THE ALOHA STATE: OAHU, HAWAII

11/17/2016

THIS POST IS WAY OVERDUE! it's been a crazy yet fruitful season for me. launching my shop, tight deadlines at work & having family in town has taken priority. i finally had a second to sit & finish this.

clint & I have traveled to oahu twice together. freshly married in sept 2014 & as new parents sept 2016. the two experiences were quite different given we had eliott with us during round two, however both wonderful & time well-spent! below is my complete list of places & activities we've done in both trips.

places we visited with baby are tagged with a blue asterisk* & those that are not, i have not experienced with a baby but wanted to share :)

HALEIWA EATS

TED'S BAKERY* // must try: chocolate haupia pie. a stop right off the main road, Ted's is popular place filled with baked goods, traditional hawaiian food & snacks. a great stop if you're traveling from kahuku to haleiwa
MATSUMOTOS* // must try: matsumoto shave ice with condensed milk. one of our favorite places. this place is completely renovated since our last trip & the lines felt like they were moving faster. they also have a parking lot now so be sure to follow the signs to park in the back!
ISLAND VINTAGE COFFEE* // must try: acai bowl. i know this is a "chain" but their bowls are simply delicious. great morning snack to share.
KAHUKU FRUIT STAND* // must try: mixed fruit cup & coconut water. right off the main road, remember to have cash on hand!
THE BEET BOX* // must try: gluten-free donuts. a fun GF spot with interesting decor (Lionel Richie pillows anyone?) with yummy breakfast/lunch items & baked goods.
WOW WOW HAWAIIAN LEMONADE* // must try: original...but you can blend your own flavors! purchase comes with a cute mason jar as a souvenir.

matsumoto's, island vintage coffee, wow wow hawaiian lemonade & a couple of cuties // haleiwa

HONOLULU EATS

SHOKUDO* // must try: the original flavor honey toast. if you want a smaller version, try the junior size. also a good spot for lunch or dinner, serving poke bowls, sushi & noodles. parking available in garage structure close by making it easy with baby!
CHAR HUNG SUT* // must try: pork hash, half moon & manapua. takeout only, & they close early at 2pm & fully closed tuesdays. we came here during both trips because we were so welcomed by the shop owner during our first visit. nothing better than walking out with the box box wrapped in string. parking is a little hard as there are only metered spots & usually full. there's no seating as you literally walk into their kitchen so don't take the stroller, either carry the babe or use the carrier!
LILHO'S BAKERY* // must try: green tea puff, cocoa puff & poi donut. parking available in front of cafe but can get busy in the morning with locals getting their breakfast fix. a quick in and out if you're only visiting the bakery so no need to take the stroller.
TOKKURI-TEI* // must try: anything! this was on buzzfeed's top 21 sushi spots in the US thus we had to go. if we didn't have the baby with us, we would've sat at the bar. i recommend going early or making a reservation. parking is available underground & is $2 since you are eating at the restaurant on the second floor. can get busy as there is an orange theory studio there too. heads up - bathroom is locating outside the restaurant & there is no baby changing station :(
DUKE'S* // must try: tropical drinks & happy hour outdoors with the waikiki beach view. semi-hidden in the outrigger waikiki resort. beautiful at sunset thus a great place to end a long day of walking & shopping along the Waikiki strip. was a nice stop for us to get some AC & let the babe sleep in his stroller while we shared a couple fruity drinks.
LANIKAI JUICE* // must try: can't go wrong with any choice but we got "going bananas"; a bit tricky to find as its on the lowest level of ala moana mall, almost underground. hard to navigate with the stroller but take the elevator by the security guard :)
LEONARD'S BAKERY // must try: malasadas. a cinnamony round puff donut-like pastery. can purchase filled or not filled. parking in front of store but it's always packed. might be a good idea to send a friend in line while the group parks.
BLUE HAWAII LIFESTYLE AT THE ALA MOANA MALL // must try: acai bowl. had my first bowl here back in 2014 and it was yummy! a fun little shop too for souvenirs in a nice air conditioned spot at the outdoor mall.
RAINBOW DRIVE-IN // must try: combo mix plate, traditional hawaiian food. is a huge tourist spot so be prepared for long lines & waiting to park. small gift shop to the left of the order window.

shokudo, lanikai juice, duke's & char hung sut // honolulu

KAHUKU EATS

LEI LEI'S AT TURTLE BAY RESORT* // must try: crab dip & oyster shots. a good place for a quick bite. wasn't my favorite spot but sitting outdoors is always a nice break &. had plenty of room for our stroller (though we got a high chair) & was a convenient walk from our hotel room.
ROY'S BEACH HOUSE AT TURTLE BAY RESORT* // must try: longboard trio, prawn skewers & poke bowl, a brand new restaurant right on the beach at turtle bay. beautiful views & great bar. make reservation for dinner as it can get pretty busy, regardless of the night. we were able to go at night while the baby was asleep in his stroller. a convenient walk from our hotel room.
NORTH SHORE KULA GRILLE AT TURTLE BAY RESORT* // must try: lobster crab cakes, big boy burger, baslamic beets, & chicken pot pie. we were pleasantly surprised at how good this place was. & it was at turtle bay thus an easy peasy walk from our room. they were so sweet with eliott, and brought him some mashed taro to eat. we really enjoyed this place & the convenience.
GIOVANNI'S SHRIMP TRUCK* // must try: shrimp scampi. the garlic dog was ok. good to try once. prepare yourself for long lines but once you order, the food comes out more quickly than expected. no high chairs as its outdoors so bring that stroller!
ROMY'S SHRIMP TRUCK* // must try: sweet & spicy plate. love that they offer brown rice here. but get there earlier. food is usually sold out by the afternoon. i actually like this better than giovanni's but its because i love brown rice over white. no high chairs as its outdoors so bring that stroller!

