A collection of the best Hawaii travel stories featured in The Statesider US Travel Newsletter
Also see: US Territories & Minor Outlying Islands
Hawaii Travel Stories
Waipi’o Disconnect: You can take a day trip to Waipi’o Valley on Hawai’i Island, but there’s nowhere for tourists to stay the night. No camping on the beach, no Airbnbs. You want to stay in the Valley, you need an invitation. The Statesider’s Pam Mandel got one. Read this Statesider original
Honolulu Calling: After the last year, lots of Americans are dreaming of a Hawaiian vacation. Here’s what Native Hawaiians want you to know before you go. Taylor Weik, Teen Vogue
Hawaiian Language: February is Hawaiian Language Month, part of a larger effort to encourage the speaking of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi in the islands. Meanwhile, on Niʻihau, an older form of the language carries on. Ku’uwehi Hirashi, Hawai’i Public Radio
Black Hawaii: Black history on the islands started long before Hawaii became a military outpost. Free Black men worked as sailors and made their home in this place where their color was a sign of strength. KHON2
Rooting for Hawai’i: Taro (kalo, in Hawaiian) is inseparable from Native Hawaiian history. Efforts to revive taro cultivation are about much, much more than food. Ligaya Mishan, New York Times
Only in Hawai’i: Why Hawaiians shower before bed, and other things that set Hawaiians apart. Kevin Allen & Catherine Toth Fox, Hawaii Magazine
Beyond Vacationland: A new guidebook encourage visitors to rethink Hawaiian travel and their role in it. Crystal Paul, Seattle Times
Kauai: Record breaking rains washed out the roads and made Kauai’s north-shore near inaccessible for almost a year. With Kūhiō Highway open again, the state is considering limits on tourism and threading the needle between what’s good for business and what’s good for nature. Brittany Lyte, Civil Beat
Hawai’i: Mochi is available year-round in the Hawaiian islands, but for many Island families, one particular mochi tradition signifies the start of a new year. Catherine Toth Fox, Hawai’i Magazine
Hawaiian Music: You know the sound, especially if you know roots country music. You might not know that particular syrupy sweet sound, those swoopy lazy long tones are Hawaiian. That’s the steel guitar—some folks call it lap steel—and it became an essential element in American music. Read the story, sure, but for the full experience, listen to the podcast linked in the article, too. Haleemah Shah, Smithsonian
Spam mapS: All you need to know is that this article on SPAM’s influence on Hawaii starts with a sculpted relief map of the Hawaiian Islands. Guess what it’s made of. April Fulton, National Geographic
Honolulu: Want the original McDonald’s fried apple pie? You have to go to Hawaii. Oh well. Martha Cheng, Honolulu Magazine