AFAR senior deputy editor Jennifer Flowers—who heads up all our hotel content—has a deep familiarity with Waikīkī, the two-mile stretch of sand known for its hotels, waves, and tourists. Her mother is from Hawai'i, and her parents (both in the hospitality industry) actually met while working in a hotel. She played on Waikīkī as a kid, but for years, she's seen it as a kinda shiny, glitzy place—a place that seems a little, well, inauthentic.
So on a recent trip to O'ahu, she met with four different locals who helped her see a new side of Waikīkī.
Meet this week’s guests
-
Jennifer Flowers, AFAR senior deputy editor
- Misty Thompson Tufono, executive vice president of Tihati Productions
- Dylan Ching, vice president of operations for TS Restaurants, which includes Duke’s Waikīkī
- Aunty Luana Maitland, director of cultural experiences at the Outrigger Reef Waikīkī Beach Resort
-
Bonga Perkins, world-champion longboard surfer
Resources
- Read this episode’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
- Read Jenn’s story about the cultural experiences she had on Waikīkī.
- Check out the Royal Hawaiian and its luau, run by Tihati Productions.
- Explore the menu at Duke’s Waikīkī.
- Discover the cultural center at the Outrigger Reef Waikīkī Beach Resort.
- Watch Bonga surf! (And check out his surfboards.)