In Hawaii, many resorts pull out all the stops to create over-the-top poolside settings and experiences. Whether you’re lounging in an in-water chaise or being treated like Hollywood royalty in a private cabana, drifting in slow motion down a “lazy river” or floating at the edge of an infinity pool while soaking up a Hawaiian sunset, your pool experiences can be among the most memorable highlights of a Hawaiian vacation.

If you’re feeling the urge for some Hawaiian-style poolside pampering, here are some of my favorite resorts to check out in the Hawaiian islands. Whatever pool paradise you choose, remember that Hawaii’s magic extends far beyond the resorts. Make sure to take the time to explore the islands’ stunning beaches, hike through lush rainforests, experience the rich local culture and splash in some of the natural pools — you’ll find suggestions on that score below, too.

Kauai

Grand Hyatt Kauai’s massive pool complex of palm tree-lined terraces and lushly landscaped oases, has something for everyone, including a long lazy river and a large, wonderfully relaxing saline lagoon just feet from Shipwreck Beach and the ocean surf. Details: hyatt.com

Also in Poipu, the Koloa Landing Resort has been honored with a “Best Pool in America” accolade by USA Today several years running. A huge waterfall overflowing a rock arch is the centerpiece of the main pool, but my favorite aquatic escape at the resort is the secluded adult pool and hot tub, set away from the busy main pool complex. Details: koloalandingresort.com

Maui

In West Maui’s Ka’anapali resort region, Westin Maui Resort & Spa’s lush pool complex is just feet from the beach and includes an adult pool on the upper terrace and lower pool with a waterslide that’s a hit with kids and adults. An infinity pool for adults features a sandy bottom, perfect for wiggling your toes while sipping a tropical drink from the nearby poolside bar. Details: westinmaui.com

At the far end of the main stretch of Ka’anapali Beach, the Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa’s pool is longer than a football field and has two swimming areas connected by a river. You can float between them, past waterfalls and tropical trees, plants and flowers. At one end, a family area includes a slide and shallow section for children. The other end has cabanas and a bar and is geared for adults.

Located between the pool and the beach, the Cliff Dive Grill provides prime seats for the spectacular nightly sunset torch-lighting and cliff dive ceremony at the promontory called Pu’u Kekaa (aka Black Rock). Details: sheraton-maui.com

In South Maui, the Wailea Beach Resort boasts several pools, including the serene Maluhia infinity edge pool overlooking the popular Wailea coastal path and the new Olakino wellness pool (reservations required), where poolside offerings include mini-massages, wellness workshops and wellness drinks and food.

Don’t miss the resort’s Nalu Adventure Pool, featuring the highest waterslides in Hawaii — a top attraction for thrillists seeking helter skelter descents through two slippery tubes. Details: waileabeachresort.com

Next door, the Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, draws thrill seekers to experience the Lava Tube Slide and its exhilarating three-story drop at speeds up to 22 miles per hour. The sprawling resort complex boasts multiple pools, including the thrilling Wailea Canyon River Ride. Take a raft down twists, turns and waterfalls—a surefire way to cool off and get your adrenaline pumping. Details: grandwailea.com

Oahu

Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, on Ko Olina Bay is where Disney magic meets Hawaii. Aulani’s pool complex offers family-oriented swim and water play spots ranging from the whimsical water fountain wonderland of the Menehune Bridge to the 3,800-square foot Rainbow Reef, a private lagoon where you can swim with ocean fish. An infinity pool and several whirlpool spas are perfect for parental rest and relaxation.

Kids will love the lazy river, the Keiki Cove splash zone with its water jets and slides or the more elaborate 2,100-square-foot Menehune Bridge splash zone, and the chance to meet Disney characters. Adults can unwind in the adult-exclusive pool or soak in a hot tub. Details: disneyaulani.com

Sheraton Waikiki Helumoa Playground offers two pools, two whirlpools, a water slide and a fountain play area for kids, all right beside the ocean and Waikiki Beach. There are 17 in-water chaise lounges. And during the summer — at midday Tuesday through Saturday — Citrine the mermaid, Tinker Fairy, Spider Super Hero, Polynesian Princess, Polynesian Warrior or another costumed character entertains children with storytelling, games and tricks. Details:marriott.com/hotels/travel/hnlws-sheraton-waikiki

Island of Hawaii

The luxurious Four Seasons Hualalai in Kailua-Kona has seven swimming pools ranging from oceanside lagoons to adults-only sanctuaries. Most unusual is the recently renovated King’s Pond, which provides a 1.8-million gallon swimmable aquarium hosting more than 1,000 tropical fish and more than 60 species that you can swim with — including the resort’s resident eagle ray, Kainalu. The pond also has an adjoining lounge pool and sun deck.

The swim-up bar at the Palm Grove Pool is a popular choice for in-water libations, a perfect place to gaze out at the endless blue Pacific Ocean or take a dip. Details: fourseasons.com/hualalai

The Hilton Waikoloa Village features multiple pools, each with its own unique charm. The jewel of the resort is a swimmable, four-acre saltwater lagoon connected to the ocean. It teems with tropical fish and green sea turtles that enter the lagoon under a footbridge, providing an opportunity for snorkelers to see a variety of Hawaii’s colorful underwater denizens up close. The quieter Kohala Lagoon Pool offers a swim-up bar and a beautiful lava rock waterfall, while the Kona Pool boasts a thrilling 175-foot slide. Details: hilton.com

Nature pools

The Hawaiian islands also abound with waterfalls and swimmable natural pools. In the Waimea Valley on Oahu, for example, a 1,800-acre valley features a natural pool fed by freshwater springs. It’s perfect for a refreshing dip surrounded by cascading waterfalls and tropical flora. Details: waimeavalley.net

On Kauai, join a five-hour guided adventure that starts with a kayak paddle on the wide, calm Wailua River followed by a hike through the lush jungle to the remote-feeling Uluwehi waterfall for an unforgettable swim session in the pool beneath the falls. Details: kayakkauai.com

This popular weekend road trip in Oregon’s orchard and vineyard-packed Hood River Valley, about 60 miles east of Portland, explores the broad base of Mount Hood just south of the mighty Columbia River Gorge. It’s a wonderfully scenic spot with views of two snowcapped volcanoes, Oregon’s Mount Hood and Washington’s Mount Adams. The fertile soils found at the base of Mount Hood and rarefied, glacier-fed water sources create a lush growing environment, and the valley abounds with grapevines and apple, pear and cherry trees — a landscape that’s as pretty as the signage on a vintage fruit crate.

Anchoring the Hood River Valley is the charming former timber town of Hood River, regarded as one of the top windsurfing and kiteboarding hot spots in the world. It’s also a burgeoning foodie destination for Pacific Northwest travelers, who come here to savor meals crafted from fresh locally-produced ingredients.

I explored the Hood River region with my family last summer, with a scenic riverside lodge as home base. For four days, we enjoyed nearly nonstop recreation, eating, drinking, sightseeing and fruit-picking fun.

Getting to Hood River from Portland was half the adventure. Landing at Portland International airport after an easy flight from SFO, we picked up a rental car and headed east into the scenic Columbia River Gorge on Interstate 84.

Our first stop was lunch at the charming Sugarpine Drive-In, a casual eatery in a renovated 1920s gas station set along the banks of the Sandy River in Troutdale, just outside Portland. The walk-up or drive-up patiocafé offers salads, cans of Buoy pilsner and Underwood wine, frosé (frozen rosé slushies) and a lineup of sandwiches that included a waffle grilled cheese. The star attraction is the soft serve ice cream — milk- or plant-based — in cones or their signature sundaes.

Continuing east up the gorge, we took in lush forest and river views, passed double-tiered Multnomah Falls — one of 70 waterfalls in the area — and exited the interstate four miles west of the town of Cascade Locks to visit the Bradford Island visitor center of the Bonneville Dam.

From the visitor center’s outdoor platform, visitors can watch the spectacle of salmon and other fish swimming up a fish ladder — steelhead and sockeye salmon in early summer and chinook and coho salmon in September. Up to 250,000 fish pass through the ladders each day during high season, which runs from August to November. You’ll also learn about how the Columbia River produces more hydropower than any North American river — five billion kilowatts of electricity each year, providing power for 80 percent of the Pacific Northwest.

