HAWAII
Nicholas and I spent one week in Hawaii this June. We eloped while we were there - here is a review of our beachside wedding. Below is our full itinerary and pictures!
Day 1 - Travel Day; Oahu, Waikiki Beach, Duke’s Canoe Club. Waikiki Resort Hotel.
Day 2 - Kauai; Island Helicopters, Tidepools. Kauai Beach Resort.
Day 3 - Kauai; Lydgate Chocolate Farm, Keoki’s Paradise. Kauai Beach Resort.
Day 4 - Kauai; Kalepa Ridge, Kuilau Ridge Trail, Lava Lava Beach Club. Kauai Beach Resort.
Day 5 - Big Island; Kona Brew Pub, Manta Ray Night Snorkel. Royal Kona Resort.
Day 6 - Big Island; Captain Cook Snorkel, On The Rocks, Mauna Kea Summit. Royal Kona Resort.
Day 7 - Big Island; Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kamuela Provision Co. Royal Kona Resort.
DAY 1
Travel Day; Oahu, Waikiki Beach, Duke’s Canoe Club
7AM - Departed Orlando
1PM - Arrived in Honolulu
We flew with United (my favorite airline) and had a connection in Houston. The flight from Houston to Honolulu was about 8 hours. As this was also our honeymoon, we sprung for first class seats. If you can at all afford it, DO IT. It is life changing. The ability to lay down, sleep, and stretch out allowed us to get off the plan fully energized. With a 6 hour time difference we would not have been able to stay up as late as we did (8pm lol) on that first night if we had been cramped and miserable on the flight. Also just the level of service is incredible. It makes flying fun and starts the vacation early!
2PM - Checked in to Waikiki Resort Hotel
We arrived a little early for check in however as we learned with all of our hotels on this trip, they were able to allow us to check in early. This hotel is in a fantastic location; one block from Waikiki Beach. It is within walking distance of all of the beach attractions such as Duke’s statue, surf lessons and Duke’s Canoe Club. We had an ocean view room on the 17th floor. The room was clean and the staff was very helpful and friendly. After putting our things down and grabbing our swim suits, we headed down to Waikiki Beach. Nicholas and I walked West along the beach to Duke’s Canoe Club and then turned North and continued walking West along Kalakaua Avenue. There are tons of shops along this avenue and lots of travel services (snorkel tours, group tickets etc.).
5PM - Dinner at Duke’s Canoe Club
After walking around, we made our way back to Duke’s for dinner. You don’t need reservations if you want to sit on their patio or at one of their high tops in the bar area. For the main dining room, reservations are necessary. (I always like to book dining at least 3 weeks in advance). Nic had Duke’s Cheeseburger and I had the Ahi Poke pupu with a Longboard Lager from Kona Brewing Company. Both of our meals were delicious. Service was ok - our server was very nice, they were just slammed. The atmosphere fit right in with the beach vibe; live music on the patio, everyone in Hawaiian shirts, outrigger canoe’s hanging as decor etc. As we were leaving the main dinner service was starting with a lot more families and a touch less super beach casual. (History nerd moment: Duke Kahanamoku is an incredible figure in Hawaiian history. Born right as the Kingdom of Hawaii was ending, he lived to see Hawaii become a state. In addition to being an Olympic athlete, he was also Sheriff for a period of time and a hero who saved lives - read more about him here!)
6PM - Sunset on Waikiki Beach
After Duke’s we headed back to the beach where we set up a blanket and got in the water. The people watching was on point. It was great to watch the sunset along with the all the tourists and the surfers trying to catch their last waves.
DAY 2
Kauai; Helicopter Tour, Tidepools
7:30AM - Depart Honolulu
8:15AM - Arrive in Lihue
For all of our island hopping, we flew Hawaiian Airlines. Tickets ranged from $50 - $110 per person. BTW Hawaiian Airlines serves delicious Guava juice! lol. The flights tend to follow the South side of the islands, so sit on the right side of the plane for any South to North flights and sit on the left side of the plan for any North to South flights. You can get absolutely amazing views of the islands this way. The Lihue airport is one of the cutest airports EVER. Most Hawaiian buildings incorporate the outside inside. Lobbies, airport terminals, and restaurants all tend to be open pavilions. We rented a car at the airport for the duration of our stay. I thought it would be super cool to rent a Jeep Wrangler; apparently so does everyone. I would say that almost 50% of cars on the island are Jeep Wranglers.
