How about some Hawaii Two-O. Yes, that is a bad play on Hawaii Five-O, which can only mean one thing. It’s time for our second (and final) post about our trip to Maui, Hawaii. In case you missed the first post last Thursday, check it out here to read about:
- where we stayed
- where we ate
- our “neighborhood”
- how we saved money
Oh and we talked about what it was like traveling with a toddler (and what worked/didn’t work) as well as getting Clara adjusted to the time difference here on Young House Life. Now as for this post, we’ll cover:
- all of the activities/adventures that we tackled while we were there (with a toddler in tow)
- the home-related purchase we made to remember the trip
- our vacation “tradition” that we continued in Hawaii
Our number one activity was going to the beach, since this trip was all about relaxing. We know lots of folks go to Hawaii with adventure on the brain – snorkeling, zip lines, dinner cruises – but that wasn’t what we were looking for (nor what we could really do with Clara by our side anyways). Nope, we were looking for some major decompressing and relaxing after three weeks of people in our house and no sleep thanks to shooting over 100 projects for our book. But beyond beaching it up (and chowing down), we did make time for some “adventures” of our own.
We also dedicated an entire day to driving the Road to Hana. Even after reading a few guidebooks, we weren’t totally sure what we were in for, but it just sounded like one of those things “you had to do” while in Maui. So we stocked the car with snacks, diapers, fuel and a guide CD (which we bought at the start of the highway in Paia) and headed towards the promise of beautiful vistas, iconic Hawaiian sights, and curvy roads.
Those promises were all kept. It was amazing. Before getting into the sights, let me say something about the highway itself. It was definitely nerve wracking. It was nearly non-stop curves, which was kinda fun at first. But after the third or fourth hour of it – as the curves became blinder and the road narrower (the yellow line frequently disappeared) – I was gripping the steering wheel a bit tighter.
But it was all worth it.
We didn’t make as many stops as the average Hana traveler might (hiking to waterfalls wasn’t so easy with Clara) but we did try to take in as much as possible from the road itself – like this waterfall visible from the highway.
And we did take some extended time to explore a couple of awesome spots, one being the Ke’anae Peninsula. There were awesome views of the sea violently splashing against the cliffs… and a delicious food stand called Aunt Sandy’s. Mmmm, still dreaming about the banana bread we bought there.
But even better than that was Waianapanapa State Park. There were such spectacular scenes – like a sea arch (in the distance there below), a blow hole (where water shot up from the middle of a rock when a big wave hit) and even a cave.
But of course the best part was the black sand beach, since it was unlike anything we had ever seen before.
The sand is actually made from lava rock, hence the black color. Clara thought it was majorly cool. As did we.
Two bummer things happened after this point. First, it got very overcast and dreary, which would’ve made our pictures worse. And I say “would’ve” because the second bummer thing was that our camera battery died. Oops. But we drove on to Hana, got lunch at a roadside BBQ called Braddha Hutt’s and continued around the island. Some people spend the night in Hana and some turn around, but we decided to drive the full loop to see as much as we could (plus Clara was napping, so we were happy to drive on). The rest of the loop still served up plenty of curves, but there were fewer cars coming the other way – hooray! We even got to drive on some unpaved roads. See – adventure! All in all, our full loop drve around Hana took us about eight hours with a bunch of stops along the way. And Clara was amazing in the car. I think those stops helped her stretch her legs and stay limber. Haha.
We even made it home and charged the camera in time to catch an awesome sunset back in Lahaina.
This is my “I thought the nice stranger taking our picture was zoomed in closer so I crouched down in order to be less tall but instead I just look like my midsection is collapsing in on itself” pose. Of as Sherry calls it, my “walker pose” (yes, its another Walking Dead reference).
Our other “big adventure” was going whale watching. After Sherry and I spotted some whales from shore (more on that in this post), we decided that actually getting on a boat so Clara might see some a bit closer would be fun (and hopefully worth the potential nightmare of being stuck at sea for two hours with a old 2 year old).