We indulged in plenty of sockeye spectating before heading for Cascade Locks to buy packets of smoked salmon at the Brigham Fish Market. Run by members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the market specializes in wild, native-caught fish from the Columbia River: spring salmon and sturgeon in spring; summer chinook, sockeye and steelhead in summer; and fall chinook, coho and steelhead in autumn.

It was late afternoon when we arrived in the charming town of Hood River. With its historic buildings and a downtown lined with galleries, restaurants and pubs, it’s a perfect hub for full immersion in Pacific Northwest living. Our lodge, the Hood River Inn, provided a comfy river view room perched right above the water’s edge, with excellent breakfasts served on a broad deck overlooking the Columbia River Gorge.

The Fruit Loop

There are some 35 miles of scenic country roads to explore in the Hood River Valley, whose rich agricultural heritage goes back to 1855, when the first fruit trees were planted. Today, there are 14,500 acres of pear, apple and cherry orchards covering the valley floor. The valley grows more d’Anjou pears than anywhere in the world.

You’ll find several dozen farmstands selling freshly picked fruit, produce, jams, syrups and honey. U-pick orchards offer apples, pears, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, peaches and pluots — and even lavender at one farm. Wineries, breweries and cideries round out the options.

A must-do first stop is Pearl’s Place Fruit Stand, just three miles south of Hood River on Highway 35. The stand carries local apples, pears and cherries — including coveted Rainier cherries — plus peaches, berries nectarines,plums and more. Pearl’s also carries handcrafted baskets, local wild honey, Oregon-grown hazelnuts, dried fruit snacks. U-pick strawberries are available from July through September and apples from August through October.

Housed in a historic 1940s-era factory, the Fruit Company has fascinating exhibits on the valley’s agricultural history. You can certainly drive here, but it’s far more fun to take the historic Hood River Railway or a railbike excursion. Be sure to check out the Fruit Company’s orchard tours in an open-air shuttle.

July is the peak of cherry season, and local favorite u-pick orchards include Kiyokawa Family Orchards, Packer Orchards and Draper Girls Country Farm. The largest u-pick orchard in the Hood River Valley, Kiyokawa Family Orchards dates back to 1911. The orchards offer breathtaking views of Mount Hood and plenty of picnicking possibilities as well as, of course, apples, cherries, pears and Asian pears. Kids love the play area, and the fruit stand offers award-winning pies, turnovers, local honey, jams and fresh cider.

Sips and shops

There’s no shortage of vineyards producing top notch wines here. The tasting room at the Grateful Vineyard offers pours from its boutique winery, craft cidery and microbrewery. The southernmost vineyard in theColumbia Gorge AVA, their specialty is high-elevation sparkling wine.

Marchesi is one of Hood River’s premier wineries, with exceptional Italian varietals, including barbera, dolcetto, pinot nero and pinot grigio. Vintner Franco Marchesi produces award-winning wines reminiscent of those produced in his birthplace in Northern Italy’s Piemonte.

The Gorge White House is situated in a beautiful 1908 Dutch Colonial home in the heart of the Hood River Valley. A part of Hood River’s booming hard cider scene, the beer and cider tasting room offers the family farm’s award-winning apple-pear, blueberry and perry — made with pears — hard ciders. The Gorge White House also offers u-pick flowers, fruit and a food truck serving delicious farm-to-table pizzas and sandwiches.

And Apple Valley Country Store has freshly baked desserts and more than 50 housemade jams, jellies and syrups. The shop also offers a wide variety of local foods and handmade products — we picked up a lovely quilted trivet by Hood River-based artist Rhonda Harris.

Hood River bites

Sixth Street Bistro’s farm-to-table pub menu focuses on local producers and ingredients, many of them grown organically in the Columbia Gorge or greater Pacific Northwest. The wine list includes many Columbia Gorge wine producers, and the bar’s 12 taps offer some of the best Oregon and Washington beer and cider.

Hood River’s original brewery, Full Sail Brewing is perched on a bluff overlooking an epic wind and kitesurfing scene. Enjoy their handcrafted brews, which kicked off Hood River’s huge brewery scene, and pub food on the outdoor patio. It’s elevated pub fare — burgers with Tillamook cheddar and housemade bacon jam, salmon fish and chips, and mac and cheese made with Gouda, roasted garlic and artichoke hearts. And free, guided brewery tours are offered daily at 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m.

Ferment Brewing is the newest kid on the local beer scene. This taproom enjoys a scenic second story space on the Hood River waterfront. They pair their handcrafted beers and kombuchas with food that features local ingredients and housemade fermented condiments including kraut, pickles and kimchi ranch.

The fun, waterfront Solstice Wood Fire Cafe delivers river views alongside its creative wood-fired pizzas. The Siragusa Pear pizza, for example, is topped with local pears, blue cheese and caramelized onions, while the popular Country Girl boasts local cherries and housemade chorizo, and the Yakima pairs Northwest asparagus with prosciutto and goat cheese.

PFriem Family Brewers — pronounced freem —  is a Northwest- and Belgian-inspired 15-barrel brewery, restaurant and tasting room. Founded in 2012, the brewery has racked up medals at the World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival. And the pub fare ranges from PNW mussels with a kimchi vinaigrette to a pulled pork sandwich made with lager-braised pork shoulder, gochujang barbecue sauce and Blue Bus Kraut-chi.

And Riverside, at the Hood River Inn hotel, is known by locals as a small farm business incubator whose cultivated relationships with local farmers, creameries, vintners, brewers, fermenters and fishers creates dynamic dishes.

Getting outdoors

One of the top sports towns in the nation, Hood River attracts wind and watersport enthusiasts, road and mountain bikers, fishers, campers, hikers and whitewater kayakers — and there’s plenty of choices for active, outdoor fun.

My daughter and I settled on a three-hour Twin Tunnels e-bike ride with Hood River-based Sol Rides. The highlight of this guided tour through the Columbia River Gorge and Hood River Valley was the gorgeous view along a car-free section of the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail between the towns of Hood River and Mosier.

Prefer waterfalls? The Columbia River Gorge is famous for its dramatic, lofty waterfalls. A great way to see these cascades without the hassle of driving is to join the Sasquatch Shuttle. The two-hour narrated van tour includes stops at six attractions, including Latourell Falls, Horsetail Falls and Multnomah Falls, where you can hike up to a viewing platform midway up. (Chances of Sasquatch sightings, though, are slim.)

If You Go

PLAY

Bonneville Dam: Entry to the dam is free. Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily on Bradford Island; www.nwp.usace.army.mil/bonneville/.

Hood River Fruit Loop: A convenient website — hoodriverfruitloop.com — and print-your-own guide outline many of the farmstand locations and valley events.

Apple Valley Country Store: Hours vary by season and staffing, but the store is typically open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from June through October at 2363 Tucker Road in Hood River; applevalleystore.com.

The Fruit Company: Reserve your tickets ahead, then hop aboard the Mount Hood Railroad ($27-$67) or a railbike ($199 for two people) at 110 Railroad Ave.; www.mthoodrr.com. The Fruit Company Museum is at 2850 Van Horn in Hood River;www.thefruitcompany.com.

Kiyokawa Family Orchards: The orchards are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends from July 6 through Aug. 18; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends from Aug. 23 through Nov. 3; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from Nov. 4 to 24. 5625 Hutson Road, Parkdale; https://kiyokawafamilyorchards.com

Pearl’s Place Fruit Stand: Open for the season from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends at 1860 Highway 35, Hood River; https://pearlsplacefruit.com/.

Sasquatch Shuttle: The waterfall loop ($25-$35) runs twice a day; sasquatchshuttle.com.

Sol Rides: This tour company offers a Twin Tunnels & Beyond ($89) tour that departs at 9:30 a.m. daily from Sol Rides headquarters at 13A Oak St. in Hood River. Find details on its bike rentals and cycling and winery tours at solrides.com.

SLEEP

Hood River Inn: Rooms at this Best Western Plus property at 1108 East Marina Way in Hood River, start at $223; https://hoodriverinn.com. The hotel’s Riverside restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily; riversidehoodriver.com.

EAT & DRINK  

Brigham Fish Market: Open from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday-Sunday at 681 WaNaPa St. in Cascade Locks; http://brighamfish.com/.

