Published: March 2022

News, Updates and Aloha from Oʻahu
(March 2022, Quarter 1)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2022

OʻAHU – Directly on the heels of recent exciting announcements from Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Gov. David Ige, the island of Oʻahu is overjoyed to welcome visitors to our shores in 2022. With COVID-19 restrictions on Oʻahu ending on March 5 and the sunset of the State of Hawaiʻi’s Safe Travels Program on March 25, the island of Oʻahu invites visitors to experience its majestic beaches, savory cuisines and vibrant shopping experiences with an added regenerative tourism mindset and perspective of the island destination.

In the past few months, the Oʻahu Visitors Bureau (OVB), in conjunction with the Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) and the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA), has been committed to fulfilling Oʻahu’s Destination Management Action Plan (DMAP). With the successful implementation of Oʻahu’s DMAP, the goal is to rebuild, redefine and reset the direction of the island’s tourism over a three-year period, reduce tourism’s negative effects to enhance the visitor experience, and improve quality of life for residents.

“As our island is pleased and eager to continue welcoming travelers, this is a unique opportunity to promote and advance DMAP’s core values of regenerative and mindful tourism that will generate purposeful bonds with new travelers and reconnect with those who previously had to reschedule or cancel their vacation plans,” says OVB Executive Director Noelani Schilling-Wheeler.

With the ongoing Mālama Hawaiʻi campaign, OVB continues to share the spirit of aloha — a gift of love, hospitality and education without the expectation of a reward — with island visitors.

“Oʻahu has a bountiful list of impactful programs, activities and hotel partners led by cognizant leaders who share OVB’s passion for the Mālama Hawaiʻi campaign,” adds Schilling-Wheeler. “This is a paramount campaign and a meaningful priority for OVB that enables travelers to experience environmental treasures and educate them on restoring Hawaiʻi’s rich culture and history.”

The ‘ōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) word mālama means “to take care of, preserve and protect.” Through the Mālama Hawaiʻi program, visitors can enjoy a more meaningful and enriching vacation experience in the Islands — and qualify for special hotel rewards — by participating in select voluntourism activities.

For more information on Mālama Hawaiʻi and the program’s participating partners, visit www.gohawaii.com/malama.

An Introduction to the Maʻemaʻe Hawaiʻi Style & Resource Toolkit

This year, OVB’s quarterly eNewletters will include a new section highlighting content from HTA’s Maʻemaʻe toolkit. The toolkit is a guiding resource to help represent and honor Hawaiʻi and its language (‘ōlelo Hawaiʻi), ʻāina (land), and community in a pono (correct) way.

The first pieces of selected content come from the Ka ‘Ōlelo Hawaiʻi section of the toolkit and covers the orthography and diacritical markings unqiue to ‘Ōlelo Hawaiʻi:

Orthography
Proper use of the Hawaiian language includes
the use of the ‘ʻokina (which represents a glottal
stop–a consonant) and the kahakō (a macron
used to indicate elongated vowels). The ‘ʻokina and
kahakō distinguish many words, and without this
orthography word definitions change. For instance,
‘ono (a fish) is different from ‘‘ono (delicious), and
kau (to place) is different from kāu (your).

ʻOkina
Make sure the ʻokina is shown in theorientation of the number 6, not as an apostrophe in the orientation of the number 9. Like all consonants in ‘ōlelo Hawaiʻi, ʻokina only occur adjacent to vowels – never next to another consonant.

Kahakō
The kahakō only appears above vowels, as in ā, ē, ī, ō, ū. If you have exhausted all resources for correct spelling and do not find the correct modern orthography, then write the word without any orthographic markings; however, this should not be taken as a way of avoiding proper research.

We highly encourage those who wish to use any written ‘ōlelo Hawaiʻi in their content to refer to the Maʻemaʻe toolkit as well as other resources like the Hawaiʻi.edu/wehe/">WeheWehe dictionary and these ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi keyboard guides for Hawaiʻi.gov/dbedt/op/gis/bgn/HowTo-Install_Hawaiian_Language_Windows10.pdf">Windows and Hawaiʻi.edu/it/installing-and-using-hawaiian-font-for-mac/">Mac.

