Lānaʻi's Sweetheart Rock - photo by Chris Around the World
A few months ago, I was invited to join a unique promotion by the Lānaʻi Visitors Bureau: the New Media Artist-in-Residence Program.
I’m one of seven travel bloggers who’ve been selected to use technology and social media to spread the word about what to do, see and experience on the Hawaiian island of Lānaʻi.
I’ve been lucky enough to visit Oahu and the Big Island and travel to Māui twice, which leaves only Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi left to explore. (Before, you know, I start all over again.) 9 miles off of Māui’s west coast, Lānaʻi is home to huge mountain peaks, a marine sanctuary, a dryland forest, a rocky moonscape and much more.
Over a five-month period, each Artist-in-Residence will take their own five- or six-night trip on the island, with their own set of adventures to share. Three have already made their journeys since early January, and the fourth will soon be on his way.
When the rest of us are not traveling and sharing our photos, tips and stories, we’re supporting each other through Twitter (with the hashtag #VisitLanai) and Facebook, and learning about Lānaʻi from different perspectives.
From May 26-31, Adam and I will travel from our home in Los Angeles to Lānaʻi, and like all the other Artists-in-Residence, will stay at the Four Seasons Resort Lanaʻi at Manele Bay, the Four Seasons Resort Lanaʻi – The Lodge at Koele and Aqua Resorts’ Hotel Lanai.
My fellow bloggers in the New Media Artist-in-Residence Program are:
Shannon Hurst Lane
Traveling Mamas
@CajunMama
Shannon’s highly acclaimed group travel blog was created to inspire women to explore the world through vacations with the kids, girlfriend getaways, romantic escapes and more. In early January, she and her husband traveled from their home in southern Louisiana to Lānaʻi, and shot some lovely video footage.
Chris Gray Faust
Chris Around the World
@CAroundTheWorld
The former travel editor of USA Today and a 20-year veteran of the industry, Chris has seamlessly bridged the gap between travel writing for print and the web. She and her husband, photographer Don Faust, visited Lānaʻi in late January, finding romance, beauty and fun on the island.
Matt Long
Landlopers
@Landlopers
Matt has managed to travel the world efficiently and without spending a fortune, and shares his tips and experiences on his enormously popular blog. In the past week, he and his domestic partner traveled from their home in the Washington, D.C. area to Lānaʻi for their second journey to the island, and still haven’t experienced everything it has to offer.
Gary Arndt
Everything Everywhere
This Week in Travel
@EverywhereTrip
Gary, one of the few men with whom I’ve had dinner on two coasts, last had a home in 2007, when he left Wisconsin and began traveling full-time around the globe. His blog, Everything Everywhere, was named one of Time Magazine‘s Top 25 of 2010, and he’s one of the hosts of the issues-tips-and-deals podcast, This Week in Travel. On March 1st, he departs for Lānaʻi from New York City.
Kara Williams
The Vacation Gals
The Spa Gals
@karasw
One of my favorite people in travel blogging, Kara is also one of my favorite people; I’ve been lucky enough to travel with her twice, in both Belize and Jamaica. A prolific writer and a huge influence in our small world, she is a member of the planning committee for this year’s travel bloggers’ conference, TBEX. In a brief departure from her family in the Colorado Rockies, Kara will be visiting Lānaʻi in mid-March with a good friend.
Sheila Beal
Go Visit Hawaii
@sheilabeal
The very first travel blogger I ever met – at the 2009 Lonely Planet Awards in San Francisco – Sheila has been a dear friend ever since. Writer of one of the web’s most informative, influential guides to Hawaii, she and her husband, internet marketing consultant Andy Beal, will travel in April from their home in North Carolina on their umpteenth trip to Lānaʻi. (The Beals love them some Lānaʻi.)
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Since our trip is still months away, in the meantime I invite you to visit my fellow bloggers’ sites and
follow the New Media Artist-in-Residence Program on Twitter at #VisitLanai!
Thanks for the shout-out! I’m just firming up the specific activities I’ll be enjoying in Lanai w/ my buddy Kristina, and we are *so excited*!
Thanks Melanie! So the plan is Lanai then Norway, right?
Well, with a little TBEX action in-between…to, you know, bridge the fjord.
Thank you so much for this generous post Melanie! So much typing/links = so much Aloha! One thing is for sure, the beautiful island of Lānaʻi so appreciates you and all of the team for sharing what a special place it is – you will get to meet a large part of the island at the community reception.
Please let me know if I can do anything to help you prepare for your journey. Shannon had a spiritual awakening before she even landed!
The Hawaiian people also appreciate your adding the Hawaiian characters to your post.
Hi Melanie! How exciting that you’ll be visiting Lanai soon. I was born and raised on Maui, yet have only been there once. (Yes, in 30 years!) Looking forward to your posts… Will you be spending time on Oahu or any of the other islands as well? If you stop through Honolulu, let me know!