Psst. Don’t tell anybody… but the best time to visit Hawaii is now.

A perfect storm of factors: the bad economy, lower airfares, and the traditionally slow fall season are translating into some great deals now for travelers on a budget.

Del Brooks, the longtime manager of the Hula Bar and Lei Stand, Hawaii’s best-known gay bar, said that he can’t remember business being as slow as it was late last year.

Brooks added that lower airfares have resulted in business picking up a little this year. But he explained that what’s bad for business is good for the consumer.

“Everybody is having a blowout sale, ” he said. “Everywhere you turn, they are putting it on sale. You ask, ‘Is that your best price?’ and they will give you a better price.”

Hula’s celebrated its 35^th anniversary on July 9. That makes it just 15 years younger than the state. On August 21, the title “Hawaii 5-0″ took on a new meaning when Hawaii turned the big 5-0.

More than 70 percent of Hawaii’s population of 1.3 million live on the Island of Oahu, home of Honolulu and Waikiki. You will find virtually all the gay nightlife in Hawaii in Waikiki, which is the beachfront tourist area south of downtown Honolulu. Honolulu is both a city and a county. Most people think of Honolulu as just Waikiki and the neighborhoods in and around downtown, but the City and County of Honolulu includes all of the island of Oahu as well as the tiny and mostly uninhabited micro islands in the Hawaiian Island chain.

Sights

Of course, Honolulu is also known now for being the birthplace of President Obama. Hawaii is very proud of that fact and celebrates him at every turn. The ubiquitous Waikiki tee shirt stands have even gotten into the act, selling a full assortment of Obama tees.

On my trip last month, I took Polynesian Adventures Obama Tour (www.polyad.com), which was mostly standard highlights of Oahu with references along the way to places where the president spent time growing up. But most of the Obama stuff is at the end of the 3-hour-plus tour when the bus goes by the Punahou neighborhood near Waikiki where the president spent most of his youth. The tour goes past the elite Punahou School where the president attended the 5^th through the 12^th grades in the 70s. Tuition is a staggering $16,675 per year. Barry Obama, as he was known in those days, attended on a partial scholarship.

The Waikiki Trolley (www.waikikitrolley.com) is another good way to take in the sights of Oahu without getting lost. The best value is a 4-day ticket for $48 or you can buy a 1-day ticket for $27.

If you are on a tight budget, the public bus is another good way to see all of Oahu. For just a $2 fare, you can take the circle bus all the way around the island. You can get off wherever you want and catch the next bus. Each time you pay, you are entitled to a transfer but you can use it only once. A 4-day pass is good for unlimited rides and is only $20. The big drawback to taking a city bus is that you won’t get a tour guide who can explain what you are seeing. A good compromise would be to see everything on an organized tour and then go back on a city bus to visit the places where you want to spend more time.

The must-see things on the island include Hanauma Bay, an extinct volcano crater that eventually became overtaken by the sea. It was one of President Obama’s childhood haunts and features some of the best snorkeling you will find anywhere. It costs five bucks to get in to the beach. You have to first watch an educational film that gives you the ecological etiquette of the bay. But you can enjoy the beautiful view of the bay for free from the lookout above. The best way to get there is on the #22 bus from Waikiki. If you are driving, it costs $1 to park and the lot fills up quickly. To avoid a long line to get to the beach, it is best to get there in the late afternoon or early morning. It is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and over the summer it is open at an hour later, until 7 p.m. Hanauma Bay is a stop on most organized tours.

The Diamond Head hike is another thing you shouldn’t miss. The extinct volcano overlooks Waikiki beach and you can climb through some of the old military tunnels to the observatory at the top for a spectacular bird’s eye view of the high rise hotels of Waikiki. Be sure to bring water for the 1.5 mile roundtrip hike from the parking lot. The entry fee is just $1. You can take the #22 or #23 bus to get there. The Waikiki Trolley also goes there.

If you always wanted to try one of those Segway scooter things, you have your chance in Honolulu. Tours range in price from $89-$130. For more information visit www.segwayofhawaii.com.

Movie fans will want to take in a tour of the Kualoa Ranch (www.kualoa.com). It is where a number of movies including Jurassic Park were filmed. It is also a set for the TV series Lost. A wide variety of tours and adventure rides are available starting at $21. It is about a 45-minute drive from Waikiki. If you aren’t renting a car, the ranch offers tours that will pick you up at your hotel for an added cost. You can also take the city bus there.

Manoa Falls is a hidden treasure that is close to downtown Honolulu but feels like a world away. The springtime is a good time to take the .75 mile hike to the falls because the drier weather means the trail won’t be as muddy or slippery. The best way to get there from Waikiki is to take the #5 city bus. There is no admission charge to the park. It is a good idea to bring water for the hike and spray on mosquito repellant before you go. The trailhead starts where Manoa Road dead ends, past the University of Hawaii Campus.

The USS Arizona Memorial is the most visited attraction in Hawaii. An estimated 1.5 million tourists see it annually. The somber memorial in Pearl Harbor is about an hour and 15 minutes by city bus from Waikiki. It is open 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is a good idea to get there early before the tour buses arrive. Boats ferry visitors free of charge to a floating memorial that sits over the remains of the USS Arizona. Small drops of oil still rise to the surface from the sunken ship A short documentary is shown to all visitors before the boat leaves for the memorial. The last program begins at 3 p.m.

The largest and most-visited museum in Hawaii is also a must-see attraction. The Bishop Museum (www.bishopmuseum.org) is the Smithsonian of Hawaii. It contains millions of artifacts chronicling the cultural and natural history of the Hawaiian Islands and the Pacific. A section of the museum is dedicated to science and it includes a model of a volcano that regularly erupts. You can walk into the center of the volcano for a very entertaining science lesson. A fascinating planetarium show describes why the Hawaiian Islands are so important for astronomers. Through May 10, the museum hosts a wonderful hands-on exhibit on the art of animation. Adult admission is $15.95. The museum is in a residential area of Honolulu. The Waikiki Trolley stops there or you can take the #2 or City Express bus B to get there.

The Iolani Palace (www.iolanipalace.org) is the only royal residence on US soil and is not to be missed. The location of the palace makes it easy to visit if you are staying in Waikiki. It is in the Capital District, next to downtown. You could easily make a day of walking around the area. The Iolani Palace is the centerpiece of the district. The palace was the official residence of the Hawaiian Kingdom’s last two monarchs–King Kalakaua, who built the Palace in 1882, and his sister and successor, Queen Lili`uokalani. The King was enamored with modern technology. Under his direction, the palace was considered the modern marvel of its day. It was wired with electricity four years before the White House. By the way, King Kalakaua died while visiting San Francisco in 1891. The palace is open for tours. Guided tours cost $20. A self-guided pre-recorded audio tour is $13.

Gay life

Hawaii’s best-known and unofficially gay beach is called Queen’s Surf Beach. It gets its name from its royal past not its current clientele. The beach is at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki Beach, across from the Kapiolani Park and Zoo, opposite the beach concession stand.

The two most popular gay clubs in Hawaii, Hula’s and Angles, sponsor gay catamaran cruises on Saturdays and Sundays respectively. For information on how to buy tickets, stop by the bars when you get in town or check out the bars’ Web sites.

The aforementioned Hula’s (www.hulas.com) is across the street from Kapiolani Park and steps from Queen Surf Beach. Hula’s is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful gay bars in the world because of its open-air spectacular view of Diamond Head and Kapiolani Park. At night it turns into a fabulous nightclub and you can sometimes catch local and mainland special performances there. Check its Web site for details of special events and daily themes. You can grab a quick meal at its café. The renown chef, Nick Tatta, is famous for his delicious quesadillas. Hula’s is on the second floor of the Waikiki Grand Hotel. To get there, walk through the lobby of the hotel and either take the elevator or stairs to the second floor. By the way, on the first floor, check out the gay store 80% Straight (www.80percentstraight.com). You will get a discount if you bring a copy of the store’s home page.

The other well-known gay clubs in Hawaii are Angles Waikiki and Fusion Waikiki. The bars are right next to each other. They are an easy walk from Hula’s, .7 miles to be exact. Usually people start out at Hula’s and migrate to Angles (www.angleswaikiki.com) and Fusion (www.myspace.com/fusionwaikiki) which rely on a late-night crowd. Like California, bars close at 2 a.m. but Fusion has the only gay after-hours permit and stays open until 4 a.m. Angles is on the second floor with a balcony that overlooks busy Kuhio Avenue, near Seaside Avenue, the heart of Waikiki’s nightclub district. The area is safe but a little on the seedy side at night when it becomes dotted with prostitutes and drug dealers. Fusion is also on the second floor.

The newest addition to Honolulu’s gay nightlife scene is Tapas Restaurant and Lanai Bar (www.tapaswaikiki.com). It used to be called Tryst. It is on Seaside Avenue, right behind Angles and Fusion. And like its more established neighbors, Tapas is on the second floor. It features pool, darts, and Karaoke. The bar is also popular with bears and sports lovers.

In Between (www.inbetweenonline.com) is a small friendly neighborhood bar on Lau’ula Street, a short walk north of Angles/Fusion. The bar features Karaoke and a friendly vibe. It is behind the flagship Prada Store on Kalakaua Avenue, Waikiki’s beachfront street. The bar’s address is 2155 Lauula Street.

The only other gay bar outside of Oahu is in Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii. Mask Bar and Grill on Kopiko Plaza is open until 2 a.m. nightly with DJ music, videos, and dancing. For more on the Big Island’s pride celebration information visit http://hawaiiislandpride.com.

There are no full-time predominately lesbian bars in Hawaii but a couple of women venues, Chemisstry and Downetowne, convene regularly in Honolulu.

Chemisstry is every other Friday at Cafe Sistina. 1314 South King Street. (10:30 p.m. till 2 a.m.) and every Sunday at the Sand Island Sports Club, 197 Sand Island Access Road. The Friday venue is more nightclub-ish: drinking, dancing, live DJ, and sometimes they have gogo dancers and drag king and queen shows. The Sunday venue is more laid back, a lounge-bar type atmosphere.. They present live acoustic performances by female singers/guitarists and the club has pool tables and dart boards. They also show the L Word episodes. There is no cover charge and the hours are 8pm till 2am. For more information, click on myspace.com/chemisstry.

Downetowne is the first Saturday of every month. The popular all-women dance party meets at various venues. For more information , click on www.downetowne.com.

Max’s Gym is on 483 Hobron Lane on the fourth floor of the Eaton Square shopping center. It is a well equipped gym on one side and bathhouse on the other. They don’t have a Web site but you can call them for more information at 808-951-8233.

Accommodations

On a recent trip, I had the pleasure of staying at the Aqua Bamboo Hotel and Spa and the Ohana Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel. Both are mainstream properties but very gay-friendly and in great locations near all the gay clubs and the gay beach in Waikiki.
The 92-unit Aqua Bamboo Hotel and Spa just completed a $3 million makeover. It deservedly ranks 7^th among 103 rated Honolulu hotels in TripAdvisor.com The hotel is one of 12 of the Aqua Hotels in Hawaii (/www.aquaresorts.com). All are gay-friendly and are approved by the Travel Alternative Group (TAG) and by the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association. The Aqua Hotels also offer a gay Rainbow Romance package that includes a couples massage. The Bamboo is perfectly situated just a short walk from all of Waikiki’s gay clubs and just two blocks to the beach. Amenities include a free continental breakfast and free Internet access. A spa with a wide variety of services is available for guests and non-guests and is just alongside the pool and Jacuzzi. Room rates start at $99. But if you stay three or more nights, your first night will be only $50 as part of a promotion to commemorate Hawaii’s 50 years of statehood. The Bamboo is also running a spa special. A 50-minute massage is just $69. By the way, if you are looking for very basic accommodations at a rock bottom rate, the rates at the Aqua Continental, just across the street from the Bamboo, start around $60.

Another recently remodeled property in Waikiki is the Ohana Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel (www.ohanahotelwaikikibeachcomber.com). It is a TAG-approved gay friendly property. It recently underwent a $21 million makeover. It is conveniently located just a block from Angles/Fusion/Tapa’s and is just across the street from Waikiki Beach. Many rooms have ocean views. Amenities include a pool, Jacuzzi, Internet access. Rates start at $79.

The Cabana at Waikiki (www.cabana-waikiki.com) changed this year from an exclusively gay hotel to a “straight friendly” one. The Cabana has 15 units and all are suites with kitchenettes, so you can make a home away from home. The hotel celebrated its 10^th anniversary in May and recently underwent a complete renovation. The rooms are beautifully decorated and the property is in excellent condition. The friendly staff can fill you in on all things gay in Hawaii. Even if you are not staying there, you can stop by to be booked on a number of gay-friendly tours. The Cabanas is one of the best bargains in town with rates starting at $79. But like everything else, rates often change, so check its Web site. Amenities include an eight-person hot tub and free passes to Max’s gym. The property is perfectly situated on a quiet street but a short walk to all the gay clubs of Waikiki and just a block from the beach.

If you are in the mood to splurge and have deep pockets, you would be hard pressed to do better than the Royal Hawaiian Hotel (www-royal-hawaiian.com). The so-called Pink Palace of the Pacific has been a landmark since it was built in 1927. It is also TAG-approved for being gay-friendly. The 529-unit property celebrated its grand reopening earlier this spring after pouring an estimated $110 million into the grounds and rooms. The Royal Hawaiian is arguably the most exclusive hotel in Hawaii but even they are offering specials in these hard economic times. Rates start at $300 but Check the hotel’s Web site for special deals that will significantly reduce the sticker shock.

Although the gay club scene is almost exclusively on Oahu, there are plenty of gay and very gay-friendly hotels on the other islands. The Maui Sunseeker (www.mauisunseeker.com) has 17 units making it the largest gay and lesbian hotel in Hawaii. This property is currently running a stimulus package. If you stay five nights you get one night free. Rates start at $109. The gay owned and operated property was completely remodeled after the current owners took over in 2003. The Wailana Inn was annexed to the property in 2004. Clothing is optional on the rooftop deck Amenities include a free snack basket for all guests.

On the big Island of Hawaii, the Absolute Paradise B&B (www.absoluteparadise.tv) is a clothing optional resort for gay men. You will find the gay-friendly, clothing-optional black sand beach at Kehena just a 5-minute walk way. Rates start at $90. Amenities in the four-unit property include a pool and hot tub.

Also on the Big Island, you will find the gay-friendly and lesbian-owned Paradise Cliffs Bed and Breakfast (www.paradisecliffs.com). It is a great property if you want to get away from it all. It is just outside the charming village of Pahoa. Rates for this single-unit B&B start at $129.

The gay friendly and lesbian-owned Aloha Inn (www.alohainnhawaii.com) is another gem on the Big Island. The 5-unit property sits on 4 beautiful acres. Rates start at a bargain $60.

If you would prefer to stay at an all-women property, the Butterfly Inn (www.thebutterflyinn.com) is a great choice. The two-story home is on an acre of fruit and macadamia nut trees with tropical plants and flowers. The top floor is dedicated to its two guestrooms. Amenities include a Jacuzzi and the use of a kitchen if you prefer to eat in. Rates start at a bargain $55.

On the garden island of Kauai, you will find the superb 5-unit gay owned and straight friendly Mahina Kai Ocean Villa (www.mahinakai.com) The property has sweeping ocean views with Japanese inspired architecture and gardens. The nearly two acre property offers free wifi and a hot tub as well as a salt-water swimming pool in a lagoon motif. Rates start at $205.

Also on Kauai, the gay owned Kalanikai bed and breakfast (http://kalanikai.com) is a fabulous choice. The home has three rental suites. Amenities include free wireless access, a pool and hot tub. The property sits on a lush quiet hillside on the sunny south shore of Kauai, five miles from the ocean, 12 miles from the Lihue Airport. Rates start at $125

For more information visit:

Expression, Hawaii’s LGBT Magazine: www.expression808.com

Gay Hawaii info: www.GayHawaii.com

Odyssey Magazine: www.hawaiiscene.com/odyssey

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