lei lei's at turtle bay resort & giovanni's (middle right), & kula grille (far right) // kahuku

HONOLULU ACTIVITIES

MAKAPU'U POINT LIGHTHOUSE* // paved trail about 2 miles round trip, mainly uphill to the top. views of the lighthouse as well as the the east coastline of the island. tends to be a little windy but you can take a stroller (be ready for an arm workout) but we used the ergobaby carrier. there are unpaved trails you can take at your own risk (to the tide pools, light house, etc) but we stayed on the direct path with the babe. parking can get congested so i recommend going as soon as the gate opens at 7am.
DIAMOND HEAD STATE LOOKOUT // be ready for a good workout! an intermediate hike with lots of paved uphill paths & steps. gorgeous view of all of Honolulu. pay $5 to park. i recommend going early & take water & light snacks.
HANAUMA BAY // beautiful spot for snorkeling. park up the hill & walk down the pathway...or take a golf cart-like transportation down for a fee. once at the bottom, visitors listen in to a instructional video for snorkeling then all equipment can be rented at the beach.
PEARL HARBOR VISITOR CENTER // a must historic stop. easy parking as it is designed as a visitor center. free admission but ticket purchase needed to board & tour the USS Arizona.
MANOA FALLS TRAIL // a nice walk through the "jungle" and pretty waterfall you can get into at the end of the trail. pay $5 to park.
ALA MOANA BEACH PARK // tons of parking & pretty beach & skyline views. great for picnicking as there is a grassy area as well as sand by the water.
ALA MOANA CENTER* // great place to roam around for shopping & quick bites. stores are extremely air conditioned so take advantage & take a break from the heat.
NU'UAHU PALI STATE WAYSIDE // short & easy walk to the lookout. gorgeous views. random chickens roaming the area near the parking lot which is pay per hour.
WAIKIKI BEACH* // a must as it is so lively & popular. can rent umbrellas & beach chairs by the hour. can walk off and on directly from the Waikiki shopping strip. always hard to go to the beach with a baby. we honestly lasted about 15 min before the sand got in his mouth ;) be careful of the heat & direct sunlight. leave the stroller behind!

makapu'u point lighthouse trail // honolulu

HALEIWA ACTIVITIES

WAIMEA VALLEY // across from the beach, beautiful walk through the botanical gardens as well as a waterfall you can swim up to (life-jacket is distributed & mandatory). beware of mosquitoes!
WAIMEA BAY BEACH PARK // across from the botanical gardens, this beach had the largest waves i've ever seen. we went in the late afternoon & i promise the waves were 20+ feet!

WAIMANALO ACTIVITIES

CHIEF'S LUAU // we loved this luau. the bus, a $14 roundtrip ticket, picks you up (we were picked up at the Outrigger Reef Resort) & takes you directly to the venue. general admission tickets started at $85 for adults & depended on location near stage. food wasn't stellar but still ok. Great entertainment!

KANEHOE ACTIVITIES

KUALOA RANCH & PRIVATE NATURE RESERVE // we scheduled an hour ATV tour of the movie locations for around $75. be sure to check the weather as we ran into heavy rain and lightening & were refunded little back :( but beautiful views & i wish we were able to complete it.

KAILUA ACTIVITIES

LANIKAI BEACH // the most GORGEOUS beach & an absolute must-see. we parked on the street near residential homes & took our Rainbow Drive In takeout to picnic on the beach. the water gradient is unreal and sand is white & soft. no beach rentals so bring your own gear.

WAHIAWA ACTIVITIES

DOLE PLANTATION* // the train tour, garden tour & maze combo costs around $20 adult & $16 child (babies are free). huge souvenir shop & good food place...must get the dole whip with fresh pineapple.

dole plantation // wahiawa

NORTH SHORE LODING

TURTLE BAY RESORT* // we wanted to stay on the north shore, away from the tourism and turtle bay provided just that. however we were very happy to have rented a car as we had the freedom to drive to the busier parts of the island whenever we were up for it. the resort is very clean & friendly. but i was sad they didn't hand out leis! i guess we were spoiled at the grand waliea in maui last year (post to come). but with a baby, it was comfortable. there were trails we could take the stroller on, we could walk to multiple restaurants where they catered to our stroller/high chair needs very well. pool area is very lively. we rented a cabana one day -- i would definitely recommend one. if you are looking for a getaway from the hustle & bustle, this is the spot. apparently it is a celebrity magnet too. we met patty mills...the hubs was quite excited ;)