The Hawaii Traveler

There is a major shortage of decent food at the Honolulu Airport, but here’s the short list of restaurants that are worth checking out upon checking in through security. None of these places have the best atmosphere, but there is a very pleasant, green courtyard with benches on the ground floor of the airport near the central concourse that would be worth taking your meal in.
1. Stinger Ray’s
The only place with a restaurant-like feel to it, Stinger Ray’s served affordable and edible food from sun up to sun down. An E-pinion.com review suggests the chili ‘n cheese fries and …read more

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Duke Paoa Kahanamoku is one of Hawaii’s most famous icons.  His love of swimming, surfing, canoeing, and bodysurfing won him several accolades, including Olympic gold medals.  His legacy as the Ambassador of Aloha is visible in several forms — from his bronze statue on Kalakaua Avenue to one of the most popular restaurants on the Waikiki shore.  
Locals and tourists alike crowd the famous restaurant and bar known simply as “Duke’s,” which is conveniently tucked on the bottom floor of the Outrigger Waikiki Hotel.  The best time to enjoy the amazing atmosphere in this place is just before sunset.  You …read more

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This is a guest post from Mary Jo Manzanares, Travel & Culture Channel Editor and blogger at Flyaway Cafe.
 
My trip to Hawaii last fall was motivated by a desire for some rest and relaxation, some warm weather, and an overall escape from my gray Seattle life.  I was longing for time spent on a balcony, watching the sunset or sunrise, listening to the waves, and having a slow-paced week ahead of me.
In fact, that type of vacation is one of the reasons people love Hawaii – sun, sand, surf, and stepping on the treadmill of ordinary life.
But at some point, …read more

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This is a guest post from Mary Jo Manzanares, b5media’s Travel & Culture Channel Editor and travel blogger at Flyaway Cafe.
Every geographical area seems to do its own special version of a hot dog, and for a tasty dog Hawaiian-style, Puka Dog is the place to go.
What is a Puka Dog?
It’s a special bun-sized loaf of bread with a hole at one end, pierced through the length of the bun, forming a hole throughout. Secret-sauces, relishes, or just the usual mustard and catsup, are then poured into this hollowed out bun creating a soft nestling area for a Polish-type …read more

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Today’s guest posts is from Mary Jo Manzanares, Travel & Culture Channel Editor and travel blogger at Flyaway Cafe.
“Hawaiian Eye” was a television series that ran from 1959 – 1963, and starred Robert Conrad and Anthony Eisley as crime fighting detectives in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The detectives hung out at the Shell Bar, where at least once an episode that ran into “Cricket,” a singer and photographer at the bar played by Connie Stevens. The bar was located at the Hawaiian Village Hotel, where the guys were house detectives and also had an office. Some viewers would swear that the guys …read more

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Today’s guest post is from Mary Jo Manzanares, Travel & Culture Channel Editor, and travel blogger at Flyaway Cafe. 
If you watched the NFL Pro Bowl over this past weekend, you got a glimpse of Oahu, Honolulu, and the Waikiki area. It’s very tempting to think of the island as one of sun, sand, surf, sunbathing, and adult beverages. All that would be true, of course, but there is another side to Hawaii, a side full of history, culture, and reverence.
On my recent trip to Honolulu, I had the opportunity to enjoy both aspects of island life, and today’s post touches …read more

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Because of its remoteness and high cost of living, Hawaii rarely hosts top-rated performance acts, but when they come through, it is to everyone’s benefit to take advantage of them!
I recently attended a Cirque du Soleil touring show called "Saltimbanco" and was blown away by the acrobatic talent that we islanders so rarely get a chance to see.  There was a cool concert at the Kaneohe Marine Base this summer that featured the music of "Everclear" and "Live."  "The Lion King" musical also came through last fall and was the perfect evening entertainment for families.  
Currently, the Bodies Exhibition is …read more

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Today’s guest post is from Mary Jo Manzanares, Travel & Culture Channel Editor and travel blogger at Flyaway Cafe.
 
Honolulu’s Bishop Museum offers the natural and cultural history of Hawaii’s indigenous people.   Founded in 1889 by Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last heir to Kamehameha I, you’ll find artifacts and exhibits representative of all the Pacific Islands.
A couple of my favorite highlights are the Science on a Sphere exhibit and the Science Adventure Center.

Science on a Sphere is a 68 inch, 200 pound fiberglass sphere suspended from the ceiling.  It serves as a sort of 3-D movie, displaying full color, …read more

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Today’s guest posts is from Mary Jo Manzanares, Travel & Culture Channel Editor and travel blogger at Flyaway Cafe.

Sometimes the best part of a vacation is just slowing down, taking a few minutes to sit and contemplate the meaning of life. . . enjoying the sun on your back and looking at the ocean.
This photo was taken on the island of Kauai, where I spent a fair amount of time doing just that.
Photo credit: personal collection

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This is a guest post from Mary Jo Manzanares, b5media’s Travel & Culture Channel Editor and travel blogger at Flyaway Cafe.
One of the higlights of a trip to Honolulu is a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial.
Located at Pearl Harbor, the USS Arizona Memorial honors the site where World War II began for the United States. The memorial was dedicated in 1962, and is the water gravesite for 1,102 crew members who were killed in the December 7th, 1941 bombing.
The memorial was designed to span the hull of the battleship, without ever touching it. The structure is 184 feet long, …read more

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