Since we took waaaaaaay too many pictures of our six night stay in Maui, we did our best to go through them all and majorly pare them down – but it still adds up to two posts (you know we like to over-share). We wish we could have taken you all with us in our suitcase, so I guess the next best thing is posting all about it. In this one, we’ll cover:
- where we stayed
- where we ate
- our “neighborhood”
- how we saved money
And in the next post we’ll detail:
- 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
Oh and over on Young house Life we just posted all about flying with a toddler and how we helped her adjust to the time difference.
So without further ado: where we stayed. We found our little condo at a resort called Aina Nalu in Lahaina (a fun walkable area on the West Coast of Maui) through HomeAway.com. This is definitely under the “how we saved money category too” since booking a room at the same resort through a travel agent or their main site could have cost a lot more (they’re billing a comparable room at $185/night right now, which adds up to $126 more over six nights), but we got it for less by going through HomeAway and working directly with the owner (who was so helpful to email directly with any questions we had)! Here in Richmond some basic hotel rooms are $150- $175 a night, so we figure that rate in paradise (for a two bedroom condo with two bathrooms, a full kitchen, and a washer & dryer, no less) is a pretty great deal. And did we mention the beach was walkable along with tons of shops and restaurants? We really loved the area and the condo itself.
One of the coolest things about the condo owners was that they made the place completely kid-friendly. They even provided a pack n play, stroller, tons of beach toys that Clara adored, and safety features like outlet covers and cabinet door latches in the kitchen and bathroom. Some research about the location (we googled around for an area of HI that was ranked high for being child-friendly) and the the five star ratings on the HomeAway site definitely helped us pull the trigger – and we were very happy with our accommodations. Here’s the lobby of the Aina Nalu resort. Nice, huh?
And here’s the main bedroom and en-suite shower (we booked a two-bedroom over a one-bedroom because Clara sleeps much better without sharing a room with us, so it was definitely worth it to us).
Many of the rooms in the resort were treated like hotel rooms (so guests went in and out with a hotel key and there was housekeeping, etc) but ours was a residence, so we didn’t have housekeeping and used a regular key to get in and out. We’re a little crazy, but we actually liked feeling like it was our little private condo instead of a hotel room that would get regular visits from folks making the bed and refreshing the towels. There were definitely enough towels to keep us happy for the duration, and there was even a washer and dryer in our unit, so we did a load of laundry half-way through the trip, which was awesome for all of Clara’s ice-cream-and-sand-covered items.
Here’s a shot of Clara in front of our door (so you can kind of see how the grounds were laid out with pathways to different rooms/buildings…
… and there were also pathways to other areas like the lobby and the two pools on the premises.
Some days it got pretty busy (so we’d head off the to the beach, drive around the island, go out for food, look for whales, embark on some other adventure that we’ll share next week), but other days we had the whole pool to ourselves, so we’d go for a dip.
It was pretty sweet.
Not only were there plenty of seats for sunning, there were also these shaded little cabanas that we loved. They were like king sized beds twenty feet from the pool.
Here are two more random “accommodation” shots for ya. You can see the second pool in the left one below, and the view back at the rooms in the one on the right.
This is just a cute pic of my girl. Is she cute, or what? We each got one item of clothing to remember the trip, so John got the blue HI shirt that he’s wearing and I got a super soft t-shirt that says Maui and Clara got pink Crocs. She calls them her “rocks” and loves them. And they were definitely handy to have in all that sand and surf (waterproof + sandproof shoes = yay).
Now for more on Lahaina. It’s a great little area on the West Coast of Maui with sweet shops and restaurants that we could walk to from our condo.
There were even a few nearby beaches that were also walkable from our resort (don’t mind the rocks on this one, there were sandy ones too)…
We especially enjoyed one called “Baby Beach” thanks to the fact that coral reefs blocked any waves, creating a shallow little kid-friendly spot for splashing around. Sure there were some rocky coral spots, but kids could easily avoid them by staying closer to the ocean’s edge (Clara didn’t try to go beyond the boundaries we set for her, especially with all the fun beach toys that we brought to keep her entertained).