Luckily, Clara was pretty good on the boat (minus one momentary meltdown)… and although she was a few years younger than the rest of the kids, we even attempted to let her participate in the “Young Naturalist” program that should’ve involved some quiet listening. But for Clara it involved some “Hey little girl, can I get all up in your business? No? How about this next little girl!?” Clearly we’re still getting the hang of this “age appropriate activity” thing. She literally crouched in every last kid’s face while aiming her butt at the sweet lady talking about whales.
So once we stopped Clara from distracting the older kids, we got back to whale watching duty. Clara even found her own “perch.”
And here’s the good news – we saw whales!
Sadly none came very close (the boats have to turn off their motors when they get within 100 feet) and there weren’t any dramatic jumps into the air or gigantic splashes, but the frequent blows and occasional tail sitings were still pretty cool.
But for the most part, it was just fun to be out on the water. And yes my wife did take this picture by hanging over the railing like Leo and aiming the camera back at us.
We got a gorgeous day for it and the views back to Maui were stunning.
And oh yeah, we think it was Clara’s first official boat trip! We’re not sure that she really noticed very many of the whales – though she did get some laughs from fellow passengers when, at a completely quiet and whale-free moment, she yelled “I see whales!”
But not all of our sightseeing was by car and by boat. We did plenty on foot as well since our condo was super close to everything in Lahaina. One of our favorite spots to eat ice cream was Banyan Tree Park, which features one of the world’s largest banyan trees. It almost looks like your everyday tree-filled park. Until you realize it’s just one giant tree that drops roots from the branches in other areas (so what appear to be many trees is all just one big tree). It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before.
The roots grow down from the tree and when they reach the ground they build new trunks, like this one that Clara and I were playing a bit of peekaboo around.
There was also a little artisan fair / flea market thing under there over the weekend, but we waited to get these pictures when it was a little less crowded so you could really see how amazing the tree is.
One of our favorite ways to explore was by taking long morning walks (which usually involved a stop for breakfast along the way). It was a cool way to discover some planned destinations and also resulted in us stumbling upon a few unexpected things as well.
One of those unplanned discoveries was the Lahaina Jodo Mission. It was crazy to just turn the corner and suddenly see a Japanese temple and a giant Buddha statue.
It was kinda cool to get a little taste of Japan without having to endure another transoceanic flight.
We also got a chance to check out an abundance of something that Clara is obsessed with: animals. So you may think a Hyatt is a weird destination when looking for feathered and fuzzy things. But look what we found right there on the premises:
We had heard that the Hyatt Regency at Kaanapali had some animal sights to see, so we were not disappointed to find flamingos, black swans, and even African penguins (tropical penguins – who knew!?) roaming the property. Not to mention a pretty envy-inducing pool:
We also got a nice oceanfront walk in along the resort grounds. Raise your hand if you’re having a good time!
One place we knew we’d find animals was the Maui Ocean Center. And unlike the whales, we’re certain she spotted these aquatic creatures. And a few might’ve spotted her in return.
The absolute coolest part of the aquarium was the underwater tunnel that put you in the position of having fish, sharks, and even gigantic sting rays swim around you…. and over you.
Just call it our much drier, Clara-friendlier version of snorkeling.
The Maui Ocean Center was our very last stop before leaving the island. Since our flight left late one evening but our hotel check-out was in the morning, it was a great way to spend the afternoon before having to hop on an airplane.
As much as these posts we’re writing are to share our trip with you – they’re also to document it for ourselves a little bit. But to make sure we keep a more detailed and chronological journal of our trip, we’ve continued our vacation tradition of writing postcards to ourselves.
We don’t actually mail them in most cases since we usually end up using all of the space on the back to write out what we did each day – though we mostly hit the highlights of where we ate, what we saw, and any funny anecdotes (like Clara’s not-so-successful dinner at the hibachi restaurant that we mentioned here).
And look what else we brought home from Hawaii…
It’s a historic map of Maui printed on canvas that we got for $20. We figured we needed a map that represented our trip to Hawaii since the US map that we put pins in to mark all of our trips only shows the 48 continental states. This guy is too pretty to put a pin in, but we’re looking forward to getting some Maui mapiness up in our house. PS: Doesn’t Maui kinda look like a limb-less lady leaning over (like it’s closely examining the words “MAUI” above)?
