HAWAI'I – Like the constant changes in the trade winds, lava flow and surf swells, Hawai'i is a dynamic destination that keeps you on your toes and coming back for more. As a hot spot for tourism, Hawai'i attracts new restaurants, shopping, activities, events and accommodation upgrades, creating fun and fresh experiences for every trip to the Hawaiian Islands.

Some things to look forward to in 2013 include:

Kaua'i

Hotels & Resorts

• The Parrish Collection and The Club at Kukui'ula are working together to provide unique 5-Star accommodations and service on the island. The Club at Kukui'ula, Kaua'i's only private Club, is home to a luxurious Plantation House with restaurants, bars, game rooms and series of pools and outdoor activities. In addition, there is a state of the art fitness facility and world-class spa, along with an 18-hole Tom Weiskopf-designed golf course recently named Best New Private by Golf Magazine and Best New Golf Course by Robb Report “Best of the Best.” The new Club Cottages at Kukui'ula, which can be rented on a nightly basis through The Parrish Collection, are located within walking distance to the Club. Included with the stay is complete access to this private club community and their amenities. www.kukuiula.com
• The Cliffs at Princeville has completed a $5 million property makeover, including the installation of new hardwood floors, custom-made Polynesian furniture, quilted Hawaiian bedspreads, new Hawaiian artwork, a new recreation room, waterfall-fed pools and a keiki (children's) playground. www.cliffsatprinceville.com

Attractions & Activities

• Photo Safari Hawai'i introduces “A Walk in Queen Emma's Garden,” the first private photo ecotour of the Allerton and McBryde National Tropical Botanical Gardens in Lāwa'i Valley. This four-hour tour helps to enhance your photography skills while focusing on landscape design and grants you exclusive access to the McBryde Waterfall. Both gardens showcase the botanical importance of native plants and provide a stunning photography canvas for any skill level. www.photosafariHawaii.com
• Outfitters Kaua'i is excited to announce the addition of three new tandem ziplines this fall. The new lines will pass over three separate waterfalls on the pristine Kipu Ranch and will range between 800 feet to 1,200 feet. Incorporating Outfitters Kaua'i's existing zipline course, these new lines will highlight the spectacular views and thrilling adventure as guests soar over lush valleys side by side. www.outfittersKauai.com
• Koloa Zipline has debuted with eight ziplines on its course located on the south side of the island in Kōloa. Koloa Zipline's “Waita” line is the longest on the island coming in at 2,500 feet and glides across the Waita reservoir, which is the largest reservoir in Hawai'i. The entire course is 1.5 miles long and is located on the beautiful Grove Farm land that offers marvelous views of a variety of ecosystems. Koloa Zipline is committed to the preservation of the natural beauty and rich history of the land. www.koloazipline.com
• The Kaua'i Museum is proud to present its new Hawaiian Paina every first Friday of the month from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. For just $15, visitors and residents can enjoy live Hawaiian music in the newly renovated courtyard along with the award-winning culinary favorites of Kaua'i's Chef Mark Oyama. The museum also recently introduced storytelling events for all ages, from children's authors for the keiki (children) to hear traditional Hawaiian lore as told by our kupuna (elders). www.kauaimuseum.com
• The St. Regis Princeville has partnered with Kipu Kai Ranch to create a VIP movie tour, which offers an intimate, rare glimpse of some of Kaua'i's celebrated movie locations. Developed exclusively for St. Regis Princeville guests, the tour is offered by the lush Kipu Ranch, a working cattle ranch owned by Hawaiian royalty.
  

