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4 Reasons To Add Hawaii To Your Bucket List In 2024 | ELLE

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4 Reasons To Add Hawaii To Your Bucket List In 2024 | ELLE


If you fell in love with Hawaii while watching the first series of The White Lotus, now’s the perfect time to channel Tanya McQuoid and head off to this clutch of captivating tropical islands.

Scattered around the Pacific Ocean, about 2,000 miles from the US mainland, Hawaii became the country’s 50th state in 1959. Today you’ll find a blend of Polynesian charm and American culture, where surfing is practically a religion and nature takes centre stage.

Yes, there are beautiful beaches, but there’s so much more to this picture-perfect destination, where you can choose from a wealth of unforgettable experiences, from wildlife spotting to designer shopping.

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Below, we reveal where to go and what to do on the alluring Hawaiian islands—from the best independent shops and restaurants to adventures off the beaten track.

1. Wildlife Spotting

Hawaii is a bird-watchers paradise, from the famous honeycreeper to a plethora of endangered water birds, like the Hawaiian goose, black-necked stilt and Hawaiian duck. Get up close and personal with Hawaii Bird Tours, whose team of all-female guides provide a knowledgable and fun experience.

Unsurprisingly, as an island nation, dolphin and whale spotting is also popular, particularly in winter, when humpbacks journey to Hawaii from Alaska to start breeding in the warmer waters.

(Image: Brand USA)

2. Outdoor Adventures

For avid hikers, there are dozens of scenic trails that criss-cross Hawaii’s eight main islands. Don your best Lululemon kit and head to Halona Cove—where Burt Lancaster kissed Deborah Kerr amid the crashing waves in that iconic From Here To Eternity scene. The cove is home to the famous Halona Blowhole and beautiful lava rock formations, making it the perfect backdrop for a dramatic Instagram snap.

If hiking is up your alley, the Kalalau Trail on Kauai stretches for 17 kilometres from Ke’e Beach to Kalalau Beach along the striking Nāpali Coast. Named as one of the most beautiful—if somewhat hair-raising—treks in the US, this trail is the ultimate bucket list addition.

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(Image: Getty)

Turn the adventure level up a notch by ziplining through the islands’ abundant green scenery. Kauai has some of the longest courses and most breathtaking views. Try the Kīpū Zipline Safari, where you’ll soar over locations made famous by movies such as Jurassic ParkPirates of the Caribbean and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Or head to Maui for a thrilling ride over the slopes of Haleakala, a striking, dormant volcano which makes up over three quarters of the island. If you actually want to see a volcano in action, hitch a ride in a helicopter. Big Island (also known as Hawaii Island) is home to Volcanoes National Park, which contains two still-active volcanoes: Kīlauea and Mauna Loa. Flying over it, you’ll see steaming vents and lava fields and, if you’re lucky, rivers of molten lava. Here, you’ll also get a birds-eye view of lush tropical rainforest, vertiginous ocean cliffs and hidden valleys with roaring waterfalls.

3. Unique Dining Experiences

By now, you’ll have worked up an appetite. Hawaii’s food scene goes big on fresh and local produce, and you can’t travel far within the islands without passing a farmers’ market or fruit stand. They offer everything from mouth-watering tropical fruit—think pineapple and papaya—to locally grown coffee, macadamia nuts, jams, baked goods and more.

On Maui, look out for Hāna Farms for freshly-squeezed fruit juices and just-out-of-the-oven banana bread, while at the Kailua Farmers Market in Oahu, you’ll find an abundance of home-style cooking from family-run businesses such as Grandma G, which offers traditional Hawaiian breakfasts.

(Image: Brand USA)

But Hawaii can do fashionable dining, too. Make like Barack Obama and Ben Affleck and book a table at one of Oahu’s most sought-after restaurants: family-run The Pig and The Lady. Specialising in modern Vietnamese cooking, its head chef, Andrew Le, is Honolulu born and raised.

Then there’s Waiahole Poi Factory, an art gallery-turned-restaurant owned by native Hawaiians Charlene and Calvin Hoe. It serves local dishes such as Kalua pig and laulau (fatty pork and salted butterfish wrapped in leaves), with accompanying poi (hand-pounded and cooked taro root) to mop everything up with, Hawaiian style. If you’re lucky, you may even catch the Hoes’ sons making the poi themselves.

4. Retail Therapy

If high-end designers are your game, stick with Honolulu for the best shopping opportunities. You’ll find labels from Chanel to Dior at aptly named Luxury Row, while great designer discounts can be found at Waikele Premium Outlets in nearby Waipahu.

