Journey to Hawaii Days 3 and 4 - Relaxing and Making a Change

Day 3 - Relaxing on Kauai

By Day 3 we were ready for a little downtime.  If you follow my blog regularly you know that we try to cram as much as possible into our days and while I highly recommend seeing everything you can in a location while you are there.....there is also a time to sit back and relax and just enjoy where you are.  

Relaxing by the Pool at The Grand Hyatt Kauai

After our morning breakfast at the Ilima Terrace, we quickly headed back to our room to put on our bathing suits and head to the pool to relax.  The pool at the Grand Hyatt Kauai is pretty amazing as you can see.  There is an adult pool area, a lazy river, water slides, basketball and volleyball that you can enjoy while you are there.  There are some cabanas for rent near the beach/pool area or you can just pick a chair and set up camp for the day.  We chose just to grab a chair and enjoy the day.  Make sure you check in at the desk in the pool area for towels.

We were at the pool area by about 9:30 or 10:00 AM and pretty much had the area to ourselves.    It wasn't till almost noon before more of the guests wandered down to the pool.  It is an absolutely gorgeous pool and I certainly can't complain about the beautiful sky and palm trees in this area.  The only complaints that I did have was 1.  The pool was COLD!  Now it did get better as you walked around, swam or started to play basketball!  The hotel website says that the pools are heated by recaptured heat from the air conditioning unit but to be perfectly honest....it didn't feel heated at all!  2.  There is a restroom near the pool restaurant and towel counter.  It is convenient but it gets really dirty really quickly as the day goes on.  I'm sure it's just difficult to keep up with a bunch of guests using the restrooms with wet bathing suits but it was a little disappointing.  

There is also a beach on the resort premises so if you would rather head to the beach rather than stay in the pool area you are more than welcome to do that.  There was a high surf warning all the days that we were there so other than a few people walking on the beach, there was no swimming during this time.

 After we had had our fill of swimming, we headed to the pool restaurant (Hale Nalu) to grab a quick lunch before heading back to our room.  Again, it's Hawaii so "quick" is relative but when you have a view as beautiful as this you tend to be a lot more patient!  The menu gives enough options for anyone in the family to find something to enjoy.

View from Hale Nalu

We were feeling refreshed by our swim and full from our lunch so we headed back to our room to shower and get ready for the rest of our day.  When we got back to the room a nice "surprise" awaited us.  Sometimes it's just the little things that make a stay special.

We still had several hours before our dinner reservation at Tidepools, the signature restaurant of the Grand Hyatt Kauai so we decided to head back out to the Poipu Shopping Village to walk around a bit and do some window shopping.  Then we drove around the Poipu Beach area and took a look at some of the amazing ocean view homes that were "For Sale" because who hasn't been to Hawaii and thought that they would love to live there or at least own a vacation home there!  Dreaming is free.....

Tidepools

Tidepools at the Grand Hyatt Kauai

After a very relaxing day, we had reservations for our final dinner on Kauai and we had chosen Tidepools for that dinner.  We booked around sunset so we could enjoy the sunset from our table.  Unlike other restaurants at resorts I have been to in Hawaii, this particular restaurant was not on the ocean and it really didn't have a great sunset view.  It's my fault for not realizing this sooner....see this is where research comes in handy!   However, that being said this was a WONDERFUL place to have dinner and a great way to wind up our stay on Kauai.  The restaurant itself is a group of connected "pods" that sit above manmade tidepools.   The fish swim right next to your table and you truly feel as though you are dining in a special place.

Honestly I felt like I had entered something from "The Bachelor".  This was "that" kind of place.

Just as good as the ambiance was the food!  While my husband and son enjoyed the steak, I had the chef's special which was a stuffed yellowfish that evening.  I have to say it was amazing!  

 If you are looking for great food, a relaxing, romantic atmosphere with terrific service, Tidepools is the place for you.  For those of you who have read my previous blogs you will remember that we ate at Dondero's the first evening and I was a little underwhelmed with the experience.  This was NOT the case with Tidepools!  I loved everything about this restaurant and would highly recommend it for anyone visiting Kauai and/or The Grand Hyatt Kauai.  If you need to choose between Dondero's and Tidepools...go with Tidepools.  You won't be disappointed!