O'ahu

Hotels & Resorts

• Turtle Bay Resort is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation of its standard and premium guest rooms and hallways, the Spa Luana and fitness center, two restaurants and its main building. www.turtlebayresort.com 
• Karissma by Best Bridal Hawai'i recently opened the White Beach Chapel, its second chapel at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort. The 40-person capacity chapel offers stunning views of the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon and the ocean through floor to ceiling glass walls. www.hiltonhawaiianvillage.com
• The JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina recently completed a multi-million dollar renovation. This includes its award-wining 35,000 sq ft. Ihilani Spa which now offers a new menu featuring new services such as Oxygen Facials and the “Just-for-You Massage” that includes a variety of massage styles. www.ihilani.com
• Vive Hotel Waikiki will make its debut this spring, marking it as the newest lifestyle boutique hotel on the island. Friendly service combined with coastal casual design are the hallmarks of this 125-room hotel, which will include a business center, meeting space, valet parking, free local telephone calls, complimentary high-speed WiFi and much more. The hotel will also serve complimentary continental breakfast daily in the lobby. www.vivehotelwaikiki.com
• In April, Joie de Vivre Hotels introduced the Shoreline Hotel Waikiki, a new, serene sanctuary in the heart of Waikīkī. Only the second Joie de Vivre hotel to open in Hawai'i, the 135-room property includes a “Sea or Sky Daredevil” package for the adventurous traveler. www.jdvhotels.com
• The Kahala Hotel & Resort has updated its Veranda Lounge with furnishings which include items from the 'Tommy Bahamas' Royal Kahala Collection, jazz on Mondays and other entertainment treats as part of the new look of the Veranda. Also, opening in June is Arancino, joining The Kahala's four other restaurants and offering al fresco dining Italian style with prix fixe menus. These exciting new updates are part of the legendary resort's preparations for its Golden Jubilee year of 2014. The Kahala will kick off its 50-year tribute with “The Legend that Inspires and the Promise that Continues,” featuring cocktails and menu items from the 60s, including a five-course “Celebrations” menu starting July 1. 

Attractions & Activities

• Bishop Museum's J. Watumull Planetarium reopened earlier this year after $1.5 million in upgrades. The Planetarium opened in 1961 as the first planetarium in Polynesia. Upgrades to the Planetarium include new Planetarium seating and a hybrid system in which a state-of-the-art star maching will work in tandem with an incredible all-dome video system to allow audiences to feel like they are flying through the solar system. Visitors can enjoy a variety of shows including a journey from Hawai'i to Tahiti by the stars! www.bishopmuseum.org
• This year the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) marks its 50th anniversary of preserving and perpetuating the Polynesian culture. Over the span of five decades, the PCC has become recognized as one of Hawai'i 's top attractions, sharing the authentic culture, art, culture, food, music and dance of the South Pacific islands with people from around the world. Most recently, the PCC introduced a new Island Lū'au, centered around the Samoan culture and featuring a dinner buffet with favorite Samoan, Hawaiian and local dishes, traditional performances like the fa'ataupati (Samoan slap dance) and siva popo (coconut shell dance), and keiki (children) fireknife dancing. Another new addition to PCC is Hawaiian Journey, a 14-minute cinematic presentation that brings to life the story of Hawai'i's people, their land, and their ancestors through the sights, sounds, smell and feel of the Hawaiian Islands. www.polynesia.com
• Based out of Turtle Bay Resort, O'ahu's only resort with a helipad on property, Paradise Helicopters is proud to announce the arrival of “The Chopper,” an icon from the 80's hit TV series, Magnum P.I. Experience spectacular aerial views of Oahu's fabled North Shore in this famous new addition to Paradise Helicopters' aircrafts. www.paradisecopters.com

Restaurants & Cuisine

• After closing the popular Chai's Island Bistro at Aloha Tower, Chef Chai Chaowasaree has opened Chef Chai at the Pacifica Honolulu tower on Kapiolani Boulevard. The new restaurant features an intimate setting and upscale modern décor to go with a new and healthier menu focusing mainly on seafood and vegetarian dishes; everything can also be prepared gluten-free. www.chefchai.com
• Turtle Bay Resort's new Kula Grille restaurant brings a fresh new focus to the farm-to-table movement, with cuisine highlighting ingredients sourced from local waters, as well as more than a dozen Hawai'i farms, ranches, breweries and distilleries. www.turtlebayresort.com
• Nico's Pier 38, known for its delicious fresh fish, is now open for dinner seven nights a week and has added prime rib to their dinner menu. Enjoy Sunday evenings on the Pier 38 waterfront with live music and cocktails in a laid back atmosphere. www.nicospier38.com
• Green and Vines, Honolulu's first full-service raw and vegan restaurant serves up delicious meals using all organic ingredients, no meat, dairy, grains or sugar, and using no open flames to ensure a raw food experience. www.greensandvines.com
• The DoubleTree by Hilton Alana Waikiki now features Trees Restaurant & Bar. The restaurant features locally-sourced products for breakfast and dinner, including the popular Doubletree Cookie Pancakes with warm maple syrup and chocolate chip butter. www.doubletreealana.com

