Going2Oahu Hawaii Travel Blog

Waikiki's Ala Moana Center

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2010-02-21T18:30:00Z

Want a cool place to shop while your visiting us in Honolulu?

The world famous Ala Moana Center in Waikiki Hawaii was at one time the largest shopping center in the 50 United States. Although it relinquished that title to some of the mainland mega-malls, the Ala Moana Center still enjoys the reputation of being the largest open-air shopping center in the entire world.

The Ala Moana Center, which houses nearly 300 shops and restaurants is visited by more than 75 million people each year. It houses an amazing international food court as well as an amphitheater called Centerstage that is used for Hula entertainers, the prestigious Royal Hawaiian Band, various school events, and even a local TV show called Hawaii Stars.

Hawaii Stars is a singing competition similar to American Idol.

Aloha ~

Ali

Buy Hawaii! Eating Authentic Hawaiian Grown Pineapples

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2010-02-19T23:10:00Z

Ready for another fun fact about Hawaii?

Hawaii is the largest producer of US consumed fresh pineapple... woot! woot!

Even with the exodus of Del Monte from Hawaii back in 2008, we are still the big kahuna when it comes to US pineapple production and consumption. The only other state in the US that is actively growing pineapples is Florida and their production rate is negligible. Hawaiian pineapples are particularly delicious because they're harvested when they're fully ripe, shipped immediately upon harvesting, and usually on store shelves within 36 hours of their harvest. If you're eating pineapple on the mainland, you are probably eating a Hawaiian product.

Here's the weird thing though. Most people believe that the pineapple is actually native to the Hawaiian Islands, but truth be told pineapples first originated in South America and were transplanted in any and all places tropical by the Spaniards and the Portuguese. Even weirder, China is the current "king" of pineapple production for the entire world. Have you ever before today associated pineapples and China? Things that make you go hmmm...

Aloha ~

Ali

Hawaii is the Only US State That Grows Coffee?

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2010-02-18T14:29:00Z

Did you know that Hawaii is the only state in the USA that grows coffee commercially?

Native Hawaiians call coffee "kope" (pronounced co-Pay), and our Kona coffee is considered by many to be the best kope in the world. Kona coffee is the brand name for Hawaiian coffee which is raised in the Kona Districts of the Big Island of Hawaii on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa. The coffee that is harvested here has developed a prestigious reputation which has caused it to become some of the most sought-after (and expensive) coffee in the world.

Only coffee that is harvested in Kona Districts can legally be called Kona Coffee. It's a very unique Kona district weather pattern that creates such favorable coffee growing conditions - sunny in the morning, cloud cover and rain in the afternoon, mild weather in the evenings.

If you live on the mainland and you want to experience real Kona Coffee, you can now sign up for recurring delivery from Coffees of Hawaii. Mention going2oahu when you sign up for their select Hana Hou Club and your first three deliveries ship free.

Aloha ~

Ali

The Perils of Growing Old

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2010-02-15T21:22:00Z

Aloha friends... wondering if you would permit me to whine for a minute?

It's no fun getting old!

Most if you know I'm an undergrad at Hawaii University and I love it here. I'm upset though because I'm required to read a lot for my college classes and have recently started feeling lots of strain when I read for more than twenty minutes. The strain is pretty bad, and what's worse is the strain ends up becoming a crippling headache if I don't take frequent breaks. Through trial and error I have found that closing either eye almost instantly alleviates the strain - problem is that closing an eye is usually not a viable option.

I've thought about seeing an optometrist, but I usually abandon that thought right away because I don't have vision insurance and I'd hate to spend money just to be told my vision is fine. I haven't seen an eye doctor in about 7 years however so I guess I should just schedule an appointment and go.

Okay.. back to studying

2010 Hawaii Salsa Festival is This Weekend

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2010-02-08T18:38:00Z

Hawaii Salsa Festival - February 11-14, 2010

As I'm gazing out upon the beautiful waves, generous sunshine, and tropical weather, I can't help but wonder why everybody in the world doesn't come to Oahu for the Hawaii Salsa Festival.

