Kilohana (pronounced key-low-hah-nah) means "best, excellent, superior" in Hawaiian. I named the company that on purpose — it's the one standard I hold every trip to, whether it's a couple's honeymoon or an incentive program for fifty.
From the first planning conversation through the day you return home: no templates, no copy-paste itineraries. I listen for what matters to you, build the trip around it, and handle every detail in between — so the only thing on your plate is showing up and enjoying it.
You get the upgrades, the reservations, the insider access and the peace of mind. I get the joy of knowing your trip was everything you hoped for.
your travel, designed with care
I'm Native Hawaiian, born and raised in Hawai'i. I started traveling with my grandparents at age nine — they gave me a love of travel, a curiosity about the world, and a real respect for other cultures. Hospitality isn't a brand idea I picked up along the way. It's how I was raised.
Before I started Kilohana Events and Travel, I spent 20-plus years running events for academic deans and program directors at MIT, Columbia, Arizona State University, and American University — the kind of high-stakes events where the schedule could not slip, the room had to be right, and a hundred small things had to land at exactly the right moment. I'm also a former elite athlete, so I know firsthand what a competition trip actually requires. That's the muscle I bring to your trip — whether it's a family vacation, a milestone celebration, a team headed to a tournament, or an incentive program for 50 people.
about KILOHANA EVENTS AND TRAVEL
I specialize in destinations I know deeply — Japan, the Caribbean, and Hawai'i — but I design trips worldwide. My sweet spot is culinary and cultural travel, adventure experiences, and sporting events: I've attended the MLB World Series, the NBA and WNBA Finals, the U.S. Open (tennis), F1 at Circuit of the Americas, multiple NCAA Final Fours — and in 2024, my husband and I traveled to Paris for our first Summer Olympic Games.
I'm based in Washington, DC, and I work as an independent affiliate of Andavo Travel and a proud member of the Virtuoso network. That membership is not a logo on my site — it's how I get my clients into rooms that aren't on the public booking sites, breakfasts and resort credits worth $100 to $300 a stay, and on-the-ground connections at 1,400+ hotels worldwide.
If you want to build a trip around a live event, I'm your person.
MEET BETH NAKAMURA
AT A GLANCE
BASED IN
HOMETOWN
FAVORITE DESTINATION
Can't travel without
travel specialties
ask me about
Washington, DC
Honolulu, HI
Japan
A good restaurant list
Culinary + cultural
Planning a trip around a sporting event • Getting a whole team to a tournament • What you actually get from a Virtuoso advisor
who i work with
Busy families — You're managing a hundred things (who isn't?) and want someone to plan your vacation so you can actually enjoy it — and be present for it, instead of being the stressed organizer.
Friend groups and celebrations — Overwhelmed by the options and logistics? I coordinate everything so nobody gets stuck being the unpaid travel agent.
Teams and clubs — Getting 25+ athletes and families to a tournament is a logistics job on top of a logistics job. I manage the group air as one coordinated program — every family, every change, one deadline, one contact — so you can focus on the competition, not the reservations.
Couples — Honeymoons, anniversaries, milestone trips. The best suites, the best tables, the experiences you'd never find on your own.
Small companies — Incentive travel is the most underused tool in your employee engagement toolkit — and it's not just for Fortune 500s. I make it easy to get started.
Based in Washington, DC, serving DC, Virginia and Maryland. The trips go everywhere!
FOLLOW ALONG for travel inspiration — @KILOHANAEVENTS — FOLLOW ALONG for travel inspiration — @KILOHANAEVENTS — FOLLOW ALONG for travel inspiration
