During the 1950-60’s, Hilo Hattie was the stage name for a popular Hawaiian entertainer whose real name was Clarissa Haili. She was originally a teacher, but achieved fame as a singer and dancer, popularizing a comic hula-style dancing.

In 1963, a Hawaiian store opened for business, naming the store after this popular entertainer. Hilo Hattie’s aims to provide one-stop shopping for Hawaiian goods and products, and is the largest Hawaiian retailer and manufacturer of the same. In memory of the original Hilo Hattie, who passed away in 1979, the store gives scholarships to University of Hawaii students who are pursuing degrees in Hawaiian studies and music.

From Aloha shirts to beachwear and other resort apparel, from traditional muumuus to CD’s and DVD’s, from food products to tableware and candles, from jewelry to body lotions and fragrances, Hilo Hattie’s has it all.

Hilo Hattie’s operates a free trolley service from various Waikiki hotel locations to its flagship store (700 Nimitz Highway, Honolulu, map it). The trolley runs approximately every 20 minutes, so you’re never too early or late to get there. On the return trip there is also a courtesy drop off at the Ala Moana Shopping Center.

I went to Hilo Hattie’s searching for an Aloha shirt. It’s been years since I had purchased one, and my existing shirt was getting a little threadbare. This was really the only reason that I had to go shopping while in Hawaii.

First of all, there are cheaper places to buy an Aloha shirt. You can find any number of little shops that offer all sorts of souvenir items, including clothing. They are in cheaper in both price and quality. Since I don’t buy an Aloha shirt all that often, I was willing to pay a little more to get one that would last.

Secondly, Hilo Hattie’s has become a bit of a tourist attraction, with all the fun and annoyances that involves. Sales personnel are constantly selling, urging you to make a selection. There are specials that one has to question if they are really “special” or not.

Despite the advisories that I’m offering, Hilo Hattie’s was a good choice. You can find a cotton Aloha shirt for around $30, silk running a little. There were lots of fun Hawaiian food products to taste (jams and jellies, seasonings, cooking sauces), body lotions and fragrances in the floral scents of the islands (jasmine, pikaki, plumeria, tuberose) t-shirts and caps, and just all sorts of stuff to poke around and look at. It was a fun way to spend an hour of time.

This store also proudly displays the world’s largest Aloha shirt (in photo above), a size 400XL. It measures 168 inches (14 feet) around the chest, 161 inches at the waist, and over 60 inches around the neck. The buttons are made of Koa wood beverage coasters. The shirt took 26 yards of fabric to create.

There are Hilo Hattie locations on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island. Stateside, you can find them in Orange (California), San Diego, Las Vegas, and Orlando (Florida). They also offer a variety of products in their online store.

Photo credit: Personal collection

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

From the Free Trip to Hawai’i Files: Girlfriend Getaways is giving away a trip for two to Hawaii, courtesy of Ala Moana Center in Waikiki.What you have to do to get it: “Tell us about your girlfriend getaway secret, and the one that Girlfriend Getaways editors deem the best will win a trip for two to Honolulu, Hawaii.”

What you get if you get it:

• Two round-trip coach air tickets from any major U.S. gateway to Hawaii
• Five nights’ accommodations at a deluxe Waikiki hotel with ocean-view rooms
• $250 Ala Moana Center shopping spree
• Five-day unlimited Waikiki Trolley pass, providing free transportation between Ala Moana Center and Waikiki
• And more!

Hurry, entries must be received by July 31–that’s right around the corner…what’s your best girlfriend getaway secret? (Don’t worry, I won’t tell.)

Thanks to Shane at  for the tip!

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

KAUA’I

MAUI

OAHU

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Why do you need sunglasses?

• UV Protection. The sun’s UV radiation can cause cataracts, cancer of the eyelids and skin, photokeratitis (or snow blindness, which is a temporary but painful sunburn of the eye’s surface.)
• Blue-Light Protection. Prolonged blue-light exposure is a risk factor for macular degeneration, especially in individuals who are “sun sensitive.”
• Comfortable vision. The sun’s brightness and glare interferes with comfortable vision and the ability to see clearly.
• Dark adaptation. Exposure to bright sunlight can impair your ability to adapt quickly to nighttime or indoor light levels, making driving at dusk or after dark more hazardous.

And now a personal endorsement (which is totally unpaid): I love my tortoise shell Maui Jim sunglasses. I’ve heard from several sources, including my mother-in-law (which is how you know it’s true), that Maui Jims are the best polarized lens on the market. She simply says, “They’re like buttah.”

