HAWAII VIBES.
Hawaii is one of our most favorite places. We’ve traveled a lot, but Hawaii is just so special to me. I’ve been there as a little girl with my parents, went back with my whole mom’s side of the family as a teenager, Chris and I spent our honeymoon there, we took our kids when we won a trip with Young Living - Mila was 8 weeks and Grey was 3.5!! All of those trips were so damn magical and special in their own way! We’ve been dreaming up a return trip for just me and Chris for a few years now. We finally felt like this was the yeaaaarrrr!
One of the things that held us back so long was I didn’t want to fly to Hawaii without my kids. Which is weird - bc we travel ALLLLL the time without them 🤪 and with them too! Travel is a part of our jobs we love and always lean into! But something about being an ocean away on an island made me feel uneasy. Once we hired the most amazing life manager/assistant/nanny/friend - Kiera - it made the idea of planning the trip feel exciting and not scary. We knew the kids would be in such good hands (as always) with her, and also with my sister Jen.
So we booked it last fall (with the help of our wonderful travel agent (Kira Gartner, Blue Sky Destinations) - it makes travel so much easier when you have someone who does this professionally help navigate the details for you) and it finally happened!
We decided to stay in Kauai and Maui. We love both these islands and they feel different from each other. Kauai is so lush and green and relaxing. We planned a whole lot of doing nothing for this part of the trip! We stayed at the Grand Hyatt (which we stayed at for our honeymoon too!) and it was just as beautiful the second time.
The grounds are just so stunning. The pool is a winding, lazy river, with pockets of waterfalls to hide under. There’s a water slide tucked away, and a separate adults only pool. There are a few hot tubs but they are so well hidden that it was almost hard to find them! We love how it feels secluded and special - even though it’s a huge property. There is a salt water lagoon to swim in if that’s your jam. We spent our days in the cabanas looking over the beach!
One thing that was different since we’ve been here last is the push to reduce the plastic on the island! Our room came with two reusable water bottles and there were water filling stations all over the property. That was awesome to see!
The Grand Hyatt has the most insane breakfast buffet. I’m not a breakfast person or a buffet person so for me to say that - it has weight 😂😂 it is so fresh and delicious and we make a point to add the breakfast package on each time we come! The juices, the pancakes, the fruit, all the toppings, oh my goshhhh. Just yum.
We spent most of the time hopping around to all the most delicious food stops, juice bars, and coffee shops. There’s some great little shops we hit up multiple times too! We planned to do the Captain Andy’s Na Pali coast sunset sail (when we were here six years ago we did the daytime snorkel one! It’s one of our favorite memories!) but ended up canceling and just laying around the beach that day. That being said - if it’s your first time to Kauai you MUST book a trip with Capt Andy’s. Like really. The Na Pali coast is something everyone should see once in their lifetime. It’s breathtaking and there’s nothing else like it. Just book it, and thank me later.
We hopped over to Maui after a few days to stay at the Four Seasons. This has been a bucket list place to stay for years.
The second we walked in I can see why everyone raves about it. The people are so friendly. And will get you anything you need, above and beyond. We had an ocean view room with the most stunning and comfy balcony.
Every little thing is so beautifully thought out. They will clean your glasses for you, tidy your room, they bring treats and cold towels while you sit at the pool.
When you order room service (which you can do from an app on your phone or an iPad in the room - and you can book spa and dining reservations too! Basically you just chat with them on the app for anything you need😍) they come and set it up like a full dining table spread. It’s such a little detail that makes it feel so special. Everyone who works there is so kind and friendly. When you get your car from valet they ask if you need water or towels, and the guys gave us some great food and coffee recs.
Here are some of the places we ate and shopped in both Kauai and Maui. I put asterisks* next to the ones you musttttt go to.
KAUAI
SOUTH SIDE: Poipu
+ Puka Dog* -must go! we had been legit dreaming of this since we went on our honeymoon. You can get a veggie dog or polish sausage in a bun that wraps around - then toppings like a garlic sauce, special mustard, and tropical relishes get added! Sounds weird but is magic!!!
+ Kauai Juice Co.* - just go get everything. so fresh. we went here every day! they come in glass bottles you can keep or bring back for a store credit. Glow, Starburst, Sugar cane, and the Sexy Baby Maker (lol) were our faves.
+ There’s also a Starbucks in this shopping center with Puka Dog and Kauai Juice Co. lol
+ Savage Shrimp* - the shrimp tacos were freaking amazing. omg. there was this garlic sauce from heaven on it
+ Dolphin Sushi* (the market! go in and grab takeout. In the same shopping center as Savage Shrimp) Also other lots of cute shops in here! Other good restaurants too!