Shopping

• One of only two Vivienne Westwood boutiques in the entire country, the Waikīkī boutique at the Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa offers shoppers wearable high fashion and Hawai'i-exclusive jewelry and totes. www.viviennewestwood.co.uk
• The Royal Hawaiian Center welcomed two locally owned merchants this spring. Nalu Storage, a surfboard storage rental facility, opened just steps from Waikīkī Beach offering a secure and convenient option for visitors and locals to store their surfboards and stand up paddle boards. In addition, Fighting Eel whose timeless pieces are designed and made in Hawai'i, opened their new boutique at the Center in May. Hand making slippers in Hawai'i since 1946, Island Slipper also joined the Center this spring. www.royalhawaiiancenter.com
• Ala Moana Center, the world's largest outdoor shopping center, will be welcoming two new merchants – Microsoft and Kipling. Microsoft's first Hawai'i store offers shoppers an opportunity to buy software, devices & hardware, direct from Microsoft. For shoppers looking to increase their bag collection, Kipling offers stylish, colorful high quality handbags, backpacks, luggage, more suited for the adventures of everyday life. www.alamoanacenter.com
• Oliver Men's Shop, a new menswear boutique that offers new Hamptons-ish style clothing, recently opened in Kailua. The shop is the manly counterpart to neighboring Olive Boutique which fills its racks with fun, free-flowing, shore-style basics for women. www.facebook.com/OliverMensShop.com
• Turtle Bay Resort opened two new retail experiences this month. The North Shore WaterShed plays upon the concept of a North Shore waterman's accessory shed featuring apparel for men, women and youth, as well as select shoe styles, accessories and gifts. Oakley at Turtle Bay will offer the most extensive range of the brand's eyewear collections outside of Honolulu, as well as a broad range of men's surf, lifestyle and women's training apparel, including an exclusive resort line of t-shirts created for Turtle Bay. www.turtlebayresort.com

Airlift

• On Mar.13, Hawaiian Airlines began nonstop service, three days weekly, between Honolulu and Auckland, New Zealand. Hawaiian Airlines is the only U.S. carrier flying to Auckland and is providing more than 40,000 air seats on the route annually. This summer, the airline will expand its reach into Asia with the launch of service from Honolulu to both Sendai, Japan on June 25, and Taipei, Taiwan on July 9. The airline will offer flights three days weekly on both routes. www.hawaiianairlines.com
• China Airlines launched regular nonstop service between Taiwan and Hawai'i on June 2, offering flights twice a week. This is in addition to its seven weekly flights between Taiwan and Honolulu via Tokyo. www.china-airlines.com/en