This year's lineup of dancers and instructors is just incredible. Local celebrities like Junior and Emily and Enrqiue will be here for sure, but there will also be mainland stars like Edie the Salsa Freak, Liz Lira and many others! The Thursday night kick off party takes place at the Queen Kapiolani Hotel Ballroom from 8 pm to 2 am where there will be dancing to the best DJ's on the islands.

If you enjoy salsa dancing, this is the event to be at - and it's THIS WEEKEND!!

Fathers Day Gift Suggestion: Raising a Father

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2010-02-08T18:04:00Z

Last year, my sister and I took our dad to the Pineapple Room (Alan Wong's Restaurant) for Father's Day. They do this special buffet for dads every year with all kinds of "manly" dishes like prime rib, short ribs, mahimahi, steak and eggs, etc. They really do it up for dads there and make a big deal out of the event.

It was so much fun with just the three of us and we laughed, talked, and ate for over 2 hours! With this year's date approaching soon, I wonder what we'll do to top it? I love my dad! There, I said it

I really do though. My daddy has always been there for me - been there for cheerleading, marching band, basketball, college.... I am so glad that I have the type of dad that spends time with me and supports me unconditionally. He even got me started in blogging when I was only 16 because he wanted me to be able to support myself through college without having to work in retail or fast food. My dad is so smart and so good!

There's a book called Raising a Father that tells the story of a dad that was not at all like my dad - a dad that got all wrapped up in his career and neglected his role as a father figure in the house. It's made up of short stories about missed opportunities between father and daughter that lots of my friends seem to experience. The book brings out some simple suggestions about relationships that all fathers and daughters can learn from to make their bonds stronger and more fulfilling.

If you're looking for a neat Father's Day gift, then here's my suggestion...

Buy the book for yourself and read it. Then, write a heartfelt note to your dad on the inner sleeve and give it to your dad for Father's Day. If your daddy was like mine, then thank him and tell him you love him for it. If your daddy is like the dad in the book, then tell him you love him and miss him. What do you think?

Humpback Whale Watching Season on Oahu

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2010-02-08T17:26:00Z

To native Hawaiians, the humpback whale is a representation of the Hawaiian god Kanaloa (god of animals in the ocean).

Humpback whales begin their migration south from Alaska to Hawaii every year in December. The approximate distance they travel during their annual migration is 4,000 miles round-trip, making this journey one of the longest migration distances of any animal species. The whales usually stay through April so this is a prime opportunity to witness these amazing mammals in nature.

They come here every year to give birth to their calves and to mate.

Awwwww......

Aloha ~

Ali

Native Hawaiian Barrack Obama Extends 2010 Homebuyer Tax Credits

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2010-02-08T16:36:00Z

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Coldwell Banker. All opinions are 100% mine.

Wondering how much it will cost to fly to Honolulu from the mainland? It depends on when you're coming and where you're coming from of course, but my research puts the price in the $400 - $600 range for a round trip ticket.

LAX to HNL ($375)
SFO to HNL ($400)
LAS to HNL ($475)
SLC to HNL ($575)
JFK to HNL ($625)

So the cost of airfare is not too bad, but the other costs of the trip (lodging, rental car, island hopping, entertainment) can get out of hand very quickly. If you're coming to Hawaii as a tourist, plan on spending some major bucks here - paradise does not come cheap!

Lots of tourists find creative ways to finance their trip to paradise like doing family fund raisers, having multi-family garage sales, even combining tax refunds. I even know of one family that's using their 2010 Homebuyer Tax Credits to pay for the stay. That's a real estate tax benefit that our native islander, Barrack Obama, put in place last year which gives an $8,000 credit to new homeowners. According to my understanding of the Coldwell Banker website the credit will only apply to real estate deals up until April 30th of this year so you better hurry.

