Aloha Reader,

In less than a week I'll be on Kauaʻi with my son and my mom, so I've been watching the island news closely. After a hard hurricane season, October brought some good updates, and I wanted to make sure you saw them.

Hāʻena State Park on Kauaʻi's North Shore reopened on October 15. It had been closed since September 6, when Hurricane Lowell was on its way. The shuttle is running again, and the day hike out to Hanakāpīʻai Beach and Hanakāpīʻai Falls is open. Out-of-state visitors still need a reservation through Go Hāʻena, so don't plan on just driving up. The beach is about two miles in, and the falls are farther and much harder, so most families with younger kids turn around at the beach. Overnight camping and the Kalalau Trail past the two-mile mark are still closed.

The west side is starting to come back too. The Waimea Canyon Lookout, the big overlook most people picture when they think of the canyon, reopened on October 24 during daylight hours. For now it's only that first lookout. The higher lookouts, the rest of Waimea Canyon State Park, and all of Kōkeʻe State Park are still closed, and only parking fees are being collected until more of the park reopens. If the canyon is on your list this winter, you can see the view, but plan on a short stop rather than a full day up the mountain.

Also on Kauaʻi, Hilton opened its first Curio Collection resort in Hawaiʻi. Hale Hōkūala Kauaʻi has 210 rooms and sits above Nāwiliwili Bay and Kalapakī Beach, close to the Līhuʻe airport. Its restaurant, Figueira, serves Portuguese-Hawaiian food, and yes, there are malasadas. It's part of Hilton Honors, which I know my points-collecting families will appreciate. I haven't stayed there yet, so I can't tell you how it works with kids, but the location makes it easy to reach both the north and south shores.

On Oʻahu, Aloha Tower's observation deck reopened on October 15 for the first time since 2021. The tower turned 100 this year, and the state spent about $8.5 million fixing it up, including a new elevator. The deck is on the 10th floor, it's free, and it's open daily from dawn to dusk. It's an easy add-on if you're downtown or near Honolulu Harbor, and kids can watch the big ships come in.

If you're curious what else is new around the islands, I have a post on new Hawaiʻi hotels and major renovations.

Aloha,

Marcie

P.S. Today's Hawaii Travel Made Easy podcast episode is The Group Chat Meltdown: How Planning Hawaii With Friends Ends Friendships— Ep 154