Travel: Hawaii

You Spent TWO weeks in Hawaii?! Yes we have gotten that comment a lot since our return a couple weeks ago. I am a travel guru to most of our friends and I pinch every penny imaginable to get us there and have the best experience possible. 

It all started around Christmas time when my soon to be in laws invited me to go along with the family to visit the new Disney Resort in Hawaii. Well true to mine and Roberts nature we werent just going to go to Hawaii and have a 5 star experience we had to go a bit more in the rustic direction. I got on the airfare and booked it through my usual source of Priceline "Name your own Price". I ended up booking both of our tickets for the price of one. The trick with Priceline flights is to be flexable. We ended up flying Monday to Monday and our return flight was overnight. I will make a whole entry on the ins and outs of Priceline soon because its a beast of its own. 

Next Robert researched camping accommodations. Since Oahu is known for its petty theft we started looking into private campgrounds that were gated. He stumbled upon the gem Friends of Malaekahana on the Windward part of the North Shore.  Its a very basic place but they do offer outdoor showers and THE GRASS SHACKS!!!!! The second we saw the grass shacks just feet from the water we knew this was our place. At only $40 a we got an 8x8 hut right on the beach. Pretty much everyone we met staying there were locals that were shocked we had found it.  The North Shore isnt a tourest spot like Waikiki, its more of a local place for surfers and farmers.  

The campground included a picnic table and rocks for a fire (note this is the windward part of the island and fire starters are a MUST). Each night we made our dinner on the fire and watched the sun go down. Our second night there after starting our fire Robert took me for a sunset walk on the beach, sang me our favorite Jack Johnson song and proposed!!  Of course I said YES!! Little Grass Shack number 2 will always hold a place in my heart. 

We stayed in our little grass shack for 5 days before moving on to the Hilton in Waikiki. The Hilton can be booked through priceline for roughly 40% off rack room prices but Roberts Brother in Law had points to book with so lucky for us he booked enough space for us all. 

The Hilton was totally different from the little hut we had stayed in the few days before. It is a bustling resort with several pool, restaurants and penguins.. you read that right penguins. We stayed here for 2 nights before meeting up with the rest of our group. 

While staying in Waikiki we ate out just about every meal. If you are vegan you know Yelp is a travel must when looking for options. We found a wonderful breakfast spot called Vintage Coffee. They have acai bowls, fresh pressed juice and the best coffee I have ever had. 

At night we usually went with Sushi. Although one night we ventured to Rum Fire and we werent disappointed. If you want amazing live music this is your spot. They have a great happy hour and we ended up staying for a few hours listening to the music. As a Nashville native I find it hard to travel and find music up to par but this place blew my mind. It started out with a one many band and ended up with a teen beatboxer. 

Next we checked into Aulani (Disney Resport). This place was AMAZING. Disney always does it right. We had 14 people in our group so we went with 2 suites and it worked perfectly. I am really glad Roberts mom planned excursions around the island because I think we could have all stayed at this resort 24/7 for that whole week. 

Over that week we saw Pearl Harbor, went snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, got shaved ice on the North Shore,  saw the Dole Plantation, Hiked to a waterfall in the rain forrest, spent a day at the Polynesian Center and ate at some amazing restaurants. 

We had such a wonderful trip and are very thankful for the experience.