You could have one heck of a great family adventure in our Hawaiian paradise with that type of money!

78 Degrees at the University Of Hawaii

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2010-02-08T16:01:00Z

So... my best friend Malena chose Ohio State University over the University of Hawaii and is now knee deep in snow there. She called it the "Snowpocalypse," ha-ha, and the pictures she sent me look like she's right.

Right now, it's early in the morning in Honolulu and the temperature is 71 degrees. Our forecast for later today says it will be sunny with a high near 78 and winds from the east between 10 and 14 mph. Really! And you can check it yourself by calling the O`ahu Forecast Hotline at 808-973-5286!

Here's a question for my student readers...

What do you think is the best thing about being a student at UHawaii at Manoa? Is it the weather; the prime Pacific Island location; the incredible educational opportunities and cutting edge technology? Is it our amazing athletic teams; surfing; tanning? The only downside to studying at the University of Hawaii, as I see it, is making it out in four years because there are too many awesome distractions!

I love you Malena, but I had to rub it in

Aloha BFF ~

Funny Vacation Rental Commercial

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2010-02-06T01:53:00Z

Aloha from Sunny Honolulu!

Call me weird, but I really enjoy watching television commercials.

In fact, I am more interested in the commercials during the Super Bowlthan I am in the football game so I'm sure you can imagine howdelighted I was when I was selected to review this vacation rental commercial by the folks at Vacation Rental.org.

Not exactly up to Super Bowl quality, but for a travel blogger like me I can say that the “Unitard” literally me laugh out loud. I think it's very funny and it really does get the point across about staying in a vacation rental rather than a hotel when traveling.

What do you think?

How Long Does it Take to Fly to Hawaii?

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2009-12-31T18:43:00Z

Wondering how long it takes to fly to Honolulu?

Your mileage may vary, but here are some approximate flight times from various cities n the mainland US:

Los Angeles -- Honolulu (5.75 hrs)
San Francisco -- Honolulu (5.5 hrs)
Seattle -- Honolulu (5.75 hrs)
Las Vegas -- Honolulu (7 hrs)
Phoenix -- Honolulu (8.25 hrs)
Salt Lake City -- Honolulu ( 8 hrs)
Chicago -- Honolulu (9 hrs)
New York -- Honolulu (12.5 hrs)

All of these flight times are approximate because certain carriers may take longer due to flight paths and routing.

Waikiki and Ala Moana Beaches on Oahu

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2009-12-19T23:21:00Z

When people think of Hawaii vacations, they usually come up with images of Waikiki and Ala Moana Beaches.

Waikiki Beach is basically a two mile stretch of pacific coastline that is fronted by pristine hotels and tourist related facilities. It's without a doubt the most famous beach in the world and it was ranked the best beach in America for 2009! It's also the home of our very beautiful Kapiolani Park.

Ala Moana Beach is another very popular beach in Honolulu. Located right across the street from our Ala Moana Shopping Center, this beach is a terrific location for tourists and islanders to swim and sunbathe. It's also where local people like to go for a jog after work. Facilities at Ala Moana Beach include tennis court, softball fields, and lifeguard towers.

If you're planning a trip to Honolulu in the near future, you really should check out Conway Confidential's Secret Spots & Hidden Gems website. The site has lots of insider tidbits about our island restaurants and tourist attractions. They also have a nice selection of travel games and videos.

Hawaii Airfare Secrets

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2009-12-07T02:16:00Z

Hawaii Airfare Secrets

After working for 16 years in the airline industry, Tony Morrison was unexpectedly fired and left hunting for a job. Pondering on his predicament, he decided that his "insider" experience could be super valuable to the traveling public. With revenge on his mind, he penned a book called My Airfare Secrets: Fired Travel Agent Reveals How To Get Dirt Cheap Airline Tickets! Catchy title for sure, and this has to be the best research on finding cheap airfare that I have ever seen.

