The USS Missouri , where the Japanese surrendered to American forces 64 years ago and U.S. seamen surrendered to Cher 20 years ago, will be out of commission for several months starting in mid-October. The massive battleship will go into drydock Oct. 14, leaving its berth for the first time... ... MORE

Given everything else the Obama administration has to deal with -- from health care to war in Iraq -- it's hard to imagine that a a political injustice that took place more than a century ago, thousands of miles from Washington, D.C., is going to rise to the top of the list. But this particular... ... MORE

Thank God it's Aloha Friday , because the weekend itself is a very busy one for Bay Area Hawai'i-philes. Here are highlights of the crowded calendar: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., Sept. 19: The Napa Valley Aloha Festival returns for its second year, with music, dance, arts and crafts, and of course... ... MORE

Next summer seems a long way off, given that this summer has a few days left in it, but Oakland, San Diego and Los Angeles travelers will be able to take advantage of new service to Hawaii beginning June 17, 2010. Hawaiian Airlines will offer a new daily nonstop flight between Oakland and... ... MORE

It's no surprise Christian missionaries encouraged the suppression of hula in early 19th century Hawaii, opposed as they were to its praise of Hawaiian gods, its sinuous moves and -- in Western minds -- its scantily clad dancers. But its roots remained deep in the land that inspired it, and... ... MORE

In honor of the investiture of the Aloha Festivals' Royal Court on O'ahu on Sept. 10, today's quiz is not about identifying a location, but rather some of the items of clothing that long distinguished the ali'i of Hawai'i. The cloaks that the mō'ī kane (king) and ... ... MORE

Consumer confidence may be up, but you'd be hard pressed to tell that from the continuing flood of travel deals meant to entice visitors to return to Hawai'i. And the best bargains of all, of course, would be the free trips currently being offered by the major players in the biz. Marriott... ... MORE

He says "making people laugh until they shi shi" is his hobby on his YouTube user page, but it seems to be a pretty good day (and evening) job for Augie Tulba, better known to Hawai'i radio listeners and comedy fans as Augie T. He brings his road show to Hayward tonight and Saturday (Sept.... ... MORE

University of Hawai'i alumni and all others interested in the islands are invited to a special reception in San Francisco on Monday, Sept. 14, but you need to register ASAP (as in today). UH Mānoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw, Athletics Director Jim Donovan and the deans of the colleges of... ... MORE

"To enter the Painted Church at Upper Hōnaunau is to step back 500 years into the world of François Villon's mother, who could not read the words in the holy book but knew the promise of heaven and the threat of hell through the vivid pictures she had seen on the walls of her chapel." ... ... MORE

Enjoy Hawaiian music, dance and food tonight (Sept. 4) in Concord and you'll help needy seniors in the Contra Costa city. That's the premise of Hawaiian Fusion, an event featuring Nathan Aweau of Hawaii's supergroup Hapa, the dancers of Hālau Hula Ke Aolani o Kamaile and a luau-style... ... MORE

A rare piece of good news on the aviation front: United Airlines, the largest commercial carrier serving Hawaii from the Mainland, is bringing back its Halfway to Hawaii game, which had been discontinued earlier this year. The airline, which averages 800 Hawaii-bound flights each month, has... ... MORE

Writing about Hawaii's adult-only hotels and activities last year, I noted that resorts with adult-only areas usually rely on self-enforcement of the rules by guests, and that you shouldn't count on high-end hotels having fewer kids among their clientele. While that's still true in general, one... ... MORE

In lieu of the regular quiz today, I'm humbly asking readers to check out the cover story in the Chronicle's Sunday Travel section, essentially 50 factoids about Hawaii in honor of the 50th anniversary of statehood (Aug. 21, 1959), then e-mail me one fact they would like to see in an... ... MORE

Thirty years after he moved from Oahu's Palolo Valley to San Francisco, Hiram Bell is teaching more ukulele students than ever, leading workshops and kani kapila jams, and playing with pupils at festivals and showcases in the Bay Area and Hawaii. But this weekend is special for Bell and fans of... ... MORE

Mexico's loss is Hawaii's gain -- at least when it comes to cruise ships sailing from the West Coast. While it may not be a return to the Matson Line era of traveling to Hawaii, those who relish days at sea on their way to the islands will have new opportunities next year. Princess Cruises ... ... MORE

"Ala Moana" may mean "ocean street" in Hawaiian, but when you add "Center" to it, and ask Hawaii Insider readers about it, prepare for a trip down memory lane. The Honolulu mega-mall opened on Aug. 13, 1959, eight days before Hawaii officially became a state, and its ambitious growth over the... ... MORE

If you've been following Hawaii news this week, you know the Aloha State turned 50 on Aug. 21, 1959 -- and that statehood itself is still a sensitive subject . But on this day of rest, let's turn to a lighter topic for the moment. There's one institution in the islands that's older than the... ... MORE

The state of Hawaii turns 50 today, sharing a 1959 birth year with island icons that include the Ala Moana Center mega-mall in Honolulu, the Maui Divers Jewelry chain (now nationwide), Waikiki's Chuck's Steakhouse and Queen Kap'iolani Hotel, Kailua-Kona's first KTA grocery store (now... ... MORE

More than one Hawaiian legend tells of the origin of Keahiakawelo, one of the most popular destinations for visitors to Lanai. It's more widely known in English as "Garden of the Gods," but both names evoke the spiritual element of this otherworldly place, where erosion has left multihued lava... ... MORE