Day 4 - Changing Islands

If you have been to the Hawaiian Islands before, then you know how different each and every one of the Islands is.  Before this trip, I had chosen to stay on one Island for the duration of my vacation for a couple different reasons.  1. I wanted to be sure to see everything on the Island I was visiting.  2. I didn't want to lose any of my days to travel. And 3.  I wasn't sure how easy it would be to switch Islands.

Morning on Kauai

We spent our last morning on Kauai enjoying the sunrise from our lanai, taking our time enjoying the surroundings and once again visiting the breakfast buffet at the Ilima Terrace.  Before we knew it, it was time to head to the airport in Lihue (about a 30 min drive from the Grand Hyatt Kauai) to catch our flight to the Big Island.  One last beautiful sight we saw on our way back to the airport was the "tunnel of trees".  

Hawaiian Airlines

Getting from Island to Island is a relatively easy thing to do.  It is also a bit time consuming even though the flights themselves are short.  We were flying from Lihue, Kauai to Kona, Hawaii.  In order to do that we had a connection to make in Honolulu, Oahu.  Now the good thing is that there are many many many daily flights between the islands so you can certainly find one to fit into your schedule.  It does not appear that there are very many (if any at all) direct flights.  This means a little more time to Island hop.

When you factor in getting to the airport early to return your rental vehicle and  to get through security,  (Your bags do not have to go through the agricultural check since you are flying between islands.) boarding your flight, landing in Honolulu, disembarking, waiting for your connecting flight, boarding that flight, flying time, disembarking the flight, picking up your luggage from baggage claim and securing your rental vehicle, you are looking at a minimum of several hours to make the switch.  This does not include the drive time to your new resort hotel and the time to check in.  In our case, the whole process took about 5-6 hours and cost us about $200.00 each with baggage.

The flights themselves were very nice....short flight times, on schedule departures and landings and great views of the whales from the windows of the plane as you flew over the ocean!

So....getting between Islands is not a difficult thing to do and is relatively inexpensive (although it does add some cost to your vacation budget) but does take quite a bit of time to accomplish.  Just make sure to take all of this into consideration when you decide if Island hopping is for you or not.

In our case we decided that we would give it a try this time because we were visiting Kauai which is a smaller island and the Big Island which we had visited just last year so we knew we could get back to the things that we wanted to do there.  Personally if this was my first time visiting the Islands I would recommend staying on one Island and seeing all there is to see.  To me losing the travel time would just not be worth it.  However, I can certainly see why people decide to do it.  I have been lucky enough to be able to go back several times to multiple islands.  If this is your trip of a lifetime, you certainly may want to sample more than one island.

The Big Island

Landing in Kona is totally different than landing in Lihue.  In Lihue, even though it is a smaller Island, you have jetways and gates with seating areas inside the airport.  In Kona, the whole airport is outside....seating areas, baggage claim, you walk off the steps of the plane and across the tarmac.  You definitely feel as though you have arrived on a tropical Island!  

The first thing you notice is that the weather is quite a bit warmer on the Big Island.  Kauai is the furthest north of the Hawaiian Islands while the Big Island is the furthest South.  You also notice that all the green that you have seen on Kauai has been replaced with the black of lava flows.

The contrast of the black lava, the turquoise waters, the green of the palm trees and the blue of the sky is what makes the Big Island one of my favorite Islands.  My husband and I had stayed here last February also and were looking forward to a return visit with our son.

Our Deluxe Oceanfront Room at the Hilton Waikoloa Village

Our first stop was at the Hilton Waikoloa Village to check in for our stay.  After check in and our trip to the room via tram, we had just enough time to unwind a bit and change for our dinner reservation once our luggage arrived at our room.  

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse 

We had booked a reservation at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Mauna Lani on the Kohala Coast.  It was about a 15 min drive to the restaurant from the Hilton Waikoloa Village.  If you are trying to get from your room at the resort to the restaurant give yourself at least an hour to get there.  Between walk times, waiting for the valet and drive time, it will take most if not all of that time to arrive at the restaurant.  

If you have read any of my other blogs, you know that Ruth's Chris anywhere is one of our favorite restaurants!  This particular restaurant is located in a small, upscale plaza with several shopping and dining options.  One of my favorite things about this particular location is the beautiful outdoor seating.  This night did not disappoint as we enjoyed a beautiful Big Island sunset while enjoying our wonderful meals!

