| This weekend Peter broadcasts from the newly | | | | Invitational Hula Festival invites people from all |
| renovated Royal Hawaiian hotel, Waikik is famous | | | | over the world to experience and celebrate |
| pink landmark (hence its nickname the Pink Palace | | | | Hawaiian culture through performance of the hula. |
| ). | | | | Another can t-miss cultural experience is the |
| This historic hotel first opened in 1928, and over | | | | Aloha Festivals, which is Hawaii s oldest and |
| the decades it has hosted presidents, royalty, | | | | largest statewide celebration featuring food, |
| celebrities, and other members of the jet-setting | | | | music, hula performances, ukulele contests, and |
| elite. | | | | live entertainment. It was originally created in |
| While on the island of Oahu, there are a few | | | | 1946 to mimic the Makahiki celebration season |
| must-do activities for visitors, no matter how | | | | (Hawaiian New Year), which honored the Hawaiian |
| touristy. And yes, that includes a traditional luau | | | | god Lono. |
| complete with roasted pigs, fire dancers and a | | | | BEACHING WITH THE LOCALS |
| hula performance. | | | | Most visitors are attracted to Waikiki Beach, but |
| You ll also want to check out a torch-lighting | | | | Lianne Thompson grew up going to Kailua. In fact, |
| ceremony with hula dancers. And for an amazing | | | | this secluded beach town located about 15 miles |
| view of the famous Hawaiian sunsets, get off the | | | | northeast of Honolulu is such a favorite among |
| beach and into the water on a dinner cruise. | | | | locals that they d probably prefer to keep it a |
| Several ships are docked at Aloha Tower and | | | | secret. |
| Kewalo Basin including the Ali I Kai, the world s | | | | DINING OUT |
| largest Polynesian catamaran. Once the sun has | | | | Drive up the coast from Kailua toward the North |
| set, you get to enjoy you guessed it a hula | | | | Shore for a real treat: Hawaiian shrimp trucks! |
| dance. | | | | They re sort of like the Hawaiian version of taco |
| But we wanted to look beyond hula and checked | | | | trucks. |
| in with a crew of locals including Hawaii native | | | | REAL SOUVENIR SHOPPING |
| Lianne Thompson, associate editor of Modern | | | | Don t get stuck buying aloha shirts or dancing hula |
| Luxury Hawai i magazine, surf legend Hawaiian | | | | girl dolls. Instead, you can pick up items that |
| Mike Goodrich, local historian Bill Souza and more | | | | combine Hawaii s ancient traditions with |
| to find out some of their top picks for island | | | | fashion-forward trends: The family-run Muumuu |
| activities. | | | | Heaven is an island favourite, where vintage |
| In the hula department, a great time to visit | | | | muumuus are deconstructed and refashioned into |
| Honolulu is for the annual World Invitational Hula | | | | one-of-a-kind dresses and tops in modern |
| Festival. Every November, this unique World | | | | silhouettes. |