"NBC's TODAY," more popularly known as the Today Show will be broadcasting live from Waikiki next Monday from 1:00-4:00 a.m. Hawaii time (7:00-11:00 a.m. eastern). The broadcast will be the first broadcast in their week-long "TODAY's Great American Adventure" series.

The broadcast from Waikiki will take place on Waikiki Beach fronting The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort which is serving as the host hotel for the NBC broadcast.

The great news is that the public is invited to attend the live broadcast, so if your plans have you in Waikiki next Sunday night/Monday morning, you can see all of the show's regular broadcast team in person.

While, The Royal Hawaiian will be closed for access during the broadcast except for registered guests, spectators may walk through the public beach access located between The Royal Hawaiian and Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach. Parking in the Sheraton Waikiki parking lot will be available, however, normal parking rates will apply as The Royal Hawaiian and Sheraton Waikiki will not validate tickets for attendance at this event.

An advance team for NBC is already in Hawaii doing filming on neighbor islands for pieces that will be shown throughout the show.

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If you're a fan of Hawaiian music and your plans are taking you to Honolulu this summer, you will want to be sure to attend one of the bi-weekly "Ke Kani O Ke Kai" (The Sound of the Ocean) Summer Concerts at the Waikiki Aquarium at 2777 Kalakaua Avenue in Kapiolani Park.

In what has become a highlight of the summer season, the Waikiki Aquarium will once again host five concerts on their oceanside lawn featuring some of Hawaii's top performers. The doors will open for each concert at 5:30 p.m. with the concert starting at 7:00 p.m. allowing those attending to spend some time exploring the wonderful galleries and exhibits offered at the Aquarium.

This year's lineup of artists is one of the best ever:

Thursday, June 13, 2013 - John Cruz and Nathan Aweau (food by Kani Ka Pila Grille)
Thursday, June 27, 2013 - Halau I Ka Wekiu and KUmZ (food by Hog Island BBQ)
Thursday, July 11, 2013 - Mark Yamanaka and Darren Benitez (food by The Grove)
Thursday, July 25, 2013 - Amy Hanaialii and Hi'ikua (food by Coco'z Catering & Takeout)
Thursday, August 8, 2013 - Makaha Sons (food by The Counter)

Each concert costs $45 for adults, $15 for children ages 7 to 12 and free for children under 6. Special rates of $25 and $10 are offered for Friends of Waikiki Aquarium members. If you'll be lucky enough to be on Oahu all summer, you can buy a single adult admission to all five concerts for $185 ($60 for children.) Food and beverages will be available for sale. No outside food or beverages will be allowed. Be sure to bring a low sand chair or beach mat. The concerts are held rain or shine and no refunds are available. Space is limited to 650, so make your reservations in advance online.

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_{Crater or More Accurately Called Depression of Haleakala}

Haleakala, "The House of the Sun", is a dormant volcano and the tallest peak on Maui, reaching 10,023 feet above sea level.

The crater, or more correctly called the depression, is large enough to hold the entire island of Manhattan. It is 7.5 miles long, 2.5 miles wide and 3000 feet deep. The crater includes its own mini-mountain range of nine cinder cones - the largest of which is over 1000 feet high.

Many believe that Haleakala Crater resembles the surface of the moon or, more likely, Mars with its red hue.

Find out more about the Haleakala National Park Summit Area and view our revised and updated gallery of photos of the Haleakala Highway and Summit Area of Haleakala.

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I've written the content on this site for over 16 years and, through all of those years, there's one topic that I never thought I needed to write about. I always thought that the subject was something that most people already knew about and that there was really nothing I could say that readers didn't already know. Apparently that's not the case. You do need to know. The topic is "Water Safety in Hawaii."

As of the writing of this article in May 2013, eleven people have died in ocean related incidents on the island of Kaua'i, already as many as, on average, die in the ocean off Kauai each year. It's not a Kaua'i problem. It is happening on the other Hawaiian islands also. But it's not a Hawaii problem either.

With few exceptions, most of the deaths that occur in the waters of Hawaii each year are due to one thing and one thing alone, bad decisions made by the victim.

Most visitors see Hawaii as paradise on earth. It's their dream vacation and in many cases, their vacation of a lifetime. They arrive in the islands with a misplaced sense of invulnerability. How can anything bad happen in such a beautiful place?

I'm sure that well over 99.9% of all visitors to Hawaii return home in as good or better shape than when they arrive. Some, unfortunately, may become victims of theft or, on rare occasion crime or accident related injury. Some return home after a close call in the water. A few don't ever make it home alive.

The vast majority of visitors (and locals) who get hurt or die in the ocean, rivers, or streams of Hawaii could have easily prevented injury or death by simply obeying some simple safety rules.

Please take a moment to read some basic rules of water safety in Hawaii, a number of which are mentioned in an excellent video on ocean safety presented by, among others, the Kauai Lifeguard Association, the Rotary Club of Kapa'a and the Kauai Visitor Information Channel KVIC.

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