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The second-oldest public aquarium in the United States, this classic attraction dates back to 1904 and has amassed 3,500 marine animals since then. The emphasis remains on aquatic life in the Pacific, including seahorses, giant clams, and deeply endangered monk seals, as well as propagation of corals like the rare Montipora dilatata. A 7,500-gallon tide pool offers a hands-on experience where you can interact with tropical fish, sea urchins, and tubular sea cucumbers. Once a month—tides permitting—the aquarium is open for visitors to explore nocturnal activity by torchlight. Water babies will especially appreciate the aquarium’s box jellyfish calendar online, which charts when the fierce, stinging animals are most likely to surface in shallow waters alongside swimmers, snorkelers, and divers.

I’ve been all over the California coast and Point Lobos is my favorite place to hike. We have hiked every trail in this reserve and never tire of this magical place. You can see many animals, such as sea otters, seals, elephant seals,sea lions, squirrels and deer that are often in little pockets near the trails. Most of the hikes are easy to moderate, you can make them longer by combining them or just hike smaller parts. There is a whalers cabin that has been transformed into a little museum at one end of the reserve.

An excellent way to enjoy a long trip around the Big Island is to poke around in Mother’s Antiques & Fine Cigars in Hawi (located near Kapaau). Items from eras gone by populate this store along with a fine collection of cigars. This shop enables visitors to dream of old times when men sat in rocking chairs on a veranda and slowly smoked cigars while sporadically talking about the day’s events. Stop in for a feel of local island lore and to seek out a treasure all your own.

L&L, in Tumon Bay, offers the Pacific’s most popular dish: Spam. Order a classic Hawaiian plate lunch (macaroni salad, rice, a meat) with Spam musubi (grilled Spam atop rice and wrapped with nori seaweed), kalua pork and more. The food’s cheap and filling at this local favorite.

The Grill at the Grand Hyatt Doha offers not only a lavish Friday brunch, but also entertainment in the form of themes. Rock ‘n’ roll, horror, the Hawaiian tropics, 1920s flapper, and many others are a major brunch attraction. Because the relaxed, but festive, atmosphere, this is a very popular Friday place and it requires a reservation. But good fun and party don’t come cheap. Brunch is 420 QAR ($115) for the special beverage package; 725 QAR, ($200) for the Moët package (one bottle of Moët & Chandon champagne per person)

If you’ve ever heard the Eagles song “Hotel California,” you’ve probably wondered whether it was inspired by a real-life equivalent. Eagles members have denied “Hotel California” is anything other than a metaphor, but that’s never stopped visitors to the Baja California town of Todos Santos from assuming its Hotel California gave name to the song. Regardless, the hotel and Todos Santos itself remain fascinating places to visit. Among fun facts: The hotel was the first place in town to serve ice cream.

One of the country’s largest Asian markets, this massive complex has anchored the International District since 1928—and contains a Japanese bookstore, a 12-station food court, and a Taiwanese hot-pot hot spot: The Boiling Point. Its shelves stock everything from curry to durians and juicy kalua pork, plus surprisingly good, affordable freezer bags to preserve your haul on the way home. Fancy a quick bite in the food court first? Hit Uwajimaya’s Asian deli last and pay at the express lane. While one-stop shopping rocks, fans of Asian curios and calligraphy supplies may want to wander to nearby Kobo (koboseattle.com) or Deng’s Studio and Art Gallery.

Once the sacred retreat of King Kamehameha, who unified Hawaii, Ko Olina now also welcomes guests to the new Four Seasons Resort Oahu. Chef Ryo Takatsuka marries local flavors to Capri’s at this romantic restaurant, where outdoor tables soak up views of the sunset and stars. Wine Spectator gave it a 2017 award of excellence for its list, which runs especially strong on French, Italian, and Californian vintages. But don’t let that distract from its superb cocktail options like the Pompelmo (gin, grapefruit oleo, aromatic bitters, and egg white) or the Spritzer della Casa (Aperol, strawberries, Cocchi Americano Rosato, and basil tincture, finished with prosecco). The bar also serves an indulgent array of nonalcoholic drinks, including the Tutti Santi (Oahu passionfruit and Hawaiian honey graced with lime and sea salt).

