January 27, 2026

When I was a teenager living on Long Island in 1966 the Beach Boys song Surfin‘ USA was very popular. But it was not until a film played at our local movie theatre that made surfing feel like a global, sun-soaked way of life. That movie was The Endless Summer. Even if you didn’t surf, the film felt like pure freedom—road trip energy before road trips were cool on film. It didn’t make any difference if you lived in New York, Kansas or Texas every teenager wanted a surf board. (Hobie and Dewey Weber were popular brands) It is hard to imagine that surfboards were 9-11 feet and weighed 25-40 pounds GIANT compared to today’s boards 5-6 feet and weighing as little as 8-10 pounds. (Duke Kahanamoku, who introduced surfing to mainland US, Australia, and beyond rode massive wooden boards (15+ feet, 100+ lbs.) This time period inspired generations of surfers and travel filmmakers and introduced the world to the North Shore of Hawaii and Waimea Bay where adventurous surfers from around the world travel to challenge the towering waves and “ride the barrel.”

When British captain William Brown sailed into its calm, peaceful waters in 1794, he took one look at its pristine beauty and named it Fair Haven, which translates to Honolulu in Hawaiian. Diamond Head got its name by British sailors who mistook the glittering calcite crystals in the lava rocks for diamonds.

The prime pearl of Oahu is the North Shore.

Here, you’ll find dramatic ocean views, quiet beaches and off-the-beaten-path attractions including the Pali Lookout, one of the island’s most scenic outlooks. Hanauma Bay Preserve is one of Oahu’s most popular snorkeling spots. Known as a nesting ground for sea turtles, the Preserve’s clear waters are also home to colorful parrotfish and the humuhumunukunukuapuaa, Hawaii’s state fish. I asked a native Hawaiian how to pronounce the name of the state fish it may take practice but try saying, “Who-moo-who-moo-noo-koo-nookoo-ah-pooah-ah. The reason why so many letters are repeated in Hawaiian is that the Hawaiian alphabet has only 12 letters: a, e, h, i, k, l, m, n, o, p, u, w.

Of course this beautiful scenery is a popular destination for Hollywood. Movies including Jurassic Park, From Here To Eternity and TV series such as Lost and Hawaii Five-O have been shot around the island. My personal favorite was Magnum PI. Do you remember the actor who played the iconic role of Thomas Magnum? His mustache deserved its own credit!

One of the many things I love about traveling with Chongae is that she is so adventurous. Sometimes, more adventurous than me! We went way off the beaten path and found a very local restaurant that served great Hawaiian chicken and coffee. Owed by Hisae and Fred their logo translates to “quality through the generations” in Hawaiian. Waialua coffee, in my opinion, is much better than the more well known Kona coffee and is much cheaper.

And the actor who played Thomas Magnum, I’m sure you guessed it: Tom Selleck. The sale of Hawaiian shirts spiked during the TV show and the style remains so iconic that a Magnum shirt is now part of the Smithsonian’s collection!

Thanks for traveling with us.