Sunset at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse - Big Island

Waking up on Kauai for sunrise and being on the Big Island for Sunset is a really not a bad thing!  

Coming Next:  Day 5:  Adventure at Sea on the Big Island

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Journey to Hawaii 2015 - Day 2 - More Things to Do on Kauai

Day Trips Are Us....

Many people go to Hawaii to just kick back and relax.  While we like to include time for that too....we have found that we love to make day trips during our time on the Islands.  There are so many beautiful things to see and do outside of the resorts that you just have to try to see it all!  

Polihale State Park

To Go or Not to Go

I always check out reviews of places on TripAdvisor before we head off blindly.  In most cases the reviews are pretty good at making things clear as to whether or not something is worth the trip.  In the case of Polihale State Park, things weren't quite so clear.  Reviews were mixed about whether or this place was worth the bit of trouble there is to get there or not.  Some reviews said it was a beautiful place but many others also indicated that while it was beautiful the road to get there made it questionable if the drive was worth it.  Our breakfast server asked where we were planning on going for the day and we mentioned we were thinking of Polihale State Park.  She told us we had to go....it was Monday and the beach wouldn't be crowded.  She also told us that it gets hot there and to watch the sand because it gets very warm!  So we figuered.....hey...we have a 4WD vehicle.  It was a Jeep Compass (so not high clearance) but 4WD nonetheless.  We also figured that we had no idea when we would get back to Kauai so YES we were going to make the trek!  

Tip:  While reviews are generally helpful.  Use them to guide you but DO NOT miss something that you think you want to see because of what reviewers say....you may see something totally different!

Yes the Road was Bumpy

Polihale State Park is located on the West Side of the Island of Kauai.  We were staying on the South Side of the Island at the Grand Hyatt so it was a little over an hour's drive to the park.  As you start out you are on a regular highway no problems so far!  When we finally made our turn off the highway to start the "off-roading" part of the trip our navigation system missed the turn and tried to get us to drive through a field.  Now there was a road through the field but it was private and gated so we figured we should have turned where the small sign had pointed down a dirt road about a quarter mile before this!  After a quick turn we were on our way and headed in the right direction.

Having been warned by all the reviewers that this was an "unmaintained dirt road" the condition of the road actually surprised us in a good way. The road was definitely dirt and definitely bumpy but it was certainly passable. We did use our 4WD option but honestly I don't think we would have needed to use it.  The dirt road is almost 5 miles long and it got to be kind of funny to us.  We would hit a bump and get tossed a bit around the vehicle and we would just laugh. We joked that it really didn't feel much different than driving on all the potholes in Ohio! It was truly part of the adventure!  

My advice would be do not let the roadway scare you off.  If you want to get to Polihale State Park....find a way to make it happen!

Sometimes the Best Things are found Off the Beaten Path

Polihale Beach

Once we arrived at the park area, we actually pulled off into a small parking spot before the actual picnic area.  Nothing is well marked so you just have to keep going.  We were there on a Monday so there weren't a lot of other cars around the area.  There were also high surf warnings that day and a threat of rain so we really had the place pretty much to ourselves.

We hopped out of the car and walked down to the beach area and I don't even have the words to express how beautiful this beach was!  It literally took my breath away!  From the rugged coastline to the soft sand to the amazingly blue waters.  This was one of the most beautiful places and quite possibly THE most beautiful place I have ever seen!

The stillness with no one else around and the only sound that of the waves crashing on the shore made for an almost surreal experience.  I cannot imagine if we had passed up the opportunity to see this place.

Take your time, enjoy this place and whatever you do DO NOT miss seeing it if you are in Kauai!!!

Polihale Beach

Polihale Beach

It was so hard to tear ourselves away from the beach.  Please do not rush this experience.  Allow yourself as much time as you want to be here.  There are certain places that you find when traveling  that just touch the soul and this was definitely one of them!

Tip:  If you are planning to spend some time at the beach, make sure to pack food and drinks.  There is nothing close by.

Spouting Horn

Spouting Horn

Next stop was Spouting Horn Park.   This is one of the most photographed places in Kauai but it is another place that gets god but not necessarily great reviews. Spouting horn is located on the south shore of the island near Poipu.  There is no cost to view and you can take as little or as much time as you want.  Since there was a high surf warning the day were there, the blowhole was really spouting!  