Ferment Brewing: Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekends at 403 Portway Ave. in Hood River; fermentbrewing.com.

Full Sail Brewing: Open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 506 Columbia St. in Hood River; fullsailbrewing.com.

Gorge White House: The tasting room is open seasonally — from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday-Monday during the summer, for example, with limited hours in the fall. Closed December-February. 2265 Highway 35 in Hood River; thegorgewhitehouse.com

Grateful Vineyards: Open daily from noon to 6 p.m. at 6670 Trout Creek Ridge Road in Mt. Hood. Make reservations at gratefulvineyards.com.

Marchesi Vineyards: Open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 3955 Belmont Drive in Hood River; marchesivineyards.com.

pFriem Family Brewers: Open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 707 Portway Ave., Suite 101, in Hood River; pfriembeer.com.

Sixth Street Bistro: Open from noon to 8 p.m. Friday-Monday at 509 Cascade Ave. in Hood River; sixthstreetbistro.com.

Solstice: Open for lunch and dinner daily, except Tuesdays, at 501 Portway Ave., Hood River; solsticehoodriver.com.

Sugar Pine Drive-In: Open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday-Monday at 1208 E. Historical Columbia River Highway in Troutdale, Oregon; sugarpinedrivein.com.

As soon as I arrive on Kauai or Maui, I hightail it to a local market, poke stand or food truck to get my two scoops of raw, marinated ahi tuna over brown rice. The velvety smooth chunks of freshly caught fish, sometimes topped with strands of dried seaweed, melt in your mouth. And the savory seasonings add just the right amount of kick to make these little bowls of joy “off da hook”, as the locals say.

Poke, which means “to cut” in native Hawaiian, is usually ahi, marinated and topped with a wide variety of flavors, from limu (seaweed) to California (with avocado, of course), shoyu and spicy. Poke can be made with other seafood too, such as kimchee shrimp, furikake salmon or miso tako (octopus).

It’s typically served in bowls over white or brown rice or greens and dashed with favorite toppings, but poke can assume other forms too: poke nachos, tacos, tostadas, even poke musubi.

If you’re hooked on poke like me, make plans to head to the islands soon for the fourth annual Kauai Poke Fest in June. The festival, held at the Koloa Landing Resort on the island’s South Shore, was named one of the top five food festivals in the U.S. last year by USA Today’s 10Best — and it’s up for that honor among specialty food festivals again this year.

This popular one-day event invites professional and amateur chefs to dish out their favorite creations in a competition that seasons and serves more than 500 pounds of fresh ahi. Hosted by James Beard award-winning chef Sam Choy, the so-called Godfather of Poke, the festival celebrates Hawaii’s most famous dish with live entertainment, food and drinks and poke demonstrations, in addition to the poke competition.

The poke fun runs from 3 to 7 p.m. on June 8, with a farmers marketplace that opens at 2 p.m. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund, whichsupports the needs of those displaced by the devastating Maui wildfires last summer. Find tickets ($90 to $115, ages 21 and up only) and more details at KauaiPokeFest.com.

Want to find the best year-round poke in Hawaii? Ask the locals about their favorite spots, then set your sails for a foodie quest that leads to authentic Hawaiian hole-in-the wall shops, friendly local markets and family-run outfits whose quality poke offerings will surprise you.

You’ll find plenty of suggestions below, but before we get to that, let’s talk fish.

Two of the best-known types of tuna are bluefin and ahi, which is the species typically used for poke bowls. Ahi is the common name for yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) and bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus). If you love scientific names, there are three species of bluefin tuna – Atlantic (Thunnus thynnus), Southern (Thunnus maccoyii), and Pacific (Thunnus orientalis).

These tuna are among the most powerful fish in the ocean and have torpedo-shaped bodies built for speed;  some species can even reach 47 miles per hour. They are hugely popular with sport fishing charters and a lucrative catch for commercial fishermen — a bluefin tuna sold in Japan in January for nearly $800,000 and individual fish prices can reach into the millions for this prized fish.

A fascinating way to see ahi and other tuna fresh off the boat is to take a guided tour of the world-famous Honolulu Fish Auction — the only fresh tuna auction in the United States. You’ll see how Pacific tuna gets from the dock to restaurants and retail markets in the islands and back on the mainland, and you’ll find out what auction buyers look for in fish quality and the art of tuna grading.

The tour begins dockside with the fishing vessels and a discussion of how the fish are harvested and handled to preserve quality and safety. After learning about daily life on a fishing vessel, you’ll head for the auction floor to learn about how the fish are inspected to insure seafood safety and how a fish auction works.

Tours ($25-$35) are held from 6 to 7:30 a.m. on select Saturday mornings by reservation. Find details and reserve your spot at hawaii-seafood.org/auctiontour.

Meanwhile, here are some insider tips on where to find some of the best poke in the islands:

Foodland, Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, Oahu

You’ll find 34 locations of this supermarket across the Hawaiian islands. It’s popular among locals for its no-frills poke counter, which serves up generous portions of ahi, mussel and octopus poke at very reasonable prices. Find Foodland locations at shop.foodland.com.

Ono Seafood, Oahu

This hole-in-the-wall spot in Honolulu is famous for its classic shoyu ahi and spicy ahi bowls. It’s very popular so be prepared for lines. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at 747 Kapahulu Ave. in Honolulu; onoseafood.site.

Off the Hook Poke Market, Oahu

Build your own ahi poke bowl with distinctive flavors like Japan Deluxe (miso sauce with ginger and shisho leaf), Kilauea Fire (chili miso sauce, jalapeño, crushed red pepper) and cold ginger poke. Their miso ginger tako (octopus) poke is also tasty — and popular. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday at 2908 E. Manoa Road in Honolulu; www.offthehookpokemarket.com

Tamashiro Market, Oahu

This fish market features a poke counter with incredible variety, including spicy kajiki scallop poke and limu poke. It’s open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday and until 5 p.m. Thursday-Saturday at 802 N. King St. in Honolulu; tamashiro-market.weeblyte.com.

Poke Fix Hawaii, Oahu

This tiny, off-the-beaten-path spot is known for its creative poke combinations and Instagram-worthy presentations. Open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily (closed Wednesdays) at 334 Seaside Ave. #108 in Honolulu; instagram.com/pokefixhawaii.

Tamura’s, Oahu and Maui

A popular spot for local poke-lovers, this chain has three markets on Oahu and Maui. For nineyears running, Tamura’s has been named the best spot for poke in Hawaii Magazine’s readers choice awards. The markets — in Wailuku on Maui and Wahiawa and Hau’ula on Oahu — open at 8 a.m., but poke hours vary by location; tamurasmarket.com.

Kahuku Superette, Oahu

Located a few miles from Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s famous North Shore, this little local market serves up some of the best shoyu and limu poke bowls on the island. Portions are hefty and the prices are reasonable. The market is open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekends at 56-505 Kamehameha Highway in Kahuku.

Fort Ruger Market, Oahu

This deli/market near Honolulu’s Kapiolani Community College has been around since 1935. It’s known for its delicious, sashimi-grade poke and other Hawaiian-style snacks. The market is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at 3585 Alohea Ave. in Honolulu.

Alicia’s Market, Oahu

This market offers a wide variety of poke bowls, including wasabi masago, sweet onion shoyu and limu ahi. Open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Saturday at 267 Mokauea St. in Honolulu; aliciasmarket.com.

Redfish Poke Bar by Foodland, Oahu

This poke bar has two Honolulu locations, both offering sizable signature bowls and custom poke bowls with 10 styles of ahi, two of hamachi and three of salmon. The Kaka’ako location at 685 Auahi St. opens at 11 a.m. daily, while the poke bar at the Wayfinder Waikiki, 2375 Ala Wai Blvd., opens at 6 a.m.; redfishpoke.com.

Nico’s Pier 38, Oahu

The fish market’s restaurant, which is open for breakfast and lunch only, offers ahi poke “nachos” with kabayaki, green onions and spicy aioli. Marlin is the featured fish in the au poke bowl (shoyu or spicy), in addition to more than a dozen different poke selections. The poke counter opens at 9 a.m. Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday at 1129 N. Nimitz Highway in Honolulu; nicospier38.com.