State and County Updates

Beginning at 12:01 a.m. on March 26, passengers arriving in Hawaiʻi from domestic points of origin will no longer have to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or provide a pre-travel negative test result. Creating a Safe Travels Program account will also no longer be required, meaning travelers will not have to submit personal and trip information.

This ruling, however, applies only to domestic travelers. International arrivals will still be required to follow federal regulations.

For travelers making their way to Oʻahu before Hawaiʻi’s Safe Travels Program ends on March 26, existing pre- and post-travel requirements remain in place. For the most update-to-date information on the conclusion of the Safe Travels Program, its remaining travel requirements, and the state's current masking mandate, please visit hawaiicovid19.com/travel.

As always, we greatly encourage visitors to please plan ahead, make reservations accordingly and research the specific health protocols of Hawaiʻi establishments in advance of their visit.

Finally, we are also excited to share with you the latest news and updates from the Oʻahu attractions, activities, restaurants and hotels in the listings below. We look forward to sharing even more new programs and offerings with you throughout 2022.

Activities and Attractions

Ala Moana Center

  • The Search for Snoopy: A Peanuts Adventure is an immersive family experience opening in March for a limited engagement at Ala Moana Center. Guests will enter Charles M. Schulz’s world-renowned comic strip for a vibrant, one-of-a-kind adventure within the Peanuts universe. As The Search for Snoopy adventure unfolds, guests uncover clues to help Charlie Brown find his beloved dog, Snoopy. www.SearchForSnoopy.com

Beyond Monet: The Immersive Experience

  • Beyond Monet: The Immersive Experience is a showcase of more than 400 of French painter Claude Monet’s most iconic works of impressionism, coming to the Hawaiʻi Convention Center from June 15 through July 31. Notable Monet artworks, including his Water Lilies series and Impression: Sunrise and Poppies, will be part of the display. With an enchanting musical score, breathtaking projections and stunning set pieces, Beyond Monet: The Immersive Experience encourages infinite interpretations of Monet’s work. www.MonetHonolulu.com

Bishop Museum

  • The Bishop Museum exhibition Tatau: Marks of Polynesia is currently running through July 4. Samoa’s tatau is one of the world’s most distinct tattoo traditions. Featuring photographs shot in a studio and on location in Samoa, Tatau: Marks of Polynesia showcases the work of traditional tatau masters as well as younger practitioners and artists adopting tatau’s motifs and styles for new media and art forms. The exhibition was curated by master tattoo artist Takahiro “Ryudaibori” Kitamura. It also highlights Samoan tattooing implements curated by Bishop Museum from its cultural collection highlighting items from Hawaiʻi and Samoa. www.BishopMuseum.org
  • Bishop Museum’s Science and Sustainability Festival is an annual event offering attendees opportunities to explore sustainability and connect with museum scientists and partners throughout the state. This year’s festival theme focuses on the kula (field or pasture) region of an ahupuaʻa (mountain-to-sea land division) and, specifically, the conservation and sustainability of ‘āina (lands) providing food and other resources. Admission to the event is free for all Bishop Museum members and at a reduced admission price for non-members. All visitors are welcomed to take the Parley Pledge for a discount on festival entry. www.BishopMuseum.org

ʻIolani Palace

  • After a nearly two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Royal Hawaiian Band has returned to ʻIolani Palace for its popular lunchtime concerts. The concerts are free, open to the public and held on most Fridays from noon to 1 p.m. With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, ʻIolani Palace invites kamaʻāina and visitors to spend their lunch hour enjoying the music of the Royal Hawaiian Band on the palace grounds. Once known as the King’s Band, the Royal Hawaiian Band was created by King Kamehameha III in 1836 and is the only full-time municipal band in the U.S. The band has grown in prominence over its many years, playing at state occasions, parades, national competitions and other international venues. For a full list of concert dates, visit www.IolaniPalace.org

