he said …
where kevin james goes hawaiian in honolulu

lodging
kahala mandarin oriental hawaii, expensive, (800) 367-2525

dining
alan wong's restaurant,
very expensive, (808) 949-2526

caffé latte, expensive, (808) 924-1414

hoku's, very expensive, (808) 739-8780

tokyo tokyo, expensive, (808) 739-8901

golf
ko'olau golf club, (808) 247-7088

other sports
hans hedemann surf school,
(808) 924-7778

shopping
hasegawa general store, maui, (808) 248-8231

movies
consolidated theatres-ward
stadium 16, (808) 593-3000

we said...
where we go hawaiian in honolulu

lodging
hale koa hotel, inexpensive, (808) 955-0555. this hotel isn't for everyone (it's only open to active and retired military personnel), but if you qualify, you'll fall for its reasonable rates, its spaciousness, and its gorgeous grounds. if you don't qualify, check out their weekly luau. we hear it's just grand.

royal grove hotel, inexpensive, (808) 923-7691. upon spying royal grove's flamingo-pink exterior, you might think you took the wrong flight and landed in miami. but where you've really landed is at one of the most affordable and friendliest hotels on the island.

dining
big city diner, inexpensive, (808) 263-8880. if you catch big city when there's not much of a wait, it's ideal for a fun family outing. as mom and pop sip wine and sample local items like calamari tempura strips with wasabi-aioli sauce, the kiddos fill up on burgers and oreo sundaes, then dig into the "treasure chest" for a free toy.

gordon biersch, inexpensive to moderate, (808) 599-4877. this indoor/outdoor eatery on honolulu harbor brews its own german-style lagers. the pub fare, from potstickers to garlic fries, is good all week long, but wednesday through saturday, it's served up with a side of live music.

attractions
bishop museum, (808) 847-3511. there's no better place to immerse yourself in the history and culture of the aloha state than this 12-acre complex founded by charles reed bishop in 1889 to honor his late wife, bernice, the last direct descendant of the royal kamehameha family. in addition to its world-renowned collection of polynesian artifacts, the bishop is home to one of only a handful of planetariums in hawaii and also boasts demonstrations of native crafts like lei making.

na'uanu pali lookout, no phone. mark twain called the view from this spot off pali highway east of waikiki the most beautiful in the world. enough said.

golf
ala wai municipal golf course, (808) 296-2000. it's tricky to get a tee time at this par-70, 6,208-yard muni (once listed in the guinness book of world records as the world's busiest golf course), but with greens fees as low as $16, it's well worth the effort. we also find it less windy here than at most oahu courses.

shopping
shanghai tang, (808) 942-9800. no loud ­hawaiian shirts here, but trendy twists on traditional chinese fashion crafted of the finest fabrics and workmanship.

on the road with kevin james

what do you pack for a trip to hawaii?
my wife usually packs for me, which is great. obviously, i take the golf clubs, but i don't really pack any beach stuff. it's pretty easy for me. i just take light shorts, golf outfits, depending on what we're doing.

what's in your carry-on bag?
i just got a small laptop so i could do some work for the show, read movie scripts, and things like that. otherwise, i slip on my bose headset and try to pass the time.