About Susan J
Susan J., budget traveler extraordinaire, inherited her Yankee frugality from her mother and it has served her well on trips across the US and the UK. Whether scoping out the nightlife scene or searching for that perfect pair of shoes, Susan loves writing and travel. She has lived outside of Seattle, Washington, and in Boston, Massachusetts and Albuquerque, New Mexico. She recently returned from a trip to Hawaii, where she made full use of her Go Oahu Card!
Blog posts written by Susan J
May 1st, 2008 by susan j
Spam photo uploaded by
I admit it: when I heard about the , I pictured an angry mob of people complaining about the amount of junk in their email boxes. Au contraire, fellow travelers…
Spam Jam actually celebrates Hawaii’s love for that iconic canned meat product (Hawaii consumes almost seven million cans of Spam every year!). Last year’s festivities attracted over 20,000 people. This year’s event run 4 pm to 10 pm on Saturday, May 3. There’s a canned food drive, live entertainment, and a Mr./Ms. Spam Hawaii contest. Sounds like fun!
Planning a trip to
Oahu?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Oahu Card.
April 28th, 2008 by susan j
Planning a trip can be stressful. Packing your luggage, planning out your itinerary, and picking a hotel are just a few of the challenges that await you. The last thing you want to do is arrive in Oahu and realize that you have no idea where you’re going.
That’s why we’ve put together this downloadable Oahu map to help you plan your trip. It includes map dots for all of the attractions that are included with the Go Oahu Card, and it prints on two letter-sized sheets of paper (or two sides of the page if you’d like to conserve paper). Enjoy!
Planning a trip to
Oahu?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Oahu Card.
April 14th, 2008 by susan j
Japanese garden at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Oahu Photo uploaded by
Even if you’ve already been to Oahu and think you know the island inside and out, then think again. reports that changes are afoot at many of the major hotels, shopping centers, and resorts on the island. Among these changes are additions to the Ala Moana Center and Hilton Hawaiian Village (pictured above) and renovations to the Royal Hawaiian, which reopens in mid-December.
What’s your favorite spot in Oahu? Leave a comment and let us know!
Planning a trip to
Oahu?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Oahu Card.
April 7th, 2008 by susan j
Jack Johnson photo uploaded by
Since Jack Johnson and his wife Kim founded the Kokua Hawaii Foundation in 2003, the has become an annual fundraising event bringing some of the world’s top music talent to Honolulu’s Waikiki Shell. Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds, Paula Fuga, Mason Jennings, and Go Jimmy will all be performing live on April 19 and 20.
If you’re a fan of eco-tourism, then you’ll definitely want to check it out, because all aspects of the festival were planned with environmentalism in mind. Their goal is to be a zero-waste, carbon-neutral event. To this end, fans are encouraged to BYO (reusable) water bottle and refill their water bottles at one of the water stations located in Kokua Village. The village will also feature local food items and booths from environmentally friendly companies like Patagonia, Simple Shoes, and Stonyfield Farm.
Kokua Festival is also partnering with Evolution Sage to offset the carbon emissions caused by those traveling to Oahu for the show. When you purchase tickets online, you’ll have hte option to contribute an additional $2 in carbon credits to fund renewable energy programs in Hawaii.
Planning a trip to
Oahu?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Oahu Card.
April 4th, 2008 by susan j
Aloha Airlines photo uploaded by
This past Monday, Aloha Airlines touched down in Honolulu International Airport for the last time. The airline has been around since 1947 and filed for bankruptcy in mid-March. According to an article in the , roughly 100 former Aloha Airlines employees greeted Flight 251 when it arrived from Maui at 10:32 pm. Over half of the passengers on board were also employees.
Planning a trip to
Oahu?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Oahu Card.
March 28th, 2008 by susan j
Iolani Palace photo uploaded by
As an island out in the Pacific, Hawaii has a history and culture that are drastically different from the rest of the United States. Hawaii is one of only three U.S. states that were indepedent before joining (or being annexed by) the United States. It’s also the home to the only official state residence of royalty in the United States.
Here are some places on the island of Oahu where you can discover Hawaii’s rich history.
- Iolani Palace is a designated historic landmark that has been lovingly restored and maintained by the people of Hawaii. Built in 1882, it was the official residence of the last two Hawaiian monarchs, King King Kalakaua and Queen Liliuokalani. Volunteer guides take you through this grand historic building and tell stories from Hawaii’s royal past.
- Hawaii Maritime Center traces Hawaii’s seaside history from its discovery by Polynesian navigators over 1,500 years ago to its whaling history to the present day. Visitors will find exhibits on the history of surfing, canoe racing, and more. They can also step aboard The Falls of Clyde, which is one the most famous ships in Hawaii’s history.
- Queen Emma Summer Palace in lush Nuuanu Valley is the former home of Queen Emma, consort of King Kamehameha IV. It was built on the East Coast, then transported around Cape Horn by ship and assembled in Hawaii in 1848. Here you’ll see artifacts, furnishings, and personal items from the royal families of Hawaii.