(I have seen reviews that say that during times of low surf, spouting horn is not nearly as interesting so be sure to pick your time to visit wisely.)

Make sure you take time to watch the waves crash on the rugged beach.  It's beautiful to see the spray of the water.  We did see a couple of sea turtles in this area but they were getting tossed around pretty good in the surf.  It is also a good area to see the humpback whales from December to May but the day that we were there wasn't a good one for viewing.  

There are also some tents in the park where locals have set up stands to sell items. You can go through the tents or walk around.  There is no pressure to purchase items.  There are also lots of feral chickens in this area.  We even saw a hen and her chicks near the parking area.

There is ample parking for Spouting Horn.  The parking lot is paved and easy to access.  It is a short walk from the parking area to the viewing area.

We thought this was a great place to visit.  I would recommend this as a place to put on your list of things to visit in Kauai.

A Little Down Time

After our morning excursion, we had a little time to relax before it was time to head back to the resort to get ready for our evening activities.  We took a little time out to stop at the Poipu Shopping Village.  This was a great place to look around....art galleries, Starbucks, groceries, souvenirs, restaurants both quick service and sit down.  They also offer free entertainment at times.  There was none while we were there but you may find something interesting if you time your visit well!

Aulii Luau

You can't go to Hawaii and NOT go to a luau.  I think there is a law about that! LOL.  Not really but it is definitely one of the things you have to fit into your schedule if you are visiting any of the islands.  When we started to look at our schedule and investigate options for luaus on Kauai we found that there were two near us.  One was at our resort, The Grand Hyatt Kauai and one was a few miles away at the Sheraton Kauai.  The luau at the Grand Hyatt is held on Sundays and Thursdays while the one at the Sheraton is held Mondays and Thursdays.  After looking at both and comparing them, we decided on the Aulii Luau at the Sheraton.  The reasons that we chose this one were 1.  The location was right on the beach 2.  They offered Ali'i (preferred) seating  and 3. Monday worked into our schedule better than Sunday.

When it came time to head to the luau, the weather decided not to cooperate and it was rainy and windy.  So....reason 1 for picking this luau was out the door.....we had to use alternate seating in the ballroom which is an indoor/outdoor location.  While we were disappointed that we weren't able to enjoy the show on the beach, we were happy that we weren't getting wet!  Actually it turned out to be better than we expected.  The ballroom was covered but was also open on the sides so you didn't feel like you were stuffed in a room.  

We purchased the Ali'i Seating, which carries a slightly higher ticket cost ($25.00 upgrade), but to us was well worth it.  You get a separate line to check in.  Lines of course are shorter than the general admission lines.  You receive a special lei...in my case flowers....for my husband and son kukui nuts.  We also got to sit in first couple rows and at round tables rather than the general "aloha" seating at long tables.  You also get to visit the buffet first.  Both General and Ali'i seating include the open bar, appetizers and buffet.

Once we arrived at the Sheraton, we were able to find parking in a lot close to the ballroom.  Parking was free and it was a short walk to the ballroom location.  We got in the Ali'i seating line which formed to the right.  We were served Mai Tais and Blue Hawaiians while waiting.  Once we checked in we received our leis from one of the dancers and were led to our table.  

Appetizers were served at our table but you could also go to the buffet and get more if you ran out.   We were seated with another family.  I believe the table held 8 people but there were only 6 at ours that evening.  The performers played music during the meal and there were various vendors there.  After dinner, the show started.  It was smaller than the other luaus we had been to but the dancers were very good and quite entertaining.  The whole event lasted from 5:30 (check in) till 8:00 PM.  

The luau was lots of fun.  Luaus in general are a little "touristy" but the dancing was awesome and makes you truly feel that you have arrived in Hawaii.  If you haven't gone to one, I would recommend that you go!  It's something that everyone who visits the Islands has to do at least once!

Time to Call it a Day

After the luau we headed back to the resort, checked out the live music in the open air lobby once again and decided to call it a night.  Another action packed amazing day of making memories in Kauai.

Coming Next:  Days 3 and 4 - Relaxing and Making a Change

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Journey to Hawaii 2015 - Day 1 - Kauai

Yes It is ANOTHER Trip to Hawaii

If you have followed me or have read any of my previous blogs I know what you are thinking....this Hawaii thing is becoming an addiction!  To that I answer Yes....Yes it is.  There is just no better place to get away from the frozen tundra that is Ohio in the winter and head to much greener pastures!  If you want to see amazing sights, bask in the sunshine and/or just kick back and relax....this is the place to do it!

