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Horseback riding on the beach in Maui, the best snorkeling locations in Maui, things to do on Oahu’s North Shore and more are featured in this episode of The Hawaii Travel Podcast.

HORSEBACK RIDING IN MAUI

Listener Kelly called in with a question about horseback riding in Maui:

Hi Dan and Jennifer, This is Kelly from Phoenix. I’ve got a group getting together going to Maui in late July, and I’m wondering if you have any tips on the best places to go horseback riding. We are all pretty experienced riders and would love to ride along the beach. So, if you have any information on that, I look forward to hearing from you.

It is not easy to find a place where you can actually ride horses on the beach in Maui, but we found one that actually does. The Triple L Ranch offers a wide variety of rides–including two types of beach rides.

There are many ranches, however, that offer to get you close to the beach with a coastal view–such as the Mendes Ranch.

Fancy an alternative to riding a horse on a beach?  How about horse riding in the crater of a volcano?

Continue reading “Explore The North Shore, Maui Snorkeling & Horseback Riding: Show 10” »

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Have an exciting skydiving adventure over Oahu and Kauai, explore a few Pacific palaces fit for royalty, and, coffee snobs rejoice–check out this map of Big Island coffee hot spots. All of this and more in this episode of the Hawaii Travel Podcast.

SKYDIVING IN HAWAII

Our first question came in via email from Lawrence and Kim in New York, and it reads:

Dear Jennifer and Dan. My wife and I are big fans of the TV show The Amazing Race. In at least two seasons of the show, the teams end up somewhere in Hawaii skydiving. It looks like an extremely fun thing to do and it looks like they have companies specifically set up to offer skydiving services while in Hawaii. Can you recommend any and share prices? It can’t be cheap! I don’t know why I am even considering this because we are not big extreme sports people, but everyone who skydives seems to look at it as a life changing event. My wife and I have talked about this for years and we are planning a Hawaiian vacation sometime in August. Thank you. Lawrence and Kim from New York.

There are quite a few options for skydiving in Hawaii. Prices are not really as expensive as you think, and they range from about $125 to $225. You should note, however, that each company has different weight limits. For example, there is a $2 per pound charge for tandem students over 200 pounds. They may, for example, have a weight limit of 240 pounds. Make sure you do your research! Continue reading “Skydiving Adventure, Pacific Palaces, Big Island Coffee Map – Show 9” »

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Cool technology gadgets and travel apps for your Hawaiian vacation, ideas to make a long plane ride bearable, and ideas of what you can and can’t bring home are featured in this episode of the Hawaii Travel Podcast.

HOW TO ENJOY A LONG FLIGHT

 

Listener Jay shared a money saving tip and asked a question.  Jay’s tip could save you money.  He suggested that if  a you can fly with a layover–0r multiple layovers–you can save a lot of money.  He is flying non-stop from Atlanta to Honolulu and his ticket is $995.  He could break his flight into two legs and could save almost $600.  That is a good tip.  If you have the time and/or are short on money, having an extra $600 in your pocket when you land in Hawaii is a definite plus!

Next, Jennifer and Dan answered Jay’s question.  His flight from Atlanta to Honolulu is over 10 hours long. Now that is a long flight. So Dan and Jennifer tackled his question of how to make that flight more bearable. Continue reading “Hawaii Travel Tech, What To Bring Home, Make A Long Flight Bearable : Show 8” »

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Oahu’s ancient temples, Big Island whale watching, and a few great tasty food tips can be found in this episode of The Hawaii Travel Podcast.

OAHU’S INDIGENOUS CULTURE MUST SEES

Waikiki Wizard Stones
The Wizard Stones are located in Waikiki near the Duke Kahanamoku Statue. Legend has it these stones are healing stones that contain healing powers of four wizards from Tahiti that came to Oahu perhaps as early as 400 AD.

Ulupo Heiau
The Ulupo Heiau is located behind the YMCA in Kailua. The temple is massive and built with intention, surviving many centuries. Legend has it that the Menehune built this site–which shows you just how old the temple might be. Explore the ancient ruins and enjoy the vista out to Kailua Bay. To find the heiau, you can walk from the YMCA parking lot. Just walk toward the back of the building and look to the left (towards the water).

Continue reading “Explore Ancient Temples, Whale Watching Hawaii, And Food Tips : Show 7” »

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Get up close to Lava flowing, Swim With Sharks, And More can be found in this episode of the Hawaii Travel Podcast.

WHERE TO SEE LAVA FLOWING AT NIGHT

Irene from Portland called our voicemail and asked for advice on where to see lava flowing at night. Her son loves science and she thinks this would be an amazingly unforgettable experience. We couldn’t agree more!

