We recently visited Ireland and only had one day to explore Dublin. So we wanted to make the most of our time in the city. To make sure we saw as much as possible, we did a lot of research and planned a walking tour that everyone in our group would enjoy. This was no small challenge considering we ranged in age from 11 to 74 and also had a dog by our side! However, we managed to find the perfect balance of sights, history, green spaces, and places to stop for food and refreshments along the way. Everyone had…
Author: kissnearme
Last updated on June 12, 2026 This past Easter holiday, or ‘Semana Santa’ in Spain, we decided to stay close to home and plan a road trip from Barcelona. My mother was visiting from Boston, so we wanted to show her the beauty of the Costa Brava as well. We had heard a lot of good things about Girona, which is about 1.5 hours drive from Barcelona, so we decided to use it as a base. The great thing is that there are many beautiful places within driving distance of Girona. I would definitely recommend it as a home base…
Your guide to which city, county and state services will be available or suspended in observance of Kamehameha Day on Thursday, June 11, 2026. King Kamehameha Day is Thursday, June 11 this year. SEE ALSO: Your Guide to the Perfect Honolulu Weekend: June 11-17, 2026 SERVICES AVAILABLE There will be emergency ambulance service, fire brigade, first aid, medical examiner and police. TheBus will operate during public holidays. visit thebus.org for routes and other information. Skyline will operate during normal hours, from 4 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Visit honolulu.gov/skyline for rider information. parks, botanical gardens, municipal golf courses and the Honolulu…
Photo: Courtesy of Sea Life Park Hawai’i World Oceans Day at Sea Life Park in Hawaii Sunday, June 7, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Beach cleaning, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Park parties Celebrate World Oceans Day with a community beach cleanup at Baby Makapu’u Beach led by 808 Cleanups. Then enter the Sea Life Park for special activities including face painting, a photo booth and hula performances, in addition to the usual marine animal exhibits. Take advantage of the BOGO deal: Get a free keiki ticket (ages 4-12) for every paid adult ticket. Family-friendly, free to attend…
Photo: Courtesy of PBS Hawaii EExperience an unforgettable evening of music and aloha with a special presentation of Nā Mele from Halekulani’s House Without A Key. Located in front of a beautiful sunset in front of the sea, Henry Kapono delights the public with songs from his legendary career. Photo: Courtesy of PBS Hawaii For more than five decades, Kapono has created music that has become the soundtrack to so many lives in Hawaii and beyond. A multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner and Grammy-nominated artist, he is a pillar of contemporary Hawaiian music, known for his soulful voice, heartfelt…
Rhodes is one of those places that keeps attracting people. There’s something about the combination of medieval cobblestones, impossibly blue water, and the kind of evenings that stretch until ten that makes it really hard to choose anywhere else in Greece. But here’s what no one tells you before you book: Rhodes is not a single destination. It’s more like two or three, depending on which coast you end up on. Most people choose a hotel based on photos and price, which is fine, until they arrive and realize that the west coast is battered by Meltemi winds half the…
SSeriously, how much can we eat? For all the new poke shops opening up around O’ahu, it’s almost as if the poke trend that went around the world has picked up and spurred a new resurgence back home. Of note here are the number of locally owned poke shops that have been expanding in recent years, in addition to those that have opened since 2023 (see featured story below). We lost Tamashiro Market, of course, as well as Fort Ruger Market and ‘Aiea’s Monarch Poke, which owner Adam Gilbert closed this year to open his new restaurant Fairway Tavern at…
FFrom doctors to scientists to wellness influencers, everyone is talking about longevity. Rather than just focusing on longevity, it’s about maintaining wellness and living fully for longer on this planet, whether you’re in your 20s or 80s. This is exactly Frank Appel’s goal. At 79, the Kailua resident lives the active lifestyle of someone 20 years his junior, but things could have turned out differently. After his wife died 14 years ago, Appel became accustomed to spending time alone. Things calmed down even more after she retired from a long career in healthcare in 2014. Feeling herself slipping into a…
Photo: Travis Okimoto, courtesy of Festa Italiana Shey! Festa Italiana returns to Kaka’ako with a lineup of Italian and Italian-inspired food vendors, music, art, film and even an Italian car show. Check out the new La Terrazza, a relaxed VIP option with a dedicated bar and Saturday night tapas. Learn where to park, what to eat, what to do and how to participate in the VIP experience. Click on the information you want to explore: what is Festa Italiana first took place in 2017 and continued consecutively until 2019. After the pandemic, Festa Italiana returned in 2023, this year is…
Photo: Courtesy of Waikīkī Improvement Association Movie sunset on the beach Saturday 30 May, 4.30 p.m. Activities, 7.30 p.m. Cinema Summer movies are back at Waikīkī Beach! The series kicks off this weekend with a screening of Zootopia 2. Bring your beach chair, find a spot on the sand and enjoy live music, games and photo ops before the show. You’ll also want to mark your calendar for more summer movie magic: Evil: For good (July 3), smurfs (July 25), A Minecraft movie (August 29) i The bad guys 2 (September 26). RSVP Family Friendly, Free, Queen’s Beach, Kalakaua Ave.,…