180 Days of Aloha

Six months ago when we first started this new venture, a pearl of wisdom was spoken into our journey by a dear friend, “Enjoy the season, because it will be but a vapor.” That heartfelt advice struck a chord in Dave and I, serving as a reminder of how precious our time together is as a family. With that said, our 180 days of Aloha came to an end as the last few days of January hurried by. Clothing, Legos, electronics, (who doesn’t take an Xbox with them when they travel?) and remnants of sand all got squeezed back into our suitcases as we hopped a flight back to the mainland. After a quick stop in Seattle to pick up our vehicle, we headed across the blustery, snow dusted midwestern plains before finally arriving in Missouri. With our swimsuits and sandals having been replaced by winter coats and gloves, I thought a little compilation post of our favorite Hawaiian memories might be a good way to close this chapter in our travel log.

Here’s What We Did With Our Six Months Of Summer…

  • Sank Our Toes in the Sand! In total we visited 19 different beaches, each unique and beautiful!
  • Two Step
  • Magic Sands
  • Kamakahonu Beach
  • Magic Sands
  • Kua Bay
  • Kua Bay
  • Hapuna Beach
  • Magic Sands
  • Pololu Beach
  • Green Sands Beach
  • Punalu’u Beach
  • Mahai’ula Beach
  • Pine Trees Beach
  • Kakapo Bay
  • ‘Anaeho’omalu Beach
  • Winter at Magic Sands
  • Spencer Beach Park
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  • Rainbow Counted! We spotted at least 32 rainbows (we documented having seen 32 total rainbows, but I’m sure we missed a few here and there)
  • Tried new foods (It didn’t always go well. We did all agree that we love fresh Hawaiian pineapple.)
  • Papaya
  • Papaya
  • Fresh Coconut Water
  • Too much Hot Sauce!
  • Strawberry Banana Crepes
  • Coconut
  • Rambutan
  • Poke
  • Poke
  • Poke
  • Poke
  • Marveled at the Vibrant Hawaiian Sunsets

Activities

  • Kayaked/Paddle Boarded at Kealakekua Bay
  • Snorkeled at Two Step (Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii)
  • Swam with a pod of 20 spinner dolphins early in the morning at Ho’okena Beach
  • Learned to Surf! (Dave and I watched safely from shore)
  • Zip Lined at Umauma Experience
  • Dined at a traditional Hawaiian Luau ( We chose Haleo Luau at the Sheraton, excellent choice!)

Destinations

  • Watched the sunset and the stars appear at Mauna Kea (It was not warm!!)
  • Hiked down (and back up) at breathtaking Pololu Valley *Rope Swings Included*
  • Rainbow Falls and Akaka Falls
  • Tackled off-roading through the ruts of Green Sands
  • Pu’uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park (Rich in Ancient Hawaiian History)
  • Jumped off a waterfall at Mud Lane
  • Kaumana Caves (Spelunking for Beginners)
  • Waipio Valley Lookout
  • Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (Once-in-a-lifetime Experience!)

Field Trips Galore

  • Kanaloa Octopus Farm: Not-to-be-missed encounter with some very curious octopi
  • Big Island Bees: An up close look into the hidden world of bees & Hawaiian honey
  • Greenwell Farms: Countryside tour of coffee growing and production
  • Lavaloha Chocolate Farm: Best smelling tour on the island!

Big Island Animal Encouters

  • ‘A’ama Crab
  • Octopus
  • Green Sea Turtle
  • Snorkeling with Sea Turtles
  • Kayaking with Sea Turtles
  • Hermit Crab
  • Shingle Urchin (ha’uke’uke)
  • Gecko
  • 3 Horned Chamelon
  • 3 Horned Chamelon
  • 3 Horned Chamelon
  • Wild Pig
  • Crawfish
  • Monk Seal
  • Green Sea Turtle
  • Cowrie
  • Sea Cucumber
  • Geckos
  • Spinner Dolphins
  • Wild Chickens
  • Green Sea Turtle
  • Ducks!
  • Nene Goose

Favorite Restaurants

  • The Coffee Shack (Awe-inspiring views and delicious banana bread)
  • Makani’s Magic Pineapple Shack
  • Lava Lava Beach Club (Unforgettable Views! Great Food! Awesome Date Night!)

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