Our Hawaii Trip!

Joie and I traveled to the Hawaiian Island of Oahu in late May to visit friends of ours and celebrate our 5-year anniversary. When she was younger, Joie lived here for a number of years and is very familiar with the island, it's beaches and all the sites to see. I had never been to the islands, so she was my tour guide for our weeklong stay. We had a great time, and I got to experience almost everything on the island. Oahu, known as “The Gathering Place,” is the third largest island in Hawaii and arguably the most iconic.

One of the island’s biggest draws is its vibrant and diverse landscapes. Waikiki Beach, the heart of Honolulu and one of the most famous beaches in the world. Its soft golden sand, clear turquoise waters, and backdrop of Diamond Head—an extinct volcanic crater—offer the perfect combination of relaxation and scenic beauty. The picture to the left is from a lookout spot in the Koolau Mountain Range, which dominates the island's terrain and weather, looking down over Honolulu, Waikiki and Diamond Head. We drove through Waikiki and around Diamond Head on the coast, which is one of the most beautiful drives I've ever experienced. The beach and beautiful blue water contrasted with the black volcanic rock formations was amazing to see. The bottom pictures are from the other side of Diamond Head from Waikiki. One of the attractions there is the Blow Hole, where the crashing waves create a geyser through a hole in the rock.

To celebrate our anniversary, we went to the famous Paradise Cove Luau, where we feasted on a traditional Hawaiian buffet of Kalua pork, baked chicken, fish and poi. Everything was delicious and we watched as the highly entertaining hula dancers, fire dancers and singers performed to local Hawaiian music. This picture is of the pig being taken from the underground pit where it smokes and cooks all day before being served at the buffet.

While Waikiki was very busy, Oahu’s other beaches offered us a more tranquil experience. We stayed in Lanikai and visited several beaches on the northern side of the island. Lanikai Beach, located on the windward side of the island, is often considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, with powdery sand and crystal-clear water. We also walked on the beach at the Bonzai Pipeline where the annual surfing competition is held on the North Shore, famed for its massive winter waves and draws experienced surfers from all over the globe. Since our trip was in May, the waves were small and perfect for sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling.

We also took in Oahu's history and culture by visiting the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. This was one of the more moving sites we've ever visited as it honors those who lost their lives during the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941. The USS Arizona Memorial is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made during World War II. The picture below is of the USS Missouri from the Memorial. The museum, placards around the site and the movie they show prior to the boat ride to the Memorial give you a good idea of the events that day, including the tragedy of the attack and heroism that was displayed by our servicemen.

There is so much to do and see on Oahu that you can fill your trip of any length with activities and places to visit. We split our time between activities and relaxing on the beaches all over the island. The most beautiful beach we visited was on Bellows Air Force Base. The water was gorgeous and the picture at the top of this article of Joie and I is from that beach. Oahu is also a food lover’s dream, and we ate at multiple restaurants and had all the Hawaiin staples. Since this was my first time in Hawaii, I had local dishes like plate lunch (a combination of rice, meat, and salad), macaroni salad, poke' and shave ice. You should also make it a point to visit the Kailua Farmers Market on the weekend. There are vendors serving fresh tropical fruit and vegetables, coffee, smoothies, clothes and gifts and so many Hawaiian and international delicacies that it was very difficult to choose what to eat. I had the broth-less ramen and Joie had a Middle Eastern chicken sandwich, both of which were amazing! You'll definitely find something to your liking there and all over the island. Joie has visited and is knowledgeable of the other Hawaiian Islands as well, so contact us today to plan your next vacation!

Our Hawaii Trip!

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