Hawaii
Without a doubt Hawaii has some of the most beautiful scenery in the world and an array of different landscapes. However, honestly it's one of those places that I concluded "OK, seen it but have no desire to go back."
For one thing it's godawfully expensive. A gallon of milk was $8 and that was back in 2012. Because it's all islands everything has to be flown in. Nor did I find it as interesting as Mexico.
My enthusiasm may have been dampered a bit in that I was in a walking boot at the time, which was very heavy to walk around with. I went with my sister and brother-in-law and just about everything she planned involved a whole lot of walking that I was unable to do. Which was fine...it was her anniversary trip so hers to plan. I was just along for the ride and thankful to have been invited along.
We stayed on the island of Maui in 2 rented private condos, which was great and both were really nice. They had kitchens, laundry facilities and a nice outdoor patio area where we could have breakfast. Renting from a private party is less expensive than shelling out for a hotel and if you get a condo with a kitchen you'll save a bunch of cash on meals eaten out.
Trilogy's Discover Ka'anapali Tour
The highlight of the trip for me was the Trilogy SNUBA and snorkeling half day tour - although due to a chest injury they forbid me from doing SNUBA at the last minute and my sister had a cold so she couldn't go either. But it was my bro-in-law that I wanted to get the chance to try it since he'd never done it or any scuba diving like I had. (He was pretty reluctant at first)
But by the time he surfaced, he was like "WAHOO! I LOVED IT!" and the instructor made him feel right at ease. I bought him a special T shirt to commemorate his first SNUBA experience.
While he was doing the SNUBA thing, my sister and I contented ourselves with snorkeling, which was fantastic in itself - plenty of different fish to see, sea turtles, sea urchins, even a moray eel.
The Trilogy boats are large catamarans with 2 decks, upper and lower. They look brand new and guests are invited to help the crew raise the sails. Yes, they have restrooms.
A homemade breakfast of cinnamon rolls was served as soon as we got aboard and enroute. After snorkeling a really delicious lunch was served.
Trilogy offers a variety of different tours that aren't just snorkeling or SNUBA either. They have a sunset dinner sail, a whale watching trip, a sunset sail and more.
Check out their website
The Road to Hana
RULE #1 - DO NOT BE AN IDIOT AND ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THE ROAD TO HANA YOURSELF! BOOK A GUIDED TOUR WITH AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER! (Unless you have a serious death wish...)
Much of the Road to Hana is ONE LANE (including one lane bridges) with room for one vehicle and often there are steep drop off's to the water. If you don't know what you're doing, you'll have to BACK all the way down the road until you find a spot where you and the other vehicle can pass each other. Do yourself a huge favor and take the Road to Hana with a tour company.
The trip is an all day trip and you want to start early morning to complete the trail by dark. It takes around 7 hours to complete the Road to Hana. If you're going to drive the Road yourself, you don't want to plan too many stops. If you want to do a lot of stops plan on spending the night in Hana and completing the trip the next day.
We booked a tour company that served us a very good breakfast and then we were on our way in a large passenger van. The tour guide was skillful at navigating the road while giving us information about the different things we were seeing.
There are a few stops you do want to make. One of them is at Aunty Sandy's for some fresh baked, hot banana bread.
Palapala Ho'omau Church is another stop you want to make. It's the site of Charles Lindbergh's grave and a beautiful little church. The flowers alone in the adjacent park were breathtaking and you can picnic there.
For DIY drivers: To get there, drive eight miles south of Hana just past the 41 mile marker and turn left when you see a sign for Maui Stables. Stay to the left and you'll see the church a little further down the road. When you arrive, make sure to take a look at the window painting inside the church, which shows a Polynesian Christ dressed in feather capes that were normally reserved for Hawaii's highest chiefs.
If you're on a guided tour, your tour vehicle will most likely stop at this church.
Waterfalls you can swim in
Set amidst lush bamboo forests, there are several waterfalls on the Road to Hana that you can swim in. The top 3 favorites are:
Seven Sacred Pools (‘Ohe’o Gulch)
The Seven Sacred Pools, also known as the ‘Ohe’o Gulch, is a wonderful spot to explore. Located at the heart of Maui’s Haleakala National Park, the Seven Sacred Pools are a series of waterfalls that are truly magical. Hike on the 2-mile Pipiwai Trail and witness a breathtaking bamboo jungle and dramatic cliffs. Then, bathe in the two lower pools and find a nice spot to share a picnic with your loved ones!
Tip: Obey the signs and avoid swimming if you don’t see any other swimmers in the water!
Upper Puohokamoa Falls
Located near mile marker 12 on the Road to Hana, Upper Puohokamoa Falls is a real gem worth a stop. The falls are just two minutes from the road, so you can take a break from your road trip and go for a nice swim. If you have more time and are feeling adventurous, make your way up the left side of the falls and hike to some other hidden pools. If you visit during the high season, you will even see gorgeous ginger blooms!
Waikamoi Stream and Waterfalls
If you are on a quest to discover the most stunning places on the island of Maui, then Waikamoi Stream should be on your list! The scenery is out of this world, with black rock walls covered in exotic plants. Also located on the Road to Hana, Waikamoi Stream is a popular spot you don’t want to miss. It’s the second-largest waterfall and pool on the island! You can easily find this heavenly place near marker 10. Swim to the cave or sit on the rocks right under the waterfall and let the stream fall over you!