Kauai is the oldest Hawaiian island. (For a great documentary on how the islands were formed, please watch this!) The island is absolutely beautiful and by far my favorite island that we visited. Multiple films and TV shows were shot on location here on Kauai including Jurassic Park, Lost, Raiders of the Lost Ark etc. Kauai is also home to a RIDICULOUS amount of feral chickens. They are in every yard, on every street, EVERYWHERE. They will start crowing at 4:30am, so be prepared with ear plugs. (History nerd moment: some locals said that during the 1992 Hurricane Iniki a lot of chickens escaped and that is where all the current chickens are from. Another said that back in the 1800s the sugar plantations on all the islands had significant rat problems. In order to combat the rats, Mongoose's were introduced however the Mogoose never made it to Kauai. Turns out Mongooses don’t eat rats but they do eat eggs.)
10:30AM - Island Helicopter Tour
This tour was INCREDIBLE. It starts off by flying through Waimea canyon (just like Jurassic Park - they even play the theme song over the headsets) and then you land at the same waterfall from the film. After spending some time at the waterfall for pictures, we continued on through the canyon. The tour travels along the North Na Pali Coast; flying in and out of different areas and past cathedral formations. The views from the helicopter could not compete with anything we saw while hiking. ***If you are susceptible to motion sickness or getting car sick, I would recommend taking a dramamine before the 3 hour trip.
2PM - Check in at Kauai Beach Resort
I loved this resort. It is located just east of the airport so we were only about 10 min from Kapaa and 25 min from Poipu. The resort feels luxurious with multiple pools, hot tubs, dining options, a fitness center, spa, and lovely beach access. The rooms were thoughtfully decorated and very clean. Staff was welcoming and friendly. While we saw families during our stay, it was never loud and remained very peaceful.
5PM - We got married!
For information and pictures of where we got married, who officiated etc, please click here!
7PM - Dinner at Tidepools
Tidepools is located at the Grand Hyatt. This was one of the most beautiful restaurants we visited on our vacation. The restaurant is comprised of several smaller, intimate dining rooms, set out over a koi pond. The bread service is lovely as well as the drinks. I had the Hawaiian catch (fresh catch, lobster tail, scallop, and shrimp) and Nicholas had the Prime Ribeye. We shared a molten chocolate lava cake for dessert. Everything was cooked perfectly, fresh, and delicious. I cannot stress enough the serene and romantic ambiance. ***After dinner please take the time to walk around, exploring the hotel. The grounds are gorgeous and the lobby is very impressive.
DAY 3
KAUAI; LYDGATE CHOCOLATE FARM, KEOKI’S PARADISE
4AM - Wake Up lol
Yes, due to the time difference and the chickens, we woke up around 4am this morning. We took the time to head down to the beach and watched the sunrise. Next, we had breakfast at the hotel. Tip: skip the orange juice and drink that guava juice!!
9AM - Lydgate Chocolate Farm Tour
This tour was AMAZING. The tour is much more than just chocolate. You get to see the entire farm which grows many native Hawaiian fruits and plants. Our guide, Andrea, was incredibly knowledgable. We saw vanilla beans growing and she explained the process that the employees must do by hand in order to pollenate the beans as there are no bees on the island that pollenate that specific plant. Andrea also served us numerous types of local fruits and taught us how to pick ripe ones at a market. Next, we visited some of the Cacao trees where she cut off a pod and let us try the fresh cacao beans inside! The tour concluded with a blind chocolate tasting where we were each given around 10 different samples to try. Samples came from Lydgate Farm as well as all over the world. During the tasting, Andrea gave a wonderful history of chocolate as well as further information on the bean-to-bar process. ***Wear comfortable shoes, bug spray, sunscreen, and a hat.
12PM - Free time
We drove by the abandoned Coco Palms resort. The resort was extremely popular in the 50s and 60s as the place for Hollywood celebrities to visit. It was featured in Elvis’ Blue Hawaii (which I recommend watching before going to Hawaii but try not to focus on the rampant sexism…). The property is surrounded by legal issues between different developers and native Hawaiians. You can read more about it here.
The rest of the day was spent poolside at our resort.