Maui

Hotels & Resorts

• The exciting and all new Courtyard Maui Kahului Airport has opened its doors offering both business and leisure travelers a refreshing stay near many of Central Maui's treasured attractions. Maui's newest property offers a refreshing outdoor pool surrounded by luxurious cabanas, a well-equipped exercise room and the flexibility to combine both work and play in a comfortable and pristine island environment. www.marriott.com/hnmmk
• Andaz Maui at Wailea, situated on Maui's Mokapu Beach, is a 15-acre property slated to open this summer. This first LEED® certified resort will feature 297-guest rooms and suites, including seven luxurious villas; a full-service spa with an adults-only pool, retail and fitness facility; more than 15,000 square feet of meeting and event space; and two restaurants, including Morimoto Maui by acclaimed Chef Masaharu Morimoto. www.maui.andaz.hyatt.com
• Destination Resorts Hawai'i, the largest collection of condominium and luxury villa accommodations in Wailea and Makena, is now highlighting custom services of its Ho'okipa Desk, where personal concierge can design tailored itineraries prior to arrival or book activities while on Maui. In addition to customized vacation experiences, the Ho'okipa Desk can arrange for grocery shopping and delivery, a personal chef, golf tee times and spa treatments and more. www.destinationresortshawaii.com
• The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa is now offering a registration desk for keiki (children) to “check-in” with their parents. Keiki guests are asked to write down their information (name, age, state, signature), and are then given a small gift bag with tropical themed favors, brochures on family resort activities, activity book, crayons, sand dollars and hotel post cards. www.maui.hyatt.com
• The Westin Maui Resort & Spa's half-million dollar revitalization of its meeting experience includes enhanced features promoting an eco-friendly approach - linen-free cocktail tables with illuminated colored lighting and serpentine swirl banquet tables; a vertical buffet station with frosted paneling and lighting for creative presentations; mobile espresso brewers; wicker lounge furniture for a classy look; and a new stage for Wailele Luau at the outdoor Aloha Pavilion. Meeting planners are encouraged to go green using Westin's e-menu program with extensive online choices to design events, multi-day programs or select specialty events such as the interactive Go-Green Racing. www.westinmaui.com
• Lumeria Maui, a luxury wellness retreat which includes 24 rooms and private bungalows, is the newest accommodation to open on Maui in 2012 offering a new paradigm in experiential adventure travel. Programs include surfing classes taught by legendary surfers Buzzy Kerbox and Suzie Cooney, yoga and wellness detox programs, and farm-to-table dining experiences where guests harvest meals from organic gardens. It also offers group retreats and specializes in corporate events. www.lumeriamaui.com 

Attractions & Activities

• The five-day 14th annual Maui Film Festival at Wailea in June includes fabulous film screenings, award tributes, filmmaker panels, Taste of Wailea, Taste of Chocolate and many other gala parties and festivities throughout Wailea Resort. Wailea Gold & Emerald Golf Course is home to an open-air evening theatre, the Celestial Cinema. Under the Stars, Lit by the Moon, Powered by the Sun! www.mauifilmfestival.com or www.wailearesortassociation.com
• Guests of Hawaiian Paddle Sports experience Hawaiian culture first-hand through this cultural canoe tour. Activities include learning how to paddle, about water safety tips, Hawaiian words and sayings, place names, stories from Hawaiian mythology and the navigation of Polynesians and rope-making from coconut fibers. Private tours and guides available. HPS is one of only four Maui companies to be certified by Hawai'i EcoTourism association. In addition to canoe paddling, HPS also offers stand-up paddling, kayaking, and surfing. www.hawaiianpaddlesports.com
• Maui Friday Town Parties showcases Maui's historic towns and celebrates the unique nature of their businesses communities. From Market Street to Front Street and Baldwin Avenue to South Kihei Road, the community gathers to celebrate art, music and Maui culture nearly every Friday. Residents and visitors enjoy a special night of interaction and fun, punctuated with free entertainment, special offerings and Friday-only promotions from each town's family of merchants. www.mauifridays.com
• Hawaiian Sailing Canoe Adventures, Hawai'i's Eco Tour Operator of the Year in 2009, features exciting adventures on a Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe. Sail along the beautiful Wailea coast, snorkel with sea turtles, and learn about canoes, Hawaiian history and culture, and Polynesian navigation.  www.mauisailingcanoe.com
• Hawai'i's Chaminade University hosts NCAA-sanctioned top college teams in an annual pre-season tournament at the Lahaina Civic Center. EA SPORTS Maui Invitational® celebrates its 30th year in November as the nations premier early-season college basketball tournament. www.mauiinvitational.com
• Xterra World Championship is a premier off-road, extreme multi-sport competition featuring an ocean swim, mountain bike ride, and an off-road run. Attracting an international field of athletes, this annual event happens every October in Kapalua Resort. www.xterraplanet.com

