Hanauma Bay was chosen as one of the top U.S. Elvis attractions by the travel website Trip Advisor.
The nature reserve served as a location for Presley’s 1961 hit movie “Blue Hawaii.”
(A favorite vacation destination of Presley’s, the islands also were used as an exotic backdrop for two other of his movies, “Girls Girls Girls” from 1962 and 1966’s “Paradise, Hawaiian Style.”)
The mainland attractions listed by Trip Advisor to coincide with observances of the 35th anniversary of the superstar’s death are obvious choices, such as Presley’s Graceland mansion, the Heartbreak Hotel and Sun Studio, all in Memphis, Tenn.; and his birthplace and a museum in Tupelo, Miss.
Other spots for Elvis fans to visit include the Elvis Presley Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., boasting one of the largest private collections of memorabilia, gathered by fan Jimmy Velvet; and Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay, Wis., which has a favorite roller coaster of Presley’s that was bought and moved from a Memphis park.
Johnnie’s Drive In in Tupelo is where Presley the grade-schooler frequently enjoyed a cheeseburger and cola, and G.H. Booth’s Hardware Store, also in Tupelo, is where his mother bought her son his first guitar. Another attraction in Memphis is Coletta’s Italian Restaurant, where Presley chowed down on the eatery’s signature barbecue pizza.
Fans will have even more reason to visit Hawaii in January when Honolulu hosts a 40th-anniversary screening of Presley’s “Aloha from Hawaii” concert, originally beamed worldwide by satellite to 40 countries on Jan. 14, 1973, from the then-named Honolulu International Center, now the Blaisdell Arena.
The screening is part of a week of Elvis-related activities, Jan. 10-15. For more information, visit elvis.com/aloha/default.aspx.