Poke on da Run, Oahu

The “mauka to makai” (mountain to sea) nachos combine freshly fried won ton chips topped with twin scoops of kalua pig and ahi poke topped with spicy aioli and green onions. Open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays at 909Lehua Ave. in Pearl City.

Kaohu Store, Maui

This small convenience store serves up arguably the best poke on Maui. Buy poke by the pound or grab a bowl of their poke specialties, like chili pepper poke or lipoa poke, made with a local seaweed that tastes like cucumber. Opens at 6:30 a.m. weekdays at 1833 Kaohu St. in Wailuku; instagram.com/kaohustore.

Like Poke?, Maui

This popular food truck — so popular, you’ll want to arrive early, before they sell out — is in a new location in Wailuku. Opens at 10:30 a.m. Monday-Saturday; facebook.com/like.poke.1.

Kilauea Market, Kauai

Poke is just one of the rainbow of offerings at this fresh fish eatery and fish market. Chose from sesame or spicy ahi, tako poke and sesame aku or brown or jasmine rice. Open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday at 4270 Kilauea Road in Kilauea; kilaueafishmarket.com.

Koloa Fish Market, Kauai

This very popular South Shore market is famous for poke bowls and offers more than half a dozen varieties, from wasabi ahi to smoked marlin. Get here early and be prepared to wait in line for a great lunch. Open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and Friday-Saturday at 3390 Poipu Road in Koloa; koloafishmarket.com.

Hanalei and Kealia Poke, Kauai

This poke shop is located in the historic Ching Young Village in the funky surf town of Hanalei on Kauai’s North Shore. They also operate the Kealia poke food truck next to the town’s Big Save market, featured on Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” TV show. The Hanalei poke shop opens at 11:30 a.m. Sunday-Friday and noon on Saturday at 5-5190 Kuhio Highway in Hanalei.

Da Poke Shack, Island of Hawaii 

This Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern-approved shack offers a wide selection of poke flavors from spicy garlic sesame to sweet miso and honey with roasted seaweed. Open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at 76-6246 Ali‘i Drive in Kailua-Kona; https://dapokeshack.com/

Poke Market, Island of Hawaii 

This Hilo poke shop offers upscale poke bowls with untraditional poke ingredients, such as salmon poke with unagi truffle sauce, and sides that include sweet potato salad. Open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Saturday at 41 Waianuenue Ave. in Hilo; pokemarkethi.com.

Suisan Fish Market, Island of Hawaii

A longtime Hilo fish market, Suisan serves up traditional Hawaiian poke, kimchee tako poke and lemon shoyu scallop poke. Open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and Thursday-Saturday at 93 Lihiwai St. in Hilo; www.suisan.com/our-services/fish-market-fish/.

Umekes Fish Market Bar & Grill, Island of Hawaii

This popular restaurant offers poke flights, poke nachos and poke lettuce cups with avocado poke and a unagi drizzle. Or you can go all in with a Makai platter with three poke choices, four ahi cakes, four raw oysters, sashimi, furikake sashimi, ahi katsu and four shrimp with garlic or spicy aioli with unagi. Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily at 74-5599 Pawai Place in Kailua-Kona; umekesrestaurants.com.

Exiting the sleek Austrian-designed, Swiss-built tram into the brisk high alpine air, I took in a stunning, 360-degree Rocky Mountain panorama: the snow-dusted peaks of the Madison Range, the nearby Spanish Peaks, the Gallatin, Bridger, Beartooth and Absaroka ranges spreading to the horizon like a vast 3D topographical map. On clear days, Lone Peak summit views reach far to south, all the way to Wyoming’s distinctively jagged Grand Tetons. It was pure Rocky Mountain majesty.

It takes only about four minutes for the tram to ascend Lone Peak from a mid-mountain base station. Once on the summit, skiers and snowboarders take in the views then descend the peak’s south-facing Liberty Bowl and steep chutes for a thrilling six-mile run that drops 4,350 vertical feet. Other skiers and riders ride the tram back to the mid-mountain station to continue long, sweeping intermediate (blue and double blue) and beginner (green) runs to the mountain’s Madison and Mountain Village bases.

I opted for the tram ride down and lucked into a wildlife sighting: a furry white mountain goat sunning itself on a knife-edge ridge just below the tram line. This wild goat is part of a herd that was originally relocated from Glacier National Park and the resort’s ski patrollers have named for a few of these intrepid creatures, including “Larry” and “Steve” — regulars on these remote ridges. Once back at the mid-mountain tram base, I clicked on my skis, strapped on my poles and continued my descent with a long cruiser ride on the Mr. K and Mr. Ed runs to the Mountain Village base.

(Note: The Explorer gondola is opening in winter 2025-26, providing a connection to the tram and access to Lone Peak’s summit for pedestrians of all mobility levels in both winter and summer seasons.)

For California skiers and riders who are used to busy, congested Sierra resorts, Big Sky has a deeply refreshing feeling of uncrowded openness and a friendly, unpretentious vibe. There are 300 scenic runs, 5,850 skiable acres (including 2,300 acres of beginner and intermediate terrain) and four mountains to explore. It’s so big that, at times, Big Sky feels like your own private winter resort. Views are dominated by mighty Lone Peak, known as “America’s Matterhorn”, a sentinel for snowsports enthusiasts in-the-know.

Big Sky historically averages some 400 inches of snow each season but, thanks to the erratic El Niño-influenced winter weather this season, the resort hadn’t seen much fresh snow prior to my early February visit. Coverage was somewhat limited so I spent most of my time taking long cruiser runs off the Swift Current 6  (aka “Swifty” ) high speed chair and on the green and blue runs of Andesite Mountain, accessed by the Ramcharger eight person chair.  Fortunately, the resort’s season typically runs to mid-April, so there’s plenty of time for winter snowstorms to refresh the snowpack. For current conditions check: bigskyresort.com/snow-report.

On Andesite Mountain, the sunny runs below the Southern Comfort and Lewis & Clark chairs brought me to the luxurious Montage Hotel, which opened in 2021.  After a quick coffee break at the resort’s Wildflower café and market,  I headed to the other far corner of the resort to explore runs in the lightly visited Moonlight Basin above the Madison base area. (An uber luxury hotel, The One & Only, is slated to open here in the next year or so.)

Big Sky is nirvana for beginner and intermediate skiers and riders but is also a major attraction for thrill-seekers thanks to the myriad double and triple black diamond, experts-only terrain, including steep drops down narrow couloirs off Lone Peak. The most challenging run is known as the Big Couloir, a triple-black diamond, experts-only plunge which drops 1,400 feet from the summit of Lone Peak and has a sustained 50 degree pitch that’s not for the faint of heart, to say the least.

Lodging

Big Sky offers an abundance of condos and homes for rent as well as several hotel options, including:

The Summit Hotel: This chic slope-side lodge offers cozy rooms with spacious bathrooms and a very convenient location. A private ski valet is available for hotel guests and the hotel also has an outdoor pool and hot tub, fitness center, and two excellent restaurants.

Details: bigskyresort.com/the-summit-hotel

The Huntley Lodge: This old school slope-side hotel is a favorite of longtime resort visitors. Dining is offered at Chet’s Bar & Grill and the Huntley Dining room. Grab a latte at the Mocha at the Huntley fireside café and relax by the cozy wood-burning, log-framed fireplace in the Firehole lounge. Details: bigskyresort.com/huntley-lodge

The Wilson Hotel is a Marriott-owned property in Big Sky’s town center, about 7 miles from the resort. Rooms include studio rooms and spacious suites, with full kitchens.  Some rooms even offer gorgeous mountain views of Lone Peak. Details: marriott.com

The luxurious Montage Big Sky opened in winter 2021 and features ski-in/ski-out access to Big Sky Resort’s, a three-meal restaurant, lobby bar and lounge, market, pub, bowling alley, two pools, and signature Spa Montage. Details: montage.com/bigsky

Dining

Montana is carnivore country and wild game dishes (elk, venison and bison) are commonly on the menus along with exotic cuts of meat such as tomahawk steaks and meat imported from Japan and Australia. Vegetarians, pescatarians and vegans should not have high expectations for fine dining, but won’t go hungry.

