Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Aloha, and welcome back to my blog! I hope that you all had a great MLK Day and week. Today, we’re back on O’ahu, and I’ll be telling you about other activities and some foods you have to try. Whenever I’m in Hawai’i, I always go shopping with my cousins. I know this might sound kind of silly, since we could go to the beach or hike or something else, but there’s a legitimate reason - the tax rate in Honolulu is only about 5%, while the tax rate here in California is 9%. Plus, I find it more fun to shop on vacation with my cousins. We always head to Ala Moana Center, which has been remodeled recently and is a really fun place to shop. It’s partially outdoor, which is actually pretty cool (considering you are in Hawai’i). Ala Moana Beach Park is nearby - I talked about that beach in one of my previous posts. Additionally, we like to go to Kahala Mall. Some of my favorite beach-themed/”Made in Hawai’i” shops are here. Waikiki is also one of the most popular shopping destinat...

Hi again, welcome! We’re still on the amazing island of O’ahu this week, but I’ll be talking about a few other outdoor activities you should try and some great landmarks you should visit. Hawai’i may be known for its beaches, but there are also tons of other outdoor experiences that might be up your alley. For hikers, Diamond Head State Monument is a short, easy hike with a million-dollar view! My family has made it a tradition to walk up Diamond Head (also known as Le’ahi Crater) every Christmas. As I said before, the views are absolutely gorgeous. For such a short hike - it can take half an hour, if there aren’t too many people - I would say that the view is honestly spectacular. The only downside of this hike is that it can be very crowded - because of its proximity to Waikiki, there are tons of tourists who climb Diamond Head every day. (Also, did you know that Diamond Head got its name because English sailors thought that there were diamonds on top of it?) (View of...

Hey, welcome back! I hope that you had an amazing Christmas and New Years. This week (and for the next several weeks), I have decided to share some tips/information about my all-time favorite place on earth: Hawai’i. I first traveled there when I was about nine months old, and have been back every single year since. I’m not kidding when I say it’s my favorite place on earth! (Plumeria flowers in my grandparents' backyard) This week specifically, we’ll be taking a trip to the island of O’ahu. I’m starting with O’ahu because I know this island best - it’s where my grandparents live and I go every time we visit. There’s honestly so much to talk about though, so I’ll be breaking this section up into multiple parts. Today I’ll be focusing solely on beaches :) Obviously, Hawai’i has some of the best beaches in the world. I love going to Waikiki Beach, which is located in Honolulu (the state’s capitol). Waikiki is a very busy/touristy place, bustling with crowds headed to ...