Sometimes she sat about waist-high in the water and splashed around or poured buckets of water on her head (after counting to three as if to warn herself it was coming). But other times she just sat where the water met the sand and played for hours.
Of course we loaded our pasty selves up with SPF, but other than that we had no responsibilities. Cell phones were off, we only checked the blog for about 30 minutes a day, I didn’t wear makeup all week, it was glorious.
When we got hot we all took a dip.
And watched the water (beyond the reef that kept the waves out) for whales. We never saw any at this spot, but we saw a ton of them on some other beaches (more on that soon).
Since this entire beach up to that area waaaaay in the background (where you see one wave breaking) was essentially a huge sandbar, you could walk all the way out and it was only about waist deep. The view back at Lahaina – and of the island beyond – was awesome from way out there.
By comparison, Clara’s favorite view was probably this kayak that randomly floated by. She stared at it, completely speechless until it passed, and then shouted “little girl and doggy on on on on on a boat! Hi doggy! Hi little girl! Hi boat! Hi man!” She only repeats words when she’s super excited. Haha.
Other than keeping an eye out for the dog kayak, Clara had a good time covering herself with wet sand. You think I’m joking.
So now that we’ve covered the accommodations and the neighborhood beaches, we’d be remiss not to mention all the amazing grub that we enjoyed. I mean look at it. It’s like a rainbow of deliciousness.
The top left photo is the fried rice breakfast from Lahaina Coolers (we loved sitting outside and watching people and dogs go by – oh and splitting entrees when we could, since HI food can be pretty pricey). The top right photo is Loco Moco (John got a hamburger on top and I got an egg on top) from Aloha Mixed Plate (so reasonable and such a great view if you get lucky and snag a table by the beach). The bottom left are burgers from Cool Cat Cafe, which was rated the best burger in Maui (so good!), and the bottom right is a giant slice of Hula Pie from Kimo’s (another great beachfront restaurant that we enjoyed). Oh and for those with kiddos, Lahaina Coolers and Kimo’s have crayons, which always earns a little extra credit with folks like us who are desperate to keep the bean happy while we chow down (although she had her fair share of the Hula Pie to keep her happy!).
This is Lahaina Pizza Company. They had great pizza and an awesome view from their upstairs balcony (not only of the folks walking by on the street below, but of the ocean and all the cruise ships and whale watching boats that jet in and out). That look in John’s eyes is bliss, btw. Oh and I had a cold angel hair pasta salad and it was awesome.
This is a funny story. We took Clara to hibachi and only realized once the first giant fireball blazed that she was terrified. She literally screamed and then kept repeating “fire is hot!!!” while bawling. Poor girl! Apparently when kids are younger they don’t get it and when they’re older they can rationalize that it’s safe and ok, but around two seems to be the sweet spot to be terrified. We felt awful, so I stood outside with Clara (who muttered “it’s ok Clara, it’s ok” to calm herself) while John waited inside for them to make our whole meal so we could get it to go. Then we ended up chowing down on one of the cabanas near the pool back at our resort. It was kind of disastrous and hilarious all at the same time. Definitely one of those things we’ll remember for years to come when we think back on our big Hawaii trip.
Thankfully Clara was great when it came to all of the other places that we ate. If they didn’t involve flames shooting up to the ceiling, she was a-ok. Here she is with John at The Mixed Plate (which we mentioned in that food mash-up photo above).
She enjoyed a lot of the local fare (especially snow cones, ice cream, bagels, and french fries, haha) but sometimes she wasn’t into whatever we ordered so we kept a steady stock of crackers, fruit, veggies and other snacks on hand to keep her smiling. Oh and see that “Aloha” sign behind us? Clara has been learning her letters so she was saying “Das a A, das a L, das a O, das a H, das a A” and one of the waitresses was so impressed that she gave her a flower. So cute. Clara was so proud she kept sticking it against her nose and mouth and exhaling (she thinks that’s how you stop and smell the flowers, by heavy breathing on them). Wish we had a picture of that.
Oh and we mentioned that we saw some whales at a few other beaches, so here’s one diving right out of the water while we ate at Aloha Mixed Plate. Is that a sight to see, or what?