Everett’s 8800 offers an Alps-influenced menu and a wide deck with an outdoor bar and exceptional views of Lone Peak. Headwaters Grille at the Madison base offers barbecue and local beers. Backcast  Bar & Grill at the Montage has piping hot bison ramen. Peaks Chophouse at the Summit Hotel and Horn and Cantle at the Lone Mountain Ranch near the resort are favorites for authentic Montana culinary experiences including steaks and wild steelhead trout.

A unique and very fun on-mountain dining experience is the Montana Dinner Yurt, tucked away high in the hills above the Mountain Village. One chilly evening I climbed aboard a burly red snowcat named Rosie (another snowcat is named Ginger), equipped with a passenger cabin and rooftop seating platform for a 15-minute ride to a secluded yurt. We started with a warming bowl of French onion soup then, after optional sledding, our choice of a filet mignon steak with peppercorn sauce or a roasted wild salmon dinner.  Sides included garlic mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables. The meal was topped off with Toblerone chocolate fondue with pound cake and bananas dessert. Details: bigskyyurt.com

Après-ski: Perhaps the best choice for après at Big Sky is the Umbrella Bar, a Euro-style circular bar with a retractable roof. Try the Tram Car IPA from Bozeman’s MAP Brewing or the Glacier Glasses cocktail (lemon vodka, lime juice, pea flower syrup and star anis) mixed by a burly ski hound.

Visit Yellowstone National Park in Winter

A popular diversion for Big Sky visitors is a snowcoach or snowmobile tour of Yellowstone National Park, about an hour’s drive to the south. Winter is a fantastic time of year to see wildlife such as bison, moose and elk and the perennial geysers blowing off steam amid a wintry landscape. If you don’t have a car, Karst Stage offers a roundtrip day trip to West Yellowstone, karststage.com, and Yellowstone Vacation Tours operates snowcoach and snowmobile tours. Details: yellowstonevacations.com

Big Sky Resort has plenty of other activities such as horse-drawn sleigh rides, snowshoeing or snowmobiles to ramble through the white wilderness. 85-kilometers of cross-country ski trails are maintained Lone Mountain Ranch. Dog sledding, ice-skating on a full-size hockey and ice rink and even sledding are fun winter activities. A perfect family activity is walking the “Enchanted Forest” at night on Andesite Mountain. Over 10,000 lights illuminate the way along a kilometer-long path and you warm up at the end of your walk around an outdoor fireplace. Details: bigskyresort.com/winter-activities/enchanted-forest

Getting to Big Sky

Big Sky is located in the Rocky Mountains of southern Montana. The Bozeman International Yellowstone Airport (BZN), is less than 45 minutes away, and offers nonstop flights from Los Angeles, as well as other West Coast cities. Shuttle service from the airport is offered several times a day by Karst Stage, karststage.com. Skyline Transportation offers frequent free bus transportation between Big Sky’s town center, about 6.4 miles from the resort’s base at Mountain Villlage.

With its distinctive Mediterranean flair and famous panoramic views of the Bay and San Francisco’s city skyline, Sausalito is also known for its elegant, Victorian-era homes, rising up woodsy, steep-sided hills, and historic storefronts, many dating to a more rough-and-tumble era in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Massive marinas crowded with sailboats, yachts and colorful houseboats line the town’s waterfront, and a grand promenade with renowned seafood restaurants perched on piers beckon day-trippers with fancy food and sublime views.

It’s this charming storybook setting that has made Sausalito world famous over the years, drawing throngs of weekend tourists, who crowd the shops, art galleries and restaurants lining Bridgeway Boulevard, the town’s main thoroughfare.

At night, however, when most visitors are gone, Sausalito changes personality and reveals an alluring inner charm, thanks to several superb inns, fine dining spots, some lively bars and an enchanting and — dare we say — romantic after-dark ambiance. That’s what makes Sausalito my top choice for a relaxing weekend getaway, especially during the holidays.

For a recent Sausalito weekend escape, we stayed at the luxe Inn Above Tide in the heart of downtown and a stone’s throw from the town’s ferry landing. My wife and I booked the inn’s one-night “Bump Bar” package, one of several enticing gourmet packages offered by the inn. Others include itineraries designed by chef and restaurateur Joanne Weir, for example, and novelist Laura Dave, author of “The Last Thing He Told Me,” which was set and filmed in Sausalito.

We checked into our spacious, ground floor room in the late afternoon. Perched just above the waters edge, the room offered mesmerizing (and you might say dizzying) views of the Bay, with Belvedere and Tiburon, Angel Island, Alcatraz and the East Bay and San Francisco shorelines and skylines in the distance. It was an astonishing and unexpected surprise.

I love Bay Area history, and Sausalito is steeped in historical lore. It’s where the story of San Francisco began with the arrival of the Spanish exploratory vessel, the San Carlos, in the summer of 1775. Spanish land explorers were the first Europeans to discover San Francisco Bay, and when they entered the bay a few years later, they claimed the already-populated region for their empire.

The Spanish sailors moored their vessel at Angel Island and came to the shores of Sausalito for fresh water and to trade with the local indigenous tribe, the Coast Miwok. They named the spring-fed creek where they gathered water “Saucito” for the little willow trees that grew there. The name stuck, and the area eventually became known as Saucelito — eventually anglicized to Sausalito by the first British settler to arrive in the area, William Richardson.

In 1822, Mexico became the new regional sovereign after winning independence from Spain and ruled this small but important port until the Bear Flag revolt in 1846, leading to the subsequent occupation by the U.S. military and eventual cessation to the United States in 1848, just before the mayhem of the California Gold Rush.

This historic Marin landscape was literally the window and deck side view of our “room with a view” at the inn. Fog-kissed Angel Island caught the evening light, as we enjoyed the caviar and bubbly on the deck. Pelicans glided past in formation, and harbor seals played close by. Nighttime arrived, and the visitor crowds vanished, so we headed out on a short, pleasant walk to nearby Caledonia Street and an evening of fine dining at the acclaimed Sushi Ran, one of the Bay Area’s top Japanese restaurants.

After savoring nigiri and sashimi and plates of tempura, hamachi and crab cakes, we walked back to the inn along the Sausalito yacht harbor’s wide wooden boardwalk, taking in the nighttime sights and sounds of the sailboats moored here. At the edge of the marina, we peeked through the windows of Sausalito Books by the Bay and added it to tomorrow’s must-see list, then popped in for a jazz session and a post-dinner drink at the cozy No Name Bar, one of a few old school, local bars that has survived in Marin.

In the morning, the sunrise over Angel Island was just as magical as sunset had been, and we enjoyed the inn’s bountiful continental breakfast of baked goods, fresh fruit, juices, yogurt, coffee and tea, fueling up for a full day of exploration around town. Sausalito is great to explore on foot, and we love to walk, so we decided to head north along Bridgeway.

First stop was the Sausalito Historical Society’s new Ice House Museum, where fascinating displays reveal the area’s varied and colorful past. Continuing north on Bridgeway, we took a close look at several historic 19th and early 20th century arks, houseboats now moored on land on the waterfront. At the newly reimagined Dunphy Park, kayakers and stand-up paddleboarders were launching their craft into the bay, despite the chilly breeze. And nearby, the colorful houseboats of Galilee Harbor provided a revealing look at Sausalito’s famed waterfront community that took shape after World War II and established Sausalito as a magnet for musicians, artists and writers.

Next we visited the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Bay Model, where we saw a massive model of the Bay, displays on the region’s natural history and a fascinating museum on Marinship, the busy shipyard on the Sausalito waterfront during World War II. On a dock just outside the Bay Model, is Sea Trek, Sausalito’s longtime outfitter for kayak and SUP rentals and kayak tours — and a worthy stop for those looking for an on-water Sausalito adventure.

After lunch at nearby Fish, a delightful, casual waterside eatery near the Clipper Yacht Harbor, we visited the Heath Ceramics factory store on Gate Five Road. Heath’s elegant, colorful dinnerware — plates, bowls and cups — and tiles are classic California stoneware, rooted in the crafts movement of the late 1940s and a must-see site in Sausalito.

Walking back to the town center, we diverted off Bridgeway to Caledonia Street, which some locals regard as the real Sausalito. Here we found fun and funky Studio 333, a boutique, gallery and art collective; a local bar called Smitty’s; and some fine restaurants such as Sandrino Pizza & Vino, a stylish, small restaurant offering authentic, thin-crust Italian pizza made by chef-owners Alessandro Spaziani-Montagna and Monika Troggler, who hail from Verona, Italy.