What’s your favorite Oahu attraction? Leave a comment, and let us know!
Planning a trip to
Oahu?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Oahu Card.
March 21st, 2008 by susan j
Ukulele photo uploaded by
On Friday, April 4 and Saturday, April 5, the Honolulu Symphony will present a concert to celebrate the Golden Age of Hawaiian Music at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. This sounds like a great way for visitors to the islands to discover the music that made Hawaii famous during the 1930s to the 1960s. The evening’s program features the music of R. Alex Anderson and Charles E. King, Alfred Apaca, Kaiser’s Hawaiian Village, and others, and it promises a memorable evening of entertainment.
Planning a trip to
Oahu?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Oahu Card.
March 19th, 2008 by susan j
Ducks in a row Photo uploaded by
File this under creative fundraising ideas: United Cerebral Palsy of Hawaii is planning their on Saturday, March 29. Pre-race festivities start at 9 am in the McCully Shopping Center, and the race starts at 1:21 pm at Ala Wai Canal. Sounds like a great family activity!
Planning a trip to
Oahu?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Oahu Card.
March 17th, 2008 by susan j
Palm tree photo uploaded by
Hawaii is a notoriously expensive place to . All of those Mai Tais and stays at fancy resorts certainly add up, but I managed to spend 10 days in Hawaii for less than $1,500, including airfare, hotels, and food. Here’s how I did it:
- Hotel. My boyfriend and I landed a room for $90/night at the Royal Gardens Waikiki using Priceline. Don’t be afraid to low ball your bids, because we discovered that they had even cheaper (but not quite as nice) rooms available, too. We also stayed at some modest, but very hospitable bed and breakfasts on the Big Island. If you’re willing to do a little digging and stay somewhere that’s slightly off the beaten path, there are lots of deals in Hawaii.
- Food. We set a budget of $40 per day for each of us, but we didn’t use up all that money on several occasions. It helped that some of our hotels and B&Bs had breakfast included. The quality of breakfast varied, but one place had an especially impressive spread with fresh guava juice, coconut muffins, Kona coffee, and other Hawaiian specialties. On days when breakfast was not included, we had an inexpensive breakfast right in Waikiki at Seaside Bar & Grill or Eggs’n Things. Some of our activities, like the Makani Catamaran afternoon sail, also included food or drinks.
- Transportation. I had a travel voucher with Delta Airlines and they had the deal on airfare from Boston to Honolulu, so we flew Delta. We had originally planned to rent a car on Oahu, but we actually discovered that you can get around pretty well using TheBus. We took the Roberts Hawaii shuttle from the Honolulu Airport to our hotel, but our return trip was so early that we opted for a cab on the way back. The hotel concierge surprised us with a limo, which turned out to be the same price as a cab!
For more on budget travel on Oahu, see these posts:
Cheap Eats in Oahu (Local Cuisine Edition)
Cheap Eats in Oahu (International Cuisine Edition)
Planning a trip to
Oahu?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Oahu Card.
March 13th, 2008 by susan j
Suitcase photo uploaded by
Having just returned from a trip to Hawaii, I thought I’d share some of the tips I picked up on the road. Some of these are items that I actually brought and others are items that I wish I’d brought!
- Sunscreen. This sounds obvious, but if you’re as fair as I am, then you’ll definitely need it. Remember to reapply every few hours, especially if you’re going in the water.
- Camera (and extra batteries). With all the beaches, sunsets, and other gorgeous views, you’ll want to take tons of photos to remember you vacation. If you’re curious, you can .
- Extra cash. We discovered that Bank of America doesn’t have a single ATM on the island of Oahu! Fortunately, I’d brought a little extra money and was able to get cash back with my debit card at a grocery store to avoid paying a transaction fee with another bank.
- Sturdy walking shoes. Hawaii has excellent hiking, but you’ll need good quality shoes so you can get the most of out of your trip. I brought sneakers and hiking boots, but I actually saw women trying to climb up to the top of Diamond Head Crater wearing flip flops or platform sandals!
- Bathing suit. Another obvious item to bring to Hawaii, but I’d recommend bringing two so that you can alternate days. Wear bathing suit #1 snorkeling and let it dry the next day when you visit Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park.
- Extra duffel bag or backpack. A little travel trick is to pack a lightweight bag in your suitcase so that you’ll have extra luggage space for souvenirs on your return trip (or if you’re overweight). My boyfriend bought a case of chocolate-cover macadamia nuts, which he had to carry through the airport, because it didn’t fit in his suitcase!
- Surge protector. Between my laptop, camera charger, hair dryer, cell phone charger, and all my boyfriend’s electronics, we found ourselves fighting over electrical outlets, because some of the places we stayed only had one or two outlets. If you travel with lots of tech toys, this one is a good idea regardless of your destination.
Anything I’ve missed? Leave a comment and let us know!
Planning a trip to
Oahu?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Oahu Card.
