Sunset in Maui by Tina Jett
Hawaii became the 50th U.S. state on August 21, 1959.
The title up there is a little bit of a misnomer. Hawaii (or Hawai´i, with its cute accent) is not a little thing. It’s a great, big, amazing thing. There are little things about it, though, that make it great. I had the good fortune of visiting Hawaii for the very first time six years ago. Before then, I thought of it as a likely nice place to visit, but not tops on my list. Don’t get me wrong… winters in Cleveland will make any place that sits above 50°F in the middle of winter a welcome tropical getaway. It was part of the United States, though, so in my naiveté, I dismissed it as being not as exciting as, say, Bora Bora, or something more imaginarily exotic.
And then I was proven wrong.
Hawaii, aside from having a colorful history, has quite the colorful present. Yes, there are the traditional American “conveniences” of McDonald’s and shopping malls and all that we’ve come to (unfortunately) identify ourselves with. Despite those modern attributes, I found myself, like many others visiting before me, completely enamored by it.
Absolutely breathtaking flora, fauna, and ocean life? Check.
Abundant opportunities for adventure and life-altering experiences? Double-check.
A culture that prides itself on holding tight to its heritage, despite previously-mentioned modernism and commerce? Checkity-check-check.
My week in Hawaii changed me. It changed the outlook I had on this beautiful spot on our globe, and the experiences I had changed my outlook on life. In that week, I found a favorite new hobby in ziplining. I woke up at 2am to drive to the top of a volcano, see the sun rise from terrain that looked like it was another planet, and ride a bike all the way back down. And I snorkeled. In the ocean. Where I couldn’t touch the bottom and there were creatures larger than me taking up residence.
This was huge. I do not swim. And I wanted to go back for more the next day.
This is the kind of thing that Hawaii does to you. Maybe you aren’t a fan of the more physical adventures that await, but are more into the relaxing, historical, or culinary kind. No matter. I guarantee you will come away changed in some measure and longing to come back for more. If you do make it to Hawaii some day, I encourage you to challenge yourself by exploring something new; something you’d never think to try without those beautiful islands whispering words of encouragement in your ear. You’ll thank them later.
There are many things Hawaii is known for. Here are a few to experience at home or on vacation:
- Make a floral lei – I’ll admit that I was a little let down that my fantasy of stepping off a plane to beautiful leis being draped around my neck did not happen. Looks like you have to pay the airlines an extra fee to make that come true. Oh, well. Lei-making is a bit of a social gathering in Hawaii, common before big events like weddings and graduations. Why not make your own? It’s easy-peasy.
- Eat you some musubi – The people of Hawaii love them some Spam. So much so, that they consume more of it than any other place on Earth. Brought over by military personnel during World War II, this suspect meat-in-a-can can be found in recipes galore. Musubi is the most popular Spam dish in Hawaii. Find out how you can make this sushi-style delicacy.
- Learn about the beauty of Hawaiian quilts – I’m not a big quilt person, but traditional two-color Hawaiian quilts and their bold, graphic patterns had me at aloha. This cute, little site shares the history of this particular style of quilting and includes tips on making your own.
- Explore Hawaiian eco-tourism – With the ever-increasing amount of people flocking to experience the natural beauty of the Hawaiian islands, it becomes increasingly more important to appreciate and protect said nature. This website for the Hawaii Ecotourism Association will point you in the right direction for eco-adventure and volunteer opportunities to check out during your stay. Why not learn a little and give back to the land that gives you so much more in return?
- Link up to the Hawaiian surf network – Perhaps you get all ramped-up at the thought of tackling a 30-foot swell on the North Shore. If so, you are a die-hard surfing fan and the complete opposite of me. If that’s your thing, you need to check out Surf News Network, the go-to site for tide and weather info, the latest news in the surf world, and local links for the Hawaiian surf community.
- Plan your Hawaiian vacation – If you’ve never been to Hawaii, but want to daydream about it or plan your trip, the official tourism site is really a great place to start. Find out the differences between the islands, see what events are taking place during your stay, and learn about all there is to see and do.
Tina Jett is an artist, writer, photographer, and world-explorer. Her husband describes her with the phrase, “It’s like she lives in a coloring book.” See how that vision influences the work on her 
Never been to Hawaii, but I would LOVE to go!
You opened my eyes to Hawaii too. Will definitely look into the quilting aspect, having done a bit of that craft myself, even though after doing two huge quilts in over one year, I have “quilted myself out” of that for the moment. Still like to visit and keep informed though. Many thanks for that lead.
As for being met with garlands of lei – don’t you have to go a bit further afield to places like Samoa, Tonga and the like? Pretty sure they go in for that sort of greeting there.
All the best
I imagine the lei thing was more common years ago. We are lucky enough to be going back to Hawaii in October, and they actually had that option available (for 15 extra bucks) when booking my flight. I was very tempted…
I ♥ Hawaii!!
After spending time living and painting in the southwest and visiting extinct volcanoes in New Mexico, I longed to see active volcanoes. As a result, I embarked on a residency at Red Cinder Creativity Center in 2008, located between the active and accessible volcanoes Kilauea and Mauna Loa, on the Big Island of Hawaii. Immersed in twelve of the world’s thirteen climate zones, I experienced and studied the various landscapes and dynamic geology of the island. I had the unique opportunities of watching landscape being created and standing on the newest land on earth: landscape created by lava hardening into rock, which, in time, will transform into soil where plants will sprout and grow. Consequently, the dramatic volcanic landscapes continue to inform and influence my work.
My 2-and-a-half weeks in Hawaii changed my life!
Mahalo!
Mary
The fact that it has so many climate zones is definitely one of the most crazy-awesome things about it. I’ve seen those areas with the new lava flow on TV… I can’t imagine what it’s like to experience something so primitive taking place right before your eyes.
I’ve been to Hawaii several times, and it is just beautiful. My ex sister-in-law lives there with her family. Hawaii is a nice place to go on vacation.
Yarncrafting visitors, take note: we have yarn shops and SNBs; I’m one of the Aloha Knitters (we also crochet, spin, and weave). The Aloha Knitters forum on Ravelry includes threads with tips and help for visitors.