*This is a copy of the Waikīkī Beach Stays monthly mailer (sent out 25 Aug 2022). Click here to subscribe for future editions.

Welcome to Waikīkī Beach Stays monthly mailer, the best place to keep up to date with everything happening on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi.

Aloha everyone!

We’re pleased to announce, that after lots of hard work and preparation, we’ve got another  Apartment in Waikīkī to add to our vacation rental portfolio. Introducing “Take-It-Easy Waikīkī Beach Condo” featuring 2-Bedrooms 2-Bathrooms 1-Parking and sleeps up to 6 people.

We invite you to take a video tour of the property, and book anytime on Airbnb and VRBO. If you’d like to save $ on fees, you can also email [email protected] to book direct.

On a different note, we want to remind visitors to respect Hawaiʻi’s marine life – do not approach, touch or feed them and keep a safe distance. As a general rule, remain at least 300ft (90m) away from whales, 150ft (45m) away from other marine life (like dolphins and monk seals) and when meeting a sea turtle on land or in the water, stay at least 6-10ft (2-3m) away.

And before we sign off, we wanted to congratulate our dear friend Kainoa Daines on his new book with Annie Daly “Island Wisdom: Hawaiian Traditions and Practices for a Meaningful Life” due for release 25 Oct 2022.

It’s a celebration of Hawaiian culture, language, and values that will give you a deeper understanding, appreciation, and respect for Hawaiʻi and the Hawaiian way of life. It features interviews with many Hawaiians – including our very own Keliʻi Wilson. Christmas gifts sorted much!? Click here, to pre-order your copies online.

We hope you find the updates below useful, and please let us know if we can be of assistance. And don’t forget to scroll to the bottom for a roundup of “Special Offers” on tours and activities.

Happy vacation planning!

Warmest Aloha,
Ash & Keliʻi
[email protected]

Travel Updates

  • As of 17 Aug 2022: There have been 335,518 cases of COVID-19 in Hawaiʻi to date, resulting in 1,619 deaths. Average daily new cases 452 island-wide (295 Oʻahu, 42 Maui County, 17 Kauaʻi and 51 Hawaiʻi Island).
  • For Australian travelers wanting to learn more about how COVID-19 could affect their travel plans, CoverMore Travel Insurance has a free COVID-19 Travel Guide.

Destination

  • Expect to see more outdoor dining options pop up on Oʻahu after a pilot program to allow dining on Oʻahu’s sidewalks and other public spaces has been approved.
  • The city has approved a $1.3 million budget to remove the Haiku Stairs, also known as the Stairway to Heaven.
  • If you need the support of a fully-equipped business center, whether you’re a local or a visitor, Hub Coworking Hawaiʻi at the International Market Place is a top solution.

Transport

  • Travel between Japan and Hawaiʻi is resuming at a fast pace. Hawaiian Airlines, Japan Airlines, Delta Airlines, ANA and Zipair offer direct flight connection.
  • Hawaiian Airlines will cease flying between Honolulu (Hawaiʻi) and Orlando (Florida) on 4 Sep 2022. This route was one of the longest domestic flights in the US.
  • Southwest Airlines has revised its scheduled cancelling direct routes from Phoenix, San Diego Sacramento to Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi Island and Long Beach to Maui. At the same time, they have increased flight service on many Hawaiʻi inter-island routes.
  • Arcimoto Hawaiʻi has launched 3-wheeled electric Fun Utility Vehicles (FUVs) on Oʻahu. Rent an FUV for 4, 8 or 24 hours. With a top speed of 75mph (120kmh) and a range of 102mi (164km) per charge, these vehicles are great for island joyrides.
  • Please avoid the areas of Kailua Beach Park and Lanikai on Oʻahu’s East Coast during scheduled construction from 8:30am-3:30pm, Mon-Fri, through 2 Sep 2022.

Accommodation

  • Turtle Bay Resort on Oʻahu’s North Shore has had a $250 million facelift. We were able to experience the new-look property first-hand in Jul 2022. While the experience definitely wasn’t cheap, every aspect of the property has been elevated to luxury status – and it proved to be an unforgettable few days! We’d recommend a stay here for a special occasion or milestone event.