7PM - Dinner at Keoki’s Paradise
Paradise indeed! I still can not get over the beautiful atmosphere at Keoki’s. The entire restaurant is under a structure yet open to the air. They have created a beautiful oasis with plants, a waterfall, and tiki torches in the back. Later in the evening there was live music with a hulu dancer - not the fast kind but the beautiful slow dancing that was perfect for the evening. I had the Dinosaur Kale salad and Nic had the Filet Mignon. Both of which were excellent. The kale salad was large enough to be filling and Nic’s filet was cooked perfectly. For dessert, we had the classic “Hula Pie”. Everyone should try it once while they are in Hawaii. The pie was huge and could have easily been shared by a family of four.
DAY 4
Kauai; Kalepa Ridge Trail, Kuilau Ridge Trail, Lava Lava Beach Club
7AM - Drive to Kokee State Park
The drive took us about 1.5 hours from our hotel. The drive takes up into Waimea Canyon and offers fantastic viewpoints into the canyon. Bring. Your. Camera. We drove to the Kalalau Lookout within the park which offers beautiful views of the ocean and the Na Pali coast. While looking out to the ocean, on the left there are numerous signs along the fence line alerting you that there is no trail and not to attempt it. If you walk to the left you will see a small footpath that leads you around behind the fence and to where there is indeed a trail. ***Let’s talk safety. This is not an official trail, the State Park does not deem is safe enough for public use. If you are out of shape, clumsy, young and reckless, or just have bad luck; maybe skip this one. If you are none of those things, be prepared for a strenuous yet VERY rewarding hike. The hike is about 1.88 miles total (out and back) and has a 600 foot elevation drop in the beginning which you then have to re-climb up on your way back. My heart rate was in the 180s for this last part just to give you an idea of the difficulty. Once you make it past the drop you are placed along the ridge which has some serious drop offs and stunning vistas.
2PM - Drive to Kuilau Ridge Trailhead
We drove about 30 minutes from our resort to the Kuilau Ridge trailhead. The trailhead is just off the side of the road with parking for only a few cars. The trail is very well marked and has a sign just beyond a fence noting the start of the trail. This trail was about 2.42 miles round trip for us and had a very gradual 463 feet of elevation gain. The majority fo the trail has you winding up to the ridge itself, through a dense forest on your right and some sweeping vistas to the left. Far off to the left you can see Mount Waialeale, summit in the clouds. The forest feels straight out of Jurassic Park or Lost. Eventually you arrive at an opening with some huts and picnic tables. The official trail continues off to your right, however if you continue straight ahead, you will find a small trail that will take you out onto the ridge. THIS DOESN’T FEEL REAL. We were basically alone the entire time on the trail and when you step out onto the ridge, it feels as though you are flying.
7:45PM - Dinner at Lava Lava Beach Club
Upon our arrival we were seated front row on the beach. You can slip off your shoes and dig your feet into the sand. We came for sunset and were not disappointed. Get their famous Mai Tai - it was delicious and a perfect way pairing with the ambiance. I had the pork and pineapple flatbread which was amazing and Nicholas had the Linguine Alfredo with Chicken which he loved. This feels like an experience anyone visiting the island should have. The live music was chill and perfect.
***Kauai - Go Back For list
There are some activities that we didn’t have time for or prioritize on this trip that I would like to return one day and do!
See the Fern Grotto
Spend some time on the Waimea River
Hike and camp the Kalalau Trail
Visit Ke’e Beach
Visit cousin Brad’s secret turtle cove
The ATV adventure that goes to Raider’s of the Lost Ark
DAY 5
Big Island; Kona Pub & Brewery, Manta Ray Night Snorkel.
10:30AM - Depart Lihue
11:30AM - Arrive in Kona, rented car.
The Big Island (also Hawaii Island) is the largest of the Hawaiian Islands and the youngest. If you didn’t get a chance to watch the video above about how the islands formed; watch it! It also explains why the Big Island has so many volcanoes which are still active. We flew into Kona which is on the West side of the island. Due to science, winds, and weather, the West side is very dry. Because of the lack of water, all of the lava fields are still very brown and rocky. The East side however (Hilo) gets 350 days of rain each year. All that water has turned that side of the island into a rainforest and looks drastically different from the West side. Kona seems to have the majority of the great tourist activity and snorkeling.
