Happy in Hawaii –- Aulani & Oahu with a Toddler ~ Updated 7/20: Final Update and link to new TR!

[Captain_Oblivious]

I think I'm all caught up! Glad you made it to the Pali overlook. I really thought the views there were gorgeous, and worth fighting the wind!

Sounds like the January plans are coming along--so exciting!

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

Loved reading the details about your plans for your next Aulani/Oahu trip! And January is certainly the perfect time to get the heck out of Minnesota! (My parents liked to take our family to WDW in January much of the time we went, which we LOVED.) How exciting to be able to go back so soon. When we left Hawaii last May, I had a long list of items I wanted to do "next time." It was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but it certainly was so amazing that it pulls you back, doesn't it? I am sure you are having a great time planning and also reflecting back on your last trip there. I'm enjoying your trip report. Loved your Pearl Harbor photos! That conveyor belt sushi place looked interesting, too. (I'm not a sushi person, but can see how it would be super-fun for people who are.)

 

[Dugette]

If all goes well for me, we will be taking off from Hawaii as you are landing. Tentatively planning on Dec 30-Jan 8 but it will depend on a few critical issues here at home. I hope to do a PTR when I book the flights.

Yay, that's awesome - New Years at Aulani! I hope everything works out for you. If we might cross paths at HNL, let me know!

Your planning is meticulous, and now I want to try Ola up at Turtle Bay-a few people have suggested it to me now so I guess it is going on the list!

We really enjoyed it. You can actually eat with your toes in the sand, but we were seated just up from that, as we had a sleeping toddler in a stroller. It's a very casual place and we just loved seeing the ocean, the rainbow, and listening to the live music. Just very pleasant.

I cant wait to hear about Izzy and the horse back riding, she is such an adventurer and you are a wonderful mom for providing your child all these opportunities!

Aw, thanks! The horseback riding was...interesting. I have to admit she is a very lucky girl to have travelled so much already - and she's not even three yet!

Wow! Loving this update! I am soooo glad for you that it all worked out with the fam to do Aulani! They'll love it, I'm sure!! And I can't wait to see more of it in your future updates!!

I can't wait! We were at my in-laws' last weekend and FIL told me that he was REALLY getting excited for the time at Aulani. He has visions of going around that lazy river over and over as well as parking himself in a nice lounger on the beach.

You were cracking me up with your photo captions, btw...

Thanks, I was having far too much fun, as I don't normally caption things.

All that food sounds nummers, and I can not believe you went to Hawaii and didnt get shaved ice!! Yes, make sure to do this this time! I must lived vicariously through you, and I loooove shaved ice!

I know, I can't believe we skipped it! Thank goodness we are getting a second chance.

All of your activities sound great, it is a lot, but many small things that you can fit a bunch in one day, so I feel ya, you should be able to have more relaxation time!

I think it will work out okay, but it does seem like a lot now that I've written it out. Definitely want to do some things, but also want to just BE.

Man, this all looks so awesome! Now we need the next update from this trip!

Coming right up!

Oh! Just remembered to go back and look at the airbnb listing! Love it!

We love airbnb and have always had good experiences with them too!

Thanks, that's great to hear! First time we've tried it, but I've gotten other recommendations and I feel good about all the 5-star reviews on this unit. I think it will be a really nice home base for 5 nights.

Wow! That trip sounds awesome! I can't wait to get back to Hawaii someday!

I hope it will be very awesome - and maybe you can snag some cheap airfare and find your way back someday soon!

mmmm.... that update makes me think of all the things we did not do! I can't wait to hear about your trip!

It's just so hard to do everything. It may be a small island, but there is a lot of ground to cover.

If you are considering a cabana, I would call soon to book. You can always cancel with no charge- I think 48 (24?) hours in advance.

Thanks, I think we will do that. Do you pay at the time of the trip (vs. in advance)?

Looks like another amazing trip! I think it sounds like lots of fun! That's the thing I hate about the WDW resorts too, they are so awesome, I always leave wishing I spent more time enjoying the resort. I can't wait to hear more about this current trip as well as the one you are now planning!

I cannot tell you how much we did not want to leave Aulani. We actually came very close to adding another night to our trip at the last second (but didn't). We just wanted one more day to enjoy the resort itself. But, hey, now we get 4 more nights there!

Great pictures from the lookout! It's hard to believe that it can be so chilly in Hawaii. But I guess the wind makes things unpredictable! At least there were no bees to be seen during your visit!

Thank goodness there weren't any bees - that would be so freaky! The temps can really vary with the wind and the elevation changes. Luckily, I was prepared and brought the jackets.

It sounds like a great plan for your next trip. I would have a list of activities as well. I do love relaxing at the beach and pool but I can do that here on the East coast! And ending your trip at Aulani will be amazing! Excited to read more about the last trip and your plans1

I'm super excited for this next trip! Despite still having a list, it helps to know that we did a lot of the touristy things the first time around and don't need to repeat most of them. I'm really looking forward to that time at Aulani, though.

Thanks for posting this - good detail and reminder of the trip you have coming! I think your plan overall makes a ton of sense to do more of the exploring prior to going to Aulani and then trying to spend more time just at Aulani (especially since Dug didn't get much time there last trip). And will be great that Izzy is old enough for the kids club so you can have more time at the pool and just time on your own.

I am excited that Izzy will be old enough for the kids' club! Not that I want to just ditch her, of course, but it's something she will likely enjoy AND it will give us a chance to take some small breaks and recharge and/or hang out with the other adults. That was the hardest thing about the time where Dug was away last time - I had NO breaks from childcare the whole week. Nobody to relieve me at all. And it would have been so nice just to have even 15 minutes here and there to be off-duty. I mean, when she napped in the stroller, that was great, but it still didn't allow me to go down a waterslide.

