Maui Wowie

When you grow tired of the glitz and hustle-bustle of Honolulu, it's time to focus on the natural beauty the islands have to offer. That, after all, is what makes Hawaii such a distictive destination in the American landscape. Mother Nature pulls out all the stops throughout the Hawaiian islands, but Maui and Kauai are my personal favorites.

On Maui, you'll likely be drawn to the major resort areas, which is fine. Last time, I stayed at the Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua, and it was gorgeous. Expensive, but worth it. And the Kapalua Bay area is fantastic, if a bit touristy. My parents stayed in Kapalua on a number of their 'fam' trips back in the '80's. They loved it, and so do I.

One of the chief selling points of the area is its proximity to other Maui destinations: It's just a short drive to Lahaina, which has some of the best beaches in all of Hawaii. It's one of the surfing capitals of the U.S., as evidenced by the hundreds of surfers that traipse through the town with their surfboards in tow. While you're there, be sure to check out the Banyan tree in the center of town. It takes up an entire city block, and is really a sight to behold.
I recommend having lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise and ordering . . . well, I don't even have to say it now, do I? Wash down your grub with a local beer while you look out over the water and watch the surfers roll in.

Another point of interest is Paia. Not for the faint of heart, Paia bills itself as an "artist's town," which is true enough, but there's more to it than that. Within ten minutes of our arrival, we were greeted by locals offering various "herbal remedies" for whatever ailed us, along with services like hair-braiding or body-piercing. The grittiness of the town renders it a walk on the wild side; but sometimes that's just what's needed to liven things up. Besides, Paia has one of Maui's few nude beaches, which is always a draw for me.

Rainy Day Fun in Honolulu

I've pointed out the most popular attractions in Honolulu, and the majority of them are outdoors. And why shouldn't they be, given that Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places on earth?

Unlike Snyder, it tends to rain frequently in Hawaii -- on my last trip, it rained virtually every single morning, but stopped by the time we went down for breakfast. But what to do if it doesn't stop? The Hawaiian islands saw a good week's worth of storms about a month ago, so how do you entertain yourself if that contingency happens?

Luckily, Honolulu is rife with things to do that aren't sunny-weather dependent. Even if the weather is picture-perfect for your entire trip, you'll want to check these out:

Shopping: I know, I know -- you don't go to Hawaii to shop, right? You might change your position for the bargain, and I've managed to find some in Honolulu. The primary shopping venue is Ala Moana Boulevard, and it tends to be overrun with tourists. But if you pop in to the Ala Moana Center, it will not only provide a shelter from the rain, but you can find veritable steals from the likes of Armani, Banana Republic and local Hawaiian brand stores. The last time I was there, I walked away with an Armani silk shirt for $30. I kept expecting to be stopped by the police for stealing. Ala Moana frequently stages peformances of native Hawaiian dancers, so you'll get a dose of authentic "Hawaiian" while you're there.

Museums: Again, not what normally comes to mind when you think of Hawaii, but this should really be part of your vacation. The Bishop Museum is great for adults and kids alike, as it has a large focus on the flora and fauna of the islands. I've seen people actually bring in strange-looking plants for their scientists to identify, and they're happy to do it! They also document the history of the islands, including the arrival of the first missionaries and their influence on subsequent cultural development.

For more purely artistic inclinations, be sure to see the Honolulu Academy of Arts. Their special exhibitions are fantastic, and tend to focus exclusively on Hawaiian artists. They also have one of the largest collections of Oceana to be found anywhere in the world.

In addition to these, there's also the USS Bowfin Submarine, which has been made into a museum; as well as the Hawaii Maritime Center, which any Navy veteran will love. Here's a run-down of the best museums in Honolulu. Enjoy!

Thanks to Champuru and Shimown for the photos!

Over the Pond

Now that I've written about San Francisco and the wine country a bit, I've built up enough momentum to propel me over the pond to . . . (drumroll, please) Hawaii!

Back when I was at Snyder High and my folks owned the travel agency, they went to Hawaii a couple of times on "familiarization" trips that were paid for by the airlines. As the name implies, the purpose was to familiarize them with various destinations, thereby enabling them to promote and sell it more effectively. There was only one problem with these 'fam' trips: I didn't get to go!!

I finally made my virgin trip a number of years ago, and since then I've gone on another occasion. On both trips, I did my best to make up for lost time! I've got all kinds of insider tips, but I'll start out with the basics.

Presumably you'll fly into the island of Oahu, home of the city of Honolulu. Regardless of your feelings about this tourist mecca, you need to stay a few days because it's an important part of any first trip to Hawaii. If you can, book a hotel on or near famous Waikiki Beach. It costs more to stay on the beach of course, but it's worth it to wake up and see that iconic shoreline with Diamond Head in the distance. My favorite hotel is the Royal Hawaiian, also known as the "Pink Palace." On my last trip, Carol Channing was staying there with us, and we got her autograph as we left! Another popular choice in lodging is the Halekulani, which is near the very top of the luxury hotel food chain.

One of the benefits of staying on near Waikiki is its proximity to attractions that you'll want to see. Because I was born on December 7th, I felt obligated to tour Pearl Harbor, and I was glad I did. But I was also happy that I followed the suggestion of our concierge and went to Hanauma Bay, and I certainly don't regreat seeing Diamond Head. In short, there's tons to do in and around Honolulu besides lolling on the beach (which is, of course, a perfectly acceptable passtime on vacation). To save you some effort, here are some of my favorite attractions in Honolulu.

Thanks to garyhymes and photoluluguy for the photos!