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The Hawaii Travel Podcast Show 31 for Tuesday July 30th 2013.  This week’s show we’ll talk about the origin of the classic Hawaiian shirt, including bargain hunting tips, and we’ll discuss private diving excursions on Maui. All that and more on this episode of The  Hawaii Travel Podcast.

HISTORY OF THE HAWAIIAN SHIRT

Janet from Atlanta emailed us.  She wrote…

Dear Jennifer and Dan,

I love the podcast.  My question is about Hawaiian shirts.  I am visiting Oahu in September and am thinking of bringing vintage Hawaiian clothing back home for everyone on my Christmas gift list.  Pretty much all of my family and friends know I am crazy about Hawaii, and I thought it would be a fitting gift to bring Hawaiian shirts back. Any tips on here to buy Hawaiian shirts on a budget?  And, do you have any info on how Hawaiian shirts became so popular?

Continue reading “It’s All About The Hawaiian Shirt And Where To Find A Private Maui Ocean Excursion: Show 31” »

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Some useful tips on how to visit Maui on a budget and two great lodging options while you are in Hilo on the Big island and more are featured in this episode of the Hawaii Travel Podcast.

Question of the week:

Our question of the week this week deals with lodging.  Where do you prefer to stay while traveling to Hawaii?  There are so many great choices ranging from hotels, B&Bs, condos, and vacation rentals by owner.  Which do you prefer?  Scroll down to the comments section below and let us know your thoughts.

LODGING OPTIONS IN HILO ON THE BIG ISLAND

M.L. in Louisiana sent us an email.  His question is about where to stay in Hilo.  He writes:

Hi guys. Quick question. On the past two episodes of the podcast, you made reference to how hard it could be to find lodging on the Hilo side of the Big Island.  Any tips on places to stay?  We heard that renting a condo for a few days may be an okay option, but it depends on the person who owns the property and how well it is maintained.  So, now we are trying to decide between a B&B and a hotel (if we can find one that is clean).  PS, Jennifer, my wife and I also don’t enjoy cockroaches.  Any tips?

On our recent trip to Hilo, we were lucky enough to stay at both a hotel and a B&B, and we loved both of these options.  In this episode, we gave in-depth reviews of both.

An amazing hotel…
Dolphin Bay Hotel
Continue reading “Maui On A Budget And Hilo Lodging Options : Show 16” »

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Advice on how far in advance to book your trip to Hawaii to ensure you get the best flight and hotel deals, where to see zoos, aquariums and more on Oahu, some tips for people looking for swap meets and flea markets on Maui and more can be found in this episode of The Hawaii Travel Podcast.

BOOKING STRATEGIES

Jeff from Detroit called in with this voicemail…

Hi, I just found your website/podcast and it looks great. I’ve got a question for you. This is Jeff in the Detroit area. And, I’m planning a Hawaii trip–my first Hawaii trip–for this September–my wife and me. And I’m curious at to when would be a good time to book a trip to Hawaii for September, how soon should it be done, in order to not book it too early and maybe overpay because some rates may go down, but not book it too late and risk being shut out of good rates or good hotels of what I might want. So, if you’ve got some general guidelines for that, that would be great. Thank you.
Continue reading “Booking Strategies, Meet A Monk Seal, Maui’s Swap Meets : Show 12” »

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Great cheap eats at Waikiki Beach, Maui sunset catamaran cruise, Big Island winery and more are featured in this episode of The Hawaii Travel Podcast.

TOP 7 INEXPENSIVE PLACES TO EAT IN WAIKIKI BEACH

Yes, you can eat well and not break the bank at Waikiki Beach. It just comes down to knowing where to go, what to order, and how to find the best deals.  Here are our picks for the top places to eat on a budget in the Waikiki Beach area:

• Wailana Coffee House
  1860 Ala Moana Blvd Honolulu, HI 96815
  (808) 955-1764
• The Cream Pot (in the Hawaiian Monarch Hotel)
  444 Niu St Honolulu, HI 96815
  (808) 429-0945
• Shirokiya
  1450 Ala Moana Blvd #2250, Honolulu, HI
  Phone (808) 973-9111
• Shore Bird Waikiki
  2169 Kalia Rd Honolulu, HI 96815
  (808) 922-2887
• Diamond Head Market Grill
  3158 Monsarrat Ave. Honolulu, HI 96815
  (808) 732-0077
• Hula Grill
  2335 Kalakaua Ave #203, Honolulu, HI 96815
  (808) 923-4852
• Hawaiiana Cafe & Sushi
  260 Beachwalk  Honolulu, HI 96815
  Phone (808) 772-8879

Continue reading “Cheap Eats In Waikiki Beach, Maui Catamaran Cruise And Tasting Wine From The Big Island : Show 11” »

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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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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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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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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” »