Times are tough in Hawaii and just as tough here on the mainland. I know that many of you are putting off vacation plans for the foreseeable future. That doesn't, however, mean that you still can't travel to Hawaii virtually.

We have thousands of photos in our Hawaii Photo Galleries and I'm adding more every week. Here are a few of the photo galleries I've added in recent weeks:

Polynesian Cultural Center Villages Photos
Photos including each of the Polynesian Villages and cultural demonstrations at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, Oahu, Hawaii.

Polynesian Cultural Center Canoe Pageant Photos, Rainbows of Paradise
Photos of the always popular Canoe Pageant, Rainbows of Paradise, at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie on Oahu's North Shore.

Kos Hummer Movie/Lost Adventure Tour Photos
Photos taken on a 5-hour Kos Hummer Movie/Lost Adventure Tour on Oahu, Hawaii including several Lost locations and previews of what you'll see in 2009.

USS Arizona Memorial Photos
Photos of Hawaii's most popular visitor attraction including the USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center, USS Arizona Museum and USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park Photos
Photos taken at the Pearl Harbor Avenger,. the World War II submarine USS Bowfin at the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park Photo Gallery at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

As Susan Breslow Sardone, About.com's Guide to Honeymoons / Romantic Travel wrote, "About.com Travel Guides are animal lovers. We go to the ends of the earth to observe them, photograph them, write about them. Not only do we show you what it's like to interact with the world's most amazing creatures, we tell you how you can include such adventures on your vacation."

In Susan's latest entry in our bi-weekly blog carnival we "see what it's like to track rare species, swim with marine mammals, soar with winged ones, and make new friends with furry ones."

This blog carnival takes you to places where you can see exotic animals such as mountain gorillas and tigers; birds and bees such as macaws and our own penguins at the Hilton Hawaiian Villages and water dwellers including dolphins and whales. It also takes you to some of the world's top zoos.

I hope you enjoy our "Animal Attractions Blog Carnival."

The 5-hour Kos Hummer Movie/Lost Adventure Tour was the most fun I've ever had in over 13 years writing about the island of Oahu.

I admit I'm a huge fan of ABC's hit series Lost and I might not even have signed up for the tour if it didn't include many Lost filming locations. Having taken the tour, however, I'm delighted that I did and it became clear very quickly that you don't need to be a Lost fan to enjoy it.

The tour features visits to filming locations of such major motion pictures as 50 First Dates, Jurassic Park, Godzilla, Tears of the Sun and many more.

Read our Review of the 5-hour Kos Hummer Movie/Lost Adventure Tour on Oahu.

Over the past few years the island of Kaua'i has been making an effort to brand itself as Hawaii's Island of Discovery. For many years the island was best known as the Garden Isle and for many of us, it will always be that, however, the new branding helps show how Kauai's beauty can best be appreciated by getting up close and personal with the 'aina or land. In recent years, Kauai has become a prime destination for those interested in eco-tourism.

The Kaua'i Marriott Resort & Beach Club is now offering a Kaua'i Eco-Adventure Package for guests to experience all of Kaua'i's outdoor beauty from the resort's central location on the Garden Isle. The 356-room resort is situated on Kalapaki Beach in Lihu'e, which was recently recognized on National Geographic Adventure's 2008 list of "Top 50 Next Great Adventure Towns."

Beginning at $455 per night plus tax, the Kaua'i Eco-Adventure Package includes daily breakfast for two at the resort's signature Kukui's Poolside Restaurant & Bar. Guests can choose two of the five following adventures (complimentary for two people) during their minimum four-night stay:

Napali Snorkel Adventure – Hop aboard the award-winning Captain Andy's catamaran with five hours of luxury sailing along the dramatic Napali Coast, and anchor at a tropical reef to snorkel and explore an underwater ecosystem.

Read more...