The ebook is full of valuable tips, tricks, and secrets divided into four sections starting with "Basic Tricks" and ending with "Top Secret Tricks." This is first rate information that most people are unaware of. Some of the tips given in the first part of the book are better known, but the stuff in the last three sections is solid gold - stuff I did not know and the airline tickets savings can be a VERY pleasant surprise.

Here's a quick overview of some of the things you will learn. Your timing when buying airfares can make a big difference when it comes to finding discount airline tickets. There are deals to be had everyday if you know when they occur, what questions to ask, and where to find them.Finally, there are some specific legal tricks for searching deals and saving money.

Since traveling by air is so expensive, I thought I'd share my find on the blog so that others might benefit. You can find and purchase the ebook directly from the author on the Tony Morrison website. Even if you only fly once a year, you will save more then enough money to cover your investment in Tony's ebook if you follow his advice.

Aloha ~

Ali

Tips On How To Make Money With Your Blog

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2009-12-07T02:12:00Z

This is a sponsored guest post written by Justin Germino on behalf of Dragon Blogger Technology. Post powered by Sponzai.

I wrote a fully detailed article listing over 20 websites that pay you to blog online and which ones worked best for my and my own blogs. This article is to help bloggers who are trying to monetize their blogs and be able to make some extra money while doing what they already love to do.

Some of the sites that work best for me include SocialSpark, PayPerPost Version 4, BlogsVertise but I have recently been making almost $50 per month from my twitter account with SponsoredTweets and Ad.Ly both of which pay you to advertise with your twitter profile but you have full control over what you want to promote (no auto DM's and no spamming).

Google AdSense works best over the Chitika, Kontera and other context links and ad programs on my own blogs.

I can tell you that I have never had any success with Smorty, Blogger Wave, LoudLaunch or LinkFromBlog.

This is a snippet and sample of my full detailed article on the top companies to earn money blogging, if you enjoyed the article come over and read the full article and share any services you may have used that I don't have listed in my article.

-Dragon Blogger

What Time is it in Hawaii??

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2009-11-18T20:50:00Z

What time is it in Hawaii??

All of the Hawaiian Islands are on Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time.

The states of Arizona (with the exception of the Navajo Nation) and Hawaii, along with the territories of Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa are the only places in the U.S. that do not observe DST but instead stay on "standard time" all year long.

The time is...

Aloha ~

Ali

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Stand and be counted

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2009-11-18T20:37:00Z

This is a sponsored guest post written by Cody Sortore on behalf of Petitions For Change. Post powered by Sponzai.

We are living in a time of change, will your voice be heard? We've just come out of a recession with some of the lowest employment ratings since the early 80's company's are restructuring, banks are rethinking their strategies, and governments are pushing for change in every direction. Will you have a say in the change that is to come? Stand up and let the world hear what you have to say with a free online petition. Gather support for your cause and create the change that so desperately needs to be seen in this world.

People are starting to realize that the system that we devised won't last forever, and they are starting to plan for the future. Let the world know that you won't have your life planned for this time without a voice. Whether you are looking to stand up against Religious Oppression, or if you think the Government has become too powerful it is your right as a human being to take a stand against any and all oppression.

With PetitionsForChange.com you can create a petition and collect signatures that will allow you to know exact who is for, and who is against your cause. Unlike some other petition websites Petitions For Change allows people to sign a petition in opposition. You can also link back to a page about your cause to help inform those who may be on the fence about the issue in greater detail.

First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States states:
"Congress shall make no law...abridging...the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

It is because of this Amendment to the Constitution that all Americans have the right to petition against injustice, it is because of PetitionsForChange.com that all around the world you may share in this freedom! Take a stand today on whatever you are passionate about, and be heard with a free online petition. It's very easy to get the word out about your cause, just visit PetitionsForChange.com and take a stand against any and all afflictions of this world. Stand up and be counted today before tomorrow passes you by.