Okay, so that’s the end of our trip recap. It’s making us miss being on vacation, but we’re mostly just so grateful that we had the chance to get away and enjoy some relaxing family time with our traveling pal Clara (and yes, we missed Burger every single second, and even woke up one night because we thought he was walking around the bed but it must have been his ghost). Do you guys have any trips or vacations coming up? Tell us all about them.
Amy @ The Button Casa says
Thanks for the pictures of the incredible trip. That Banyan tree is amazing in photos so I bet it’s even cooler up close. I’m currently sitting here with vacation envy ;)
Lindsay says
So jealous you did the Road to Hana! That is the one thing we didn’t have time for. We chose Parasailing and a Luau over that which i understand is pry hard with a toddler :) This makes me more excited to go back….one day!
Jill Will Run says
I went to Maui when I graduated from high school in ’96. I remember going on the Road to Hana, but instead of a CD you got a guide tape. The best part is when you reach the end of side 1, the guide narration says “You have reached the end of side 1. After you enjoy this stop, when you get back in the car flip me over and turn me on to continue your journey.” It was awesomely hilarious!
Thanks for all your posts on this… now I want to go to Maui in May with my hubby. We were considering Hawaii and you’ve kind of helped seal the deal for me!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, no way!
xo,
s
Jessica says
Great Trip! Glad to hear your whale watching was a success, we are going with our almost 18-month-old this weekend and don’t know what to expect.
Kindra Taylor says
Our last big family vacation before I graduated high school was to Maui and we stayed at the Hyatt you guys visited. Adrien Brody happened to be staying at the Hyatt as well the week we were there. :) Your post brings back so many memories it made me tear up a little! I still have some black sand in a ziploc bag in the bottom of a storage bin somewhere…maybe I should dig it out and do something with it. Your memories helped me re-live my memories, so thanks for sharing!
YoungHouseLove says
No way! Adrien Brody?! Love it.
xo,
s
Elena at `A Casarella says
My kids (and I) just love that tree in Lahaina!
Did you guys by any chance get to eat at Mama’s Fish House? If not, you have to put it on the list for the next trip! ;)
YoungHouseLove says
We didn’t have time but hear it’s amazing! Next time for sure!
xo,
s
Kimberly says
Loved the trip pictures. I went to Maui in November and stayed at the Hyatt Regency, I miss that pool! The Road to Hana is awesome, definitely a hightlight of my trip. So cool that you got to see the whales, I need to return to Maui one day during whale season!
Amy @ this DIY life says
Looks like so much fun. This July we’ll be traveling to Pennsylvania for a wedding then heading to North Carolina to see one of my very bestest friends. We’ll be stopping in Richmond VA on our way to NC to have lunch with a friend from college. I wonder if I know of anyone else who might be able suggest a couple great things to not miss in RVA. Hmmmm.
YoungHouseLove says
Here’s a post for ya!
https://www.younghouselove.com/2011/02/five-richmond-top-fives/
xo,
s
Megan - Newly Wife says
I love the part about Clara sticking her butt at the face of the nice whale lady. Kinda made me giggle at work.
Sounds like a fabulous trip over all! Love the postcards to self idea. So good!
Ashley G says
Hi…loved both of your recap posts! I was just wondering what type of sunscreen you guys use given your interest in more “green” and natural products? I always appreciate natural product recommendations! Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
We like Burt’s Bees. It’s hard to rub in, but works and is green.
xo,
s
Kris says
I had no idea how much fun I was going to have reading about the details of your vacation. Maybe in ten years you can write a travel book! Traveling with kiddos!
Liz says
You make me want to go back!! We were on the Big Island at the end of October. ::sigh:: Gorgeous!!
Joanna says
Hawaii sounds fun! I wish to go there one day.. For the time being I’m trying to go back home to Greece after visiting my boyfriend in Norway.. It will take me one week and several European cities, but I think it will be an great experience..
http://playingaround101.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/my-way-home/
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds amazing! Have so much fun!
xo,
s
Stephanie says
Hey guys! Welcome back. Any chance we’ll get a tidbit or two on flying with Clara? Maybe on YH Life? Just curious how that part went. My husband, 7 month old and I just completed a successful week-long trip to LA (including a 4-hour flight each way) and I have to say I geared myself up by thinking,”John and Sherry would totally do this. . .”. So thanks for the inspiration. It’s amazing how much more like myself I feel now that we’ve conquered travel as a family.