The way you notice whales at first is usually by catching a big white splash like this out of the corner of your eye. Then you hold your breath, clutch your camera with a death grip, and hope that he or she comes diving back out (which is when we got the shot above). It really is amazing to see, and even after spying a bunch of them it never got old. The fifteenth whale spotting is just as exciting as the first one.
As for other places that we ate but didn’t snap any photos, here’s that list:
- Take Home Maui (a yummy deli with delicious fresh pineapple)
- Sunrise Cafe (a really reasonable breakfast joint that locals recommended)
- Bradda Hutts (an amaaaazing BBQ stand outside of Hana – just split a chicken platter and bask in the glory)
- Auntie Sandy’s (this was a stand that we stopped at at the Ke’anae Peninsula for fresh baked banana bread)
- Sure Thing Burgers (a fun local/organic burger stand in Lahaina)
- Moose Mcgillycuddy’s (a sports-bar-ish place that we were lukewarm about)
- Cheeseburger in Paradise (not associated with the Jimmy Buffet restaurants – it was right on the water and awesome)
- Fred’s (a fun Mexican restaurant in Kihei that ended up being great – we had actually tried to go to 808 Deli but it was closed)
Ok, and John would kill me if I didn’t mention Ululani’s. He visited another part of Hawaii about 7 years ago (Oahu) which is where he learned from a friend-turned-Hawaii-native that there’s “generic” shave ice (which is made with really course chipped ice, like you’d find here in the lower 48 states) but there’s also Hawaiian shave ice that’s super super fine. Literally, it’s like snow. And that’s the good stuff. It’s like butter. But sweet and soft and divine. Yes, I just said divine. It’s official, I’m turning into my mother. Oh and here’s a quick tip about Ululani’s – they’ll add more syrup to your shave ice if you’re halfway through it and it’s tasting more icey than favorful. They’re cool like that.
Oh and although we already touched on a few ways that we saved money, here’s the whole list for ya:
- Our last big trip was five years ago (our Honeymoon to Alaska) so we had a nice long time to save up.
- We learned that flights are typically most expensive if you book them on a weekend and least expensive when you book them on a Tues night/Wed morning (we definitely noticed it was true for HI tickets). They can also get super pricey if you wait too long (about 2.5 – 3 months out seemed to be the sweet spot for us, but it probably depends on the destination).
- We used HomeAway.com to find a two bedroom, two bathroom condo with a washer & dryer and a full kitchen for $164 a night. And it was an amazing place with two pools that was walking distance from the beach (fully equipped with and a pack and play and stroller for Clara, so we didn’t have to bring them).
- We carried on our luggage instead of checking it (we packed light knowing we’d have access to a washer & dryer in our room and saved any worries of lost luggage while dodging bag checking fees).
- We bought some basic groceries like cereal and snacks for Clara to supplement eating every meal out (because when a plain bagel is five bucks at a restaurant, you do what you can to avoid that). We also cooked a few low key meals in our condo since we had a full kitchen to offset the costs of eating out.
- We split meals a bunch of times. Instant fifty percent off. Haha. And almost every restaurant served giant portions so we didn’t go hungry. We did occasionally splurge for two entrees, but often were so full that we carried half of them home in a bag (which meant free lunch the next day).
- We booked excursions/adventures online or through special vendors (there was an Expedia agent with a booth at our resort who offered a lot of discounted rates on things like whale watching tours – and the aquarium that we visited offered 10% off for booking online).
So that’s Part 1 of our little Hawaiian adventure. We’ll be back with the second half of the goods next week sometime (where we’ll detail all the adventures/excursions/activities we enjoyed, the house-related purchase we made, and the vacay tradition that we carried on in HI). Until then, feel free to chime in on this post with favorite restaurants, activities, and other things to do while in Maui or just HI in general. We’d love for it to become a great resource for anyone else who is traveling out that way!
Claire says
I never get to see your videos because I am normally at work when I read your blog, but holy cow I am glad that I checked in from a real computer tonight instead of just on my phone. Those videos of her dancing, singing, and clapping are so amazingly funny I watched them a few times over and giggled a lot. So cute! Glad you enjoyed your trip. It was EXTREMELY well-deserved! Welcome back!