To succeed, a restaurant that opens in Honolulu usually has to cater to locals or derive its patrons from the ever-widening pool of visitors in Waikiki. Morimoto Asia Waikiki does both with great style. On a recent visit just before sunset, we left our car with the valet at the new Alohilani Resort across from Waikiki Beach and walked up the entry stairs to the second floor restaurant. The interior was unmistakably Chef Masaharu Morimoto. Spare yet elegant, open and inviting Morimoto Asia Waikiki welcomes the early set who may be dressed casually, to the dinner date or bar set who might want to dressy-it-up. Our table was what they call “outside”. Settling in on the covered lanai with beach and ocean views, we lingered over the drink menu. Would it be a Morimoto Sparkling Sake from the well-curated sake menu? A glass of chardonnay? An Asian Whiskey? A Morimoto Black Obi brew? We opted for cocktails with the help of our server‘s descriptions. I love Mai Tais and Morimoto Asia Waikiki calls their version a P.O.G. Tai in a nod to the Passion Fruit Orange Guava juice mixture so famous in Hawaii. They make theirs with fresh juices and with white and dark rums and a splash of Cointreau. It had just the right balance. My dinner companion tried a North Shore Mule made with premium vodka, passion fruit juice, kabosu (a citrus) juice and ginger beer. It was so incredibly refreshing and a perfect libation to toast the surfers riding the waves as the sun turned the sky orange and slipped below the ocean. Looking around the room, the clientèle were a mix of visitors, business people entertaining guests and a few locals, but it was early. We took a look another look at the menu as our server walked up again to deftly explain the nuances of each dish. The menu is built to share which is great because there are so many things you’ll want to taste. Chef Morimoto’s concept for this restaurant is a combination of Pan-Asian foods. You’ll find Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean style dishes and flavors along some Western twists to ingredients. Like the steamed “pancake” served with the Morimoto Peking Duck is more of a tortilla. And yes, in addition to the eclectic menu you can have a N.Y. Strip steak if you’d like. We ordered a Beef Carpaccio starter flavored with yuzu soy and ginger. It was one of the most tender and delicious I have ever tasted because it is made with Japanese Washugyu beef. Arriving at the exact time we were ready for it, the creamy Buri Bop was mixed at our table by our waiter. After enjoying that simple rice dish, the Morimoto Asia Waikiki signature dish, the Morimoto Peking Duck arrived. Succulent and tender, it’s served with apricot sweet chili sauce and hoisin miso by our waiter who assembles our first bites enveloped in a steamed pancake, table-side. There so many options to suit your own style and preferences. Two local ladies next to us made a meal out of Tonkatsu Ramen and Chicken Pho accompanied by their bottle of wine. Too stuffed for dessert we would have had the Almond Pudding with kuromitsu (black sugar syrup), tropical fruit and oshiruko (sweet bean) or the little filled doughnuts with whipped cream,or the choice of strawberry yuzu, coconut, or passion orange guava sorbets. But alas, we just couldn’t do it. Making our way out of Morimoto Asia Waikiki we noticed the restaurant was full and the bar was packed. The pleasant hum of people enjoying their experience filled the bar. Looks like the locals love this place too. Dinner reservations a must, open for dinner only. Note on Chef Morimoto. He began at age 24 in his native Japan hometown of Hiroshima, with his own restaurant. After learning the art of his sushi he moved to America which presented him with possibilities to expand his repertoire. In 1999 he became Food Network’s Iron Chef, his name and skills familiar to millions of Americans. After a stint at Nobu as Executive Chef he opened in Philly. Following he opened Wasabi in Mumbai and New Delhi. Morimoto New York followed. There are a string of Morimoto restaurants from Bangkok to Tokyo including his Morimoto Ramen and Sake. Dubai has opened a Morimoto Dubai and the new concept Momosan by Morimoto restaurant is also opening at Alohilani Resort for casual dining to include ramen, gyoza, yakitori and the Oahu North Shore island classic garlic shrimp.

Is it is possible to be romanced by a property or courted by a restaurant? My luxurious and beautiful dining experience at the Fairmont Orchid Resort’s Brown’s Beach House Restaurant had me hooked as soon as I arrived on the resort property just after sunset. Immersed in aloha, and comfortably seated on the restaurant’s outdoor patio, a solo voice and the sound of ukulele danced through the air in concert with the tropical ambiance. Sustainably grown and locally sourced foods are exquisitely prepared to please the palate, and an air of romance is enhanced with the lull of the surf rolling into the sand, only steps away. For a truly memorable experience, private dining is available on a knoll under swaying palm trees. Reservations recommended.

Famous for its poke (raw fish salad), this bustling lunchtime hotspot also serves Hawaiian plates and gourmet bento boxes packed with goodies like grilled salmon and baked teriyaki chicken. Other standouts include a Cajun fish sandwich with honey French dressing and wok-seared island fillets in a yellow Thai coconut-curry sauce.

I used to live in Maui, right at the start of the Hana Highway, and driving the famous road was a weekly ritual. I recently went back to visit and found it still as breathtaking as ever. To avoid the tourist traffic (Mustangs seem to be the tourist car of choice), leave early and take the time to actually get out of the car and explore. My favorite stops are always the Garden of Eden Arboretum and Botanical Garden where they filmed the opening sequence for Jurassic Park (ok, kind of touristy, but totally beautiful and worth a stop if you’re a nature geek); Black Sand Beach where the super adventurous can swim out to the bunny ear-shaped rocks and dive into the ocean; Hamoa Beach for body surfing and Oheo Gulch, where you can do the four-mile round trip hike through a bamboo forest to the 200-foot Makahiku waterfall.

Take a road trip up to the North Shore of Oahu and go hungry! A stop at Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck is a must if you are a garlic and butter lover...and really - who isn’t? Make sure you have plenty of napkins!

An ancient atoll, Molokini lies 2.5 miles off Maui’s south coast, where the water is calm, clear, and teeming with marine life. Here, snorkelers and scuba divers can expect up to 150 feet of visibility, allowing for perfect views of yellow tang, parrot fish, black triggerfish, bluefin trevally, and even moray eels. To explore it for yourself, book a tour with Maui Classic Charters, which sails to Molokini in a 55-foot catamaran with a glass-bottomed viewing room. Choose one of the early-morning trips for a better chance of calm seas and bigger sea creatures like octopus and eagle rays, and bring along snacks, sunscreen, and, for those who run cold, perhaps a rash guard or thin wet suit, especially in the winter months.

Stock up on sake, wasabi, and high-end soba noodles at this Japanese supermarket chain, the largest in the U.S. It stocks adorable prefab sweets, like Pocky chocolate-coated biscuit sticks, along with Honolulu‘s hottest new donuts at MoDo. Made with mochi—a sticky-sweet rice flour—these fresh pon de ring pastries sport thick glazes like kurogoma (black sesame) and hojicha-roasted tea, alongside more familiar flavors like chocolate, strawberry, and lilikoi (passionfruit). Owner Chris Watanabe spent three years in Japan, swooning over his local Mister Donut shop, before recreating these delicacies back home. Other kiosks in the mini-food-court peddle sushi, ramen, rice balls, and tempura.