Cast of Characters:  This year's Hawaiian adventure includes myself as well as my husband and our adult son (age 24). 

Itinerary:  4 nights on the Island of Kauai and 5 nights on the Big Island

The Adventure Begins

Getting There

Anyone who has flown to any of the Hawaiian Islands knows how exhausting the travel is just to GET to the island!  If you have not flown to Hawaii before you need to know this!  There is no easy or quick way to get there.  Even if you live on the West Coast you are a minimum of 5 hours away from paradise.  In our case it's about an 11 hour flight to the Islands and 10 hours back.  With our itinerary this year taking us from Cleveland to San Francisco to Los Angeles to Lihue, Kauai, travel time to and from airports, layovers and the strong headwinds we encountered on our final leg, as well as time to get our baggage, picking up our rental vehicle and driving to the hotel, we were looking at about a 22 hour timeframe.  The point being.....no matter where you start your journey....you WILL be tired by the time you arrive in Hawaii!  

So once we arrived at our hotel we were so happy to be there!  The wonderful Lei greeting we received on our arrival made us feel so welcome.  The bright flowers and beautiful smell immediately let us know that we had found a little slice of paradise. Once we got to the room, it didn't take us long to fall asleep!

Tip: We have found in our travels to the Islands that we seem to adjust to the time difference (5 hours difference from EST in February) better if we land in the evening and just head to bed.  By the time you wake up in the morning you are pretty much adjusted to Hawaii time!  

The Grand Hyatt Kauai

Sunrise at The Grand Hyatt Kauai

So after a very friendly welcome to the Grand Hyatt, very helpful employees....from the valet to the bellman to the front desk...and a very good night's sleep we woke up early to an amazing sunrise that we could see from our lanai!  This is the other benefit to arriving later in the evening...you never know what you are going to wake up to in the morning!

The first thing we realized was "Wow...what a beautiful place this is!"  The second thing we realized was "Wow we are hungry!"  After a day of picking up quick meals and snacks in airports and on airplanes....we were excited to head to the breakfast at the ILIMA TERRACE.  This is an indoor/outdoor restaurant with beautiful tropical views.  They offer a breakfast buffet or you can order from a menu.  We chose the breakfast buffet (everyday of our stay!)  There were many offerings on the buffet....eggs, breakfast meats, potatoes, cereals, breads and of course the extremely fresh fruit!  The buffet is $31.00/person and is very filling.  I have seen people complain about the cost on review sites but honestly Hawaii is a lot like going to Disney World....you just have to forget about the cost and enjoy it while you are there!  

The servers were very friendly and helpful.  Asking about what we had planned for the day and offering tips and suggestions.  They would even follow up with us the next morning to see if we enjoyed ourselves.  Service was good.   Hawaii rule number 2 - everything moves a little slower on the islands....just relax and take your time...it's vacation...not a race!

Once we had eaten we were ready to explore the Garden Isle....

Waimea Canyon

The first stop of the day (one of many....you all know how I travel) was at Waimea Canyon.

View just before turning onto Waimea Canyon Road

When I first started researching what to do on the Island of Kauai I was shocked to find that there was a canyon there.  This is not just any old canyon.....this is a full blown...."Grand Canyon like" canyon.  While it is certainly not as vast as the Grand Canyon....it is still amazing nonetheless!

View just before turning onto Waimea Canyon Road

It was about an hour drive from the Grand Hyatt to the Canyon itself.  There were some interesting things to see along the way!  The 

road to the canyon takes some twists and turns.  I've seen reviewers say that it is a very windy road....yes and no.  For Hawaii it's pretty windy. If you have been to any of the western states and have driven in the mountains....this is not windy at all!  Just make sure that you take advantage of the many turnouts to take in some of the beautiful scenery along the way.  

Small waterfall along Waimea Canyon Road

We were very surprised to see the deep red rocks.  If you had dropped me into this area I would have guessed we were in the American Southwest.....not Hawaii!

The farther you drove...the further from Hawaii you felt you were.  