Kelly says
What a small world! I actually live in Oahu and have stayed at that hotel in Maui before. I’m so glad that you had a fun time while you were here! Next vacation, you should definitely try out the Big Island when Clara is a little older and would do well on hikes, oh and the whole hot lava thing : )
Erin says
We’re in Maui right now so it’s super fun to read about some of the places you guys went to. It looks like you guys got the good watcher though: it hasn’t stopped raining and the surf has been too high to swim. Today we had to get drastic and get in thecar and just drive until we found sun (we did, eventually. We’re staying just north of where you guys did and drove down to the south side of the island. Great tip on the shave ice. Looking forward to checking if out!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, sorry to hear the weather is less than ideal Erin. The forecast before we arrived showed rain all week (I didn’t tell Sherry this) but changed as soon as we got there. Phew. Hope it clears up for you soon!
-John
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, so sorry to hear about the weather and surf! Hoping for warm sunny days for ya!
xo,
s
Lilly says
Im so happy for u guys taking a much deserved vacay n enjoing it so much. Thanx for sharing all the detalis as usual I knew I could count on u guys for that. Wow Hawaii is beautiful n ur pics are so refreshing I enjoyed them first thing this morning with my cup of coffee. Clara is the sweetest, cutest little angle and I’m so impressed by how smart she is u guys are wonderful parents (seriosly u guys are wonderful everythings). I bet she made the trip all that more enjoyable, it would have definitly not been the same without her. By the way ur cork floors r a beautiful, I don’t know y u guys didn’t call me to house sit (lol, u could have held an audition for house sitters I think some people would have paid to do so, lol) I would have done it in a half a heart beat.
L says
Great, and informative post!
What impresses me most, though, is your sensitivity to both daughter AND other diners — taking Clara outside at the hibachi place when it was obvious she wouldn’t settle, and getting your meal to go. I’ve shared waaaaaay too many restaurants with screaming children whose parents were oblivious that they and their offspring were ruining the evening for everyone else.
You guys rock in so many ways!
Emily @ Perfection Isn't Happy says
I’m going to Maui in July for my honeymoon, and reading this post made me so so excited! I’m excited to hear more about your excursions!
Jeni Sandberg says
On my recent trip to Hawaii, one of the best money saving moves I made was definitely heading to the grocery store for a fair number of my meals. Overall, the prices are shockingly high compared to the mainland, but still much cheaper than eating in a restaurant for every meal.
Take a minute to get the store’s discount card–maybe you won’t be back to HI soon, but keep it on your keychain as a happy reminder of your vacation.
I ate sushi from the grocery store every day–very yummy and fresh. You can tell the stores on the West Side of Maui are geared toward people picking up stuff to go–there is a ton of it and it moves fast!
YoungHouseLove says
Mmm, I love the sushi tip! And the discount card!
xo,
s
Natasha says
I absolutely love this blog!! You guys never fail to inspire me and make me laugh. I love all your DIY projects, your family adventures, your tips and advice…keep it coming… Thank you!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Natasha!
xo,
s
Chantelle says
Hula pie is the greatest invention ever!
Brandy in Nashville says
Wow, when you said something about a home-related purchase – my eyes got big. I thought you meant you guys bought a home there. lol
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha, that would be crazy!
xo,
s
nikki says
Brandy- I thought the same thing! I was so jealous haha!
Nicole says
What a wonderful vacation! Makes me want to go, stat! :)
mariela says
My husband and I are going to HI for our honeymoon! We are that odd couple that waited 5 months to go on a honeymoon LOL. We are staying in Oahu. From your pictures and great tips I know Maui will be a great anniversary trip for us :)
Jordin says
I love, love, love Maui!!! We went on our honeymoon and vowed to get back there someday! The place you stayed looked amazing! We have a toddler also and can’t imagine taking him on the 8 hour flight from Texas. Thanks for all the tips!