Our long walk brought us back to the center of town, at the tiny but lovely Vina del Mar Plaza, a vestige of San Francisco’s 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition, where we enjoyed sitting by the ornate fountain on a park bench, surrounded by carved elephants, and munching cones of Hawaiian ice cream from Lappert’s located just across the street. It made a sweet finale to our sensational Sausalito weekend getaway.

That said, if you’re looking for a holiday-centric last hurrah, Sausalito can provide that too. You’ll find elaborate gingerbread structures at 27 shops, restaurants and businesses downtown, courtesy of the Chamber of Commerce, which is hosting its 17th annual Gingerbread House Tour from now through Dec. 31. In past years, the confectionary creations have included lighthouses, undersea scenes and a full mock-up of Alcatraz. Admire the sweet architecture, as you browse for gifts and dining inspiration — and make the weekend last a little longer.

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If You Go

Inn Above Tide: Rooms at this luxurious boutique hotel start at $515 per night. 30 El Portal, Sausalito; https://innabovetide.com/

Sushi Ran: Open for dinner daily and lunch Friday-Sunday at 107 Caledonia St.; https://sushiran.com/

Sausalito Books by the Bay: Open daily at 100 Bay St.; www.sausalitobooksbythebay.com/

No Name Bar: Open until 2 a.m. daily at 757 Bridgeway; https://thenonamebar.com/

Ice House Museum: Open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday at 780 Bridgeway; www.sausalitohistoricalsociety.com.

Bay Model Visitor Center: Open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday at 2100 Bridgeway. Find details at www.spn.usace.army.mil under the Missions/Recreation tab.

Sea Trek: Open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday at 2100 Bridgeway; www.seatrek.com/

Fish: Open from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily at 350 Harbor Drive; www.331fish.com/

Heath Ceramics: The factory store is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 400 Gate Five Road; www.heathceramics.com/.

Lappert’s Ice Cream: Open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily at 689 Bridgeway; www.lapperts.com.

Gingerbread House Tour: Pick up a map at the Sausalito Chamber of Commerce, 22 El Portal, or download one atwww.sausalito.org/gingerbread-house-tour.

We recently spent a week exploring these Oahu shores and, as the Hawaiians say, it was “no ka oi”—simply the best. We ziplined over the lush terrain of a working farm, swam off picturesque, world-famous surf beaches, and wandered through lush tropical gardens to a rushing waterfall.

At the sprawling Polynesian Cultural Center, we soaked up entertaining and educational presentations on the native food, music and cultural traditions of six Polynesian island nations. We tackled red dirt roads in all-terrain UTV vehicles in lush, mountainous valleys made famous by Jurassic Park and many other films. And after the ride, we took a boat across an ancient fishpond to a hidden beach for an afternoon of stand-up paddle boarding, sandbar wading, kayaking and hammock time.

Fueling our adventures: tasty, local-style meals at the colorful food trucks and shrimp shacks that line the coast-hugging Kamehameha Highway. We even squeezed in a charming, cowboy-style lu’au during the week.

A five-hour direct flight brought us from Oakland Airport to Honolulu, where we started our Oahu exploration with a leisurely morning drive from the airport to colorful Hale’iwa town. We paused for plates of butter garlic shrimp over rice at Jenny’s Shrimp truck — one of many food truck options in town — before heading to our hotel for two nights, Turtle Bay Resort, the only luxury hotel on the North Shore.

Set on Kuilima Point between a small crescent-shaped cove and a pristine, wave-swept beach, Turtle Bay is a recently remodeled and re-imagined resort and the choice of many Oahu visitors seeking an upscale North Shore stay in dreamy oceanfront rooms and bungalows. Turtle Bay, which has two championship golf courses (one designed by Arnold Palmer), is within reach of all the area’s main attractions: Hale’iwa town and the renowned North Shore beaches — Sunset, Waimea Bay and Banzai Pipeline — famous for their world-class winter surf and placid summer swells. The resort is also close to Kahuku Point, the northernmost point of land on Oahu.

Our first evening on the island eased us into Hawaii time as we enjoyed the resort’s small scale Paniolo Lu’au (“paniolo” means cowboy in native Hawaiian) held in a tented space near the resort’s stables (they offer guided horseback rides along the shore.) Before dinner and the show, we sipped mai tais, checked out traditional native Hawaiian games, learned some basic hula moves and petted cute miniature horses before being entertained by Hawaiian dance, music and fire knife performances.

For dinner, we feasted on banana leaf-steamed fresh catch, huli huli chicken, barbecued corn, colorful fresh taro rolls and savory Kalua pork, a lu’au staple cooked traditionally in a nearby “imu” or underground pit oven.  A post-luau stroll along the wonderfully sandy shore of Kawela Bay brought us back to the resort. Turtle Bay was a perfect start to our week of North Shore and East Side adventures.

Up early, we headed just down the road to Kuilima Farm for an hour-long walking tour, including a peek at their fascinating hydroponic produce growing facility that supplies produce for Turtle Bay Resort and the surrounding community.

We learned about Oahu’s ancient land divisions and traditional farming practices while strolling the orchards, taro fields and row crops, tasting produce like vine-ripe tomatoes, sugar cane, and ripe papaya along the way. The food stands on the farm’s road frontage are packed with bananas, pineapple, coconut, corn, watermelon, dragonfruit, papaya and freshly made local delicacies such as fried banana lumpia called “turon”, a classic Filipino snack.

The following morning was dedicated to the famed beaches of the North Shore: ‘Ehukai Beach (Banzai Pipeline), Waimea Beach, Sunset Beach and Chun’s Reef, a great beach for all ages. We wrapped up with an afternoon visit to the lush botanical garden and waterfall of Waimea Valley, a sacred historical site. The paved trail to Waimea Falls is about 3/4 of a mile and takes about 30 minutes to ascend to the falls, where you can take a swim (free lifevests are required).

There are several gravel paths off the main corridor for more adventurous hikers to explore the entire botanical garden collection of 52 themed gardens and more than 5,000 documented types of tropical and subtropical plants, including native Hawaiian and globally endangered species.

We also stopped at the valley’s Hawaiian cultural sites along the way, such as Kauhale, an ancient Hawaiian living site. Here, we learned about the life and culture of early Hawaiian people from resident artisans, each of whom have a traditional Hawaiian craft to share.

The next morning of this action-packed trip, we headed Climbworks, a zipline tour outfitter at Keana Farms, where we joined a thrilling three-hour tour that flies above a working farm. The ziplines range from 500 feet to nearly half a mile long (Hawaii’s longest) on eight dual lines. Along the way you also do two rappels, cross three sky bridges and enjoy panoramic ocean and mountain views of the North Shore.

After ziplining, we headed to Laie and a new hotel, the Courtyard Oahu North Shore, next to the Polynesian Cultural Center. After checking in, we walked over to the PCC for a full immersion in the 42-acre parklike complex celebrating the traditions of Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Tahiti, Aotearoa (New Zealand) and Hawaii. We wandered the center’s villages to play a Maori stick game, made stamp prints on cloth, saw how a coconut is cracked and how coconut bread is made, and learned how poi is pounded. We topped off the day with the center’s Ali’i lu’au and a spectacular show, Ha: Breath of Life, in the expansive, open-air Pacific Theater.

Topping off our Oahu adventure was a visit to the East Side and the sprawling, 4,000-acre Kualoa Ranch, a private nature reserve and a breathtaking location on the eastern shore of Oahu at Kaneohe Bay. Nestled in valleys sacred to ancient Hawaiians, the ranch has served as a set for numerous movies and TV series, including “Jumanji,” “Jurassic Park,” “Hawaii Five-0” and “Lost.” Activities here include ATV and UTV “Raptor” expeditions, jeep expeditions, e-bike tours, ziplining, horseback riding and a boat excursion to a “secret island” beach for SUP, kayak and sandbar wading activities.

We chose the three-hour UTV tour, with a guide leading us deep into scenic valleys and remote areas, tackling dirt roads and dusty trails and crossing seasonal streams. More than 200 Hollywood movies and TV shows have been filmed on the ranch over the past 75 years.