Waimea Canyon

Finally we arrived at Waimea Canyon itself.  There was a nice paved parking area and restrooms at the site.  There is a short climb to get to the canyon's edge from the parking lot.  There are stairs to your left and a ramp to your right (this would be wheelchair accessible but would take some pushing).  We took the steps up and the ramp down.  I believe that the ramp would be the least strenuous way to go if you have any type of mobility issues.  It was a little less steep than the stairs.  Either way you go leads you to the rim of the canyon.  We weren't quite prepared for the sight that met us.

Waimea Canyon

Waimea Canyon

Waimea Canyon

 The contrast of the colors, the deep folds of the canyon walls, the depth of the canyon itself....all just amazing to see.  

Tip:  This area gets hazy during the day.  If you want a clear look, pick a clear day (cloudy days do not yield good viewing conditions) and head up to the canyon before 10:00 AM.  The haze starts to build in late in the morning and just gets worse.  You definitely want to get a good view of this area!

Waterfall in Waimea Canyon

After viewing the canyon at the main area, we drove a little further up the road and made a quick stop at Puu Hinahina Lookout to get a better look at the waterfall in the canyon. 

Feral Chicken in Kauai

 This is also the first place (and certainly not the last!) that we saw the feral chickens that roam the entire Island of Kauai.  They are beautiful birds and quite used to people!

 Na Pali Coastline - Our first look 

Whatever you do...do not stop and turn around and go back after you see the Waimea Canyon.  Keep on going North!  You will pass a few turnouts and eventually you will come to Kalalau Lookout.  

You MUST stop at this Lookout area!  There is nice paved parking area with restroom facilities.  The walk to the lookout is a short easy walk away.  The payoff is HUGE!

After a short walk this is the view that awaits you!

View from Kalalau Lookout

View from Kalalau Lookout

View from Kalalau Lookout

This is the beginning of the Na Pali Coast.  To see the Na Pali Coast from afar you need to either take a boat trip or a helicopter ride.  If you prefer to stay on land, this is one of the best places to see the rugged coastline.  It was so amazing to see the contrast of the dark rocks and deep blue waters.  It is worth the drive to the lookout and the short walk.

There are a couple places that you can view the area here.  If you continue on to your right after looking at the main area, you will come to a dirt path that will take you to a slightly different view.  This path will also take you to Mt. Waialeale if you continue to hike from here.  Mt. Waialeale is a shield volcano and is the second highest point on the island of Kauai. It is also one of the rainiest spots on earth with an annual rainfall of more than 452 inches!  

If you take a look over the edge of the cliff here....you are met with just an amazing view!

View from Kalalau Lookout Area

The North Shore

By the time we left the Kalalau Lookout area it was about mid-morning.  This meant that we still had plenty of day left to explore.  The next area we wanted to visit was the North Shore area.  Now I know you are saying....."But you are on the North Shore at the Na Pali Coastline, why not just drive around the coast?"  Well....the mountains that you see in the photos above get in the way!  So in order to get to the other side of the North Coast you must drive South on Waimea Canyon Road and then drive around the East Coast of the island and back up to the North Shore. Luckily Kauai is a small island so the trip only takes about 1.5 to 2 hours depending on stops and believe it or not...traffic.  


Kilauea Lighthouse

Kilauea Lighthouse

So we grabbed a quick sandwich in Waimea and keept on driving.  Our first stop was at the Kilauea Lighthouse.  It's a short drive off the main highway to get to the Lighthouse.  There is also a wildlife preserve here but it happened to be closed the day that we were there.

We were still able to get a great view of the lighthouse.  There is a paved parking area here and while parking was a bit crowded, we had no problem finding a space.  A short walk too you to a great vantage point to see the lighthouse.  

This looked like it could be a scene out of New England!  This is an area where there is dolphin and whale activity but we didn't see anything during our short visit.

This is definitely worth a stop whether you stay  a short time or plan a visit to the lighthouse and wildlife preserve.



Hanalei Bay

Hanalei Bay

Hanalei Bay was our next stop.  This is the largest bay on the North Shore of Kauai.  It has almost 2 miles of shore surrounded by mountains.  It is the location used to shoot the movie South Pacific.

Beach at Hanalei Bay

The clouds had moved in a little by the time we arrived but you could definitely see what a great beach this is.  There was a pier that you could walk out on and have some great views of paddle boarders, surfers, swimmers and all the beach activities going on!