Kasey says
Where’s the sushi? :) Hawaii is so so beautiful. My in-laws are taking us to the Disney Alauni Resort this spring. We’re not excited about flying for so long with a 3 and 5-year old (especially the red-eye back, and especially after your post!), but it will be worth it. If it were up to my husband and I, we’d prefer to stay where you stayed. But we can’t argue with a free vacation! My husband’s father grew up there, so we’ve been fortunate to have visited several times. And we LOVE the shave ice (with cream at the bottom)!
YoungHouseLove says
Mmm, we definitely had our share of seafood (so fresh) – just didn’t get pics of everything!
xo,
s
annabelvita says
You two both make parenting look so fun. I love the pic of Sherry in the pool with Clara and the one of John holding Clara’s arms above her head. (And I read about the red eye nightmare too, I guess you make it seem totally worth it). She’s a lucky girl.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Annabelvita! Clara is just the funniest kid. She makes it fun.
xo,
s
Rachel@hammeringourwayhome says
Seeing these pictures on a cold, drizzly morning in Philadelphia gave me a huge smile! I’ve been itching to go to Hawaii for so long (I’ve watched 50 first dates WAY too many times, and it’s mostly for the scenery). Glad you guys had a great trip, sounds like a blast. Hopefully I’ll be able to make my own trip out there someday (when my house is livable, for starters!)
Nancy says
I got a kick out of the picture of Clara standing outside your condo. At first glance, I thought she had long hair! If you look real quick, the tree behind her makes it look like she has a braided pigtail. She’s gonna be so cute with pigtails!! Sorry to hear she didn’t like the fireballs, but it’ll be something you laugh about for a long time. When we were in Austria several years ago with our then 2-yr-old niece, she didn’t want to wear the coveralls they offer on the Salt Mine tour. She screamed at the top of her lungs, ” I CAN’T WANNA WEAR THAT!!” We still laugh about it (we were NOT laughing then) and often use her phrase “I can’t wanna” when we don’t want to do something.
YoungHouseLove says
LOL! “I can’t wanna” is in a word: awesome.
-John
Meredith says
First of all, thanks for all the vacay tips! We’re actually hoping to go to HI with our tax return, even if we don’t quite make it til next year :)
But more importantly, I want to congratulate you on having a genius daughter!!! I’m a first grade teacher, and first grade is all about reading. Most kids entering kinder at my affluent elementary school aren’t able to identify letter names! You are setting her up for so much success in school. I am just grinning ear to ear, I’m so proud of you guys! You’re rock star parents for sure, and I’m sure Clara just soaks up every little word you say :) What a sweet little smartpants.
Keep up the good work! Thanks for writing such a fun blog!!
YoungHouseLove says
Awww, thanks Meredith! Now we’re grinning ear to ear!
-John
Kelly says
Looks like an amazing time! Clara is so sweet :-) Thanks for sharing all of the tips and information.
Randa says
Never been to Maui, but here are some “must-sees” if anyone’s heading to:
* Kauai – the Napali Coast, either by boat or by helicopter (both are amazing, though some people don’t like the joltiness of a helicopter)
* Oahu – the breathtaking Windward Coast (ladies, just don’t wear a short flowy skirt that day!), the North Coast (“surfing USA”), Matsumoto’s Shave Ice on the North Coast, and snorkeling in Hanauma Bay.
Ahhhh… memories! I want to go back now! :)
Melissa says
Great post, we were just there in October with our neighbors and had the most fantastic time. We went the condo route too, it was fantastic, we saved a ton of money. We stayed in Waliea. I recommend Sensei in Kihei for a fun night out (my husband sang karoke with Comic Last Standing Winner, Jon Reep). I think my favorite part of our trip was the sunrise at Haleakala and also just driving the island. We had a jeep so we drove the whole island. I can not wait to go back and I will be taking my boys for sure next time, i think its a great place for families to vacation to.
Hannah says
Clara is looking so different lately! Still adorable as ever, but getting older, I guess!