Vida Mia

  • Prince Waikīkī is launching a new partnership with Honolulu luxury sea charter company Vida Mia this year to create an exclusive menu of customizable group and wedding/elopement yacht-charter experiences that can be added to any stay. Built in 1929 and recently restored to her original elegance, the 61-foot wooden yacht, Vida Mia, has been host to intimate affairs, bustling parties and other moments on the water for decades. The new menu of offerings for Prince Waikīkī guests includes a daytime or sunset cruise for small groups, an elopement ceremony and a wedding package, each including food and beverage and entertainment options for guests to customize as they wish. www.TheVidaMia.com

Waikīkī Beach Services

  • Waikīkī Beach Services, one of Hawaiʻi’s longest-operating surf schools, was recently honored by Hawaiʻi Magazine as its 2022 choice for Best Surf School. Waikīkī Beach Services has instructed generations of visitors on how to surf and canoe paddle, all under the tutelage of the legendary generations of watermen known as the Waikīkī Beachboys. www.WaikikiBeachServices.com

Waikīkī Trolley

  • Explore historic downtown Honolulu with a ride on the Waikīkī Trolley. Hop aboard the company’s brand-new Heroes and Legends tour to discover and hear stories about the district’s historical figures and their groundbreaking accomplishments. www.WaikikiTrolley.com

Retail & Shopping

Aloha Stadium (Buy Local)

  • On the first Friday of each month, Aloha Stadium Swap Meet and Marketplace invites visitors and residents to attend its Taste of Oʻahu night market featuring food and live entertainment. Tickets are $10 for attendees ages 12 and older, $5 for keiki (children) ages six to 11, and entrance for those ages five and under. Tickets can be bought online or at the event. www.MillwoodOhanaProductions.com

Ka Makana Aliʻi (Buy Local)

  • Jewelry boutique Ocean Creations recently opened its first brick-and-mortar location, offering handcrafted necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings. Ocean Creations also provides customizable options for customers to create and personalize their own charm bracelets. www.OceanCreationsHawaii.com
  • Family-owned dessert shop Milky Cereal Bar recently opened its first Oʻahu location, serving frozen desserts combining ice cream with sweet cereals and a range of other delicious toppings. www.MilkyHawaii.net

Kailua Beach Center (Buy Local)

  • Clothing brand Twin Islands and healthy eatery Sunrise Shack recently launched a joint partnership to occupy a 1,002-square-foot space at Kailua Beach Center. www.SunriseShackHawaii.com

Noʻeau Designers (Buy Local)

  • At it’s newly opened location on the 3rd floor of the Ala Moana Center, Noʻeau Designers provides Native Hawaiian and Hawaiʻi-based artisans a place to showcase their products to both kamaʻāina and visitors. With over 100 vendors both in-store and online, buying local at Noʻeau Designers is a fantastic way to give back to the community on your visit to Oʻahu. www.NoeauDesigners.com

Ward Village (Buy Local)

  • Always a.line recently opened a location at South Shore Market in Ward Village. Local designer Lynn Sakutori launched the brand in 2013 as a unique women’s clothing boutique featuring thoughtfully designed pieces for modern Hawaiʻi living. Locally designed and produced, the brand’s prints and fabrics are meant to elevate warm-weather style. www.Alwaysaline.com

Festivals & Events

Hawaiʻi Triennial 2022 (HT22): Now through May 8, 2022

  • The ongoing Hawaiʻi Triennial 2022 (HT22) citywide art exhibition is framed around the concept of Pacific Century — E Ho‘omau no Moananuiākea, interweaving themes of history, place, social activism, environmental change and identity within the context of Hawaiʻi’s unique location at the confluence of Asia-Pacific and Oceania. One of the largest periodic showcases of contemporary art in Hawaiʻi, HT22 is being presented across seven exhibition venues on Oʻahu through May 8. The exhibition’s venues are Bishop Museum, Foster Botanical Garden, Hawaiʻi Theatre Center, the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum, ‘ʻIolani Palace, Honolulu Museum of Art and Royal Hawaiian Center. www.HawaiiContemporary.org