Cruises

Restaurants & Bars

  • Portuguese-style donuts are now available at Penny’s Waikiki Malasadas in the Pāʻina Lanai food court at Royal Hawaiian Center. Choose from Traditional Malasadas dusted in Hawaiian White Cane Sugar or Cinnamon Sugar and Filled Malasadas including Coconut Creme, Azuki Bean, Nutella Creme or Original Custard. You can even make a Malasada Ice Cream Sandwich!
  • Halekulani’s House Without A Key has reopened for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Enjoy views of Waikīkī, new lounge seating and nightly music/hula from 5:30pm. 
  • Aloha Plate Food Truck Hawaiʻi, champions of “The Great Food Truck Race” Season 4, have opened a permanent location on Seaside Ave in Waikīkī (next to Ross).
  • Tokiwa, a secret sushi counter inside Restaurant Suntory at the Royal Hawaiian Center, is now open every day of the week. Lunch courses start at $100 and dinner ranges from $250. Book online through RESY or call (808) 922-5511.
  • A New York-style pizzeria, Pizza Dadi, has opened at Ward Village (Kakaʻako). They serve hand-tossed pizza, salads, buffalo wings, eggplant parmesan sticks and more.
  • Rock Island Café has just celebrated their 22nd anniversary! Stop by this Waikīkī cafe for an American-style diner experience and shop retro collectibles and memorabilia.
  • Sunrise Shack, a coffee shop that first opened on Oʻahu’s North Shore, has opened an outlet at Ala Moana Center. Stop by for bullet coffee, smoothie bowls and merch.
  • Hawaiʻi’s first Wahlburgers restaurant has opened at Ala Moana Center. Created by Paul Wahlburg, brother of Donnie and Mark. Try Paul’s Choice, ‘The Our Burger’!
  • Honolulu Bistro, home to the famous “Da Aloha” rainbow-colored grilled cheese sandwich, has a new shop at Ala Moana Center (near Makai Food Court entrance).
  • Sugarlina Bakeshop has opened at Ward Village (Kakaʻako). They specialize in custom cakes, cupcakes, French macarons, banana pudding and other desserts. They also carry gift items including stationery, stickers, bags and accessories.
  • Liliha Bakery, a local coffee shop/restaurant/bakery, will open its fifth Oʻahu location at Pearl City on 31 Aug. Other locations include Kuakini, Nimitz, Ala Moana and Waikīkī. We highly recommend their hotcakes for breakfast!
  • Paia Fish Market has opened a second Oʻahu location in Kailua, in the space that formerly housed Boots & Kimo’s (which has moved to Enchanted Lake Shopping Center). Paia Fish Market’s first location is on Kūhiō Ave in Waikīkī.
  • Due to their supplier going into retirement, McDonald’s in Hawaiʻi will no longer serve saimin on their menu (a heart-warming noodle soup that’s popular in the islands). If you’d still like to try this local dish, we recommend Zippy’s or Sekiya’s.
  • The following two restaurants are closing for good, Square Barrels in Downtown Honolulu on 26 Aug and HeiHo House in Kaimukī on 28 Aug.

Activities

  • There’s a new eco-friendly lūʻau on the island – Mele Luau at Coral Crater Adventure Park in Kapolei on Oahu’s West Side. The luau pays tribute to the culture of Hawaiʻi with authentic food, dances and songs. It’s three hours long and transport is available from Waikīkī and Ko Olina.
  • The Search for Snoopy A Peanuts Adventure is a live interactive experience now available at Ala Moana Center. The adventure takes place across eight different zones representing iconic Peanut locations and features hands-on activities.
  • Resort Pass enables you to book a day pool passes, spa experiences and/or hire cabanas at Waikīkī’s most luxe resorts (no need to pay the big bucks to stay there!). Holiday Inn Express Waikiki is new to the site and offers hotel room day passes, too.

Shopping

  • Noho Home, founded by a Native Hawaiian designer, is now available in Bloomingdale’s at Ala Moana Center. They sell island-inspired home décor including luxury comforters, sheet sets, pillows, kitchen textiles, shower curtains and more.
  • Jana Lam has relocated to South Shore Market at Ward Village. The shop offers hand-printed and sewn products from one-of-a-kind pillows to bags and accessories.
  • Find Hawaiʻi’s first Nectar Bath Treats shop inside Sheraton Waikiki. Founded in Las Vegas, Nectar creates plant-based soaps and bath bombs that look like desserts.
  • Football Fanatics by Island Sportswear opened a new store in Kapolei’s Ka Makana Aliʻi. It carries NFL and University of Hawaiʻi gear and features an entertainment area.
  • K-Pop Friends Hawaiʻi sells K-pop and K-Drama inspired gifts, merchandise, and memorabilia at two stores in Royal Hawaiian Center and Ala Moana Center.

Upcoming Events

  • The free Waikīkī Hula Show at the Kuhio Beach Hula Mound is on Wednesdays and Saturdays 6:30-7:30pm (weather permitting). Find it ocean side of Kalākaua Ave near the Duke statue, opposite of Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort.
  • Ala Moana Night Market runs twice a month, on the second and last Friday, at Ala Moana Center (corner of Ala Moana Blvd & Atkinson Dr). Enjoy food, drinks and desserts, retailers, crafts, DJ/sounds, oversized yard games and more!
  • Malama Hawaiʻi Makers Market has launched a new monthly event at Waikīkī Elementary School. Shop and support 45+ local artists, makers, and designer craftspeople from 10am-3pm on 10 Sep, 8 Oct, 12 Nov and 10 Dec 2022.
  • Broadway in Hawaiʻi presents Jersey Boys (13-25 Sep 2022), Hamilton (7 Dec-29 Jan 2023) and CATS Let The Memory Live Again (13-18 Jun 2023).
  • Don’t miss Waikīkī Block Festivals, fun events held on Kakālaua Ave: Aloha Festival (10 Sep), Waikīkī Fall Festival (8 Oct) and Kalākaua Festival (12 Nov).
  • The Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival runs 20 Oct through 6 Nov 2022, with events taking place on Maui, Hawaiʻi Island and Oʻahu over three weekends.
  • The Healer Stones of Kapaemahu exhibition at Bishop Museum until 15 Oct, explores the history and meanings of four large pohaku (stones) on Waikīkī Beach.
  • Box jellyfish (stinging invertebrates) tend to appear in Oʻahu’s ocean 8-10 days after the full moon. According to the Waikīkī Aquarium Box Jellyfish Calendar 18-20 Sep, 17-19 Oct and 16-18 Nov 2022 have a high probability of a box jellyfish arrival event.
  • For a comprehensive list of Oʻahu Events by Month, click here.

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