JAN. 27-FEB. 1

DINE A WEEK IN SAN DIEGO

If San Diego is in your travel plans, arrange your trip around a twice-yearly event that allows you to experience some of the city's finest restaurants at a discount. It's San Diego Restaurant Week, when more than 125 participating dining spots throughout the county, from Oceanside to Coronado to Rancho Bernardo, offer unique three-course menus for $30 to $40 per person. Restaurant Week dates for 2008 are Jan. 27-Feb. 1 and June 22-27. Celebrity chefs include Brian Malarkey of Oceanaire Seafood Room (a competitor in "Top Chef"), Gavin Kaysen of El Bizcocho Restaurant (a Food & Wine best new chef for 2007) and Bernard Guillas of Marine Room. Ingrid Croce, owner of Croce's Restaurant and Jazz Bar and founding chairwoman of San Diego Restaurant Week, says, "San Diego has experienced a renaissance in dining and culture over the past 20 years that parallels the community's growth." Information: www.sandiegorestaurantweek.com.

DECEMBER-MARCH

CRUISE WITH THE WHALES

Hilo will be Chinese New Year Central Feb. 15 and 16 with "An Evening of Chinese Culture" Feb. 15 followed by the day-long Hilo Chinese New Year Festival Feb. 16. The evening event includes festive blessings of Downtown businesses (with opportunities to court good luck by placing li see red envelopes in the lion's mouth) followed by a 7 p.m. exhibition by the Big Island Shaolin Arts Dancers on Haili Street fronting the Palace Theatre before the show featuring Chinese dance, music and fashion ($12 general admission). The festival comprises another lion dance with firecrackers, from 9 a.m. on Kamehameha Avenue, followed by an arts and crafts fair at Kalakaua Park until 3 p.m. 808-933-9772; amoon@bigisland.com

FEB. 15-16

CELEBRATE CHINESE IN HILO

The whale-watching season is up and running in Hawai'i, with many companies offering special trips. On Maui, the Pacific Whale Foundation has begun a new "Maui Whales and Tales" cruise that combines historical talks on the whaling industry with the opportunity to see whales. Once, Hawaiians spoke of "the forest on the seaward side," the "forest" being their poetic way of describing the dozens of masts of whaling ships in the Lahaina roadstead. Cost is $31.95 adults; 808-249-8811. Over on the Big Island, naturalist Jonathan Opey is readying for the Dec. 20-March 31 afternoon whale discovery excursions aboard Hula Kai, operated by the second-generation company, Fair Wind Big Island Ocean Guides. Information and daily whale sighting log: www.fair-wind.com.

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