Kauaʻi Kon: April 22-24, 2022

  • Kauaʻi Kon is a two-day convention celebrating Japanese anime (cartoons), manga (comics) and all facets of Japanese culture. Offering a variety of events and activities throughout the weekend, Kauaʻi Kon 2022 is scheduled for April 22, 23 and 24 at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center. www.KawaiiKon.com

Waikīkī SPAM JAM: April 22 – May 1, 2022

  • The annual Waikīkī SPAM JAM festival, set this year for the week of April 22 through May 1, celebrates Hawaiʻi’s love for, of course, SPAM. The family-friendly event happens in the heart of Waikīkī on Kalākaua Avenue and features local restaurants offering creative SPAM dishes alongside entertainment stages and products from Hawaiʻi crafters. In addition to these event, this year will also feature partnerships with restaurants where visitors and locals alike can experience the flavors of Hawaiʻi's favorite canned meat with delicious recipes. www.SpamJamHawaii.com

Lei Day Celebration: May 1, 2022

  • As one of Hawaiʻi’s most emblematic symbols of aloha, lei — and the crafting of lei — have been celebrated in the Hawaiian Islands on Lei Day, May 1, since 1927. This year, the City and County of Honolulu’s official Lei Day Celebration event will be held, in accordance with tradition, on May 1 at Kapiʻolani Park in Waikīkī, honoring lei and the traditions surrounding it with festivities, including pageants and competitions for lei queen and the crafting of colorful and fragrant flower lei. www.HonoluluParks.com

Hawaiian Airlines May Day 2022, presented by The Hawaiian Islands: May 1, 2022

  • Hawaiian Airlines May Day 2022, presented by The Hawaiian Islands, will be a concert and worldwide broadcast event featuring practitioners of mele (song), hula, moʻolelo (stories) and lei-making in celebration of Hawaiʻi’s unique annual Lei Day celebration. www.HawaiianAirlines.com

Honolulu Triathlon: May 15, 2022

  • The Honolulu Triathlon, set for May 15, is an Olympic-distance triathlon beginning and ending at Ala Moana Beach Park with a 1.5K shoreline swim, 40K bike course along Oʻahu’s south shore and a 10K double-loop run ending at the park’s Magic Island area. www.HonoluluTriathlon.com

King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade: June 11, 2022

  • Celebrating its 150th anniversary, the colorful King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade honors the reign of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi’s first monarch, who united the Hawaiian Islands under his rule. The June 11 parade, as is its tradition, will feature brightly decorated floats, energetic marching bands and traditional horseback pā‘ū riders representing the Hawaiian royal court. A hoʻolauleʻa (celebration) follows the parade. Hawaiʻi.gov/resources/king-kamehameha-celebration-commission/">www.Hawaiʻi.gov/Kamehameha

Pan-Pacific Festival: June 10-12, 2022

  • The Pan-Pacific Festival began in Hawaiʻi in 1980 as a cultural exchange between the state and Japan. Visiting participants from Japan were invited to enjoy the familiarity of Japanese music, crafts, traditions and foods, while Hawaiʻi residents and other visitors were offered opportunities to gain a deeper appreciation of Japanese sensibilities and cultural heritage. Today, the festival features events held throughout Waikīkī showcasing Japan’s pageantry and includes a hoʻolauleʻa (celebration) block party, art fair and hula performances, culminating with a grand parade on Waikīkī main street Kalākaua Avenue. The 2022 festival is set for June 10 through 12. www.Pan-Pacific-Festival.com

45th Annual Prince Lot Hula Festival: July 16, 2022

  • The 45th annual Prince Lot Hula Festival, named in memory of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi monarch who ruled as King Kamehameha V from 1863 to 1872, honors his contributions to Hawaiian culture. This year’s virtual event will bring together native Hawaiian hula practitioners, craftsmen and educators from across Hawaiʻi to share their manaʻo (knowledge) and hula. www.MoanaluaGardensFoundation.org