Laura says
Ummm, who needs makeup when you look like that?! You’re a natural beauty, Sherry! Thanks so much for sharing all your trip deets. Happy weekend! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Laura. Trust me, up close it’s not so good without a little mascara and bronzer. Haha. But on vacation, I just let it all hang out.
xo,
s
Brit says
Sherry, you look so beautiful without makeup! If I were you, I don’t think I’d ever wear it!!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Brit! Up close I need it. Haha.
xo,
s
Katie Budde says
My husband and I spent 2 weeks in Maui for a one-year-late honeymoon (he had a serious sports injury 6 weeks pre-wedding, so the honeymoon got pushed back 1 year). It was AMAZING! I recommend “Maui Revealed” to anyone who goes to Maui. The authors visit Maui anonymously, so they get treated like anyone else (no special deals or special treatment) and they write about their experience – very truthfully. Definitely worth the read if you are going to Maui!
Maria says
Dude. You guys left HI at the right time! I saw on the weather channel this morning that parts of HI have had 35 inches of rain in the last few days!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so sad!
xo,
s
Sarah H. says
Looks like you had an awesome time and glad you got to take such a relaxing vacation! We just went to Oahu in June 2011 and it was amazing! We had so much fun surfing, snorkeling and hiking and the food was soooo good (definitely expensive, but good). Some of our favorites were pineapple, apple bananas and mango from the local farmer’s markets, shrimp plates from the Shrimp Shacks on the side of the road, Keo’s Thai Cuisine, and the Honolulu Cookie Company. We stayed in a hotel so we didn’t have a kitchen, but we bought a $4 paring knife and I butchered whole pineapples in our bathroom. It was a pain, but totally worth it. We had a little mini-fridge in our room, so we bought some groceries for breakfast and lunches to save some money.
Alex says
We went to Maui this past summer with our (then) 18 month old and 5 year old. We didn’t find baby beach until our last full day. Can’t wait to go back!
Danielle says
What a great recap! I went to Hawaii (Maui and Oahu) for the first time almost 2 years go (for my big 4-0 bday)and had a great time. I can’t remember everywhere we went, but I do remember Lahaina Pizza Company! Such a fun and funky town! Oh, and I think I miss Hawaii’s amazing fish tacos the most – well, that, and their beautiful weather and amazing sky.
Reenie says
I’m glad y’all had a great time…..and that Clara is so darned cute and smart. =)
Mary says
I was in Maui the week before you guys, and you are right about the whales. Seeing them never gets old! While on a boat during a snorkeling trip, a mom whale and a baby whale passed right in front of our boat. Not even ten feet away! My boyfriend stuck his underwater camera in the water and filmed it passing by. It was unbelievable. They are so big! I’m glad you all enjoyed Maui. We certainly did, too! What a magical place. :)
Sara says
Awesome! Can’t wait to go ourselves. Your tips are great. Clara is simply adorable. I wish you would have posted a picture of her in the hibachi. :-)
carly says
Read through all the comments, but didn’t see it asked, Sherry where did YOU get your bathing suit?! I love it!!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks! It’s like seven years old from a little pop up store in NYC when I lived there. It’s that line by Sarah Jessica Parker called Bitten. Embarrassingly enough, I think it was a line for juniors but it was like $15 so I grabbed it! Haha.
xo,
s
Kristi says
It’s great to see Clara so comfortable in the ocean! I teach swim lessons to young ones and it can be a challenge when the parents haven’t given them a chance to “test the waters”, so to speak, before they get to me.
Glad to see you had such a great time! And thanks for the money saving tips! My family is thinking of taking a trip to Hawaii for Christmas, so I’m sending my mom over here to read this post!
Gavin S. says
Oh my gosh…I looooooooooooove the picture of John and Clara walking down the path to the pool. Hope you are going to frame that for your desk or something! Also, cute little part your doing with Clara’s hair these days. Slow and steady wins the race–bet she’ll have Rapunzel hair one day and we’ll all look back and giggle about how far she’s come!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, someday!
xo,
s
Amanda says
This post makes me miss Maui so much! My husband and I went there on our honeymoon in October. We stayed in Kapalua (very close to Lahaina). It was so fun there. We ate at a few of the same restaurants as you Cool Cat Cafe and Cheeseburger in Paradise. Our favourite breakfast place was Lulu’s at the Cannery Mall. It was delicious!
