Thank you so much! I binge on reports when planning so I always hope mine are helpful too!Love your trip reports. Always great pics and lots of interesting, helpful info. Thanks for sharing.
WOO HOO! That would be fantastic. I always wish we had more time. Thanks for the kind words and for saying hi!!!Loving your trip report- we are doing a week in Oahu and a week in Maui in May/June this year and this is getting me excited for our trip!
We moved along and stopped once more for some beautiful, lacy waterfalls. These were the Wailua Falls. It seems so weird to say it now but we were starting to get burnt out on amazing waterfalls, so we snapped a couple photos and moved along.
my biggest "thank goodness we did this" reflection is regarding the GyPSy Guide. It was so useful having the extra narrative and real-time directions for some of the points of interest.
I guess my parting wisdom is that everyone should do their own research and read counterpoints to the many "OMG YOU MUST DO THIS" reports of the experience. It's not for everyone and I wouldn't want to do it without the motion sickness patches or if I had kids traveling with me.
Thank you! It was still beautiful. I think we were both just crabby, honestly. I am glad I at least took lots of photos to look back on!Love all your pictures!!! Even the ones from the road to Hana when it was overcast.
I totally understand! That happened to me too. Once you're totally immersed in the beauty of whatever it is - be it churches, historical sites, waterfalls, whatever, the novelty wears off and you really have to center yourself.All the beautiful old churches started to run together in my brain! They're so common over there, just like waterfalls on the road to Hana.
I was shocked at how affordable it was - I think the app for the whole island was only $10 or $15 and I would consider it money well spent even if you only use it a few times. If you're like us, you also might have some iTunes gift cards sitting around collecting dust and it's a great way to use those up!We got the GyPSy Guide to Yellowstone on our trip there last summer. We loved it! I wonder if it would be worth getting for our trip to Maui this summer even though we're not planning to drive the road to Hana?
planning and researching are half the fun, I think!That is so not me now, I consider planning and researching vacations my favorite hobby!
I was afraid I was going to catch flack for this opinion so I am glad I am not totally alone!I think I would like to try the road to Hana again some time, with proper preparation and research, but that time will not be this summer. My kids would hate being in the car most of the day to do something like that, so perhaps on a kid-free vacation or when they're much older!
Thank you! Thanks for reading along as well.Your pictures are so amazing! Can't wait for our trip to Maui next year. Thank you for taking the time to share.
I told R you said this and he was shocked. We didn't do a good job of staying on the diet wagon after our wedding, but in general we diet at home so we can eat like crazy on vacation!!! Actually I guess that is our whole life approach, we live like paupers at home so we can spend all our money on vacation too, haha.Omg I sound like a fangirl but you guys are adorable! How you both eat like that and look so good is amazing to me LOL (I like to eat too!!!)
Thank goodness! I was afraid I'd lose everyone by having a lukewarm opinion of it. It was a bucket list thing so I am glad we did it overall but I guess I just wasn't prepared fully.I totally agree with your whole assessment of the road to Hana. I was (and still am) more obsessed with the black beaches than the waterfalls, but yes, I’m thrilled to have done it but probably won’t do it again next trip. I think DH and my teens agree.
Okay the check I promised for saying all these sweet things will be in the mail, haha.I love all your pics—you have a great eye—but I LOVE the one looking along the top of the concrete guardrail! I took a dozen pics of those cool old things, but I never really captured how neat they looked. You totally nailed it. I absolutely adore the photo book I made and love to look at it and dream of going back in 2022!!
Really enjoying your trip report (also enjoyed your last report too) my daughter and I are heading to Aulani this December and can’t wait. The photos you have taken are amazing!