A mini-tour by multigenre maestro Willie K , a Polynesian festival with outrigger canoe races in Santa Cruz, and the ongoing concert series by a superlative slack-key trio are the Hawaiiana highlights for Northern California in the coming week. The triple promise of Aaron Mahi, George Kuo and... ... MORE

Those who think ancient Hawaiian culture is dead and buried are only partly right: While most Hawaiians no longer bury their dead in the sand, the fight to protect ancestral graves from redevelopment has kept alive a sense of connection to the past, and inspires activism in the present. What... ... MORE

A mini storm erupted on Kauai recently when the Garden Island newspaper revealed that "A Perfect Getaway," which debuted in movie theaters Aug. 7, was not only a bloody thriller set on the Kalalau Trail but also did not send its actors on location. The premise that serial killers would be... ... MORE

When you hear the producer of "Survivor" is behind a new reality show about weddings, you might picture scheming bridezillas, feuding families and orchestrated "challenges" involving wedding processions and obstacle courses. But it seems Mark Burnett's "Wedding Day" is all about the happy ending... ... MORE

Hawaii's triple threat on guitar -- Aaron Mahi, Martin Pahinui and George Kuo -- will tour Northern California next week. If you're not familiar with the sound of the talented trio, consider their individual credentials (and click on their album links for sound clips): * George Kuo is a ... ... MORE

There's more than one way to protect Hawaii's threatened coral reefs, other than just not walking on them or, as in some recent high-profile incidents , sinking your boat on them. In my Aug. 3 post , I talked about the responsibility of beachgoers not to walk on or break off coral, the... ... MORE

Hawaii's best-known museum will reopen its most significant gallery this weekend after a three-year renovation, with new attention to Native Hawaiian and modern multicultural perspectives as well as ancient artifacts. While the long-overdue overhaul of century-old Hawaiian Hall at the ... ... MORE

"Happy birthday, Mr. President...." While Marilyn Monroe may not be here to coo the song, today's post is a little present to the holder of the most sought-after birth certificate from Hawaii. In my Sunday Quiz post of Aug. 2, I asked readers to identify which park -- said to have been... ... MORE

Those who cause major damage to Hawaii's fragile coral reefs are starting to face major fines, according to an Aug.2 AP story by Audrey McAvoy. The three examples she cites: A Maui tour company is paying the state nearly $400,000 for damaging more than 1,200 coral colonies when one of its... ... MORE

President Barack Obama turns 48 on Tuesday, Aug. 4, so this week's "Where in Hawaii?" Sunday Photo Quiz is in honor of his special day. (Surely it's not in doubt that the young "Barry" celebrated some birthdays in Hawaii, even if a fringe group refuses to concede the first.) While his... ... MORE

Take one of San Francisco's most beautiful settings on the first full weekend in August, add Hawaiian music, dance, arts, crafts and food, bring in thousands of Pacific Islanders and "islanders at heart," and you get ... well, fog, chilly dancers, crowded Presidio Parade Grounds and overflowing... ... MORE

For centuries Hawaiians spun stories inspired by the dramatic landscape they had discovered, the ancient legends they had brought with them, and the complexity of human pyschology that leads to both love and war. Some tales were passed down in chants and hula, while other mo'olelo were shared... ... MORE

Turns out President Obama may not have been born in the United States after all -- but not for the discredited reason the "birthers" are claiming. Instead, as one reader commented on my recent Aloha Friday column about best Hawaii-themed books, "When I hear the controversy of Obama not... ... MORE

Today's Sunday Quiz is an easy one, continuing the theme of my July 25 Aloha Friday column on best Hawaii beach reads: What are your favorite Hawaii-themed books? Although I used "beach reads" loosely to mean anything not especially academic (which could be a whole 'nother column) or overly... ... MORE

Missing the distinctive voices of the islands? Playwright and author Wayne Moniz will "talk story" -- literally -- with Northern California and Internet audiences over the next 10 days, in a series of readings and interviews about his delightful new collection, "Under Maui Skies and Other... ... MORE

While many of Hawaii's hotels boast free lessons in hula and lei-making, not all take it to the next level -- to the point that repeat visitors to the islands may know just as much as their instructor when it comes to dancing "The Hukilau" or stringing some plumeria. But Kauai's Grand Hyatt is... ... MORE

Malolo, Monterey, Mariposa, Matsonia: If those names mean something to you, you're in the good company of either nostalgia buffs or Matson's former ocean liner passengers, or both. In yesterday's Sunday Quiz, I asked readers to name four other Matson ships beside the SS Lurline that sailed... ... MORE

Jet service to Hawaii marks its 50th anniversary this year, just like statehood for the islands. But for three decades before 1959 and nearly two decades after, the Matson Lines' "white ships" were the way to travel in style between California and Hawaii. The S.S. Lurline, shown in a home movie... ... MORE

Hawaiian music is what's happening Oakland these days, from a monthly concert of the Bay Area's best to showcases of Hawaii's top headliners. The sounds of aloha start Sunday, July 19, with the monthly Kani Kapila lineup of bands, solo artists and hula dancers at Tiki Tom's , 300 29th Ave.... ... MORE

The Big Island takes the spotlight in this week's installment top five bargain alerts from the Twitter feed of the new FyndHawaii.com, which offers general travel tips as well as discount blurbs. (As noted before, Hawaii Insider is featuring weekly updates of FyndHawaii's deals around the... ... MORE