Aloha State

Faux grass skirts and pricey Hermes scarves proliferate in the tourist boutiques that line Waikiki's clean-swept brick sidewalks. From here, it seems, Hawaii is a shopper's paradise. But for the 1.1 million people who make their homes in the Aloha State, Hawaii can be a shopper's nightmare. Getting a good price on a garden hose or being able to choose from among a dozen different laundry detergents has been considered a luxury largely unattainable--until now.

If the pursuit of happiness is the ultimate goal of Americans, turns out that people have a much better shot in Hawaii than in West Virginia. Hawaii ranks No. 1 in well-being among its residents for the fourth year in a row, according to a Gallup-Healthways poll, while West Virginia for the fourth year straight is at the very bottom. According to the poll, Aloha State residents were most likely to rate their lives as "thriving," scoring themselves high in areas such as emotional health and work environment.  West Virginians, on the other hand, had the lowest score for physical health and were most likely to be diagnosed with depression.

It had been a busy day of sun and surf, and I was recharging with a free welcome cocktail on my hotel terrace in a tiny beachfront garden, a seashell's throw from the Hilton Hawaiian Village. As I idly glanced up at the resort's skyscrapers, I caught a Hilton guest looking down on me--socially as well as logistically, it was clear. His eyes quickly dismissed the rustic two-story complex comprising my lodging, its lone "tower" a puny six stories.

Mokulele Airlines is offering fares as low as $39 each way for inter-island flights in Hawaii. The airline, which many folks haven't heard of if they haven't traveled to the Aloha State, connects Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and the Big Island. The deal: The $39 rates include tax and are good on selected dates (see below) during the holiday period. It's an online-only special, and seats are expected to go fast. Use the code "SHOLIDAY" when making a reservation. When: The offer is good for flights Dec. 24, 25, 30 and 31, and Jan. 1, subject to availability.

No need to fret for the state of Hawaii tourism anymore. Visitor numbers to the Aloha State dropped dramatically during the recession, and the state's tourism industry suffered another blow when an earthquake and tsunami in Japan last year stifled the flow of big-spending Japanese vacationers to the islands. But tourism in Hawaii is rebounding fast, with the state welcoming nearly 7.3 million visitors in 2011. Although that is still short of the state's record year in 2006, officials expect continued growth this year.

Mokulele Airlines is offering fares as low as $39 each way for inter-island flights in Hawaii. The airline, which many folks haven't heard of if they haven't traveled to the Aloha State, connects Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and the Big Island. The deal: The $39 rates include tax and are good on selected dates (see below) during the holiday period. It's an online-only special, and seats are expected to go fast. Use the code "SHOLIDAY" when making a reservation. When: The offer is good for flights Dec. 24, 25, 30 and 31, and Jan. 1, subject to availability.

If the pursuit of happiness is the ultimate goal of Americans, turns out that people have a much better shot in Hawaii than in West Virginia. Hawaii ranks No. 1 in well-being among its residents for the fourth year in a row, according to a Gallup-Healthways poll, while West Virginia for the fourth year straight is at the very bottom. According to the poll, Aloha State residents were most likely to rate their lives as "thriving," scoring themselves high in areas such as emotional health and work environment.  West Virginians, on the other hand, had the lowest score for physical health and were most likely to be diagnosed with depression.

Let the breathless speculation begin: Don Draper and his wife Megan will travel to Hawaii in the Season 6 premiere of “Mad Men.” According to a report published in Deadline and confirmed by AMC, lead actors Jon Hamm and Jessica Paré, who play the photogenic couple in the drama, will travel to the 50th state this Sunday with a small crew to film scenes for the upcoming Season 6 premiere. Creator Matthew Weiner and producer Scott Hornbacher reportedly scouted locations for the episode back in September.

Hawaii is the most expensive state by far to vacation in, costing two adults an average of $793 a day for food and lodging alone, according to a AAA survey. State tourism officials contended that a more accurate estimate was about half that amount. The auto club's recommended daily budget for visitors to the Aloha State is triple the national average of $244 and more than double that of New York, the second-most-expensive state at $320. Nevada ($301) is third, followed by Florida ($289)

Hawaii loves to celebrate. There are festivals celebrating avocados, mangoes, coffee, craft brew, Chinese New Year, falsetto singing, taro, paniolo (Hawaiian cowboys), slack-key guitar playing and just about everything else you can hear, see or taste in the archipelago that Capt. James Cook called the Sandwich Islands. Come to think of it, the only one missing is a Sandwich Isles Sandwich Festival. Here is a look at some of the festivals you can attend in the islands throughout the year: Mele Mei Festival, Oahu.

