Groups in search of the ultimate escape need look no further than their own backyard…ok, maybe just  a few thousand miles out into the deep, blue Pacific. This most recent addition to the union joined  in 1959, and is the only state composed entirely of islands – eight, to be precise: The Big Island of Hawaii, Maui, The Valley Isle, O’ahu, The Gathering Place,  Moloka’i, The Friendly Isle, Lana’i, The Pineapple Isle, Ni’ihau, The Forbidden Isle (privately held and managed) and Kaho’olawe, The Target Isle. (uninhabited) Hawaii is also the only state that is not geographically located in North America, grows coffee, boasts a royal palace, and does not have a single straight line in its state boundary.

Because the islands are so far from mainland, life before native population is said to have arrived on the three W’s: wind, waves and wings. It’s not hard to recognize an underlying current of unique wildness that remains even in the most populated and commercial of cities, coursing through the population, rubbing off on mainland transplants and ever-present in the colorful melting pot of rich Island culture, cuisine, legend and lore. A humid, tropical climate sees year-round daytime temps hovering in the 80s, making Hawaii an ideal place to come, unpack, deliver your cares to the Sea and immerse yourself in the beautiful Island spirit of “Aloha!” Inhale; plumeria-scented trade winds carry the whisper of tiny shells rolling across warm sands to your ears; the ocean sings its eternal song of abundant welcome.

A multitude of watersports and outdoor recreational activities, fascinating guided tours, fabulous food, wonderful shopping, world class accommodations, popular hotspots and a vibrant Island arts and social scene await visitors to the warm beaches, breathtaking coastlines and stunningly diverse landscapes of Hawaii while that legendary Island tradition of warm hospitality sets the scene for the tropical vacation of a lifetime!