Now that I’ve been to Hawaii, I understand why people love it so much. You can talk about breathtaking beaches, perfect weather, and awesome people all day long, but when you really experience it, that’s when you just plain “get it.”
Hawaii has always been a place I’ve wanted to go to. It’s in the U.S., so you don’t need your passport, but it’s still far enough away so you feel like you’re truly getting away from everyday, busy American life.
My fabulous red-headed mother and I decided we’d take another mother-daughter trip. We travel really well together, and we both have always wanted to go to Hawaii…so we decided to visit Oahu!
Once we arrived and checked into our hotel, The Courtyard by Marriott Waikiki Beach (which is awesome, by the way…we had some of the best customer service there that we’ve ever experienced) and got settled in, we grabbed some groceries at one of the local ABC stores, which are everywhere in Hawaii, and set out to explore.
The walk from our hotel to Waikiki Beach was about 7 minutes, not bad at all. We meandered our way through some of the huge lobbies and shops located in the big hotels right on the beach and made our way onto the famous shores of Waikiki. Yep, it’s true, it’s as beautiful as everyone says it is. We fell in love in an instant!
So after sinking our toes into the sand and splashing in the ocean for a little while, we decided to keep exploring. It really is the little things that got us excited, like finding a Dole Whip stand in one of the international marketplaces close to the beachfront. My mom and I are obsessed with Dole Whip, so yes, I totally took a picture! Say hello to peach & pineapple twist! 
The cone even says “Hawaii!”
Our first night in Waikiki, we walked from our hotel to the beach to see the sunset.
Okay. Wow. Let me set the scene a little for you.
Beautiful sunset? Check.
Sparkling city lights at dusk with the Diamond Head volcano in the background? Check.
Relaxing on the beach? Check.
Fun Hawaiian ukulele music playing in the background? Check.
What more can a girl ask for, seriously! It was such an amazing start to our vacation!
The next day we decided we wanted to get out of the city, because we’re not really city gals, we love to get out and explore! We hopped in our rental car and took the Kamehameha Highway (Try saying that 10 times! It’s pronounced “Kah-MAY-ah-MAY-ah”) all the way to the famous North Shore of Oahu. It sure lives up to its name—absolutely gorgeous. Our first stop was the HUGE Waimea Beach. Compared to the soft, white sand of Waikiki Beach, Waimea’s sand is a beautiful golden color and very coarse and grainy, making for some good exfoliation for our feet.
After hanging out at Waimea Beach for a while, we hopped in our car again and took off to see more of the North Shore.
One word of advice, seriously, make sure you talk to the locals and get their advice on the best places to visit, because we were never steered wrong. We talked to one of the girls who worked in the coffee shop in our hotel (where the coffee is delicious, by the way!), and she had a lot of fun places to suggest—one of them was Shark’s Cove Grill,which she said had the best Ahi Tuna sandwich on the island. And I would totally agree with her!
It’s located just past Waimea Bay on the right-hand side of the road, and is just basically a trailer with some chairs set up in front of it…but boy is it good! I was so excited to try the Ahi Tuna sandwich, and it was the best I’ve ever had in my life. You don’t want to miss this if you’re going to Oahu!
We ended this awesome day by driving the rest of the way around the island to check out the beautiful scenery, and once we were back at the Courtyard by Marriott Waikiki, we walked across the street for some delicious pizza at a walk-up pizza stand—so much fun!—and some relaxation by the pool. The perfect way to end an incredible day.
Hawaii sure is one of the best places to vacation that I’ve ever experienced!
Be on the lookout for my next blog, where I’ll tell you all about the next day, where we made a trip to the local Farmer’s Market, hiked Diamond Head, ate some delicious shaved ice, and even snorkeled at the stunning Hanauma Bay!
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