Event. One of the most quintessential Hawaiian experiences you can have is to hang out near the beach with family and friends along with great local food and great island music. That’s what’s in store in 2010 with the Outrigger Reef’s Aloha Friday luncheon shows at the Kani Ka Pila Grille. But if you can’t be there in person, the luncheon show is broadcast live in Hawaii from 12 noon to 1 p.m. (HST) on AM940 and is also streamed live around the world on AM940Hawaii.com for all the enjoy. Mark your calendars for February 12, April 23, June 11, September 3 and November 12, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., for a true local experience that includes great island entertainment and a delicious Hawaiian buffet. more
Event. With the golden sands of Waikiki between their toes, guests of Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach and Outrigger Reef on the Beach will Hoi Hou Ke Aloha, “fall in love all over again,” at a truly unforgettable, complimentary Valentine’s Day Vow Renewal Ceremony on February 14, 2010. more
Event. Embassy Suites-Waikiki Beach Walk is making Valentine’s Day 2010 even sweeter by offering guests a chance to renew their romance with a complimentary vow-renewal ceremony on Sunday, February 14, 2010. By incorporating unique Hawaiian-style elements, this non-denominational ceremony will be one that couples remember forever. The celebration of love will take place on Valentine’s Day on the resort’s Grand Lanai. more
Event. Seaduction at the Waikiki Aquarium. Bubbles everywhere! And it’s not just the champagne. The Waikiki Aquarium will once again host its annual Seaduction Valentine’s Day dinner. Limited to 40 couples, the evening will feature a champagne reception, candlelit three-course dinner, commemorative photo and valet parking. more
News. Outrigger Enterprises Group received the inaugural "Green Leader Award" from Reynolds Recycling for being top recycling and sustainability leaders in Hawai'i's tourism industry. Outrigger's owned and operated hotels in Waikiki have prevented over 48,000 pounds of recyclable material from entering Honolulu's landfill by recovering more than one million beverage containers from their guest rooms since 2006. more
News. If you like birds, you'll be interested to know that the Laysan albatrosses are back to breed and raise chicks at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge on Kauai. "The Point," as we call it, is a seabird haven. To learn more about the birds at The Point, we created a new video for you. Click more to view it.
News. The whales are back, too. The first official sighting of a Humpback whale in Hawai'i for this season was October 21, 2009. To learn more about the majestic Humpbacks in Hawai'i, click more
News. U.S. residents identify Hawaii is the third-most desired state to live in, according to the Harris Poll, by Harris Interactive. When asked where they would choose to live if they did not reside in the state in which they now called home, poll respondents chose California, Florida, Hawai'i, Texas and Colorado, respectively. Is it the sun? Surf? Air? Visit our Facebook page and weigh in with your thoughts on why Hawai'i is such a popular place to live. more
News. Every Mondays and Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m., Jimmy Buffett’s at The Beachcomber offers free mixology lessons. Classes will take place at the Hot Spot Bar in the Pacific Dining Room of Jimmy Buffett’s. Guests will be taught how to make margaritas, Mai Tais and other delicious concoctions. Guests will also hear the history and interesting trivia behind the drinks made. This interactive activity is open to anyone 21 and over - whether you’re on vacation, getting off work or having a “stay-cation” in Waikiki. more
News. Bishop Museum re-opened its showcase "Hawaiian Hall" after extensive rennovations on Saturday, August 8, 2009. On the same day, Governor Linda Lingle and Lieutenant Governor James R. "Duke" Aiona proclaimed August 8 as "Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum Day." more
Trends. The percentage of travelers planning to volunteer while on their vacation jumped from 6 percent to 11, from 2007 to 2008, according to travel Web site Travelocity. Other research puts the number much higher. According to a UC San Diego survey that polled more than 1,400 U.S. adults, about 40 percent of Americans say they're willing to spend several weeks on vacation that involve volunteer service. According to Bob Benson, director of the Center for Global Volunteer Service at UC San Diego Extension, "More and more people in all stages of life are thinking about becoming 'voluntourists'. People are looking to spend their vacations and retirement in meaningful ways that make contributions to others." To read about volunteers on vacation in Hawai'i, click here and here. To find out how you can volunteer on vacation in Hawai'i, click here.
News. Now open: The Honolulu Surfing Museum, located next to Jimmy Buffett’s Restaurant and Bar at the OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber is an interactive immersion into “surfing culture”… fascinating, eclectic, and like surfers themselves, not afraid to break the rules. The museum’s collection of unique artifacts, displays and experiences celebrate the Hawaiian heritage and the ever-evolving sport of “HE’e Nalu” (wave sliding)… or simply-stated… SURFING. more
News. Let's get social. OutriggerHawaii now has a page on Facebook. With the recent explosion of what those-in-the-know call social networks, it's obvious we human beings like to connect. And if you also like all things Hawai'i, then you will love our new Facebook page. We hope you'll visit, make comments, post photos and/or videos and participate in our discussion boards. Right now, we're discussing our favorite beaches. To weigh in with yours, click here. And while you're there, be sure to "fan" us. And if one social media network isn't enough, why not two. In addition to Facebook, you can follow us on Twitter, too. So, let the conversations begin. It's going to be a busy summer.
News. Four-time Grammy Award winner Daniel Ho, ki-ho‘alu master Kawika Kahiapo and singer-songwriter Jack Jonhson are just a few of Hawaii’s finest musicians to collaborate on a new CD dedicated to ocean conservation. Kai Palaoa honors Hawaii’s deep and ancient connection to the ocean and encourages others to help protect and conserve its special treasures. more
News. Now, you can take a virtual tour of Kamaka Ukulele and learn how this quintessential Hawaiian musical instrument is made by watching OutriggerHawaii's newest video. Also, in The Ukulele: Time for You to Learn, Dennis Rockney shares a bit of the ukulele's history. His love for the four-string ukulele will inspire you to start strumming one yourself. No experience necessary. more
Guide. Swaying palm trees. White-sand beaches. Rolling ocean swells. Mango-sweet sunsets. Aromatic plumeria blossoms. Tantalizing breezes. When it comes to romance, Hawaii looks like love, feels like love, smells like love, sounds like love and tastes like love. There is no question about it: Hawaii is sensuous. With so much romance to offer, though, where do you start? OutriggerHawaii asked some people intimately familiar with the islands—and love—to share some of their favorite romantic spots, restaurants, spas and activities. more
News. Snorkeling Hanauma Bay. Touring Pearl Harbor. Visiting Nuuanu Pali. Teeing off at Olomana Golf Links. Plate lunches from Rainbow Drive-In. These are just a few of the places President Barack Obama frequents when he visits Hawaii, according to the new web page—“Barack Obama’s Hawaii”—published by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. more
*This music video contains whale footage filmed by NOAA and set to a Daniel Ho original slack key composition, Kai Palaoa. The song is one of 11 on a CD--also named Kai Palaoa--featuring some of Hawai'i's finest musicians, including four-time Grammy Award winner Daniel Ho, kiho'alu master Kawika Kahiapo and singer-songwriter Jack Johnson. All donated their work--some original compilations--to help raise awareness of the impotance of ocean resources and our need to protect them. In Hawaiian, "kai palaoa" literally translates to "whale sea." In the more poetic way of the Hawaiian language, "kai paloa" means "the place where two currents meet."