Welcome to the second part of our winter vacation! If you missed the first portion of our trip, to California you can check that out here! While California was so relaxing, slow paced and chill, Hawaii was the exact opposite, in the BEST way! We didn’t sleep in past 7 am the entire time we were there, and I came home sore, covered in bug bites, and sun burnt from all the outdoor activities we did!
Welcome to Honolulu! We were lucky enough to be able to stay with Zach’s mom, who lives on Oahu! She welcomed us to the island with leis!
Oahu was ALL KINDS of beautiful! But our view of Koko Head Crater from the porch was just to die for! On the water, we could just sit with our feet in the inlet, hop on paddle boards and paddle around, through to the ocean, or even around to a bundle of bars and restaurants. I just can not believe that people get to just live everyday surrounded by this gorgeousness!
Koko Head Crater Trail
Speaking of Koko Head… There is a gnarly trail to the top. There is an old railway line going pretty much straight up to the top. So of course we had to climb it!
This was probably the hardest thing physically I’ve done in a while, so I’m going to advise that if you have an injury or something you either don’t do this one, or take it really slow. This is one that you seriously can NOT over estimate yourself. Apparently they have to life flight people from this trail pretty regularly, so I’d say this is a “go at your own risk” type thing. I mean, Zach and I aren’t like peak physical condition, but we are both generally active people, and this was still pretty tough on us.
So during World War II the military set up bunkers on top of the crater and built a railroad track to bring people and supplies up and down the crater. The left over railway ties are what we climbed, it was kind of like stairs, but harder! The bunker leftovers are still up at the top, and every year they bring a Christmas tree up to the top! How cool!
I’m a big fat sissy when it comes to heights – so getting up to the top, getting grounded and brave enough to even look out at the view took a while for me. And not to be a big sad sap, but I honestly could not and would not have done this had it not been for Zach gently coaxing me, and encouraging me to take a step outside of my comfort zone. So here are some of our views from the top, about .7 miles high!
Makapu’U Lighthouse Trail
Remember when I said that we didn’t sleep in AT ALL while we were in Hawaii? Well, we didn’t. One morning we woke up to watch the sun rise at Makapu’U Lighthouse. This trail was WAY easier that Koko Head, and I’d say it’s pretty friendly for children, and good for most physical ranges. The trail is wide, and paved, and gently slopes up. Pets are welcome, and there are little “viewing spots” that you can view blow holes, the ocean and of course, the sunrise. Oh, and did I mention we saw SPOUTING WHALES?! Absolutely breathtaking!
Food
I obviously didn’t take very many photos of what we ate, I did add a bunch to my IG Story though! Which you can check out here! But here were the TOP treats we had while on our vacation!
Liko’s was one of those places we could paddle board too – best brunch ever! Oh my goodness! The french toast was out of this world and the Avocado Toast was SO fresh and hardy!
Hawaiian shaved ice is ICONIC – but even in Hawaii we still had to search for a great one! We tried a few but THIS ONE at a little shack on Kauai called Ono Ono was THE BEST! We got a mango/coconut/pineapple blend with vanilla soft serve in the middle and condensed over top, and it was like heaven in your mouth!
Luau
Zach’s wonderful mother and amazing step father treated us to a Luau! It was something I didn’t expect and it really was a great night! I didn’t take a ton of photos because I was just enjoying the night and taking it all in. But if you are ever in Hawaii and have the opportunity to go to a Luau, I highly suggest it! It might seem a little touristy, or cliché but I learned a lot about Hawaiian culture and had a great time.
Quick Trip to Kauai – The Garden Isle
We decided, rather last minute, to take an overnight trip to the island of Kauai! We took the first flight in the morning and got to Kauai before the sun even rose! Kauai is just stunning – it’s like an island/jungle/farm oasis. The island is far less populated, and less developed than Oahu is, and it was just like taking a step into relaxation central. The air was different, the feel was different, it was just so green and lush! WE LOVED Kauai! We would have loved to spend more time there and explore more of the rustic and serine island. We hiked, jumped off waterfalls, went topless on beaches and just had the time of our lives in Kauai!
New Year’s Eve in Waikiki, Oahu
We zipped back over to Oahu for New Year’s Eve in Waikiki and it was perfection! We walked all over the city to different bars and eateries, sampling stuff along the way, until we made it to the beach for fireworks and to ring in the new year!
Happy New Year Y’all! Thank you for coming along on this journey with us! I hope you find some places you’d love to add to your bucket list!