Kristen says
Auntie Sandy’s is the best banana bread!! I live in Colorado and we order their banana bread mix online all the time for a little taste of the island
Christina says
My husband and I want to go to Hawaii but we definitely have to save up for it. Thanks for not only the great reviews of where you stayed (which looked awesome btw!), but the tips on the saving part of it as well. I’m excited for your next post for ideas on what to do when in Hawaii. You’ve motivated me to start SERIOUSLY putting away some of our extra pennies to go.
Ursie says
We’re going to Lahiana in June!!! I can’t wait! It will be our first trip to HI, hubby, 5 and 6 year old and I will go with my aunt and uncle!! It looks amazing!! Can’t wait to go!!! Thanks for sharing, looks like it’s beautiful and very relaxing!!! Bring on the sun! {you guys have got me extra excited!!}
kama says
Aunt Sandy’s banana bread was a fond memory from our honeymoon. We brought the mix back and tried to recreate it several times (not the same). What a great adventure, I would love to go back with our kids some day! This made it seem do-able!
Gretchen says
I’m so bummed I missed you guys! I was in Lanai last week and took a day trip to Maui and ate at Kimo’s! Looks like you had a blast!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw man, so sorry we missed you!
xo,
s
Amy says
I bought that EXACT same swimsuit for my daughter last year on Target clearance! :) Super cute! Glad you guys had fun. SOMEDAY I’ll make it to Hawaii…
Amy in Pittsburgh says
For anyone heading there for a vacation or wedding…we were married on Maui at Ho’oilo House and stayed there as well. We have NOTHING but great things to say about it! http://www.hooilohouse.com. Also recommend Mama’s Fish House for dinner–amazing.
But a word to the wise–the island is fairly small, so you can pretty much stay in one house/hotel/etc. and tour the whole island in a day. We booked two different places thinking that if we did the Hana drive, we should stay closer to the northern side (we were in Lahaina)–only to discover that our hotels were only about 20 minutes apart!On the map they looked much further away… :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, that’s a sweet story to tell later though! Haha. Memories…
xo,
s
Autumn says
If you get an emergency-must-have-shaved-ice without flying moment, there is a real Hawaiian owned “Shave Ice” shop in Timonium-Lutherville, just north of Baltimore.
YoungHouseLove says
Mmmm, sounds delicious!
xo,
s
Marplena says
We stayed in Lahaina 15 yrs ago (gosh, it’s been long!) for our honeymoon and loved Cheeseburger in Paradise! Loved to read you post, we are definitely coming back one day. But the flights are a bit long, 26hrs from our home in Finland:)
YoungHouseLove says
Woah that’s really long!
xo,
s
Kati says
Beautiful pictures! Clara has no idea just how fortunate she is to see whales at such a young age! Did you get out to Ka’anapali to shop at all? I always make a point to buy something for the house as a souvenir and there’s a a great store at Whaler’s Village where I found a picture frame made from reclaimed boat docs — it’s one of my favorite decor items to date.
Thanks for the tip on HomeAway – definitely checking that out next time!
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh that sounds so cool! We did make one house-related purchase in Lahaina that we’ll share in next week’s post!
xo,
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Joy Franks says
Great pictures and narrative about your trip. I’m anxious to read part 2. We’re going to Kauai for 10 days in May. We got a one bedroom condo on the beach, round trip airfare from Seattle and an unlimited mileage rental car all for $1190 each! We booked through Orbitz, went through Ebates.com and got almost $40 cash back. We’ve already booked a dinner cruise to the west side of the island and got a 15% discount online. I booked the trip in November. Then I bought my clothes on the “end of season” sales online and saved a bundle. (linen shorts for $15? Oh yeah!)
Jessica says
So happy that I read your post. My husband and I just booked a trip to Hawaii, Oahu and Maui, for our second honeymoon. Our first honeymoon (a year and half ago) was more my style, travelling around europe, visiting cosmopolitan cities. This time, we are going to paradise and relaxing on a beach, which is what my husband is dying to do. Thanks for all of the great tips.
Matt says
Ohhh, Hula Pie. That is one of my favorite desserts of all time.
Mel Heth says
Oh my gosh the dancing videos of Clara might be the cutest things I’ve ever seen! Totally put a huge smile on my face. :)