Restaurants & Cuisine

• Travaasa Hana's Cuisine Classes are introducing new classes including: "Juicy Living," a class on discovering the benefits of juicing fruit and vegetables; "Name That Grape," a wine tasting experience; "Art of the Cocktail," a mixology lesson which includes the Mai Tai; "Feed Your Face," a class on "superfoods" for your body and face; "Hawaiian Salt Sampler," a salt tasting; and "Pineapple 101," a class on pineapple cutting technique and uses. www.travaasa.com/hana
• Maui farms produce fragrant coffee, native taro, fresh vegetables, colorful flowers, exotic fruits, sweet Maui Kula® onions, landscape greens, sugar cane, pineapples, seed crops, grass-fed beef and even seafood. In an effort to demonstrate its support of Maui agriculture, Ka'anapali Beach Resort will host a quarterly Grown on Maui Farmer's Market at Whalers Village June 1, August 31, November 16 and February 8. Presented in partnership with Whalers Village and the Maui County Farm Bureau, a grassroots 501c (5) organization of farms and ranch families, agricultural industries, and associated organizations dedicated to supporting agriculture on Maui. www.kaanapaliresort.com. 
• Ocean Vodka is the only spirit in the world made from organically farmed sugar cane, blended with deep ocean mineral water and powered by the sun. Ocean Vodka is 100% Certified USDA Organic and gluten-free, with a proprietary column distillation process that produces an ultra-clean spirit highly decorated and unrivaled in the marketplace.  When this pure refined spirit is blended with deep ocean mineral water, Ocean Vodka takes on a unique, mineral-rich flavor found in no other vodka. Farm Tours are five times a day, seven days a week, visiting the organic farm, martini garden, craft distillery and gift shop. Nominal fee for tour only, or tour with lunch. Children under 11 are free. www.oceanvodka.com.

Moloka'i

Hotels & Resorts

• Hula Shores Restaurant at Hotel Moloka'i is under renovation, with a target reopen in June 2013. During this period, Hula Shores is offering free continental breakfast to guests and an open grill poolside, Thursday through Sunday, 4 – 9 p.m. Hula Shores Bar is open daily, 4 – 10 p.m. www.hotelmolokai.com

Lana'i

Hotels & Resorts

• Four Seasons Resorts Lana'i recently completed several property enhancements at Manele Bay and The Lodge at Koele, refining the overall design aesthetic of the resorts to capture a distinct sense of place. The most notable enhancements include new décor and furniture, a new private fine art collection showcasing Hawaiian artists, Hawaiian themed tropical gardens and landscaping, and new restaurants and lounges, including the highly anticipated Nobu Lana'i. www.fourseasons.com/manelebay

Hawai'i Island

Hotels & Resorts

• The newly renovated historic Volcano House, a 33-room hotel located on the rim of Kīlauea within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, provides guests more access to Native Hawai'ian culture through interpretive experiences such as cultural demonstrations, artwork, and handicrafts. First opened in 1846, Volcano House has a storied history with many notable guests in its registry, including Mark Twain, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Isabella Bird. The hotel will remain partially open while the renovation process is completed. www.hawaiivolcanohouse.com
• The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows is undertaking a $30 million hotel renovation starting with a remodel of its three ocean front and two ocean view bungalows, completed in December 2012. The new bungalows feature a full-service kitchen, brand new bathrooms and a setting that blends indoor and outdoor living, creating the ultimate Hawai'i home away from home. The private outdoor jacuzzi, heated swimming pool and fixed barbeque grill creates a laidback setting for socializing or quiet enjoyment. The hotel itself began renovations in the New Year, which will be followed by new landscaping and a new pool experience set for completion in late 2013. www.maunalani.com
• The Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay (formerly known as the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa), recently completed an extensive $16-million renewal that included renovations to Rays on the Bay restaurant, room upgrades, and extensive cultural programming. www.sheratonkona.com

