* When you sign up for email alerts with Hawaiian Airlines Cruise Vacations, you could win 80,000 HawaiianMiles (enough miles for two roundtrip tickets from the US mainland to Hawaii) and a seven-night cruise for two. See the entry requirements here. (Note that this sweepstakes is open to legal US residents only.)
* Google Maps’ Street View has recently added some Hawaii beaches and trails to explore online. For example you can check out Hapuna Beach here. GoHawaii.com has built a special page to view more of the recently added island treks.
* The newly renovated Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore is offering a great Spring Fling deal with rates starting at $229 per night.
* You can save 15% off the best available rate at select Aqua Hotels if you book before March 21, 2014 for stays through December 10. Get the promo code and the details here.
* LivingSocial has a great deal for a four-course dinner at the new Chef Chai restaurant in Honolulu near Waikiki. Chef Chai Chaowasaree is one of Hawaii’s top chefs. There are a few options for the deal depending on the number of people in your party. For two people, the price is $99 for four courses. See the deal and details here.
* If you’d like to learn to surf during your Waikiki vacation, there’s a nice TravelZoo deal for a two-hour surfing lesson along with a five-day board rental for $99 — which is less than half the normal pricing at $214.
* CheapAir.com recently published their research on the best time to purchase airline tickets. Per their analysis, 54 days prior to take off is when the lowest fares are offered, with the best booking window being between 104 and 29 days before your trip. We’ve updated our post on how to get the lowest airfare to Hawaii with this new data.
* The 29th Annual Duke Kahanamoku Beach Challenge is all set for April 13, 2014 with a great line up of water events and top Hawaiian entertainment. This annual fundraising event benefits the Waikiki Community Center. Admission is free! See the details here.* The Arizona Memorial postage stamp will be unveiled this week.
* A new family-friendly, rock-themed restaurant recently opened in Pa’ia on Maui. The restaurant is called Rock & Brews and was co-founded by rock legends Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of KISS.
Sheila Beal