YoungHouseLove says
Ask and ye shall receive! We posted this last week: http://life.younghouselove.com/2012/03/toddler-travel/
-John
Lindsey says
Looks like you had a great trip! This post makes me want to go back to Hawaii!
Lesley says
Hi S&J! First I have to say that I just recently discovered your site, and I went through and read ALL 436 pages from beginning to present. I’ve enjoyed your journey so much, and I’m proud to say I’m thoroughly UP-TO-DATE now!
Seeing your Maui photos and reading about what you did sent me down memory lane. My husband and I visited in 2004 (before kids!) and stayed in Wailea, so we saw and did many of the same things you’ve shared here. So glad y’all enjoyed the trip!
Cara says
My spouse and I (along with his family) are going to Maui in a few short weeks for my brother-in-law’s wedding! I’ve actually bookmarked a lot of the keen places you mentioned in Yelp so we remember where to go. Thanks for the great recap!
Courtney says
This post was amazing to read! About two years ago I went to Hawaii and I got engaged on the road to Hana! So glad that you did that drive, so many beautiful things to see and great to see this reminder of my wonderful trip!
Amanda says
This makes me miss LOST. Glad you all had such a nice time!
Ellen says
Thanks for sharing – it was a virtual vacation direly needed for this public school teacher still waiting for spring break’s DIY staycation. Last year we found a quiet wonderful spot in New Hampshire for a relaxing (much needed) actual vacation. We came back and my husband casually mentioned that his company (hq in Maui) has an apartment we can use rent free and we could go there! My fear of flight has me booking a train ticket this year for New Hampshire, but you gave me a lot of motivation to try for the Hawaii relaxing/mini adventure type vacation. If I could have my little 3 month old grandbaby along for a few days it would be awesome, but her mama probably won’t share her alone for a trip like that (which I totally get). Glad you had such a great trip – Clara is looking more beautiful and girly by the day.
Erika says
OK, so you have to choose: Hawaii or Alaska. I know it was two very different trips at two very different points in your life, but I gotta know which one gets the nod. My husband and I are planning a 5 year anniversary trip and would love your input. If you had to choose just one…..which would you rather?
YoungHouseLove says
Can’t choose! Alaska was our honeymoon so it’ll always have a special place in our heart! If you’re looking for adventure and just driving and seeing amazing things and wild sheep on the side of the highway and watching the sun set at 11:30pm it’s Alaska! If you want beaches and warmth and gorgeous scenery it’s Hawaii!
xo,
s
Joanna A. says
Oh my gosh…I LOVE the map idea! We are going on our honeymoon in May to Kauai…I’ll have to keep my eyes peeled for a map stand, such a great way to remember the trip!!
Emma says
You guys took some great photos! I always make a photo book (with Picabo) of my trips. AND I print some 8x10s or 5x7s for the wall. Your shots are definitely “print & frame” worthy :) Why didn’t you take that tropical penguin home? He’s so cute!
Jennifer in VA says
Ok, so I TOTALLY see the lady in the map and saw her before I read that you saw it too BUT, I see her head facing away from the viewer (think left ear to “Maui” title). That’s her beautiful, streaky colored hair all in a bun at the nape of her neck that you see. That would be a fun post – art/map rorshach tests. LOL.
[email protected] says
I can’t help but notice all of Clara’s adorable outfits? How do you shop for her? That could be a post… :)
YoungHouseLove says
Many things are hand me downs and the rest comes from Target and Old Navy on clearance!
xo,
s
susan says
Hubby and I honeymooned in HI :) It’s an amazing place, and we had a blast. Looks like you did as well!
Elle says
We spent our honeymoon in Maui and brought home a very similar map — also on canvas, but more sepia-colored. It’s hanging in our powder room and I often think the same thing about the shape of the island.