Paddleboarders at Hanalei Bay

Hanalei Bay

Parking at the beach was a little tough.  There are a few parking areas but it is a very popular area so plan on walking a bit to get to the beach areas. 

After a brief stop. we continued our drive around the North Shore.  We drove as far as Haena.  Stopping along the way to take a look at some of the sea caves that were near the road.

Sea Cave 

Haena is the end of the road because those same mountains that got in the way before....get in the way again!  So there is nothing to do but turn around and head back to the East.

Opaekaa Falls

Opaekaa Falls

After a quick stop along the way for some traditional Hawaiian Shave Ice, we continued on to Opaekaa Falls.  This is a very easy access waterfall.  There is a paved parking lot right in front of the falls and very short walk takes you to the lookout area.  You can walk around a bit and get different views.  You can also see why they call Kauai "The Garden Isle"!  Everything was so lush and green....a very welcome sight after all the snow in Northeast Ohio this winter!

View across from Opaekaa Falls

Make sure you take time to walk across the street from the falls also.  The view is almost as beautiful in that direction!  It's a very short walk with a huge payoff.

We didn't stay here long...maybe 20 - 30 min but it was a stop I would definitely recommend.

Wailua Falls

Wailua Falls

Our last stop of the day before heading back to the resort was Wailua Falls.  This is the falls that was shown during the opening of the TV show Fantasy Island for those of you old enough remember that show!  It was a bit of a drive to the falls and parking was a little difficult but again this is an easy access waterfall.  

The only problem is that what you can see from the viewing area is a side view the falls.  There is also a high barrier here so if you are short (like me!) you will have a hard time getting pictures of the entire stretch of the falls.  Luckily my husband is taller than I am so we were able to capture the moment!  I have a feeling that a helicopter ride may give you a better view of these falls.  But for the few minutes it took...it was worth the stop.

Back to the Resort 

Our Surroundings and Room

Once we finished up with our drive it was late afternoon.  We had reservations at Dondero's  for dinner but we had a little time to look around the resort before we had to get ready.  We hadn't had much time to see where we were staying in the daylight!

Lobby View

When you first walk into the lobby of the Grand Hyatt Kauai...this is the beautiful view that greets you through their "picture window".  Let me tell you....I never got tired of seeing this view!

Seaview Terrace

The Seaview Terrace lies just beyond the picture window.  They served breakfast and coffee in the morning and snacks and drinks in the evening.  There was live music each night in this area.  It was a very relaxing way to end your day.  It was also quite popular so be sure to arrive early if you want a seat!

Our room was fantastic. It had plenty of room for the three of us.  It actually offered one King bed and one Queen which was perfect for the three of us traveling together. It is a little more than a regular two queen room but worth the difference!

The bathroom was large with plenty of room to move around.  It had a separate water closet so multiple people could get ready at one time.  The hair products and lotions were all from their spa and were Coco-Mango scented.  They were heavenly!!  You will want to take some home with you.  Products are available to purchase in the spa!

The bathroom also had a "surprise".  I don't want to ruin it for anyone but I will say just make sure you check out the "cleaning action" of the toilet!

View from our Lanai

We finally got to see the view from our Lanai in all it's glory.  We had a Partial Ocean View room but we found it to be perfect for us! We spent much of our downtime relaxing on the lanai and just watching the waves roll into shore.  We didn't see too many whales in Kauai. I'm not sure why that was...there were a few...but not nearly as many as we ended up seeing on the Big Island.

Our Lanai

Dondero's



Just before we were ready to head down to dinner it started to rain and the winds picked up quite a bit.  We were able to walk around a bit and explore on our way to dinner.  

Outdoor Seating at Dondero's 

We made it to Dondero's in plenty of time for our reservation.  The restaurant didn't seem overly crowded but we had to wait in the waiting area.  The menu is Italian.  The food was good (not great) and service was slow and not very attentive.  I would rate it a 3 out of 5 stars.  The outdoor seating looked amazing and very romantic.  Unfortunately the weather kept us from dining outside this particular evening.




By the time we finished dinner we were ready to relax for the evening.  We stopped and listened to the live music in the lobby for awhile and then headed to bed.  Tomorrow is another day and once again we have some big plans!!

Coming Next: Journey to Hawaii 2015 - Day 2  Polihale State Park and More

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