After the tour, we hit the beach on Kulaloa’s “Secret Island Beach Adventure,” where a flat-bottomed boat spirits guests across an ancient Hawaiian fishpond to a quiet strand of sand near the ranch for an afternoon of kayaking, stand-up paddle-boarding, sandbar wading, beach volleyball, table tennis and horseshoes. We sampled a few, then wound down the week simply relaxing in a hammock under a swaying palm tree, a suitable Hawaiian-style end to our big North Shore and East Side Oahu adventure.

If You Go

Jenny’s Shrimp Truck: Open from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily at 66528a Kamehameha Highway in Haleiwa.

Turtle Bay Resort: The Paniolo Lu’au ($195-$225) is held from every Wednesday evening, with shuttles departing the resort at 5 and 5:30 p.m. and returning at 8 p.m. 57-091 Kamehameha Highway, Kahuku; www.turtlebayresort.com.

Kuilima Farm: Farm tours ($25-$45) offered at 9 and 10:30 a.m. Wednesday-Friday at 57-146 Kamehameha Highway in Kahuku. Make reservations and learn more at  https://kuilimafarm.com.

Waimea Valley: Normally closed on Mondays, the Waimea Valley will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, except holidays, from Nov. 20 through Jan 2. Admission is $14-$25. 59-864 Kamehameha Highway in Haleiwa; www.waimeavalley.net

Climbworks: Book a 3-hour tour ($180, ages 7 and up) at Keana Farms on Oahu’s North Shore at www.climbworks.com.

Courtyard Oahu North Shore: This Marriott hotel is located at 55-400 Kamehameha Highway in Laie; www.marriott.com

Polynesian Cultural Center: There are five ticket packages available, including Islands of Polynesia and Ha: Breath of Life ($96-$120) with access to six Polynesian villages and admission to the “Ha: Breath of Life” show ($96-$120), and the Ali’i Luau package ($152-$190), which includes the villages, “Ha” show and a luau buffet. 55-370 Kamehameha Highway in Laie; https://polynesia.com/

Kualoa Ranch: The ranch offers a wide range of tours and activities, from a secret island beach adventure ($52) to a UTV “Raptor” tour ($145), in Kaneohe on Oahu’s Windward or East Coast; kualoa.com.

Autumn is an ideal time to visit the eastern Sierra. Crowds are light, temperatures are cooler and, even better, the region’s aspen forests provide a dazzling, albeit brief, display of fall color. (Find the latest details on those hues and a map of where colors are nearing peak display at https://californiafallcolor.com/.)

One of the best ways to immerse oneself in Mammoth’s abundant natural splendor is to overnight in a rustic cabin and live like a pioneer — 21st century-style.

There are many cabin choices in Mammoth, from historic lakeside cabins in the dense woods to more modern tiny homes set in mountain meadows. I recently spent two nights at the Alpenhof Lodge, located near Mammoth’s Village complex, and another two nights at the Double Eagle Resort & Spa at the base of 10,908-foot Carson Peak on the June Lake loop.

After a week of cabin life, I can attest that there’s no better place to plunk yourself down and bathe in nature than a cozy wooden house in the woods. Here are some of the best rustic cabin options in the Mammoth region to try out this fall:

Cabins at Mammoth Lakes

After an unhurried, day-long drive from the Bay Area over the Sierra’s dramatically steep and scenic Sonora Pass, we arrived at Mammoth Lake’s Alpine-style Alpenhof Lodge, whose entrance is embellished by an oversized Willkommen in German-style lettering.

We stayed in one of the lodge’s two-bedroom cabins, equipped with a small kitchen and fireplace and set in a woodsy setting alongside the main lodge. While not in the deep woods, the Alpenhof is in an ideal location right across from the Mammoth Village, where resort-style restaurants, bars and shops beckon, and a free open-air trolley, equipped with a bike trailer, can transport you to the world-famous Mammoth Mountain bike park and to the spectacular Mammoth Lakes Basin for picnics, fishing, hikes, mountain bike and horseback rides, and refreshing lake swims.

Just across the street from the lodge is the paved Lakes Basin multi-use path that winds five miles up into the mountains. It’s perfect for walks, runs and road and mountain bike rides. (Class 1 e-mountain bikes are also allowed on the path and are a popular choice with cyclists.)

Enjoy the Alpenhof’s lively Clocktower cellar bar, whose multiple craft brew taps and whiskey selection are popular with the locals, and Petra’s, an excellent bistro and wine bar. Details: alpenhof-lodge.com

Mammoth Mountain Chalets, right next to the Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge, has numerous hiking and biking trails right from your doorstep — and a nearby shuttle takes explorers to Reds Meadow and Yosemite National Park. Each cabin has a private deck and a wood-burning stove. Details: mmchalets.com

Historic Tamarack Lodge and Resort is the grande dame of Mammoth Lakes Basin and oozes charm with its cabins and a rustic main lodge set on the shore of pristine Twin Lakes. Its popular, upscale Lakefront Restaurant has attracted visitors for decades. Details: mammothmountain.com

Several rustic, historic lodges also can be found in the Mammoth region. Secluded Crystal Crag Lodge, set at 9,000 feet on the shore of Lake Mary has drawn visitors here for almost a hundred years. That’s in large part thanks to the lodge’s incredible setting: a trout-filled lake, the pure mountain air and the countless tree-lined hiking and biking trails on the edge of the High Sierra backcountry. These rustic cabins are very popular and often booked a year in advance. Details: crystalcrag.com

The Wildyrie Lodge on Lake Mamie offers lakeside cottages with full kitchens, bathrooms and spacious sun decks with barbecues. Built in 1928, Wildyrie was one of the first hunting and fishing lodges in the Eastern Sierra. It also served as a local post office and general store. Details: wildyrielodge.com

Lake George’s Woods Lodge has rustic cabins with full kitchens and fireplaces, and many have dramatic views of the stunning scenery surrounding the property. Details: woodslodgemammoth.com

Sierra Meadows Ranch offers tiny home-style cabins with one bedroom and one bath and set in a scenic, wide-open meadow on the outskirts of town. Each cabin offers a full kitchen, living room and a private bedroom with queen bed, bunk beds and a sleeper sofa. Details: sierrameadowsranch.com/lodging

Just south of the town of Mammoth Lakes, Convict Lake’s cabins, each named after local fish species and landmarks are set in an aspen forest. This is one of the top spots in the region for lakeside fall color. Details: convictlake.com

Cabins at June Lake

The Double Eagle Resort & Spa is just 12 miles from the eastern entrance to Yosemite Park  and 22 miles northeast from Mammoth Lakes. The resort’s 16 cabins offer charming, rustic luxury in an aspen and pine forest.

Many are set by a trout-filled pond and a rushing creek at the base of Carson Peak, a steep-sided Sierra edifice of almost surreal beauty. Horsetail Falls, perched midway on the peak, was a torrent of snowmelt, flowing like a burst water main out of a granite wall, when I was there. Wagon wheels and old mining equipment decorate the grounds, which also houses a spa, indoor pool and the excellent Eagle’s Landing restaurant. Details: doubleeagle.com

Silver Lake Resort, just a few miles from the town of June Lake on the June Lake Loop, was established in 1916 and is one of the premier destinations for trout fishing in the Sierra. Some 17 cabins offer the perfect retreat for anglers, hikers and outdoor lovers. Details: silverlakeresort.net/cabins

The dining scene

Alpenhof Lodge, Tamarack Lodge, Double Eagle Resort and Sierra Meadows Ranch have restaurants on property. You might also want to treat yourself to some of the many excellent restaurants and brewpubs in Mammoth Lakes. Here are some suggestions:

Set at the busy intersection of Minaret and Lake Mary Road, the spacious Mammoth Brewing Company brewery and pub offers a wide menu including ale-battered fish and chips, barbecue chicken flatbread pizzas, crispy chicken and jalapeno griddle cakes, hearty pub salads and fried chicken sandwiches with sriracha cabbage slaw. Check out details and the menu at mammothbrewingco.com.

Dos Alas Cafe & Lounge favors “Cubarican” dishes such as sandwiches with roasted garlic pork and ham and cheese, as well as Spanish pollo en escabeche (pickled chicken). It’s located at Sierra Meadows Ranch. Find details and peek at the menu at dosalascafe.com.