So much fun to look at your pictures of the road to Hana and remember our honeymoon!
Brandy E says
My Children were born in Hawaii, My mother passed away there. I miss it everyday, there is no place like it. The pictures you took ate amazing! I am happy you guys got to go there. :) <3
YoungHouseLove says
I’m so sorry for your loss Brandy. How amazing to have children born there!
xo,
s
John@ Our Home From Scratch says
Such an epic vacation!!
GreenInOC says
John, I think your tall-man pose actually looks like you are just chillaxin’. However, it does look like you’ve got something in your pocket that’s quite, shall we say, grand and quite happy to see Sherry. Kind of reminds me of the “pants tent” from Drew Carey! I can’t find a link, but Larry David addressed it too:
YoungHouseLove says
Bwahahahaha, probably just a folded map – but hilarious none the less.
xo,
s
Kristin says
Wow, your Hawaii trip seriously sounds (and looks on the photos) amazing. We would like to see Hawaii one day as well, but from europe the flight is really expensive. Maybe we will start saving money for that!
My favourite island (at least among the ones I’ve been to) is Lanzarote, one of the canary islands. If you liked the black sand beach, you should see the island. There are quite a few black sand beaches, the most spectacular one being Charco de los clicos in El golfo. It is a beach inside an old volcano crater with a lagoon that is colored bright green due to the algae living there. Just google the names and look and some pictures if you like, it’s hard to describe! Love black sand beaches!
YoungHouseLove says
Wow- that sounds awesome!
xo,
s
Brandy E says
Are*
Denise says
We flew to a friend’s wedding in Maui just months before our wedding. Needless to say, we were on a tight budget so we drove the Road to Hana and camped in the Waianapanapa State Park on a grassy slope just above the ocean. I loved waking up in the morning and unzipping the tent to see whales blowing in the sea below our campsite. The wonderful hikes, the waterfalls, and the beaches were all spectacular. Almost surreal in their natural beauty. While visiting the Palapala Ho’omau Church we learned that it is the first building to meet the sunrise on Maui and it only has a few grave sites including Charles Lindbergh’s. He, too, loved the Hana side of Maui.
As for the wedding, it was held at a lovely resort on the other side of Maui. We splurged and spent the night of the wedding at the resort. Our friends thought we were crazy for camping Hawaiian style and foregoing all the amenities of a fancy hotel. Truth is, we loved our Hana adventure. It turned out to be a pre-wedding trip on the cheap that far exceeded our expectations!
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds like so much fun!
xo
s
Tara says
What an awesome trip!! You guys definitely deserved that week of relaxation and family time:) that map is so cool – our tradition on vacation is to bring back some sort of local art to hang on our wall and Christmas ornaments:) we are going to NYC for the first time next month and I can’t wait to find something artsy there!
Lauren says
Your photos are beautiful! And they inspire me to take a great vacation even with a little one! When you rented a car, did they provide the car seat? I just wondered how you went about dealing with that issue.. Thanks for sharing!!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, we called ahead to reserve it and it was great.
xo,
s
Crystal S says
Clara talking to all the kids reminds me of my own. I have a 7yo girl and a 5yo boy, and I have def been in your shoes. Thankfully I’ve learned that most people are very understanding. Our library’s story hour was a perfect place for my kids to learn the skill of sitting crisscross applesauce, lol. Your pics brings back some sweet memories for me!
Amanda Brown says
Stunning pictures I am unbelievably jealous :) Random but wow those trees are gorgeous!
cindy says
Absolutely gorgeous!!!!!!!
Anna says
That statue (the athletic one) has popped up twice in my inbox this week. My friend just sent me a pic of her standing in front of it – in Canberra, Australia. Same statue, *slightly* different location! How bizarre?!?!?
Well there you go. Just did some research. It is a statue by John Robinson called ‘Acrobats’ and is located in 7 places around the world. Who knew!
YoungHouseLove says
No way! That’s amazing!
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
Loving the “map lady!” I agree with you, that is definitely what it looks like! So funny :)
Also, thank you for the postcard idea. What a creative and space saving way to document your trips. Do you put them all in an album of some-sort?
