Here's a good review for the Blue Hawaiian Helicopters’ Kauai Eco Tour (posted by Cruising Goddess):

Cruising Goddess

It is worth reading if you are considering this tour.   She gives pros and cons about the seating arrangement on the helicopter as well as what was actually seen on the tour.  Overall I think a positive review.

Blue Hawaiian Helicopter's Kauai Eco Tour

The have tours on all of the islands:

Big Island of Hawaii

Maui

Kauai

Oahu

Looks like many choices  ....   Also they have a virtual tour of the outside and inside of the helicopters they use.  Was very interesting.   Click on the link then look at the left side of the page for the virtual tours.

Important note on their website:   No scuba diving within 24 hrs. of departure  

Thank you for stopping by my blog today. This is a personal blog about information cruising to Hawaii. All opinions posted by me are my personal opinion. This blog is not sponsored or endorsed by any company or individual.

Dole Plantation Tours on Oahu

When I think of Hawaii, I always think of "pineapple" and also the gorgeous flowers that Hawaii is known for.   The Dole Plantation is on Oahu.

From their website:
"Originally operated as a fruit stand beginning in 1950, Dole Plantation opened to the public as Hawaii’s "Pineapple Experience" in 1989. Today, Dole Plantation is one of Oahu’s most popular visitor attractions and welcomes more than one million visitors a year.  

Dole Plantation provides enjoyable activities for the entire family, including the Pineapple Express, the Plantation Garden Tour, and the Pineapple Garden Maze. "

Dole Plantation Website

Dole Plantation Grill  (scroll down on the right of their site and you will see a pdf file with the menu)

Here's some information about the Pineapple Garden Maze on their website:

In 2008, Dole Plantation’s giant Pineapple Garden Maze was declared the world’s largest maze. The maze stretches over three acres and includes nearly two and one-half miles of paths crafted from 14,000 colorful Hawaiian plants
 
Highly recommend going to their website to read more about the Dole Plantation and all it has to offer.  Looks like it would appeal to all ages especially with the Pineapple Express train ride.

Thank you for stopping by my blog today. This is a personal blog about information cruising to Hawaii. All opinions posted by me are my personal opinion. This blog is not sponsored or endorsed by any company or individual.

Aloha Bus - Gray Line Tours - Oahu

When my brother went to New York a few years ago, he raved about the Gray Line Bus Tours.  He really liked that he could get on and off at the locations of his choosing on the tour plus allowed him to see the whole area at a reasonable price.   I was excited to see that Oahu has Gray Line Tours also called the Aloha Bus.

Aloha Bus on Oahu

From their website:

"The Double Decker Bus
First introduced in the 1950s, double decker buses have long been a symbol of England.  They have grown in popularity since then and are in widespread use around the world. They provide a convenient, fast and economical way to view the city's most important sites. The 2 floor bus with the open top provides easy viewing and picture taking. Tour guides provide the narration, full of information and personal experiences.

What else makes these tours unique you ask? They allow you to "hop off" at any of the bus stops and venture out on your own. You can explore the city or do some shopping, then you can "hop on" the next bus at any of the stops and continue the tour. Hence the term "Hop on, Hop off".

There are many tours and tour combos coupled with attractions like Shopping, Dining and Photo destinations.

So please take a look at our tours and attractions pages. We hope you will enjoy your stay in Hawaii and we welcome you to experience Aloha Bus tours.

Our Aloha Ambassadors are standing by from 9am-5pm to help you with your tour arrangements. "

They use double decker buses for the tour and offer you one, two, or three day passes (24, 48, & 72 hours respectively).

Aloha Bus Tours Offered (start at $29 Adult for 24 hour historic loop pass).  There are many tours offered including the Arizona, Punch Bowl, to name just a few.

Buses operate from 8 am to 8 pm daily.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)



Thank you for stopping by my blog today. This is a personal blog about information cruising to Hawaii. All opinions posted by me are my personal opinion. This blog is not sponsored or endorsed by any company or individual.

Segway of Hawaii - Oahu

Want to do something completely different on your stop in Oahu ... how about taking a segway tour.

Segway of Hawaii

They have 6 different tours to choose from including a private tour you can work with them to create.

Segway of Hawaii Tours

From their website:

Segway of Hawaii Recommendations:

• It is a good idea to put plenty of sunscreen on prior to your tour, as you are out in the beautiful Hawaiian sun throughout your tour.
• We also recommend wearing lightweight clothes, any kind of comfortable shoes (sneakers/flip flops - but, no heels for the ladies), sunglasses are a good idea, as well as a bottle of water.....and, don't forget your camera!
• There is a small bag on the front of all Segway Personal Transporters that can accommodate a small bag or backback.

Their website has videos and lots of photos.  It was fun to go thru.   

Thank you for stopping by my blog today. This is a personal blog about information cruising to Hawaii. All opinions posted by me are my personal opinion. This blog is not sponsored or endorsed by any company or individual.

