Claudette & Matt are back at it again with vacations filled with activities and very little relaxation!

North Side: Hanalei Bay & Princeville

Our first two days were spent in Princeville at a condo we found on Expedia.

Sealodge Beach: Secluded beach just a hop-skip-and-hike away from. Bonus: We saw a sea turtle within moments of arriving and were entertained by a rooster walking on the sand!

Tahiti Nui: If you like live music, American food and fun, add this to your list. We LOVED this place. The vibes were awesome and we got a legit Hawaiian music performance right from our table.

Ama Restaurant: After waiting over 30 minutes to be served, we ended up not getting dinner here. However, the views from this place are incredible so it still makes the list.

NorthSide Grill & Sushi: With views of town from above, this is a super cool bar with very friendly staff.

South Side: Poipu

Makauwahi Cave Trail

 

West Side: Waimea Canyon & Hanapepe

Waipo’o Falls Hike: Don’t go on the hike for the waterfall, but rather the canyon views.

Deep Sea Fishing in Hanapepe: If a “calm” day was what we got, I would probably be overboard on a so-so day. Deep sea fishing here is not for the faint of heart, or the sea sick. I was severely sea sick for the first two hours of our trip but FINALLY recovered enough to fully enjoy myself for the final four. However, the waves were so big and the boat so rocky, I was perched with my wide-legged squat stance, gripping the bar of the fishing chair the entire time. On the brightest side, Matt caught a trophy-sized yellowfin tuna weighing in at 130 lbs. Needless to say, we left with a receipt for a trophy fish fiberglass replica which currently hangs above the staircase at home. Completely worth it!

East Side: Kapa’a

Wailua Shave Ice: The most basic b thing to get and honestly I wasn’t that into it but I’m sure other people like them!

Lava Lava Beach Club: We basically lived here our last day and a half, getting lunch AND dinner. I usually make it a rule to not go anywhere twice on vacay in order to fully maximize our time seeing everything but it was very convenient, right next to our hotel and after our day of fishing I was so sore I could barely walk.

Wailua Heritage Trail / Wailua River State Park: I REALLY wanted to rent kayaks and do the whole up river down river trek but by the time we got to Kapa’a we were so beat, we opted for a little drike to check out the trail and ‘Opaeka’a Falls.