YoungHouseLove says
We actually drop them into a clear vase so we can reach in and grab a few to read them and reminisce from time to time.
xo,
s
Jenny says
We are headed to Borneo Malaysia this summer to finish up our two years living in Asia. I’m super excited about it! Hawaii looks beautiful and parts of it remind me of SE Asia.
YoungHouseLove says
Wow, that sounds awesome!
xo,
s
Sayward says
1. Your map is gorgeous, and I’m so sincerely happy that you guys had a great trip. It’s funny how the Internet makes you feel like you’re friends with people you don’t actually know. I’m rejoicing with you in your vacation victory!!
2. I just booked a flight from PA to Cali to visit some close college friends who moved to Hollywood and San Diego. I’ve never seen the west coast or flown alone before so I’m really excited. I’m going for the 8 days surrounding my birthday in June. Can. Not. Wait.
3. As an extreme money saver, I immediately decided to avoid the baggage fee by packing everything in my carry on, and it was encouraging to know that you guys were able to pull it off. Thanks for always sharing your money saving tips.
4. In case you haven’t seen it yourself, I came across this family’s vacation sand display method once and pinned it. I love the layered effect. Eventually I want to make my own, but I plan to etch the labels instead for a more polished look. http://pinterest.com/pin/12947917648176638/
5. The end.
YoungHouseLove says
Love that vacation sand display! Amazing! And have so much fun on your Cali trip!
xo,
s
Lindsay Butler says
We are taking our 16 month old to Arizona in two weeks. (Leaving from NY). I was wondering what you did with your car seat for, miss Clara. Did you take yours? Or did the car rental company supply one? If you did take yours, how did you “pack” or protect it for shipping?
Thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
We just rented one with the car. Worked really well!
xo,
s
Patti says
omgosh, Clara cracks me up, all up in the little girl’s business LOL! So adorable.
erica says
We stayed at the Hyatt Regency for our honeymoon and were suprised to see the penguins, too! It’s a beautiful property and all of the orchids in the lobby were gorgeous. We ran out of time for the Road to Hana, but were able to make it to the top of Haleakala. We loved Maui…glad you had a great time!
Jeni Sandberg says
So glad you had a great time on Maui! I was recently there and it sounds like we did many of the same things.
I’m obsessed with Hawaii–I even named my Etsy shop after a beach there! Next time, consider Kauai–the most awesome of the islands. I live very frugally so I can afford to go back every year!
Jessica says
Great pictures and recap. I just have one question for you, I’m going to Maui with my husband soon and we’re trying to decide if we need to rent a car for the whole 7 days that we’re there. Did you guys rent a car for the whole time or just for the Road to Hana (something we definitely want to do)? If so, where did you rent your car?
YoungHouseLove says
We used Dollar Rent A Car and used it the whole time! It was nice to have and we got a baby seat and everything.
xo,
s
Amanda says
That looks like a fabulous trip! I’ve never been to Hawaii but I’m dying to go someday! Love all the photos! :)
Andrea says
How exciting to hear you braved the entire Hana loop too! We did it in September on our honeymoon and past the seven sacred pools we passed only one car (a local in a pick up truck who looked at us like we were crazy for braving those roads in our rental convertible!) We thought it was the norm to do the whole loop but apparently not! There was lots of white knuckle driving but we survived to tell the tale and it was our favorite day of the trip!
Laura James says
We (fiance and I)are in the UK (we are Aussies) on exchange for uni, and we are going to Europe for our Easter break. We fly to Stockholm on Friday, spend two days checking out the city and then we are catching an 18 hour overnight train to Abisko, which is north of the Arctic circle to (hopefully) see the Northern Lights for 5 nights. We are then flying to Berlin for 6 days, then on to Budapest for a week and Paris for another. Or last stop is London (on the way back to Uni) to see the Harry Potter exhibition!!
We cannot wait to be on that plane on Friday. While it’s our second trip to Europe, we are so looking forward to seeing new and exciting places.
I imagine Hawaii would be amazing for a honeymoon, and from your holiday summary it’s getting a prominant spot on the ‘to see’ list.
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds amazing! Enjoy your trip!
xo,
s