When buying sunglasses, look for lenses that:

• block 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation;
• screen out 75 to 90 percent of visible light;
• are perfectly matched in color and absorption and are free of distortion and imperfection;
• look super cool on you. It’s not impossible to find a stylish pair that meets the above “specs.” In fact, there have never been so many styles and types on the market.

See these other considerations when looking for the right pair. And don’t overlook the children when sunglass shopping. Their growing, developing eyes need protecting too. You don’t necessarily have to spend a lot on sunglasses, but good lenses are likely to cost more.

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

First off, it’s cut, not color that makes the difference in a flattering suit. (Are you a summer or a winter? The answer is: Who cares?) Although it’s true that black is slimming, what’s most important is that the suit fits properly, and makes the most of the attributes you want to accentuate, and minimizes the areas in which you aren’t as fortunate.  (Heidi Klum, you can skip this post altogether.)

It bears repeating: Accentuate the positive. It seems like everything’s “out there” when we wear a suit, but there are some cuts, styles, and fabrics that can work miracles by making your torso look longer or shorter, your bustline bigger or smaller, your tummy flatter, or your legs longer, for example.

Don’t shop for a suit in a hurry. Take your time–alone–and visit lots of stores, even if that means shopping months before your plan to wear your find.

Some of my friends swear by suits made with Miratex fabric because it prevents the bulging effect found with other girdle-like suits that attempt to shore up our, uhem, loose ends.  You can find suides with Miratex in them at Cyberswim.com and Land’s End.

At the end of the day, don’t sweat it too much. Most beach-goers are more concerned with their own appearance than anyone else’s.  Do you care about the opinions of other people at the beach anyway?  Are you hoping to be discovered by a talent scout for America’s Next Top Model?  I didn’t think so.  But if you’re super self-conscious anyway,  you can always go to the beach at night. During a new moon.  Or, as this store subliminally suggests, put a coat over your swimsuit.

Photo by Flickr–Creative Commons, by iowa spirit walker

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Maybe it’s just because I’m a mountain girl at heart, but the region on Maui known as “upcountry” is my favorite, even thought it’s commonly “dissed” because it’s less like the tropics than the coastlines. And it is less “tropical,” in that the weather is cooler, dryer, and obviously less beachy, since it’s in the middle of the island. (It’s not near the water, granted, but I’ve never known anyone to confuse it with Wyoming, either.)

Where and what is upcountry?
Upcountry is a collection of little rural towns found a few thousand feet above sea level, up the slope of the Haleakala crater. It’s “the other side of Maui,” where you’ll find Makawao, Olinda, Sprecklesville, Keokea, Haiku, Pa’ia, and more. And it’s also where you’ll find flower and produce farms, dairies, rainforest, artisans’ studios, a rodeo, a cattle ranch, and jewelry handmade right where you stand. For those of you who like plain old shopping, upcountry is the place to do that, too.

Upcountry is also where some of Hawaii’s finest schools are located, such as Seabury Hall, a private school known for its impressive college placement record.

It’s on the way to (and from) Hana, and the crater, so if you find yourself with a few extra minutes or hours or days to explore the otherworldly nature of the other side of Maui, stop along highways 365, 390, 377, or 37 for a delicious cup of coffee, or eat at what is arguably some of the best food on the whole island. (Mama’s Fish House and Hali’imaile General Store, I’m looking at you, babe.) Stay for a spa treatment, or, shoot, book a room at a B&B and get the full tour.

Photo credit: Jody Reale

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Oahu isn’t the most visited island for nothing. With Honolulu’s big-city amenities, big historical exhibits, and big beaches, it’s the island that’s got it all.

Some no-brainers there include a day at world-famous Waikiki Beach (don’t forget the sunscreen). Also awaiting the fam:

• The Waikiki Aquarium and the Honolulu Zoo
• Pearl Harbor Memorial (and the USS Missouri and USS Bowfin)
• The view from the top of Diamond Head
• The beaches along the famed surfer haven, North Shore.

For the older kids with an interest in getting the low down on Hawai’i and its people, see:

• The Polynesian Cultural Center
• Bishop Museum at Kalia, in the heart of Waikiki. This hands-on museumette features a such activities as lei-making. You can watch some killer surfing movies, too.
• Shave ice in Haleiwa
• Hawaii Maritime Museum

Keiki style culinary escapades include shave ice in Haleiwa and Chinatown, where they’ll be spellbound by the exotic foods and goods at the outdoor markets.

Water, Water Everywhere
When the ocean’s not enough, take the kids to:

• Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, a 29-acre water-theme amusement park for children, teens and adults
• Hawaii Childrens Discovery Center is for keiki ages 2 to 13, and is a ginormous palace of stimulating color, motion, and activities that will entertain for hours with interactive exhibits and stations. Great for rainy days or for those with beach burnout.