This is the stuff of pure genius!!!So this time I spent $40 on checked luggage fees to bring along an older suitcase we didn't mind parting with and ditching in Hawaii. I packed anything we planned to cook that was dry goods as well as several meals that we'd prepared in advance and anything we could freeze - tamales, lasagna, meatballs and gravy, frozen meat, frozen hot dogs, and so on. If you are thinking of this, it worked great. I packed the frozen and refrigerated items in an insulated grocery tote inside of the suitcase. The frozen stuff stayed frozen clear through til we arrived at Aulani, except for some frozen garlic bread, but who cares if that defrosts? Not us.
I am more than a little embarrassed to admit that until you posted this picture, I had NO idea POG stands for Passion-Orange-Guava. My mind is blown.
How could you not!? It looks incredible!With this view began my daily humming of "Jolly Holiday" from Mary Poppins. I couldn't shake the line "Did you ever see the grass so green, or a bluer sky?"
Or pure cheapness... I'm not very good at being a budget traveler so I have to do what I can where I can!This is the stuff of pure genius!!!
I always learn a few new things with every TR I read so I am glad to have *something* to contributeI am more than a little embarrassed to admit that until you posted this picture, I had NO idea POG stands for Passion-Orange-Guava. My mind is blown.
Oh my gosh, I had no idea how hard I'd fall in love. And I had even been there once before! It's so romantic and wonderful. Maybe an anniversary trip for you???I can't believe that you're only on page 2 with all of the amazing adventures and beautiful pictures you've shared so far!!! Everything looks simply incredible. I have never wanted to travel to Hawaii, but boy, following along here sure has me giving it a second thought!
Thank you so much! The time is drawing much closer since I've taken so dang long getting the next post ready... hahaLoving this TR as much as I enjoyed your engagement TR. Congratulations on now being Mr & Mrs.
We'll be in Waikiki over the 4th of July, then moving to Aulani on the 5th - can't wait - and seeing all you beautiful photos is making me wish away time! Haha
I think I got to this in a PM but if anyone else ever wants to know, just message me!Can you share more of which airbnb or VRBO you booked in Maui. We are currently shopping now for west maui beaches and I'd like to see if where you stayed is available and meets our needs. Your trip is mirroring ours in many ways coming up soon in October!
I feel like I can promise you it will be done before December. I lived on TRs when planning!!!Please tell me you are going to finish this wonderful report because I literally just reserved an ocean view studio at Aulani from December 21 to December 26, 2019 and then spending December 26 to December 31, 2019 in Maui. It’s like kismet that I just found this report! I cannot wait to read the rest!
OMG take me with you! I already miss Hawaii but Kauai was totally my jam! Hawaii is so addictive, I wonder when I can convince DH to go back...Loving your TR! We were at Aulani for New Year's in 2018. We loved it and can't wait to return to Hawaii. Thanks so much for your honest review of the Road to Hana. It just does not sound like 'our thing' but there's so much pressure because everyone says it is so amazing. I think we will skip it and spend more time on Oahu or head to Kauai. Na Pali coast DOES sound like 'our thing.'
Me too! Did I tell you my hypothesis last week that Disney should make another Aulani at WDW and just make it not convenient to any of the parks? I would pay Aulani prices for amazing pools and maybe a view of... Bay lake? I don't know, I know it's not the same I just miss it so muchI am all caught up now! LOVE all the pictures, really takes me back to my other happy place, Hawaii!
All the seafood there is so much better! And I'm not even a seafood person!!!Yum, poke, my favorite food! Ahi tuna just tastes sooo good there!
Duly noted. For *next time* (I'm convinced, let's work on ChunkyR)When we're in Maui we usually stay in the Kihei or Wailea area, I like it much better than Kaanapali, but Maalea is great too because it's so convenient!
If you're ever in Kaanapali again though, the Blackrock point area of Kaanapali beach, which is the area right in front of the Sheraton Waikiki, near Whaler's village has the most amazing sea turtles. We are always guaranteed to see and swim with them whenever we visit!
I so enjoyed this TR! I loved all your pics and details. Aulani is a dream of ours but seems so far-fetched currently so I loved living vicariously through you!
And I gotta say, you and your dh are so cute! You have so many dresses I now desperately want lol!