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Unsurprisingly for an island nation, there is a thriving independent shopping scene. Honolulu’s We Are Iconic presents an impeccably curated selection of stylish island attire, while Olive (and sister shop, Oliver, for the men in your life) offers breezy resort wear from local Hawaiian designers. For quirky homeware and gifting pieces, try Kaimuki, which started as a mens shirt shop but recently gained a cult following for its interiors, or Number 808 in Honolulu, which stocks everything from ceramics to natural soaps.

Above all, what you’ll find in Hawaii is the warmest of welcomes, so why not book a trip now to find out just how they make visitors feel at home? Even Tanya McQuoid…





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Hawaii Island asks for the public’s assistance finding elderly woman, Jacquelyn Glenn

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Hawaii Island asks for the public’s assistance finding elderly woman, Jacquelyn Glenn


HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaii Island police are renewing their request for the public’s assistance in locating 82-year-old Jacquelyn Glenn of Kailua-Kona, who was reported missing by her family.

Police said she is considered endangered due to her age.

Glenn was last seen on Friday, Dec. 5, around 6:37 a.m., on the 75-200 block of Nani Kailua Dr. in Kailua-Kona.

She was wearing a peach-colored shirt, blue denim jeans, and black tennis shoes. She reportedly mentioned going to Hilo with friends, but did not say when she planned to return.

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She is described as 5′6″, 125 Ibs, with curly grey hair and brown eyes.

Police ask anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jacquelyn Glenn to call the Hawaii Police Department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.



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Hawaii gets nearly $190 million for rural health care | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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Hawaii gets nearly 0 million for rural health care | Honolulu Star-Advertiser




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Hawaiian announces $600 million airport, wide-body upgrades | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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Hawaiian announces 0 million airport, wide-body upgrades | Honolulu Star-Advertiser


COURTESY HAWAIIAN AIRLINES

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Hawaiian Airlines today announced an investment of more than $600 million over five years to improve airport passenger areas across the state and interior upgrades to widebody aircraft.

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Hawaiian Airlines CEO Diana Birkett Rakow told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser ahead of today’s announcement at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport that other improvements will include better apps, a better website that will make it easier for passengers to change flights, among other things that also include better integration with Alaska Airlines, which acquired Hawaiian in 2024, making it a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group.

“We have pushed a lot of change through the system for the last couple of months,” Rakow said. “We’re working on integrating our ticketing systems because right now we’re on two separate ticketing systems that don’t talk to each other.”

After late April, she said, booking on the shared Alaska Air and Hawaiian Air ticketing system “will be much more seamless.”

In announcing the renovations and changes, Hawaiian pledged “a significantly smoother guest experience … once Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines share the same passenger service system and Hawaiian Airlines joins the oneworld alliance, both scheduled for late April.”

Right now, Rakow acknowledged, “unfortunately there is some friction.”

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“There’s been so many changes and all of that friction is really painful,” she said. “We are committed to making sure we are addressing the issues. … We are certainly not perfect, but we are committed to working together. … Really, after April, it is going to improve significantly.”

Each island airport also will see renovated lobbies and gates designed to increase comfort, provide better seating and amenities such as improved power charging.

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Daniel K. Inouye International also will get a new 10,600-square-foot lounge at the entrance of the Mauka Concourse in Terminal 1.

And starting in 2028, Hawaiian’s wide-body Airbus A330s will get new seats, carpets, lighting, business class suites, a Bluetooth-enabled in-flight entertainment system with high-definition screens and free Starlink Wi-Fi.

Gov. Josh Green said in a statement ahead of today’s announcement that, “Hawaiian Airlines’ investment is exactly the kind of long-term commitment Hawaiʻi needs. Modern, welcoming airports improve the experience for residents and visitors alike, strengthen our economy and keep Hawaiʻi competitive as a global destination. We appreciate Hawaiian Airlines’ partnership in advancing workforce development, regenerative tourism, clean energy, and community programs that reflect the values of our islands.”

The New Year began with a .75% increase in Hawaii’s Transient Accommodations Tax that will help the state fight climate change.

Rakow said that Hawaiian is working to better inform inbound passengers about how to respect Hawaii’s culture and environment.

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Hawaiian said it will continue to support “programs promoting regenerative tourism, culture and conservation.”

The airline also said it will fund grants to nonprofit organizations “promoting cultural programs, environmental preservation, and perpetuation of native Hawaiian art and language through the Alaska Airlines | Hawaiian Airlines Foundation.”




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