And the Warming Hut offers classic comfort food in an airy setting in Mammoth Lakes. Try the Chicken n’ Waffle for breakfast, the Cubano sandwich for lunch or the flatiron steak for dinner. Take a look at the menu at thewarminghutmammoth.com.

As I enjoyed a plate of Middle Eastern food truck fare, sipped an IPA and surveyed the backyard party scene, I realized nearly everyone around me — adults, kids and even a couple of pooches— was clad in plaid. It was like a Grateful Dead show for the lumberjack set. I felt out of place in basic fleece, but a poster on the side of a food truck provided an explanation: It was a one-dayFlannel Fest, a fundraising celebration of lumberjack chic.

Welcome to Oregon, partner.

Best known for an abundance of outdoor activities — fly fishing, white-water rafting, biking, canoeing, camping and golf — Bend also boasts a plethora of art and cultural attractions, eateries and more brewpubs, breweries and beer gardens than humanly possible to visit. Here’s a sampling of what I discovered during my recent, very fun visit to this hub of Central Oregon living.

Play it again, Bend

For nearly 80 years, the iconic Tower Theatre has been the main cultural showcase in downtown Bend. Fully renovated in 2004, this Art Deco Moderne venue is Central Oregon’s premier stage. With performances scheduled year-round, upcoming summer and fall highlights include acts that range from Macy Gray and to a 20th anniversary screening of “Napoleon Dynamite,” followed by a freewheeling conversation with three of its stars.

The iconic Midtown Ballroom & Domino Room is a 16,000- square foot live music venue housed in a former creamery. On the night I visited, California-based duo Dirtwire drew a large and lively crowd.

Meanwhile, in the city’s Old Mill District, the open-air, 8,000-person capacity Hayden Homes Amphitheater recently received some significant upgrades including an extensive stageexpansion. With a new partnership with Live Nation Entertainment, the amphitheater is Central Oregon’s best venue for some of the country’s largest and most popular touring acts, from Chris Stapleton to Lyle Lovett, the Lumineers and Counting Crow.

Axes and anglers

Of course, Bend has more entertainment options out there than simply music. Do you ever feel like tossing an ax like a real woodsman? Summon your inner lumberjack with hatchet throwing at Bend’s Unofficial Logging Company. When your arm fatigues, there’s a rotating selection of craft beer and a delicious food menu available Thursdays through Sundays. Closed toe shoes required (for obvious reasons).

There’s shopping, too. The Old Mill District — identified by its trademark trio of smokestacks — is nestled into 270 acres along the Deschutes River on a site that once housed one of thelargest ponderosa pine sawmill operations in the world.

Now, more than 55 local, regional and national restaurants and retailers call the district home. Be sure to check out Confluence Fly Shop for rods and reels, fishing apparel, fly tying classes and colorful fish art on the walls.

Museums and an art walk

Art walks have become a way of life for many cities, and Bend is no exception. The Downtown Bend First Friday Art Walk — held from 5 to 9 p.m. on the first Friday of each month — attracts crowds of locals and visitors. Stroll the charming streets and browse the galleries and local businesses, some serving free tastes of wine, beer and spirits.

The High Desert Museum just south of Bend is one of only six museums and libraries in the country to receive the prestigious 2021 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. Set on 135 acres with more than 100,000 square feet of exhibit space, the museum offers everything from high desert animals like foxes, snakes, raptors and owls, to living history actors recreating the pioneer days of central Oregon. The museum’s newest exhibit, Creations of Spirit, will immerse you in the Indigenous Plateau worldview, reflecting knowledge systems of tribes along the Columbia River and its tributaries.

About an hour’s drive north of Bend, The Museum at Warm Springs was founded to preserve the culture, history and traditions of the three tribes that comprise the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Visitors to the museum experience the sounds of ancient songs and languages, the work of traditional craftsmen and the rich and colorful cultures that make up the Confederated Tribes of The Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon. Particularly noteworthy is the collection of traditional Native American baskets.

Sips and bites

Wild Rose has served up fine Thai cuisine in Central Oregon for 10 years. Family owned and operated, the restaurant uses recipes native to Northern Thailand, which means you won’t find Pad Thai or peanut sauce on their menu. They’re famous for their Curry Basil noodles, served family style. And nearly every dish is accompanied with khao niew, sticky jasmine rice meant for eating with your hands.

Terra Kitchen, a plant-forward restaurant at the SCP Redmond hotel, features farm-to-fork, Oregon-inspired cuisine using fresh ingredients sourced from local farms, local purveyors and even the restaurant’s own rooftop garden. The menu features delicious dishes — think spring pea risotto, eggplant Bolognese and veggie pizzas — aimed at fostering a healthy planet, healthy communities and a healthy you.

Like hard cider? A husband and wife duo built the charming Bend Cider building and planted the apple orchards here, where you can enjoy tastings and, on weekends, live music.

Set in a former Catholic school’s main building, the Old St. Francis Pub at McMenamins hotel and brewpub offers hearty pub fare, handcrafted ales brewed right downstairs in the onsite brewery and seasonal weekly specials. The pub’s deep booths, subdued lighting and original artwork make for a truly memorable beer tasting experience.

The Bite in Tumalo — at the north end of Bend — serves fantastic food from an array of food trucks, including Rico’s Tacos, Pine Marten Pizza and NorthFresh Sushi. There’s an amazing assortment of beers on tap, too, plus a great festive vibe. Gather round the fire pits, enjoy the music and play games with the kids.

The Midtown Yacht Club has a tongue-in-cheek name for its lively taphouse. The club’s food truck lot offers a wide variety of grub, ranging from Shim Shon’s Israeli street food to NorthFresh’s sushi, make and poke.

And Worthy Brewing is a solar-powered brewery with two locations in Bend on the east and west sides. They serve up fresh pilsners, stouts and IPAs plus sandos and smash burgers. Don’t miss Bend’s very own observatory at the east side location. You can even tour the “Hopservatory” with onsite observatory director Grant Tandy and gaze into the heavens.

If You Go

Getting here: Bend is about an eight-hour drive from the Bay Area but you can also fly direct from SFO to the Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM); flyrdm.com.

Where to stay: For eco-chic lodging in downtown Bend, the boutique Oxford Hotel is a four-diamond hotel fusing sustainability with luxurious amenities. Its Roam restaurant offers organic dishes made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients. 10 NW Minnesota Ave. in Bend;  oxfordhotelbend.com

Tower Theatre: 835 NW Wall St. in Bend; towertheatre.org

Midtown Ballroom: 51 NW Greenwood Ave.; https://midtownballroom.com

Hayden Homes Amphitheater: 344 SW Shevlin Hixon Drive; bendconcerts.com

Unofficial Logging: 910 NW Harriman St., Suite 100; unofficiallogging.com

Downtown and the Old Mill District: Find details on the shops and restaurants of the Old Mill District at oldmilldistrict.com. Information about downtown Bend, including the First Friday Art Walk, is available at downtownbend.org.

High Desert Museum: This museum is open daily at  59800 Highway 97 in Bend. Admission is $12-$20; highdesertmuseum.org.

Museum at Warm Springs: Open Tuesday-Saturday at 2189 Highway 26 in Warm Springs. Admission is $3.50 to $7; https://museum.warmsprings-nsn.gov/.

Wild Rose: This Thai restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily at 150 NW Oregon Ave. inBend; wildrosethai.com.

Terra Kitchen: Open for dinner Wednesday-Saturday at the SCP Redmond Hotel,521 SW Sixth St. in Redmond; scphotel.com/redmond/terra.

Bend Cider: Open Wednesday-Sunday at 64649 Wharton Ave. in Bend; bendcider.com.

Old St. Francis School: This historic McMenamins property in downtown Bend includes a hotel and five restaurants and bars; mcmenamins.com/old-st-francis-school.

The Bite: Open daily for lunch and dinner at 19860 Seventh St. in Bend; thebitetumalo.com

Midtown Yacht Club: Open daily for lunch and dinner at 1661 NE Fourth St. in Bend; midtownyachtclub.com.

Worthy Beer: Open daily for lunch and dinner at the Eastside Pub location at 495 NE Bellevue Drive and the Westside Worthy Beer and Burgers at 806 NW Brooks St. in Bend; worthy.beer.