+ The Beach House* - must go! make reservations early so you can see the sunset. beautiful view!!!! the fish is so fresh and yummy. the macadamia crusted catch of the day was dreamy.
+ Red Salt* - must go! the food is delicious! known for its literal red salt. it comes on the table and you sprinkle it on the bread and butter. Yumm. Food is so so so good. This was our best “nicer” meal out. Mango margarita on the rocks was insane. I am still dreaming about it. This was our fave meal of the whole trip!
+ Warehouse 3540* - a warehouse full of the cutest small business shops! Hawaii Says Hi is adorbzzzz and I bought about fifty things. The coffee truck was SO GOOD OMG. Lots of food trucks outside. The shave ice is supposed to be amazing.
NEAR AIRPORT: Lihue
+ Hamura Saimen - so I am obsessed with ramen. This is homemade ramen preeetttty much called Saimen. It’s cash only and it’s a small little restaurant and the tables are fam style in this long zig zag shape. Was DELISH!
+ Verde - Mexican (supposed to be good margaritas and tacos)
+ Moloa’a Sunrise Juice Bar* - this is kind of in the middle - it’s got banging smoothies and fresh fruit!! We went here on our honeymoon and loooved it then too.
EAST SIDE: Kappa town
+ Java Kai* - we went here every day!!! the best coffee and so cute. try the Thai coffee.
+ Kauai Juice Co.*
+ Shipwrecked (cute store!!!)
+ Curious (cute store with lots of gift stuff)
NORTH SIDE: Hanalei/Princeville
+ Wishing Well Shave Ice* - we got acai bowls here and they were amazing! The coffee and also the coffee shave ice is supposed to be so good!
+ Kilauea Fish market
+ Sushi Girl - we heard this was sooo good but they were closed for renovations
+ Nourish Hanalei - healthy yummy food
+ Manaka Terrace at the Princeville resort - heard it had amazing views
MAUI
Lahaina
+ Star Noodle* - MUST GO. Get the miso salmon app and the garlic noodles (make a reservation!!!!)
+ Super cute little town. Lots of shops. Go walk along front street and see the banyan tree!
+ Leoda’s - delish pie (on the way to Lahaina) - there was a line out the door - it goes pretty fast and is worth the wait. The banana cream pie is TO DIE FOR. we also tried the traditional chocolate haupia pie and the chocolate macnut. both amaze.
Kihei
+ Longhi’s - (lobster eggs Benedict!!)
+ Ululani’s Shave Ice* - OMG insane. so good.
+ Sansei Sushi* - get the miso butterfish app!
+ Ferraro’s at the Four Seasons - fresh pasta
+ Monkeypod - didn’t make it here but everyone says it’s so good
+ Akamai Coffee* - the Hawaiian honeybee latte is so good! a must go place
+ Mama’s Fish House*- we didn’t get here but wish we had. Make a reservation when you book your trip!!!
Road to Hana
+ bring cash!
+ download the Gyspy app! It was great and runs on gps. It doesn’t tell you the food stops though. Make notes on some of these places - like where to turn off. We forgot to do that and then missed them (banana bread 😭😭) and there’s no service so you can’t look it up once you’re out there.
+ go around the backside of the mountain. Don’t turn around once you get to Hana. Keep driving all the way around instead. It’s wayyy better and the landscape changes so drastically. We’ve done it both times. The roads are a little bumpy in spots but it’s fine 🤪
+ Paia Bay Coffee - coffee to start your journey lol
+ Huelo Lookout (4.5)
+ Auntie Sandys banana bread (16.5) - look up where to turn bc we missed it! I am still depressed about it.
+ Jens Thai food* (halfway to Hana) - (17) - this closed but I heard they moved? Couldn’t find it but it’s the best Thai food we’ve ever had.
+ Coconut Glen’s* - vegan ice cream - the original coconut was INSANE and I’ll be dreaming about it until we come back - (27.5)
+ Nahiku Marketplace - little shops and food + stands (28.8)
+ Nutcharee Thai food - didn’t try but heard it was great - (32)
+ Laulima Farm Fruit Stand & Coffee* (mile past 7 pools) - MUST STOP HERE!!!!! they have fresh fruit, fresh popcorn grown on the farm (we got ours with olive oil, salt, and nutritional yeast), and the best coffee literally ever. We had it a few years ago on our honeymoon and were dyinnng at how good it is just black. My parents visited a year after that and brought me back a pound. We tried to buy the beans to bring home but they don’t do that anymore. It’s grown on the farm and they only have enough to make coffee for stand. We got lattes and they don’t sugar or anything! Yummmm.