52nd Annual ʻUkulele Festival Hawaiʻi: July 17, 2022

  • At this largest annual gathering of ʻukulele players in the world, top musicians, casual players and beginners are invited to share and celebrate their love of the globally famous instrument. Hosted virtually this year, the planned five-hour event will include workshops, concert showcases and conversations with performing ʻukulele masters and players. www.UkuleleFestivalHawaii.org

Korean Festival: August 2022

  • This year’s 18th annual Korean Festival celebration is poised to share, promote and celebrated the Korean culture and its community in Hawaiʻi. Residents and visitors are invited to experience and enjoy the culture’s cuisine, art, dance, music, crafts, entertainment and more. www.KoreanFestHawaii.com

Duke’s OceanFest: August 20-28, 2022

  • After cancelling its slate of 2020 and 2021 events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Duke’s OceanFest returns to Waikīkī Beach this summer for ocean competitions honoring legendary Hawaiʻi waterman, Olympian and festival namesake Duke Kahanamoku. The weeklong festival will feature a diversity of exciting water sports competitions including longboard surfing, surf polo, swimming, standup paddling and other skills. OceanFest activities culminate with a lei draping ceremony of Waikīkī’s Duke Kahanamoku statue on the anniversary of Kahanamoku’s birthday. www.DukesOceanfest.com

Hotels

ʻAlohilani Resort Waikīkī Beach

  • ‘Alohilani Resort Waikīkī Beach on Oʻahu recently announced that it is on track to become the first carbon neutral hotel in the state of Hawaiʻi. The resort’s upcoming carbon neutral certification underscores its existing sustainability initiatives, commitment to plant 100,000 indigenous trees in its legacy forest, and use of renewable electricity throughout the property. In addition, credits for Beach Candy Waikīkī are now included in the resort amenity fee to further enhance guests’ Hawaiʻi experience while helping preserve the environment and reduce waste. www.AlohilaniResort.com

Aqua-Aston Hotels

  • Aqua-Aston Hospitality is moving away from single-use plastic this year to convert 100% of its properties to bulk bathroom amenities. The Honolulu-based hotel management company continues to advocate for sustainability and marine life across its 25-plus properties in Hawaiʻi by limiting plastic usage and partnering with local, environmentally friendly brands. Aqua-Aston recently introduced a new reef-safe sunscreen amenity to its properties through a partnership with mom-owned Little Hands Hawaiʻi where guests receive access to samples of the lightly coconut-scented sunscreen at its front desks. www.AquaAston.com

Embassy Suites by Hilton Oʻahu Kapolei

  • Stay four nights at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Oʻahu Kapolei and get your fourth night free. A minimum four-night stay is required to qualify for the offer, with your free night calculated as 25% off the hotel’s best available rate. Further discounts are available for Hilton Honors members. The offer is valid for all suite types based on hotel availability, and there is a 14-day booking window and 24-hour cancellation requirement. The offer is bookable through the hotel website, Global Distribution System, your preferred wholesaler or Online Travel Agency, and is valid for travel through December 31, 2022. www.OahuKapolei.EmbassySuitesByHilton.com

The Equus Hotel

  • The Equus Hotel recently partnered with Shaka Power Yoga, a Hawaiʻi-themed yoga studio in Houston, Texas, to provide yoga practitioners a relaxing visit with the SUP Yogadventure package. Participants experience Oʻahu via a curated itinerary led by Power Yoga Hawaiʻi-trained yogipreneurs Jenny Normand and Mariah Dailey. Together, they showcase Oʻahu’s town and country spirit for participants, all of whom stay at the Equus Hotel in Waikīkī. www.EquusHotel.com

