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Travel Tips by Shannon Lane

2 Posts tagged with the beach tag

I’m a television freak. If you add travel into the TV mix, I’m even more fanatic about it. A few years ago I had a changce to visit Hawaii and a few filming sites from LOST.

 

Here are a few of my favorites:

 

Ala Moana Center – Take a ride up the escalator and shop at what was the airport scene for the Oceanic ticket counter.

 

Hawaiian Tourism JapanWaimea Valley – This site is home to the infamous waterfall where Kate and Sawyer retrieve guns in the first season. There are also trails that are oddly familiar from the first season. As of February 1, 2008, this historical site has returned to the hands of the Hawaiian people. It was recently an Audubon Center. It is unknown at this time if the waterfalls are open to the public for a dip. I do know that the falls have something special in them for the skin. My skin was softer for at least three days after my swim. This is definitely a special place that should be visited while in the islands.

 

Dillingham Airfield – During my visit, I snuck around back and found the storage for the fuselage. I also took a glider ride that provided a glorious view of the beaches. It is also the airfield setting for the episode "The 23rd Psalm" which gives some background about Mr. Echo.

 

Mokule’ia Beach (Army Beach) – This is directly across from the airfield and was the beach setting for the pilot episode.

 

Ka’a’wa Valley – The LOST survivors played a few rounds of golf in this area that was also a film site for Jurassic Park, Godzilla, and Pearl Harbor. Do you want to play on the course where Sayid shot the guy? Visit the 17th hold of Turtle Bay Palmer Course.

 

Want to see more? Check out Lost Virtual Tours for pictures and videos of even more film sites. Have you been to Hawai'i lately? What are some of your favorite spots?

419 Views 0 Comments Permalink Tags: hawaii, beach, travel, lost, oahu

Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman (aka Dr. Beach), Director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research released his list of Top 10 Beaches for 2009. He uses a multitude of criteria to evaluate beaches, which includes water and sand quality as well as safety, facilities and environmental management.

 

I have to admit that I love Hawaii, but I’m also a big fan of beaches. Period. I’m a mom who loves to take the kids to the beach, but here’s a secret: I like going without the kids after school starts because the crowds have disappeared and I find the experience much more relaxing. Here’s Dr. Beach’s official list. Some are great for families, others are perfect for that romantic escape, but all are perfect for relaxing and getting some sand between your toes.

 

1. Hanalei Bay Kauai, Hawaii

2. Siesta Beach Sarasota, Florida (Check out Sarasota’s Hotel Indigo or Holiday Inn Sarasota-LIDO Beach)

3. Coopers Beach Southampton, New York

4. Coronado Beach San Diego, California (Holiday Inn San Diego Bayside is just across the bay from this beach)

5. Hamoa Beach Maui, Hawaii

6. Main Beach East Hampton, New York

7. Cape Hatteras Outer Banks of North Carolina (A good base while visiting the Outer Banks is HI Express Kitty Hawk)

8. Cape Florida State Park Key Biscayne, Florida (There are numerous IHG Properties in Miami)

9. Coast Guard Beach Cape Cod, Massachusetts

10. Beachwalker Park Kiawah Island, South Carolina (a close alternative is Holiday Inn Folley Beach Oceanfront)

 

Do you disagree with Dr. Beach’s list? Have you stayed at any IHG properties near any of these beaches? Keep in mind that past list leaders are ineligible for inclusion. The annual top beach pick by Dr. Beach has always been in either Florida or Hawaii, with the exception of 2007, which was in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

 

My personal pick for top beach of 2009 would have to be Nannygoat Beach on Sapelo Island, a Georgia barrier island. You can only get there by boat or the residents’ ferry and the closet city is Darian, GA. There aren’t any hotels on the island. It is undeveloped, pristine, fantastic for shelling, and the first time I’ve ever actually seen the beach shimmer with gold flecks. Simply breathtaking.

557 Views 5 Comments Permalink Tags: beach, travel, ihg, massachusetts, florida, north_carolina, south_carolina, california, hawaii, new, york, shannon_lane