Let the breathless speculation begin: Don Draper and his wife Megan will travel to Hawaii in the Season 6 premiere of “Mad Men.” According to a report published in Deadline and confirmed by AMC, lead actors Jon Hamm and Jessica Paré, who play the photogenic couple in the drama, will travel to the 50th state this Sunday with a small crew to film scenes for the upcoming Season 6 premiere. Creator Matthew Weiner and producer Scott Hornbacher reportedly scouted locations for the episode back in September.

In case you were wondering: Yes, it's cool to be a billionaire. Oracle's way-rich CEO, Larry Ellison, is reportedly closing on a deal to buy 98% of Hawaii's pineapple island, Lanai. Yup, that's 141 square miles of Aloha State, all in the hands of one guy. Lanai has nearly 50 miles of coastline, two resorts and no traffic lights. About 3,200 people live on the island. Ellison is the world's sixth-richest billionaire, according to Forbes. The land's current owner, Castle & Cooke Inc., filed a transfer application Wednesday with state officials.

Hawaii loves to celebrate. There are festivals celebrating avocados, mangoes, coffee, craft brew, Chinese New Year, falsetto singing, taro, paniolo (Hawaiian cowboys), slack-key guitar playing and just about everything else you can hear, see or taste in the archipelago that Capt. James Cook called the Sandwich Islands. Come to think of it, the only one missing is a Sandwich Isles Sandwich Festival. Here is a look at some of the festivals you can attend in the islands throughout the year: Mele Mei Festival, Oahu.

Hawaii's rebounding tourism industry surged in January as the Aloha State posted a record $1.3 billion in visitor spending. The total was a 14% increase from the same month last year and the best one-month total on record, surpassing December's peak by $47 million, according to new statistics from the Hawaii Tourism Authority. State tourism officials attributed the record to more visitors and to a greater amount spent by each person. Hawaii attracted 643,616 visitors, a 7.7% increase from January 2011, and they spent an average of $192 per person, about 5% more than the $183 average a year earlier.

No need to fret for the state of Hawaii tourism anymore. Visitor numbers to the Aloha State dropped dramatically during the recession, and the state's tourism industry suffered another blow when an earthquake and tsunami in Japan last year stifled the flow of big-spending Japanese vacationers to the islands. But tourism in Hawaii is rebounding fast, with the state welcoming nearly 7.3 million visitors in 2011. Although that is still short of the state's record year in 2006, officials expect continued growth this year.

Hawaii is one of six states that do not have any laws against human trafficking, and each one of them — Massachusetts, Ohio, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming — is a hole in what should be a national safety net. Without strong and vigorously enforced statutes, these states not only risk becoming unintended havens for traffickers, but when confronted with the crime they are more likely to rely on outdated prostitution laws instead of...

Hawaii's rebounding tourism industry surged in January as the Aloha State posted a record $1.3 billion in visitor spending. The total was a 14% increase from the same month last year and the best one-month total on record, surpassing December's peak by $47 million, according to new statistics from the Hawaii Tourism Authority. State tourism officials attributed the record to more visitors and to a greater amount spent by each person. Hawaii attracted 643,616 visitors, a 7.7% increase from January 2011, and they spent an average of $192 per person, about 5% more than the $183 average a year earlier.

In case you were wondering: Yes, it's cool to be a billionaire. Oracle's way-rich CEO, Larry Ellison, is reportedly closing on a deal to buy 98% of Hawaii's pineapple island, Lanai. Yup, that's 141 square miles of Aloha State, all in the hands of one guy. Lanai has nearly 50 miles of coastline, two resorts and no traffic lights. About 3,200 people live on the island. Ellison is the world's sixth-richest billionaire, according to Forbes. The land's current owner, Castle & Cooke Inc., filed a transfer application Wednesday with state officials.

Big sky -- and big taxes Re "Montana's big sky views become big tax horrors," Jan. 3 Reading this article, I thought I had been transported back to 1978: People potentially forced from longtime residences because they can't afford the escalating property taxes. Proposition 13 was enacted to prevent situations like these. The Times offers an excellent articulation of why we need Proposition 13 and why it should never be repealed. S. H. Whittle Los Angeles Do you really expect anyone to have sympathy for people who are worth millions and refuse to liquidate any portion of their wealth to pay their taxes?

Between dealing with terrorism threats and crises abroad, President Obama is unwinding in Hawaii with his family this week. They've snorkeled in pristine bays and dined in fashionable restaurants. Tourism officials only wish there were thousands more visitors like them. Tourism is the glue that holds this island state's finances together, keeping its streets clean, its workers paid and its children educated. But for the last two years, vacationers and conventioneers alike have abandoned Hawaii in favor of less exotic destinations closer to home.