Halepuna Waikīkī by Halekūlani

  • Halepuna Waikīkī by Halekūlani is extending its Best of 2021 Package into 2022. The extended Best of 2021 Package includes daily breakfast for up to two people at Orchids restaurant (located at sister-property Halekūlani), a $25 daily resort credit, a Sparkling Wine welcome amenity, fitness classes and Halepuna Access complimentary admissions to the Honolulu Museum of Art and the Bishop Museum. www.Halepuna.com
  • Halepuna Waikīkī by Halekūlani is introducing its first-ever suite package, Suite Escape. The package features daily breakfast for up to two people, a two-day pool cabana rental with two cocktails daily, fitness classes and one 45-minute couples massage during the guests’ stay. A four-night minimum stay is required. www.Halepuna.com

Halekūlani

  • Honolulu-born artist John Tanji Koga is known for his abstract sculptures and paintings inspired by Hawaiʻi’s breathtaking ocean and scenic mountains. Koga’s special exhibit, “Rising Light,” is currently on display at Halekūlani daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through the end of April. Another new offering at the hotel is its Art of Wellbeing Lectures led by Halekūlani’s team of resident experts and “designed to empower participants on their own journey to achieve optimal health and wellness.” The 75-minute lectures are held on the second and fourth Saturday of each month and are $25 per person. Upcoming lecture topics in the series include “Eating Well to Thrive,” “Dream Interpretation,” “Clearing the Clutter,” “Movement as Medicine,” “The Healing Power of Crystals,” and “Aromatherapy — Nature’s Remedy.” Halekūlani.com/">www.Halekūlani.com

Outrigger Hospitality Group

Outrigger Reef Waikīkī Beach Resort  

  • As part of its ongoing $80-million renovation, Outrigger Reef Waikīkī Beach Resort is beyond thrilled to invite guests to experience its newly created A‘o Cultural Center. Opened on March 8th, the resort’s expanded cultural center features complimentary guest activities, including lei-making, ʻukulele, and hula lessons. Along with the new cultural center, the resort has also revamped its Herb Kāne lounge, adorned with new local artwork and a more open structure. www.Outrigger.com

Outrigger Waikīkī Beach Resort

  • A new Waikīkī Surf History Wall curated by Bishop Museum exhibit designer Michael Wilson is now on display in the second-floor lobby of Outrigger Waikīkī Beach Resort. The wall’s visual storytelling celebrates the history and future of surfing in Waikīkī while a resort tour offers guests an opportunity to meet legends of the sport before heading to Faith Surf School on the beach fronting Outrigger Waikīkī to rent a board and surf. As part of the resort’s Surfer In Residence program, guests can meet and greet the key surfer in residence for the month. www.Outrigger.com

Prince Waikīkī

  • Prince Waikīkī continues to enhance its cultural and sustainable initiatives by working with local artists, businesses and musicians to support the local community. The hotel is home to one of Waikīkī’s largest collections of contemporary art by Hawaiian artists, including original paintings by Solomon Enos and sculptures by John Koga and Kaili Chun. Signature pieces in the collection include a breathtaking copper-sculpture ceiling installation by Chun featuring 800 copper pieces spanning the length of the hotel’s lobby. The sculpture, Hulali i ka lā — which translates as “glistening in the sun,” — has as its design inspiration the heritage of the hotel’s location as a historically prominent gathering place. www.PrinceWaikiki.com

Turtle Bay Resort

  • Turtle Bay Resort will debut its first Paniolo Pāʻina at The Stables on March 24, hosting it weekly each Thursday thereafter. The event will regularly feature live entertainment, food and cocktails, as well as interactive activities for the whole family honoring Hawaiian cowboy culture, which dates back to 1800s. Activities will include the Pony Experience offering kids a chance to pet and feed ponies, paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) storytelling, fire-knife and hula dancing, and a night cap of s’mores by the campfire. www.TurtleBayResort.com

Waikīkī Beachcomber by Outrigger  

  • The Waikīkī Beachcomber by Outrigger recently debuted Gallery Waikīkī by Hawaiian Aroma Caffe, an exhibition space for contemporary art, unique retail and artisanal coffee on Kalākaua Avenue. The space spotlights the works of emerging and established artists. www.Outrigger.com

