Best Beach Gear for a Tropical Vacation

Best Beach Gear for a Tropical Vacation

  • July 19, 2022
  • by Inga

Beach holidays have been a source of deep relaxation for me since I was a child and I love a tropical beach best of all—warm water, surf, sun and sand—what could be better? Shade, that’s what. I’ve found that shade is critical to my enjoyment of the beach. I finally feel like I have the …

Special Occasion Dining in Oahu, Hawaii

  • January 20, 2020
  • by Inga

One of the reasons I prefer O’ahu over other Hawaiian Islands, all of which have their charms, is the high quality and variety of fine dining options. Many of the best restaurants and innovative chefs are located in Waikiki, which means a quick walk if you’re staying there. In a previous article, “Eating and sleeping …

Inga’s Picks for Lodging in Waikiki, Hawaii

  • January 09, 2020
  • by Inga

Why do I like Waikiki so much? It’s personal. I’ve been coming to Waikiki since I was four years old and it has always represented a place of peace for me despite the high rises, din of traffic and jam-packed sidewalks. Growing up, my expat family traipsed back and forth across the Pacific as my …

Packing Light for a Tropical Holiday

  • December 16, 2019
  • by Inga

One 23-inch carryon spinner suitcase and one backpack are all I need for a trip to the tropics, whether it’s for a week or a month. I can include a dressy outfit or two, several sundresses, beach wear and athletic gear for hiking or the gym. For this particular trip, I was headed to Waikiki …

Judd Trail to Manoa: Hiking in Honolulu

  • December 06, 2013
  • by Inga

The Judd Trail to Manoa or Tantalus via the Nu’uanu Trail is an energetic 5-10  mile hike (depending on which trail you take on the second half) in Honolulu, Hawaii that starts in Nu’uanu near on the Old Pali Highway and ascends up a high ridge to Tantalus and down to Manoa Falls. The trails …

Manoa Falls: Hiking in Honolulu, Hawaii

  • December 03, 2013
  • by Inga

Even adventurers sometimes need a relaxing vacation and for my husband and me there’s nothing more rejuvenating than a Hawaii beach vacation with a couple of day hikes thrown in. O’ahu is our favorite island because the best beaches in the islands are here, there are lots of great restaurants in every price range, entertainment …

Unlocking the Secrets of the North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii

  • September 08, 2009
  • by Inga

No stay in O’ahu, Hawaii is complete for us without at least one day at the North Shore, and sometimes we rent a house and stay there the whole time. There are no high rise buildings and no shopping malls, just miles of gorgeous beaches, laid back people and small town charm. To get there, …

Beyond the Beaches of Waikiki, Oahu

  • September 08, 2009
  • by Inga

The myriad activities in Waikiki are obvious, from people watching to surfing on perfect waves, outrigger canoeing in the surf, catamaran rides, and world-class shopping on Kalakaua Ave.  After a couple of days unwinding on the beach you might be ready to avail yourself of the many other charms the island of O’ahu in Hawaii …

Movie Location Tour, Oahu, Hawaii

  • June 09, 2009
  • by Inga

If you’ve been engaged, mystified, puzzled, curious, stumped, or otherwise hooked on the time traveling, sometimes mystical survival tale on the television series LOST, you’ll be as fascinated as we were to go on a tour of LOST filming sites on the island of O’ahu in Hawai’i.  My husband, Steve, and I were watching an …

Eating and Sleeping in Waikiki, O’ahu, Hawai’i

  • May 25, 2009
  • by Inga

Although I seek all manner of exotic and authentic travel experiences, I must admit I have a soft spot for Waikiki, a blaze of humanity crammed onto a thin strip of sand cradling one of the best beaches in the world, dominated by the stolid mass of Diamond Head anchoring the far eastern point of …