Aloha Hawaii
Hawaii was a dream vacation that happened a lot sooner than I expected! It took us by surprise and we’re still in disbelief that we experienced it. My aunt and uncle wanted to take my grandparents and extended the offer to anyone in the family who wanted to go. The invite came in late January and the trip was the first week of March. It happened pretty quickly. They took care of the housing and we just needed to get ourselves there. It was such a generous offer and we didn’t want to miss out. They rented a house on the North Shore of Oahu and it was a perfect location! The North Shore is gorgeous! Our house is off to the left in this picture.
We explored a lot of Oahu and the North Shore is definitely the place to stay for an extended period of time. You’re close to a lot of great beaches, restaurants, and other attractions, but far enough away from the larger crowds like in Waikiki Beach. You’re also not too far from Waikki, which is definitely a nice place to visit. The North Shore was a more authentic Hawaiian experience. There were so many great food trucks within walking distance from our house. It was fantastic! We ate our way through the North Shore and I’m not sorry about it at all.
One of the best meals I had in Hawaii was at North Shore Tacos. Delicious and fresh! I think I ate here at least three times. So yummy! Another awesome roadside stop is Pupukea Grill. For the best (and largest) margaritas on the North Shore, head to Cholo’s Homestyle Mexican.
We were in Hawaii for ten days which we anticipated would be a perfect amount of time. However, we wished we would have been there at least two more days. There is so much to see and do! One of my favorite experiences was at Waimea Falls. As you make your ways towards the falls, you walk through beautiful botanical gardens.
Walking through the botanical gardens at Waimea Falls
The hike ends at the only waterfall in Oahu that you can swim at. They have life jackets available and lifeguards on duty. It was one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had. It was so nice to experience this with family.
Another favorite experience was the whale watching cruise we took at sunset. We didn’t see any whales but nothing beats a North Shore sunset!
We booked our trip with North Shore Catamaran Charters and the captain was great! They let you bring your own beverages on board and we definitely took advantage. 🙂 Gosh this was so much fun!
Sunset Whale Watching Cruise
James and I broke away from the group for two days and stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. This was another great experience. The resort was beautiful. We stayed in a beachfront room in the Rainbow Tower. It had stunning views of Waikiki Beach. Our room had a balcony – it was the perfect place to end the day with a beverage.
The first night at the resort we went to a starlight Luau. I loved it. The Luau was on the rooftop of one of the resort buildings and included dinner. It was a true Hawaiian culinary experience. The music and dancing starts as the sun is setting and continues through the evening. It was awesome to see.
We spent the first full day at the resort lounging on the beach and snorkeling with the sea turtles. The snorkeling experience was amazing! I couldn’t believe how close we got to them and how huge they are in person. They’re beautiful! I loved snorkeling so much that I did it again the second day. The catamaran we took docks at the Hilton Pier in front of our resort. The 1.5 hours sail takes you to Turtle Canyon reef. You can enjoy snacks and beverages while on board.
I loved the North Shore so much that I wasn’t sure I wanted to break away from the group to go to Waikiki for a couple days, but I’m so happy we did! We had a great time and I loved the resort. We’ve been talking about planning another trip there with Lukas when he’s older. It’s a great place to take kids, too!
Another great experience we had back with our family was Pearl Harbor. It’s a must-see when you’re visiting Oahu. You can really make a full day of Pearl Harbor, but we only spent a half day there. There is a lot to see. We did a tour of the USS Arizona Memorial which starts with a documentary film at the Pearl Harbor Memorial Theater. When the documentary is over, there is complete silence. It leaves you speechless and really takes you back in time. It’s a surreal experience. After the film, you take a shuttle boat ride to the memorial where they give you a decent amount of time to experience the Memorial. I was lucky enough to have this memory with my grandparents. It meant a lot to them to be at Pearl Harbor. It’s incredible to see the oil still coming to the surface. It’s a somber yet moving experience.
A tip: the National Park Service gives out 1,300 FREE walk-in tickets to the USS Arizona Memorial every day. They’re given out on a first come, first served basis. Get there early in the morning to get a free ticket. Or you can buy advanced tickets up to two months before your visit.
We did so much while in Oahu but it’s incredible how much more there is to do. Hawaii was such an amazing trip! We were lucky enough to see as much of the island as we did. We drove around quite a bit, simply exploring and every turn you make there is breathtaking scenery. When you’re in Hawaii, you’re surrounded by beauty. It’s amazing! I don’t think the views could ever get old.
The best thing about the trip – FAMILY! I’m so grateful I was able to go with my aunts, uncle, cousins, and grandparents. James and I have been talking about this trip ever since. We are so excited to go back. We’d love to take Lukas and our parents one day. We hope you get the chance to experience a trip like this! xoxo
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