On Maui

First stop: Lahaina, where the harbor beckons with its big boats, and Banyan Tree Park, home to the most impressive tree you’ve ever seen. Take in an art fair for the big and small and marvel at that great big tree. Have breakfast at the Pioneer Inn, which is one of the few places in town that opens as early as 7:00 AM and serves a mean macadamia nut pancake.

Lahaina Cannery Mall is where you and your wee one can go for an ice cream cone from Dairy Queen, and maybe catch a hula show. If your motto is, “Don’t leave the islands without a tee shirt,” this is a good place to fulfill your manifest destiny.

Whaler’s Village is the place for shopping, from low-end to off-the-charts, and from stores with an honest to goodness dressing room to carts parked along the beachwalk.

Next up: The Hawaii Nature Center in Iao Valley, where kid-friendly exhibits encourage exploration, and a great way to kill some time in a positive way while you wait for your late-night flight to depart.

And always: The Hana Highway. Take it just long enough to see “upcountry,” or swim in a few waterfalls, or take it, as the name suggests, all the way to Hana, home to some of the luckiest cattle I’ve ever seen. Beware of the trip with keiki with ants in their pants; a drive to Hana takes at least three hours one-way.

And Now for Something Completely Different
There are those days or nights in the islands when you’ll want to separate yourself from the babes, even if only for a few hours, so that you can do things like enjoy a plate of food without having to hide the condiments first, or use the bathroom all by yourself. What’s a parent to do? It’s during those occasions when you may want to use a babysitting service, founded just with people like us in mind.

For example, Happy Kids Maui and Happy Kids Kaua’i will send a sitter to you anywhere on either island. When we used the service on Maui in 2007, a very nice woman named Lynnette came to our condo with a small suitcase full of toys and goodies, and when we returned, our little 2 1/2-year-old looked happy as a clam in Maui. And, as an aside for all you folks who believe that island fever is inevitable for full-time residents: Lynnette was originally from California, and hasn’t been off the island of Maui since she moved there 24 years ago. (I actually can’t say that I blame her, but that’s just me.)

A personal tip from me to you: Most, if not all services will set a minimum number of hours for which you must schedule your sitter; in our case, the minimum was four hours. Because my husband and I are honest with ourselves that we are 400 years old and would be bushed by 9:00 PM, we knew we needed to request a nice, early start time of 5:00 for our “date night” to sunset-watch on Ka’anapali and dinnner at Cheeseburger in Paradise.   Obviously, your mileage may vary, depending upon which child-free activities you have lined up.

Wherever you go with the wee ones, go slowly and take in all the sights. It’s recommended that families limit their island-hopping to one island a week if feasible, and to focus on the journeys, rather than the destination. A direct flight to your destination can save you an average of two hours one-way hanging around an airport with your brood, so plan well in advance, and remember that wherever you go, there you are: In Hawai’i.

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Ka’anapali has been crowned America’s Best Beach, and I’m in full agreement. It’s not so crowded that a couple can’t share a romantic moment alone, and not so isolated that swimming is a dangerous proposition. It’s where old school meets new school, where the old Whaler condominiums live in harmony down the way from the newer Westin Resort and Spa. There’s a concrete sidewalk for strolling that runs almost the entire three-mile stretch from the Sheraton (Black Rock) to the Hyatt (Canoe Beach), and it’s a spectacular place to be at sunset.

It’s not hard here, on one of Maui’s most renowned and relished beachfronts, to get along. In fact, the aloha spirit is everywhere: There’s music in the air, dinner cruises plying the waters, kayaks and outriggers riding the surf, shopping kiosks along the path, delicious restaurants, couples holding hands, and, if you’re lucky, whales breaching within eyeshot.

If Whaler’s Village is the place to shop, Black Rock is the place to snorkel. That’s where I heard whales singing when I dove down to get a gander at some urchins at the bottom. The north end of the beach in general is a lovely stretch of sand and clear water that is especially kid-friendly.

Yes, it’s on the commercial side, and it’s not advised to leave your stuff unattended while you swim. It is patrolled by lifeguards, but not well, and it’s a good idea to heed the signs and warnings at high surf. (I’ve seen a few comical and not-so-comical tourist poundings there.) It’s also where the groceries stores will put the hurt on you, so it’s a good idea to grab your milk before or after entering West Maui.

Also, one other warning: Hawai’ians believed that Black Rock was the jumping off point for spirits joining their ancestors. Those who got lost on the way remained along the lava as ghosts, causing mischief and making trouble. So if you go, take your pictures home, but not the rocks. Your fellow plane travelers will say mahalo for it.

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler