SAN DIEGO TO HAWAII
The New Way: Nonstop

Story and photography
by Margaret & Eric Anderson

At a time when airlines are cutting services back, it's encouraging to see Hawaiian Airlines do the opposite. Though merging with Aloha Airlines is taking a lot to of its energy Hawaiian Airlines continues to offer San Diegans one of the easiest and most pleasant of flights: its new nonstop to Honolulu. And once there it's less than an hour to, say, the Big Island and since, Customs doesn't come into it, your baggage can be checked through to your final destination. hawaiianair.com



For example, a flight from San Diego to Kona on the leeward (west) side of the Big Island may be a five-hour flight to Honolulu but a mere 45 minutes more to Kona itself. The nonstop from SAN to HNL is on new Boeing 767s with seating in coach as 2:3:2 so four passengers out of seven all get aisle seats. The plane was impeccably turned out and our flight in January 2002 was a breeze even with all the new security. The flight attendants somehow seemed both professional and friendly as if the vacation started on the flight itself. And our plea to San Diego readers, as when British Airways opened its nonstop to London is, "When an airline gives us a nonstop, get up there and fly to show appreciation!" There are plenty of choices: hawaiispecials.com



The Big Island is called that with reason: half the size of Massachusetts and large enough to hold all the other islands of the Hawaiian archipelago within its borders, its brags sound more Texan than Hawaiian. The most southern place in the United States; two volcanic mountains taller than Mt. Everest if you count their height from the ocean bed below; temperatures ideally consistent -- although the Big Island has ten of the world's 15 climactic zones - with more variation any season between night and day than between summer and winter. And snow on Mauna Kea a mere ten miles from beaches basking in 90 degrees. bigisland.com

ATTRACTIONS
If you take kids you'll never hear "Are we there yet?" There is so much to do that books the size of Newsweek clutter the baggage area at the Kona airport, one aptly named "101 Things to do on Hawaii the Big Island."


PAGE   1   2   3   4 MORE >>
MORE STORIES

As Much Fun As A School Field Trip: Providence, RI

Favorite B & Bs West of the Rockies

A Lot of America in a Small Space: Newport, Rhode Island

Escaping The Guys: The Bellingham Whatcom County Girls

San Diego's Hotel-Show-Business

A Voyage Into Canadian History: The Queen Charlotte Islands

Loving Littleton
and New Hampshire's Past

San Diego Pillow Talk: Cool Places to Put Your Head

Moved By Mountains: Red Mountain Spa, Utah

Rhode Island's Treasure: Adrian Block's Island

The Coolest Place
in North America: Quebec City
in Winter

The City Two Men Put on the Map

Orlando, Still the Best Show in Town

Summer in the Rockies Jackson: Out of the Hole

Portsmouth, New Hampshire: The Authentic New England Experience

Martha's Vineyard: Refuge from Chaotic America

Tribute to the World's Hardest Game: The World Golf Hall of Fame, Florida

The Mid-Atlantic Getaway: A Historic Church, A Funky Restaurant and an Elegant Inn

St. Charles, Illinois: Small Town America

The Road Less Traveled: The Wagon Train and Horse Adventure

More Articles >>