411 Wrist Labels for Traveling With Children Created by Mabel's Labels

Was watching The View today and they had a segment on summer essentials.  These labels were shown and highly recommended for anyone traveling with small children.   It's an extra precaution in case you get separated.  The label attaches to the child's wrist and can include your cell phone number or other emergency contact information.   There are photos and more information on Mabel's Labels Website (link below)

The 411 Wrist Band is water, chlorine, sunscreen and perspiration resistant.   30 to package for $21.
 Mabel's Labels will donate 10 percent of all sales of this product to Autism Speaks, an organization that promotes research and awareness about autism. 

Mabel's Labels Website

Thank you for stopping by my blog today. This is a personal blog about information cruising to Hawaii. All opinions posted by me are my personal opinion. This blog is not sponsored or endorsed by any company or individual.

Port: Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii

I am always curious about what is by the dock, what is within walking distance.   My next few posts will pertain to the port and what to expect:

Hilo will be our first port.   It will be so exciting to know that we are finally in Hawaii.   Hal and I have never been to Hawaii before.    I love sea days and we will have 5 of them prior to arriving in Hilo.    Hilo is the port that is used for shipping of all the agricultural products on the island.  The Hawaii Volcano National Park is a 45 minute drive from the port.   Did you know that the park has 150 miles of trails?

The following information is taken from Hawaii By Cruise Ship, Second Edition (Jan 2011) written by Anne Vipond.   I highly recommend this book.   ISBN is:  978-0-9809573-5-8

"The ships dock at a large cargo and container facility located two miles (3 km) from Hilo's historic downtown core and three miles (5 km) from the Hilo Airport terminal.  Pay phones are available outside the cruise ship terminal.  A volunteer greeting program called Destination Hilo offers assistance to cruise passengers coming ashore, and provides a $1 (each way) shuttle between the cruise terminal and downtown Hilo. "   Pg 266 of the book

"Local crafts and flower arrangements are sold inside the cruise terminal.  In downtown Hilo, the shops are concentrated along Kamehameha Avenue, where refurbished historic buildings house shops and restaurants."  Pg 268 of the book

"A free shopping shuttle is provided to Hilo Hattie and Prince Kuhio Plaza.  An open-air farmers market is held on Wednesday and Saturday mornings at the corner of Kamehameha Avenue and Mamo Street.   Some stores are closed on Sunday."   Pg 268 of the book.


Car Rental:  You will find all major car rental places at the Hilo Airport.   The car rental places do have shuttles that run to the cruise terminal and back to the airport.



Thank you for stopping by my blog today. This is a personal blog about information cruising to Hawaii. All opinions posted by me are my personal opinion. This blog is not sponsored or endorsed by any company or individual.

Convertible Hat Perfect for Traveling

I purchased this hat this last weekend from Stefan Mann in Scottsdale.   They are a GREAT store to work with, and I would highly recommend them.   They carry a great line of travel purses, messenger bags, iPad bags, hats and more.   We found a very nice messenger bag for Hal for traveling.

The hat is made by San Diego Hat Company.  It is a convertible hat that you can wear either as a full hat or as a visor just by unzipping the top.   Isn't it perfect!!  It will be easy to pack, it is adjustable, and the brim is large so will keep out the glare of the sun.

Thank you for stopping by my blog today. This is a personal blog about information cruising to Hawaii. All opinions posted by me are my personal opinion. This blog is not sponsored or endorsed by any company or individual.

Stampin' Up! Stamps Perfect for Summer Fun and Hawaii Scrapbooking and Card Making

This is one of the cards I made using this stamp set with more photos HERE.

Summer Splash, item #123035 - Wood OR item #123037 - Clear Mount

 This is the card I made using this stamp set with more photos HERE.

Sunny Fun, item #123040 - Wood OR item #123042 - Clear Mount

Don't both of these stamps sets make you think of Hawaii!!!   I think they are just perfect for any scrapbook page or card that you might want to create giving the tropical feel or the idea of Summer Fun.

I am a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.  If you live in the US and would like to purchase either of these stamp sets, you may order them on-line thru my official Stampin' Up! website by CLICKING HERE then clicking on order now.

I also have a blog called KreatesKards that is loaded with tutorials, photos, and ideas that you may want to visit.   To view my KreatesKards blog, CLICK HERE.  Hope you will stop by there also.

Thank you for stopping by my blog today. This is a personal blog about information cruising to Hawaii. All opinions posted by me are my personal opinion. This blog is not sponsored or endorsed by any company or individual.

Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives in Hawaii (Guy Fieri Recommendations)

 Here are two places to consider eating while in Hawaii:

Niko's Pier 38 in Honolulu
• Monday - Friday •
6:30am - 5:00pm
• Saturday •
6:30am - 2:30pm
1133 N. Nimitz HWY
Honolulu, HI 96817
(Across the Nimitz Business Center, 1st floor of POP Fishing & Marine)
--
Tel: 540-1377
Fax: 540-1376

Here's the link to Guy's episode on Niko's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71zcG1xQK9Q


Another place recommended by Guy Fieri is Germaine's Luau which is 27 miles from Waikiki.
Luau Address: 91-119 Olai Street Kapolei, HI 96707
Frequently Asked Questions can be found by CLICKING HERE

Here's the video of Guy's episode on Germaine's:
http://youtu.be/nJMK90UZvOY


Thank you for stopping by my blog today. This is a personal blog about information cruising to Hawaii. All opinions posted by me are my personal opinion. This blog is not sponsored or endorsed by any company or individual.

Miche Bags and Onesole Shoes --- Perfect for the Traveler

Did anyone watch Shark Tank tonight on TV? They showed these shoes and I think they would be amazing for travel:

ONESOLE SHOES

You pick the sole you want (different heights, different styles) then you buy the shoe top(s) you want. The top snaps on and off to easily switch out. This way you could pack a dozen different shoe tops in less space than a pair of shoes would take and wear one pair so you had the sole on, not in the bag.

Have any of you tried the Onesole shoes?

Reminds me of the Miche Purses (I love mine) where you buy the base bag and then purchase shells to go over the base. Quick and easy to switch out.

MICHE BAGS

I can highly recommend the Miche Bags. I've had mine since Christmas. 1 base and 6 shells. Switch them out often.   Patty Bennett is a GREAT Miche representative.  I have made all my purse purchases thru her and the link above is to her official Miche site.

I was looking for reviews on the Onesole shoes thru google and came across a thread on cruise critic pertaining to the shoes!!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=777201

Looks like they are big hit with everyone that purchases them.

Thank you for stopping by my blog today. This is a personal blog about information cruising to Hawaii. All opinions posted by me are my personal opinion. This blog is not sponsored or endorsed by any company or individual.

Tubing the Ditch in Kauai

Oh my gosh, Tubing the Ditch looks like so much fun.   But with neck issues, won't be something I will be able to do.  I hope some of you will take this excursion ...

Kauai Backcountry Adventures

Here's what they have written about this tour (much more on the link above):

"Kauai Backcountry Adventures has exclusive access to the historic irrigation system of the former Lihue Plantation. This ditch and tunnel system that once irrigated vast sugar crops had been unused since sugar was taken out of production in 2000. In January 2003, Kauai Backcountry opened a section for exclusive tubing tours. This water system runs through some of the most beautiful and remote land on the island. It includes spectacular views of the ocean, coastline, mountains and valleys. The waters which originate near the top of Mount Waialeale, one of the wettest spots in the world, are channeled through ditches and tunnels hand-dug by plantation workers over a century ago! 
 

The Mountain Tubing Adventure is perfect for all those age 5 and over, and in generally good physical condition. The gently flowing waters, beautiful scenery, flumes and tunnels are combined for a relaxing, fun and fascinating experience. And when we say we are unique, we mean it! This is the only tubing activity of this type on Kauai. And we are the only eco-tour company with access to these 17,000 acres of former plantation lands."

Here are some videos of the tour you might like to see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LKR_0IxyJw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q291eTxv2o&feature=channel_video_title


There are MANY videos on YouTube if you would like to see more.

Thank you for stopping by my blog today. This is a personal blog about information cruising to Hawaii. All opinions posted by me are my personal opinion. This blog is not sponsored or endorsed by any company or individual.

English & Hawaiian are the Official Languages of Hawaii

Did you realize that Hawaii has two official languages for the state?  They are English and Hawaiian.   I know there won't be a problem speaking English there, but thought some of you might think it would be fun to learn some Hawaiian.

Here's a site that will give you common phrases, how to pronounce them and much more.
Click HERE


Thank you for stopping by my blog today. This is a personal blog about information cruising to Hawaii. All opinions posted by me are my personal opinion. This blog is not sponsored or endorsed by any company or individual.

Jewelry Gifts From Hawaii 1960s - 1970s

I just had to share.  I was going thru the closet today and pulled out a jewelry box (miniature cedar chest)  I received in 1970 from Lane Furniture Company.  They gave one to each female who was a senior as a graduation present AND also I think to hint to the parents that a Lane Cedar Chest would be a perfect graduation present.  Inside was pieces of jewelry that my grandmother and my parents had brought back from Hawaii in the 60s and 70s as presents for me.   I wasn't sure that I still had them.   So when I found this treasure, I knew I had to share photos of the pieces on my Hawaii Spirit Cruise Blog.   Each piece was handmade (or so they were told) and is made of shells and seeds.  The necklace are at least 6 feet circle that you wrap over your head.   I forget what the tiki was carved from.   Amazing detail and color, and even more amazing their beautiful condition 40+ years later.   Wonder if these are still popular now????   Anyone know if you can still purchase them in Hawaii?

Thank you for stopping by my blog today. This is a personal blog about information cruising to Hawaii. All opinions posted by me are my personal opinion. This blog is not sponsored or endorsed by any company or individual.