Waiʻānapanapa State Park
Thanks to its stunning scenery, Wai’anapanapa State Park is one of the most famous Road to Hana Stops. Here, you’ll find a lava tube, a black sand beach, sea arches, a blow hole, camping sites, and hiking trails with panoramic views of the East Maui coast.
There are plenty of little unique places to stop and eat along the Road to Hana. I don't recall the exact name of where our tour stopped for lunch but I think it might have been The Garden Grove Cafe? I do remember the dining area was surrounded by lush plants on 3 sides.
You'll also see the locations of the mansions of Hollywood celebs on the Road to Hana - Woody Harrelson, Oprah Winfrey, etc.
Lahaina
Sadly this beautiful little historic town was burned to the ground when the cabal hit it with DEW in a land grab for Maui land.
In addition to reducing much of the region to rubble, the blaze also scorched the town’s beloved banyan tree,
which had just turned 150. Now, one year after the disaster, the tree is healing.
An update on the rebuilding of Lahaina:
I hope the rebuilding of Lahaina restores its former historical significance but it's not sounding like that's going to be the case.
I was glad we got to tour Lahaina before it was burned to the ground.
Oahu & Pearl Harbor
Not to in any way demean the U.S. troops that lost their lives in the bombing of Pearl Harbor, my uncle was a doctor there at the time of the bombing. But Pearl Harbor was in a word, disappointing. I could've skipped it altogether.
Yes, I get it's a working military base but security was absolutely ridiculous. As for the Arizona Memorial, if you like smelling gas fumes and seeing one rusted hatch and nothing more... I guess I just felt it had gotten so "touristy" that the reverence I expected to feel was just absent.
My sister, brother-in-law and 2 of their friends did tour the Missouri, but with a broken ankle and in a walking boot I just had to sit the Arizona tour out.
I'd never return to Pearl Harbor or Oahu. It doesn't live up to the hype about it.
Feast at Lele Luau
If you’re looking for an upscale Maui luau, then the Feast at Lele is one of the best choices. For starters, you will get a mai tai in your hands and a lei of Kukui tree nuts around your neck as soon as you arrive. Plus, instead of a typical buffet, it features a five-course, sit-down dinner - each entree from a different culture: Samoa, Polynesia, etc.
You'll also see the traditional costumes and dances from those same cultures.
The food was delicious, the drinks to die for and every minute of the luau itself was captivating. The luau is held on a beach at sunset which makes it even more spectacular.
Situated just off Front Street, behind the shops at 505 at the southern end of the town. The Luau is literally down on the beach. It is the sister Luau to the highly rated Old Lahaina Luau and offers a slightly different take on the Luau experience. It still has most of the various elements, just mixed up in a different order.
Here the focus is on the food and drink. A 5-course meal is served at the table and handcrafted cocktails, craft beers, or wine is brought to you from the open bar. The show runs through the meal with different presentations from various Polynesian Cultures that match the differing courses.
It’s an interesting take and the food is very high-end, making this a pretty unique experience and one that really suits people who have been to a Luau before and are looking for a different experience. It also appeals to adventurous food lovers, those looking for something different from pretty bland buffet food served up at most Luaus.
Of course, the fire dance finale was the highlight of the luau. One of the young fire dancers came over to say hello to us. (He had scarring from a huge burn almost all the way down one leg.) Turns out, this kid was an actual PRINCE and had begun learning to fire dance at the age of 5. He was very interesting to talk to.
But if you want the best luau in Maui, then attend the Feast at Lele. Website
Reservations are a must.
UPDATE: The Feast at Lele building was destroyed in the Maui fires. However, they are hoping to rebuild but as of January, 2024 have not reopened.
Mama's Fish House
We celebrated my sister's anniversary at Mama's Fish House. At the price of the food, it's probably a once in a lifetime dining experience (entree $80) but the food is super fresh and out of this world!
Produce, fish, etc. are delivered fresh daily and they even tell you when it was caught and who caught it.
The chef even took the time to make a special anniversary dessert for my sister's anniversary!
The service by the waiters goes beyond excellent.
The stunning views of Kū‘au Bay on the North Shore invite you into the restaurant. It's more like an oasis than beachfront restaurant. There's an upscale inn connected to the restaurant as well.
You have to make reservations MONTHS in advance to get a table at Mama's.
Maui Ocean Center
I've seen a lot of aquariums in my day but the Maui Ocean Center was definitely one of the best of them.
The Open Ocean Exhibit features over 50 species of fish, including various sharks and rays, with a regularly updated population. A unique underwater tunnel allows visitors a 360-degree view, providing a close encounter with the ocean’s biodiversity. The exhibit includes Hawaiian broad stingrays, known as “lupe,” and diverse shark and fish species.
This was my favorite part of the aquarium.
The Ocean Center also offers a variety of immersive experiences like diving with sharks, a behind the scenes tour, Aquar-Om yoga, Hawaiian culture and plant tour, snorkeling tours and a sleepover with sharks experience.
Visit their website for more information
Those are the highlights of our Hawaii trip to Maui and Oahu.
I highly recommend Hawaiian Airlines to fly to Hawaii. Top notch flight and service. (Not like U.S. airlines that treat you like cattle and criminals.) Non stop flights from Seattle.