My family hasn't gone on vacation together since the United Kingdoms back in 2014, so our trip to Hawaii was highly anticipated. The weather was great, and we got to experience so many fun and interesting things throughout our trip. I've got plenty of pictures to share, so I'll let them do the rest of the talking. Needless to say, this was a vacation that will be hard for my family to top in the future.
2019
Honolulu, Kannapali Beach, Lahaina
Overlooking the island of Oahu
We stayed our first week in Honolulu, shopping, eating, and observing all the sights to see. Each evening the beach had torches and hula girls to accompany the sunset, with a crowd of onlookers admiring their song and dance. We rode bikes down a 6,500 foot mountain road and hiked to incredible cliffs overlooking the island.
Riding bikes down the mountain
My mom always having fun
Which one is my dad?
My brother and mom are the silly ones of the family as you can tell from several of the pictures, and made sure to keep the rest of us laughing.
My mom and brother enjoying the view
Living on the edge
On the river with my mom
One of the coolest things about Hawaii is that any random path off the road can end up leading to the most incredible place. Whether it's a hidden lookout with a view deserving a page in national geographic, or a modeled Buddhist temple memorial nestled in a valley, it never disappointed.
Valley of the Temples
The second half of the trip was spent on Maui, where we stayed on Kannapali Beach, just north of Lahaina. We spent most of our days here hiking and driving along the coast, watching surfers ride the waves, and taking the Road to Hana.
Trying to be artsy
Palm trees providing some shade on a hot day
Taking pictures as we drove along the coast
The day winds down as the sun goes to hide behind the island
The Black Sand beach at Waianapanapa State park was amazing to see. I've seen black sand in pictures but never before in person. We followed the path and climbed further onto the large cliffs overlooking the ocean where powerful waves slammed against the rocks, creating enormous spouts of water that would shoot 20-30 feet in the air.
Black Sand Beach panoramic
Back inland a long path through the bamboo forest led my dad, brother, and I to see the waterfall in Hana. I'd heard bamboo could grow very tall, but had no idea it could get up to 60 feet in Hawaii.
Bamboo reaching up to the skies, with my 6'2" dad for comparison
It was pouring rain, and we were completely soaked while walking to the waterfall. Several visitors in past years had unexpectedly been hit by flooding and some even died. We were on high alert and only traversed the areas that were marked as safe from flash floods. Stumbling upon the waterfall at the end of the path made the trek worth it.
No matter what we did each evening, it always included an unbelievable sunset of orange and blue. The palm tree silhouettes completed the Hawaii postcard-esque pictures.
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I also had lunch with a chicken one day, so that was interesting.
We saw the historic landmarks at Pearl Harbor and then visited the National Memorial Cemetery at Punchbowl Crater. I always appreciate seeing history and taking the time to learn about events that happened before my time.
Status of King Kalakaua
Touring Pearl Harbor
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
I don't usually buy much when I'm on vacations, I'd rather spend my money on the experiences there. However, my dad and I collect antique maps, and one of his favorite galleries in the world is located in Lahaina, Hawaii. It's a small shop, but my dad got some of his first maps there. After some time and tough decision-making, I left with this remarkable map of the Polynesian islands by John Tallis from 1850. It's the centerpiece of my small but growing collection.
Polynesia, or Islands in the Pacific Ocean
Originally published in 1850 by John Tallis
This vacation was one for the books, and I'm excited to continue traveling with my family. I have no doubt I will be back to Hawaii in the future, hopefully more than once!