Activities & Attractions

• Renovations to the 22-acre Nani Mau Gardens include remodeled building interiors and revitalized gardens. Nani Mau Gardens and Restaurant re-opened in February 2013 and offers self-guided or narrated tram tours daily from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Group and special rates are available. A selection of indoor and outdoor event space, perfect for weddings and special events, seats 80-300 people, with a gift shop and art gallery to provide the perfect options for souvenirs. www.nanimaugardens.com
• Kona Eco Adventures brings new excitement to South Kona with its tree-to-tree zipline course consisting of eight ziplines, two suspension bridges, an ATV adventure ride through an ancient Native Hawaiian forest and open range pastures. Those who prefer a peaceful tour can embark on the Nature Hike where you can touch, smell and sync into the sounds of the forest. Visit “Mist Mountain Farm” and come face to face with buffalo, llama, horses, and more. www.konazip.com.
• Tour the “Many Perches” Habitat with Hawai'i Forest & Trail on its new Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge Adventure. Hakalau, which means “many perches” in Hawaiian, is the first National Wildlife Refuge established in the United States for forest birds and is home to some of the rarest plants and animal species on earth. Hawai'i Forest & Trail guides take visitors along a four-wheel drive road that bisects a meadow between upper and lower forest elevations during a full-day adventure, which includes two to four miles of hiking. www.hawaii-forest.com
• Paradise Helicopters and ZipLine Through Paradise have partnered to offer two new HELIZIP Air Adventures. The adventure takes off from Kona Airport with a helicopter tour of Kīlauea Volcano, a stop at Hilo Airport to zipline on the only 8-line side-by-side course in the state followed by a picnic lunch before heading back to Kona by helicopter. Along the way, guests will be treated to stunning views of Hawai'i Island's coastlines, lush valleys and 2,800-foot waterfalls. Hilo departures are available with doors-off. www.paradisecopters.com
• Hawai'i Island Skydiving, located at Upolu Airport near the town of Hāwī in North Kohala, is now offering the only skydiving adventure available east of Honolulu on O'ahu. Skydivers will cruise to altitude on a 20-minute scenic flight in a Cessna jump-craft, taking in majestic views of the North Kohala coastline, West Maui, and the summits of Maunakea, Maunaloa, Hualālai, and Haleakalā. The adrenaline-pumping freefall lasts for about 45 seconds, after which you will enjoy a peaceful three to five minute descent under parachute to a soft-landing back at Upolu Airport. No skydiving experience is necessary to participate in this once in a lifetime opportunity. http://www.bigislandskydiving.com
• Visitors and kama'āina (local residents) alike are invited to nourish their body, mind, and spirit at the new 850-square-foot Kona Beach Yoga Studio at the Courtyard Marriott King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel. Combining the principles of yoga, hula and peace through fitness and the arts, the studio offers daily classes ranging from Beginner's Mind Yoga, Pilates and Vinyasa Yoga to 'ukulele, Hawaiian language, and hula. Special instructors include the inspirational Dr. Marya Mann and the masterful Kumu Keala Ching. (808) 329-4772
• Visitors can now virtually traverse the Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast, a Hawai'i Scenic Byway stretching seven miles along Kailua Kona's Ali'i Drive, via a new Kona Royal Footsteps App commissioned by the Kailua Village Business Improvement District. Users will have access to historical information and photos, as well as tips for ocean recreation, area accommodations, shoreline access, and more. The free app is available for smart phones or tablets and can be found by searching “Royal Kona Guide” or “Kona Royal Footsteps.” www.historickailuavillage.com

Established in 1998, the Hawai'i Tourism Authority, the state's tourism agency, is responsible for strategically managing tourism to optimize benefits for Hawai'i that integrates the interest of visitors, the community and visitor industry. Tourism is our state's leading economic driver and largest employer and the HTA continually works to ensure its sustainability well into the future. For more information on the HTA, please visitwww.hawaiitourismauthority.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter (@Hawai'iHTA).

Media Contact:           

Andrea Oka

Stryker Weiner & Yokota Public Relations

Phone: (808) 523-8802

Email: andrea@strykerweiner.com