Mālama Oʻahu

Bike Hawaiʻi

  • Join Bike Hawaiʻi’s seasoned nature guides for a rare opportunity to hike a 1,600-acre private property in Oʻahu’s Waiʻanae mountain range. Located just a short drive from West Oʻahu hotels and resorts, the hiking trail traverses a cool, shaded 2,400-foot-elevation forest offering bird’s-eye views of Honolulu and Nānākuli Valley. www.BikeHawaii.com

Embassy Suites by Hilton Oʻahu Kapolei

  • The Embassy Suites by Hilton Oʻahu Kapolei is all about “full-service, all-suites and for giving guests more with every stay while incorporating sustainable practices.” Through a conservation fee, the property helps reforest and preserve island landscapes via the work of the nonprofit Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative. The hotel also offers an added free night for guests taking part in the Mālama Hawaiʻi initiative. Guests of the hotel can combine fun and stewardship of the island with a visit to Gunstock Ranch on Oʻahu’s north shore to plant their own legacy tree or support reforestation efforts remotely by sponsoring the planting of a legacy tree. www.OahuKapolei.EmbassySuitesByHilton.com

Kuaola Ranch Private Nature Reserve

  • Established in 1850, Kuaola Ranch’s vision is to be role-model stewards of its 4,000 acres: Kuaola, Hakipuʻu and Kaʻaʻawa. Kuaola Ranch realizes its vision with a hands-on Mālama ‘Āina (“to care for and protect the land”) experience offering guests opportunities to learn how to protect and create sustainable practices preserving the land’s natural beauty. The eco-adventure voluntourism tour includes knowledge of the cultural importance of kalo (taro); cleaning, planting and harvesting kalo; and helping mālama (“care for”) laʻau lapaʻau (medicinal plants) growing in the area. www.Kuaola.com

Prince Waikīkī

  • Prince Waikīkī is one the first lodging properties on Oʻahu to partner with Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi and the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority’s Mālama Hawaiʻi campaign. Working with Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi — a local, grassroots nonprofit inspiring communities to care for their coastlines through hands-on beach cleanups — Prince Waikīkī offers guests opportunities to help preserve Waikīkī’s coastlines and scenic beauty. In exchange for participating in a DIY beach cleanup with Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi, Prince Waikīkī guests booking the Mālama Hawaiʻi package receive every fourth night of their stay free and a commemorative sustainable gift. Prince Preferred members also receive waived resort charges and an additional 5% off their stay. www.PrinceWaikiki.com

Sea Life Park

  • In commemoration of Earth Day, Sea Life Park is partnering with nonprofit 808 Cleanups to host a beach cleanup on April 24, from 9 to 11 a.m., followed by a memorable and intimate release of honu (green sea turtle) hatchlings into the ocean. Cleanup participants will be eligible to receive 50% off park admission for the day to enjoy additional festivities and marine education. www.SealifeParkHawaii.com
  • Sea Life Park is presenting its new Hawaiian monk seal talk story session, Meet Kekoa. Session participants learn about the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, and Kekoa’s incredible journey and contributions to human understanding of the hearing capabilities of Hawaiian monk seals, all of which are integral learnings in protecting future generations of the seals. The program happens on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. www.SealifeParkHawaii.com.

Restaurants

100 Sails Restaurant and Bar

  • Guests at 100 Sails Restaurant and Bar, Prince Waikīkī’s signature restaurant, experience farm-to-table meals featuring ingredients sourced from local fishermen and farmers, as well as the hotel’s own rooftop aquaponics garden. The garden’s state-of-the-art closed-loop agricultural system produces crisp lettuces, herbs and more in support of the hotel’s mission of using local and high-quality ingredients whenever possible to offer restaurant guests the freshest dining experience possible. www.100Sails.com

1938 Indochine

  • Rm. 38. is a new hidden speakeasy located on the second floor of 1938 Indochine restaurant. Its resident whiskey expert, Jake Lee, will be hosting a unique whiskey tasting, valued at $150 person, for three couples, featuring a curated whiskey flight paired with select dishes from the 1938 Indochine menu. www.AOKIGroup.com