1:30PM - Lunch at Kona Pub & Brewery
I am a huge fan of Kona Longboard Lager which is sold here in Florida. It was great to be able to visit their brewery and sample all of their beers that aren’t normally available in Florida! We shared the Pawai Pepperoni Rolls, Nicholas had pepperoni pizza and I had the Hawaiian Lu’ua pizza. The Lavaman Red Ale was my favorite! We sat outside which was lovely.
2PM - Check in at Royal Kona Resort
This hotel is very centrally located. It is close to Kahalu’u Beach (which has great snorkeling but very busy with tourists) and also within walking distance to a ton of souvenir shops and beachside restaurants. It is in the heart of the historic/tourist area. The hotel was a little older than I thought based on the pictures and felt a little more like a hotel than a resort. The room was clean and we even had a decent view of the ocean and town. Parking was $15 per day and filled up early each evening which was a little stressful.
5PM - Manta Ray Night Snorkel
This was a fantastic experience. It is heavily advertised by multiple companies on the island. It is a popular activity and with good reason. Living in Florida, I am no stranger to snorkeling but this was a brand new experience. Watching these beautiful creatures come within inches of you while they twist and dive was breathtaking. Also, snorkeling in the ocean at night is a unique experience alone. Check out the video below. The crew was welcoming and very knowledgable. They taught us all about the manta rays before getting in to the water and ensured that we were in the best viewing positions. They provided snorkel gear, fins, and a wetsuit. The water was warm but after floating and not moving a ton, you did get a little chilled in the water. The boat also provided tons of complimentary snacks and beverages. ***If you get motion sickness, take a dramamine before getting on the boat. Bring a towel, underwater camera, and a coverup or jacket for the ride back to the harbor.
DAY 6
Big Island; Kealakekua Bay Snokeling, On the Rocks, Mauna Kea Summit Adventure.
7AM - Kealakekua Bay Snorkeling & Hike
At Kealakekua Bay you can find the Captain Cook monument as well as a coral reef. You can visit the monument and snorkel with a tour group (about $120 per person), you can rent a kayak on the far side of the bay and kayak across the bay to snorkel (you are not allowed to beach your kayak but instead must snorkel attached to your kayak) or you may hike down to the monument. We decided to hike. We woke up early and drove about 30 min to the trail head. This 2 mile hike (each way) is no joke. We passed an older couple who had given up on the descent and were already heading back up. This hike is 1500 feet down and then back up. There is little to no shade along the trail. If you decide to hike, you must go early in the morning in order to make your ascent back up before the mid-day heat. ***You need a hat, water, sunscreen (reef safe!), and not too much gear. The hike down took about 1 hour (I was reading the Captain Cook wikipedia out loud lol) with a 118 average heart rate. The hike back up took 1.5 hours with a 151 average heart rate. When we arrived down at the bottom we were met with the issue of finding a way into the water. The beach at the monument is very rocky and the waves are rough. We learned later that it is best to enter the water directly at the base of the monument. We made the mistake of entering off to the side which roughed us up a bit. If you can bring water shoes - those would have been incredibly helpful. Once in the water, we were slightly disappointed with the fish and the reef. Apparently a lot of tourists have been damaging the reef by standing on it. People have reported seeing dolphins and turtles but we only saw a few fish. After speaking with more people, I wish we would have visited Hōnaunau Bay AKA Two Step. We heard that the water is calm and that the reef and fish population are much healthier there.
12PM - Lunch at On the Rocks
We chose this place as it was a 3 minute walk from our hotel. It is a small beach bar adjacent to Huggo’s. The atmosphere was cool with another sand floor restaurant however the food was mediocre and the service was poor. It felt like they were understaffed and the server we had was a very young teenager who was possibly new.
