spots to shed your suit.
Nude Beaches on Oahu
Oahu has the biggest police force in Hawaii, so its beaches are the ones most likely to be patrolled to keep nudity at bay. It’s also the most populated and crowded of the islands, so your chances of finding a quiet and secluded beach on which to sunbathe in the buff are slim. Still, if you’ve gotta get …
Date: December 24th, 2007 |
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Nude Beaches on the Big Island
Nude sunbathing in Hawaii might be illegal in a technical sense, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen all the time. Here’s where to go to find the prime spots to shed your suit.
Nude Beaches on the Big Island
Kehena Beach (Dolphin Beach) - Not necessarily the best swimming beach, but popular with locals (especially those into “counter-culture”) and has black sand and lots of shady areas. Off Hwy 137 near mile 19, on the Hilo side.
Honokohau Harbor Beach - North end is a popular gay beach, and it’s not a very private beach. Officials …
Date: November 26th, 2007 |
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Honolulu: World’s 2nd Cleanest City
There are a million reasons why it’s great to travel to Honolulu, but here’s another reason - it’s one of the world’s cleanest cities.
According to Forbes, Honolulu ranks 2nd on the list of the cleanest cities in the world, behind Calgary in Canada. Putting that list together with the contrasting list of the world’s most polluted places shows the stark reality of the divide over pollution, as countries in the developing world pollute on a much greater scale than those in the developed world. Of course, the cleanest cities are also disproportionately in the wealthiest countries, too.
In the Forbes article, Honolulu is described this way:
Honolulu is a tourist center and has light manufacturing. It has an excellent public transit system with dedicated bus right of ways that has been singled out for praise by the American Public Transportation Association.
So there you are - just one more reason to visit Honolulu! And when you do, make use of that excellent bus system so that you’re not adding to the problem with the carbon emissions from your car.
For more tips on traveling green, see the Eco Travel Logue.
Date: November 19th, 2007 |
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Visiting Old Koloa Town on Kauai
When you’re looking for a break from the big cities and crowded beaches in Hawaii, head to Kauai and visit a genuine old town for a taste of what Hawaii was like when sugar plantations were just beginning to be formed. A visit to Old Koloa Town won’t take long, but it’ll be a refreshing and slow-paced alternative to much of the rest of the islands.
The town of Koloa, which is sometimes called Old Koloa Town and sometimes even Homestead, is a small town on the island of Kauai which dates from the mid-1800s …
Date: February 6th, 2008 |
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Nude Beaches on Kauai
Nude sunbathing in Hawaii might be illegal in a technical sense, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen all the time. Here’s where to go to find the prime spots to shed your suit.
Nude Beaches on Kauai
Kauai used to have a couple great nude beaches, but these days one of them is under new ownership and they’re not fond of the clothing-optional thing. The other one is becoming less friendly toward nude sunbathing, too, so proceed with caution.
Donkey Beach - This is the beach that used to be the best nude beach in Kauai, …
Date: January 10th, 2008 |
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Nude Beaches on Maui
Nude sunbathing in Hawaii might be illegal in a technical sense, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen all the time. Here’s where to go to find the prime spots to shed your suit.
Nude Beaches on Maui
Little Beach at Makena Beach (Pu’u Ola’i Beach) - The Little Beach is connected to Makena Beach, but you can’t get there by car so it’s a little more private. Noted for its excellent nude sunbathing, as well as swimming and snorkeling. Makena Beach is past the Maui Prince Hotel on Makena Ala Nui Road.
Red Sand Beach (Kaihalulu …
Date: December 10th, 2007 |
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Nude Beaches in Hawaii
When you think of Hawaii, you think of beaches, right? Well, for some people, when they think of Hawaiian beaches they automatically think of nude beaches. So - are there any nude beaches in Hawaii?
The short answer is yes, kind of. While nudity on state beaches is technically illegal, there are apparently a few places where you can bathe in the buff, if you’re into that kind of thing. After reviewing a few different websites for lists of the nude beaches in Hawaii, here is a selection of some of them. One word …
Date: November 26th, 2007 |
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Waikiki Beach
Waikiki Beach is one of the most famous beaches on earth, and it’s easy to see why. This stretch of sand, which connects to the Waikiki neighborhood of Honolulu, is only about two miles long but is the focus of most of Hawaii’s tourist activity.
There are plenty of things to do on Waikiki Beach - many of which will seem logical to you, and some others which might not. For instance, when you think of beaches in Hawaii you will naturally think of surfing, right? Well, Waikiki Beach is not only home to reliably consistent surfing waves year-round, it is also where famous surfer Duke Kahanamoku started a surfing club in 1905. Duke is sometimes considered responsible for bringing surfing to the mainland United States as well as Australia, and he is honored with a statue on the western end of the beach. There are lots of surfing instructors on Waikiki Beach, too, in case you want to learn from the experts.
Date: October 2nd, 2007 |
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