Aoki Teppanyaki

  • Aoki Teppanyaki, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikīkī Beach Resort, is serving three refreshing new libations. The Hibiscus Mojito is a hibiscus tea-infused rose-strawberry vodka. The Li Hing Mui Ginger is a Hawaiʻi-inspired cocktail featuring ʻōkolehao (Hawaiian liquor made from mashed roots), ginger liqueur and li hing mui syrup. And the Peach Mimosa blends Duckhorn wine with peach puree and peach vodka. Each cocktail is priced at $14. www.AOKIGroup.com

International Market Place

  • Situated in Waikīkī, the Queens Waikīkī Lūʻau at International Market Place happens every Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday from 5 to 8 p.m., welcoming guests to enjoy dinner, bar access and interactive activities. Capped at 70 attendees, the lūʻau’s Polynesian revue from across the Pacific includes music, song and the famed fire-knife dance. www.QueensWaikikiLuau.com
  • ‘O Lani Sunset Stories is welcoming audiences at International Market Place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, now through February 2023, for a presentation honoring the shopping and dining center’s rich history and sense of place with Hawaiian and Polynesian song and dance. Sunset Stories begins at sunset with the ceremonial lighting of the International Market Place’s Lamakū Torch Tower on Kalākaua Avenue in Waikīkī and leads to the center’s Queen’s Court stage. O Lani Sunset Stories is free, open to the public and begins at 7 p.m. from March through August, and at 6:30 p.m. from September through February. www.ShopInternationalMarketplace.com

Ruth’s Chris Steak House

  • With locations at Waikīkī Beach Walk and in downtown Honolulu, Ruth’s Chris Steak House has been popular with Oʻahu residents and visitors for more than 30 years. With Ruth’s Chris Prime-Time menu, guests can enjoy a three-course dinner with prices starting at $55.95. The Prime-Time menu includes a starter, entrée, side dish and dessert, and is available nightly from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at both locations. www.RuthsChris.com

Miscellaneous

Delta Airlines

  • Delta Airlines recently announced it will be expanding its service to Honolulu later this year, launching nonstop flights from its Detroit hub to Honolulu beginning November 19, followed by launching of service from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Honolulu on December 17. Delta will be the only carrier offering nonstop flights between the Detroit and Hawaiʻi markets. The air carrier also announced plans to resume hot-meal service in March for first-class patrons on flights longer than 900 miles. www.Delta.com

Consolidated Rent-A-Car Facility

  • The State of Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation opened its new Consolidated Rent-A-Car (Conrac) facility at Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) on December 1, 2021. The five-story $377-million facility hosts rental services for Alamo Rent A Car, Avis Car Rental, Budget Car Rental, Dollar Car Rental, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Hertz Car Rental, National Car Rental, Payless Car Rental, Sixt Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental. Shuttle service between the Conrac facility and HNL airport terminals is available for arriving and departing travelers. Hawaiʻi.gov/">hidot.Hawaiʻi.gov

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiʻi Convention Center

  • The Hawaiʻi Convention Center welcomed the new year by reopening for conferences, meetings and other events. The center is maintaining COVID-19 safety measures to welcome guests with industry-leading protocols for meetings and events, including the implementation of health and safety technologies, new food and beverage options, revised layouts for socially distanced gatherings, and extensive staff training. The Hawaiʻi Convention Center has also developed new virtual meetings packages to offer guests the convenience of attending meetings remotely. In addition, the center is excited to be booking large events three, five and 10 years out from 2022. www.HawaiiConvention.com

All information is subject to change without notice. For more information, please go to www.visit-oahu.com, follow OVB’s tweets at www.twitter.com/OahuVB, become a fan of Oʻahu on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/OahuHawaii, and follow @OahuVB on Instagram.

-pau-

Contact:                       
Pua Sterling
Anthology A FINN Partners Company
Email: [email protected]