3:45PM - Mauna Kea Summit Adventure
This was another must-do activity. The tour van picked us up in Kona around 3:45pm and we began our drive to Mauna Kea. The drive was about 1.5 hours in total and along the way our tour guide, Nate, gave us all kinds of information regarding the Big Island geography, volcanos, lava, history of the island, history of the culture, different plant and animal life etc. It was a crash course on Hawaii and I loved every minute of it. We stopped for a break at around 7,000 feet elevation. The tour provided us with vegetarian lasagna for dinner and a brownie. They also provided us with parkas for the cold weather we would experience at the summit. Next, we continued our ascent up to the summit of Mauna Kea at 13,803 feet. ***If you are prone to altitude sickness (which I am) you will definitely feel this. It is a quick ascent to a very high elevation. If you can obtain some altitude sickness pills before a trip, they would be great, otherwise try to pound water and just take it easy. Once at the summit we watched the sunset while the guides gave a brief overview of the different observatories and telescopes located at the summit. They also explained the conflict between the native Hawaiians and the local government as Mauna Kea is one of the most sacred sites in Hawaiian culture. After the sun set, we made our way down to 9,000 feet where the tour guides parked and set up their own telescopes. They gave a very information talk on different constellations, telescopes, and general astronomy. It was a full moon during our visit which made it difficult to view some of the nebulas however we were able to look at Jupiter and it’s moons, Saturn, the big dipper, and the moon. Before the end, they served everyone hot cocoa or tea. We returned to our hotel around 11:30pm. There are multiple companies who provide this same tour but I loved how knowledgable our guides were.
DAY 7
Big Island; Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Rainbow Falls, Kamuela Provision Co.
7AM - Wake up and drive to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
The drive from Kona took about 2 hours and was very scenic. Upon entering the park, we made our way first to the Visitor’s Center. (Entrance Fee was $25). The visitor center has tons of information and the staff are eager to help you plan a route through the park and to share their favorite highlights. There are two main roads that you can drive along and stop at any of the interest points. The Crater Rim Drive tour takes you in a tight loop around the main caldera. This road was partially closed due to dangerous gases. We stopped first at the steam vents which were neat and then continued on to the Kilauea Iki Overlook. From the overlook you can continue down to Devastation Trail (Roughly 2 miles, 430 feet of elevation change but shaded). Devastation Trail takes you out on to a cooled lava lake which is pretty incredible. From there we left the Crater Rim Drive and turned on to the Chain of Craters Road. This has many great stops along different craters and finally ends with the Holei Sea Arch. We did the whole tour and hike in about 3 hours.
1PM - Drive to Hilo and Rainbow Falls
We wanted to drive to the East side of the island to see the drastically different landscape which was indeed very green and lush. I had heard about a waterfall called Rainbow Falls that most tourists seemed very interested in. Rainbow Falls has a parking lot attached to it and there is maybe a 10 second walk from your car to the falls. I’m not the hugest fan of waterfalls - it is water… falling… but Rainbow Falls has some significance in Hawaiian culture and they had some neat photo boards from the 1800s showing how much the area around the falls has changed.
7PM - Dinner at Kamuela Provision Co.
Shut up. Just shut up. Go here. The restaurant is located in this massive Hilton resort where there appears to be a gondola and a monorail tram that takes guests around to different parts of the resort?! Definitely take some time to get to the restaurant as it is located all the way in the back of the resort, on the beach. You will want to explore the grounds of the resort after dinner as well. The restaurant has an outdoor section that sits at the top of some rocks directly above the ocean. We watched the sunset directly over the ocean while Maui loomed off in the distance. MAGICAL. No picture can convey the ambiance. I had the Diver Scallops and Nicholas had the 18oz Prime Ribeye. They had excellent bread service and cocktails. It was a perfect final dinner to our whole trip.
***Big Island - Go Back For list
I felt like we accomplished a lot there are a few things I would have liked to have done with more time and money.
Explore the north shore
More snorkeling, especially at Two Step
SCUBA dives (once Nicholas is certified!)
A helicopter tour of the volcanoes
DAY 8
Travel Day; Aulani.
7:30AM - Depart Kona
8:30AM - Arrive in Honolulu
10AM - Breakfast at Ama Ama, Aulani
I just had to see the Disney resort, so we checked our bags for our final flight home and hopped in an uber to Aulani. It was about a 25 minute drive from the airport. Ama Ama is located in the back of the resort, near the beach. The restaurant looks out over the resort’s lagoon and is decorated well in typical Disney fashion. I had the AMA AMA Benedict with a side of one pancake and Nicholas had the Belgian Waffle. The pancake was the FLUFFIEST pancake I have ever had in my life. The eggs Benedict were very savory and Nicholas liked his waffle. Make some time to explore this resort, it is very impressive.
3PM - Depart Oahu
8AM +1 Day - Arrive in Orlando
And just like that, it was over. Hopefully this post will remind me that it wasn’t all just a dream! I absolutely loved Hawaii and I can see us returning every few years. I would love to re-visit Kauai, explore Maui, and even spend additional time on Oahu. Until next time Hawaii!