Diamond Head Volcanic Crater on Oahu

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2009-11-18T20:34:00Z

Diamond Head Volcanic Crater on Oahu

Overlooking the Pacific Ocean on the Southeast Coast of Oahu, Diamond Head is arguably the most famous volcanic crater in the world. The crater was originally named Laeahi by the ancient Hawaiians, which means "brow of the tuna". The current name of Diamond Head came from British sailors in the 1800's who mistook the calcite crystals in the lava rock for diamonds.

As far as vocanic activity, Diamond Head has been extinct for 150,000 years.

Aloha ~

Ali

Recommended Reading
Dragon Blogger Technology

hotelicopter.com makes hotel content portable

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2009-11-18T20:30:00Z

This is a sponsored guest post written by Carl Schwartz on behalf of hotelicopter. Post powered by Sponzai.

Site publishers and bloggers now have a new content tool at their disposal. If you have travel content on your site, you now can embed detailed hotel information by location or specific hotel. This makes it much more contextual for your readers.

hotelicopter.com launched its latest innovation this week. Going beyond what is currently available, hotelicopter now gives any web site owner the ability to publish detailed, interactive hotel content on their site for free.

hotelicopter, recently named the emerging hotel meta-search site by Piper Jaffray & Co., helps travelers find amazing hotel deals worldwide, including for Las Vegas hotels, Orlando hotels, Chicago hotels, Los Angeles hotels, and New York hotels.

In three easy steps, site publishers can quickly enhance any travel- or event-related content they offer by adding hotel photos, star and user ratings, addresses, and average rates per night.

Here is an example of a specific hotel:

Create a hotel list of your own!

In a recent report, Phocuswright discovered that simple booking engine widgets do not add much value on content sites such as destination marketing organizations (DMOs). The report goes on to state that booking engine widgets are not used very much on DMO sites (Phocuswright Destination Marketing: Understanding the Role and Impact of Destination Marketers; June 2009).

This hotel content is perfect for:

- Web sites that publish articles about specific destinations

- Bloggers focused on specific cities and travel topics

- Event organizers who want to offer local hotel choices to attendees

- Sports organizations

- Family sites (weddings, reunions, parties, funerals, etc)

- School web sites

Pretty cool content to offer your readers. To start building your own hotel card widget, visit h2go.hotelicopter.com and follow the very simple instructions.

Honolulu's Pipeline Cafe - 18 and Over Dance Club

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2009-11-14T19:37:00Z

With the tourist season heating back up, I thought I'd blog about my favorite dance club on Oahu, the Pipeline Cafe.

Pipeline Cafe is a super popular 18 and over dance club in downtown Honolulu that also hosts several concerts each month. If you are looking for a large, attractive, younger type crowd (a crowd that includes ME), then Pipeline is definitely the right dance club for you. Pipeline Cafe is open Monday through Saturday but it is closed on Sundays for private parties only.

BTW, Pipeline Cafe is also the largest 18 and older night club on Oahu. Friday nights are my favorites (Foreplay Fridaze) and are hosted by 102.7.

Aloha ~

Ali

AZ Music Connect: Classifieds for Arizona Music Community

aloha@going2oahu.com (Going2Oahu Admin) — 2009-11-14T19:35:00Z

This is a sponsored guest post written by Justin Germino on behalf of Rock Along Productions. Post powered by Sponzai.

AZ Music Connect was created to bring the local music together to provide a central one stop shopping location to find everything music related, without the hassle of other classified ad sites that have unrelated and untrustworthy ads. If you are a band you can find Venues, Gigs, Sell/buy/trade gear, Post events, Sell Tickets, Sell band merchandise, find sound engineers/crew, Find photographers and so much more!

If you are a venue you can find bands, post events, sell tickets, find employees and more!

This is a site where bands, venues and anyone in the local music scene can come together to find specialized info on happenings around the valley of the sun. They offer low costs to post and advertise! Must see site with so many uses. This site fills a need in Arizona music.