The Big Island offers spectacular views of lava. First, visit the National Park Services page for a map and updated volcano and lava flow information.

Continue reading “See Lava Flow At Night, Swim With Sharks, And More Tips: Show 6” »

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What is the best time to visit Hawaii, how to find vintage Hawaiian shirts, and more can be found in this episode of The Hawaii Travel Podcast.

WHERE TO FIND VINTAGE HAWAIIAN SHIRTS

Clinton emailed his question to questions@hawaiitravelpodcast.com. He and his wife are visiting Honolulu in April and they are looking for outdoor markets or thrift shops to buy vintage Hawaiian shirts.

One place we recommend is the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet & Marketplace. You can spend hours here exploring the marketplace for vintage clothing, crafts, jewelry and more. The event is so big, it’s held at the biggest sport complex in Hawaii–the Aloha Stadium. It’s about 20 minutes away from Waikiki. Hours: Wednesdays, Saturdays 8AM-3PM; Sundays 6:30AM-3PM

Another spot to find some awesome vintage Hawaii memorabilia–especially vintage Hawaiian shirts–is at a store called Bailey’s Antiques & Aloha Shirts
They have quite a selection–over 15,000 vintage shirts! The location of Bailey’s Antiques & Aloha Shirts is 517 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu

Here are a few open-air markets to check out, as well: Continue reading “Best Time To Go To Hawaii / How To Find Vintage Hawaii Shirts” »

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This episode of the Hawaii Travel Podcast features advice for planning a great, romantic honeymoon in Maui.

IDEAS FOR A FUN, NON-ADVENTURESS MAUI HONEYMOON

Maui is a wonderful place for a honeymoon. Two listeners called in looking for ideas for their upcoming honeymoon in Maui.

Jennifer talked about some ideas in and around the Ka’anapali area:

Whalers Village is a mall with many activities including Hula shows.

If you are looking for a fun restaurant, right on the beach where you can experience great food, some awesome tropical drinks and sand on your toes, Jen recommends Leilanis Bar & Grill.

You will be near Lahaina. You will want to explore this cute little port town. Lahaina has a colorful past as a port town where sailors would come after returning from the sea to find women and booze. The whaler culture was somewhat similar to the pirate culture. Jennifer mentioned a book written by Daily Show contributor Sarah Vowell called Unfamiliar Fishes that detailed much of Maui’s history. Continue reading “How To Plan A Great Maui Honeymoon” »

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Hawaiian foods to try, Hawaii in just 5 days, and more can be found in this episode of The Hawaii Travel Podcast.

HOW TO COVER THE BIG ISLAND IN 5 DAYS OR LESS

Steve had a question about how to see the “Big Island” in a limited amount of time. Jennifer shared her “split base camp” method for covering the most amount of ground in a short amount of time. Jennifer recommends flying into Hilo, staying there for a few days, and then moving to the other side of the island to explore that area.

Jennifer and Dan also share a 5-day, make-shift itinerary for some fantastic, fun things to do on the Big Island in just a short amount of time. You’ll be able to cover the island and get a good sense of everything the Big Island has to offer.

Continue reading “Top Hawaiian Foods To Try, Hawaii In 5 Days” »

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Budget Hawaii travel tips, bringing a dog to Hawaii, and more can be found in this episode of the Hawaii Travel Podcast!

FUN THINGS FOR KIDS TO DO IN MAUI

Maui offers a lot of fun things for kids to do. For instance, you can visit Whalers Village in the Kanapali area to learn how to hula dance and learn to play the ukulele. You can also learn how to make leis and lahala. Also be sure to visit the Cannery Mall in the Lahaina area to watch the children’s hula show on weekends and hop aboard the Lahaina Sugar Cane Train for a fun-filled ride. And, if you want to listen to the whales, we recommend visiting the Pacific Whale Foundation (HINT: the best time to visit the Pacific Whale Foundation is November through May!).

IS IT RECOMMENDED TO BRING A DOG ON VACATION WITH YOU TO HAWAII?

Continue reading “Hawaii On A Budget, Taking A Dog And More” »

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Info About Hula dancing shows, fun luaus, packing tips and more can be found in this episode of the Hawaii Travel Podcast!

HOW TO FIND HULA DANCING SHOWS AND A GREAT LUAU

Nothing says Hawaii more than watching a hula dancing show and attending a luau.  We’ll give you some options and our recommendations on both. Continue reading “Hula Shows, Luaus, Packing Tips And More” »