Highlights

Join us on this amazing 10 day, Hawaiian Quilters Journey. Our tour has been custom created by a quilter with a keen interest in Hawaiian quilts and is also a seasoned Hawaii traveler.  Throughout the planning she’s kept the interest of quilt enthusiasts in mind.

While many groups offer tours in Hawaii, please note that we have worked diligently to pick out just the right blend of activities and stops allowing our custom crafted and Hawaiian tour to remain economical while featuring the best of two of Hawaii’s favorite islands.  Together we will enjoy beautiful scenery, quilt and fabric browsing, Hawaiian Quilt lessons, cultural activities and more. This tour will give you a first hand look into what makes these beautiful islands so magical from a quilter’s perspective.

A trip to Hawaii is on almost everyone’s bucket list. The aloha spirit, amazing scenery, beautiful beaches and exciting activities are things that draw people to Hawaii each year.   Not only is it beautiful, but it is the perfect place to relax and get away from your daily routine.   

One thing that makes Hawaii so special is the culture.  The Hawaiian culture impacts almost everything from music to cuisine.  As you learn about Hawaii’s quilting culture you will be amazed at the spiritual significance quilts hold here.  Beyond the incomparable beauty, it’s this enduring and rich culture that makes the islands so special for a quilter.  On our journey we will not only explore the important and historical quilting heritage and culture here, but enjoy some of the fascinating customs, music, legends and traditions that only Hawaii offers.

Hawaiians have a long and treasured heritage built around textiles.

In 1820 Christian missionaries arrived in Hawaii and bringing with them colorful cotton fabrics and teaching sewing techniques such as applique and patchwork design.   The Hawaiians quickly adopted the custom and added their own artistic style, incorporating the designs of the Kapa cloth and Hawaiian customs by using elements from the nature around them.  Thus, the unique and recognizable design of the Hawaiian quilt was born.  

In addition to several quilt and fabric shop stops throughout our journey, some of the other stops on our tour include (but are not limited to): 

Honolulu/Waikiki: Waikiki is a vibrant neighborhood of Honolulu that is known for its popular surf beach. Designer fashion stores line Kalakaua Avenue and nearby streets, and the area buzzes after dark with waterside cocktail bars, fine dining and Kuhio Beach hula shows. Honolulu Zoo is home to Komodo dragons and wandering peacocks, while parrotfish and urchins inhabit Waikiki Aquarium’s reef exhibit. This area was a respite for Hawaiian royalty in the 1800.

Pearl Harbor: Your visit to Pearl Harbor will be a day you will remember forever. The facilities at Pearl Harbor do as much to inspire awe in the event marking the US entry into WWII itself as to educate and bring alive the history of this period. You’ll get an in-depth experience about the events leading up to the attack as well as how Pearl Harbor and the island of Oahu were pivotal during the remainder of World War II.  

The Bishop Museum:  Bishop Museum is the largest museum in the state and the premier natural and cultural history institution in the Pacific, recognized throughout the world for its cultural collections, research projects, consulting services and public educational programs. It also has one of the largest natural history specimen collections in the world. Serving and representing the interests of Native Hawaiians is a primary purpose of the Museum.

Queen Emma Summer Palace:Queen Emma Summer Palace, or Hanaiakamalama, was the summer retreat for Queen Emma of Hawaii during 1857-1885. This and iconic historical home is an amazing look back into Hawaii’s past.  

Grove Farm:  Providing one of the last authentic experiences of Kauai’s sugar cane heritage, Grove Farm continues today in its arrangement and operation as it did as a developing center of a 19th century Hawaii sugar plantation. Acquired in 1864 by George N. Wilcox, the son of missionary teachers, Grove Farm is a beautifully preserved one hundred acre homestead in the center of Lihue that includes the original plantation main house, owner’s cottage, guest cottage, old office, as well as other resident and plantation workers’ housing camp.sensation of flight in the Transport Museum bursting with horse drawn carriages, electric trams, motorbikes, fire-engines, and vintage cars.  Daughters, Elsie and Mable Wilcox were prolific Hawaiian quilt collectors and instrumental in preserving Hawaii’s quilting heritage.

Wailua River and Fern Grotto: Enjoy a river cruise on the Wailua River to the famed Fern Grotto, a geological wonder of Kauai. Ferns grow upside down from the roof of the grotto, which was formed millions of years ago. Incredible native plants as well as exotic tropical varieties grow incredibly well here in this rain-forest atmosphere.  

Kaloko Honokuhau National Park : Rich with history and culture, this area boasts more than 3,000 ancient petroglyphs, or kii pohaku, lava rock carvings etched into stone, dating back to 1200 AD. Although the true meanings of the petroglyphs are unknown, it is generally thought these carvings are records of births and other significant events in the lives of the people who lived on the island of Hawaii long ago. 

Haleakala National Park and Volcano: Towering over the island of Maui and visible from most places on the island, the Haleakala Volcano Crater is 10,023 feet above sea level. Our drive to the volcano will take us through Maui’s treasured ranches where the famed panoilos (cowboys) would tend to cattle.

Maui Ocean Center: This is a fabulous aquarium was named one of the TOP 10 Aquarium’s of the world by Trip Advisor.   It is best known for its beautifully presented displays including a shark tank with manta rays and sharks swimming above you in a tunnel. 

Traditional Hawaiian Luau: The Luau, is an ancient Hawaiian ritual. Originally it was a social gathering meant to unite the people of a town in celebration of a significant life event, achievement, war victory, or launching of a new canoe. Today, the Luau is centered around feasting on traditional cuisine, like kalua pig, lomi salmon, poi, and haupia and entertainment including hula and traditional Hawaiian music.  

Sunset Catamaran Sail:  There is nothing more spectacular than enjoying a Hawaiian Sunset from the water.  It may be that we are also surprised by a few whales during our evening adventure off the coast of Maui.

Hawaiian Quilting Lessons:

As part of our tour you may choose to enjoy learning more about Hawaiian Quilt History and work on your own Hawaii Quilt piece.  The class will be taught by one of Hawaii’s most beloved quilt teachers.  We’ve shown a  project made into a pillow here, but you may use your project however you like to make a lasting memory of your Hawaiian Quilt Adventure us for