I love how Dug's requests are Sushi on a conveyor belt and Shrimp from a truck. Not just food requests, but food delivered in a very specific way

Actually, I had originally written conveyor belt sushi and he wanted me to change it to just sushi, as he doesn't care how it's delivered, he just wants fresh island sushi. So, that one is not as specific. But the shrimp trucks are a must-do (and the Giovanni's truck also has hot dogs, so Izzy and I will be happy too).

Glad you enjoyed the catamaran tour as those types of things can vary in quality but also how a toddler does with them. Combining that with a Whale Watching tour seems like a great idea!

Izzy and I both had a really good time on the catamaran. Very good quality company, plus Izzy made a little friend. I cannot wait to see whales, though!

That luau-like show sounds pretty nice and to be for free is pretty cool!

It's a fun show and nice that they put it on for guests. It's not a full luau, but it's entertaining and convenient. And Dug missed it last time, so I'm sure he will want to catch it. And maybe Izzy is old enough now that she won't get in trouble for rushing the stage when Minnie comes up.

so I have to say I first was reading this on my phone and saw it described as "terrifying" and got my sense of perspective all messed up and though it was actually huge and that was Izzy waking on the top of a giant log and thinking - My goodness, that is quite a crazy set up!!! .... Then realized that in reality is a handrail that is much closer to the camera than Izzy is.

That is awesome and I never noticed that perspective issue!

Your plans look great - I'm so jealous! We have decided to wait to go until 2018 when the baby girl is 3 - seems so far away!

Sorry you have to wait so long, but it may just fly by with a little one to care for (I know that the last 3 years has gone by in the blink of an eye for me ). The nice thing is that both kids can go to Aunty's together and you'll be able to have some couple time.

The place you rented through Airbnb looks amazing!

Thanks, I think it will be great for the first half of our trip!

Love the plans!! We still have none for Hawaii though would definitely like to plan a trip to Aulani and then head to Maui or something. Still working on DH's parents who once joked about treating the whole family to a Hawaii trip

Yes, keep working on them. You never know when a "joke" is not really a joke. It would be a really nice extended family trip (well, I say that now - hopefully I still will be after doing it).

Yeah, Aria would have been terrified of that play area too hopefully having an older kid around she will learn it is fun.

I am hoping that will help. It's especially troublesome because they do not allow parents on the structure at all. So I couldn't hold her hand or anything. And when she was up there crying, the water was so loud that she couldn't even hear me calling to her from below, so she had no idea where I was. Makes me sad just thinking of it. I hope having an older friend to go on with her will be good.

Your January trip to HI sounds so wonderful. The condo will be fun, and of course staying at Aulani again will be great. The shrimp trucks seem like a lot of hype, but it was interesting to try it. And the shrimp was good. Izzy is so cute, I hope you are enjoying your summer.

Thanks! I think this will be a nice combination of venues for the trip - some time in different accommodations on different parts of the island. Dug's really looking forward to trying the shrimp, so glad you liked it. We are having a good summer so far, hope you are too!

I think I'm all caught up! Glad you made it to the Pali overlook. I really thought the views there were gorgeous, and worth fighting the wind!

Welcome back! It amazed me how many gorgeous views there were around the island, and Pali certainly was one of them.

Sounds like the January plans are coming along--so exciting!

I can't wait!

Loved reading the details about your plans for your next Aulani/Oahu trip! And January is certainly the perfect time to get the heck out of Minnesota! (My parents liked to take our family to WDW in January much of the time we went, which we LOVED.) How exciting to be able to go back so soon.

For sure - January/February is always the best time to escape MN! It's going to be a bit tricky with my work year-end (accounting), but the CFO gave me the OK, so we'll make it happen - and maybe, if this goes okay, I can take future trips in the awful months (we've stayed away from that, due to work).

When we left Hawaii last May, I had a long list of items I wanted to do "next time." It was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but it certainly was so amazing that it pulls you back, doesn't it?

It definitely pulls you back. Especially when you can find bargain airfare!

I am sure you are having a great time planning and also reflecting back on your last trip there. I'm enjoying your trip report. Loved your Pearl Harbor photos! That conveyor belt sushi place looked interesting, too. (I'm not a sushi person, but can see how it would be super-fun for people who are.)

Thanks! I'm not a sushi person either, but it was a fun experience.

 

[Dugette]

Beaches & Dreams

After getting our fill of the Pali Lookout, we made our way to the Windward side of Oahu (east coast). Our next destination was a “dream beach” that I’d seen about a billion recommendations for, called Lanikai Beach. It’s somewhat of a secret beach, as it’s hidden away behind a residential neighborhood with no parking lot. We weren’t going here to have beach time, though, just to take a look and savor the paradise that is one of the world’s most beautiful beaches. It was about 80 degrees out now, by the way.

We managed to find a parking spot along the street:



The beach was somewhere to the right, behind the row of houses. However, we weren’t sure how close we were to a beach access point, so I went out to explore while Dug and Izzy waited in the car to see if we were in the right place. I walked down the nearest cut-through between houses to see what I’d find and this was the view:



Pretty! But where was the beach? This was my view to the right:



Ahhhh, so THERE’S the beach WAY down there! Also, I was amazed at how close this house was to the ocean:



I returned to the car to report my findings to Dug. We had already driven around quite a bit looking for parking and this was the first spot we found, so we decided to just keep the spot and walk down the street until we found a beach access path. This ended up being a fairly long walk, along the edge of the street, with no sidewalk. We may have been better off going to nearby Kailua Beach, as it had a big parking lot and was easily accessible. Oh, well. We walked and walked, then finally found a promising pathway between the houses:



Dug and Izzy went to check it out and get their first glimpse of the beach:



Ahhhh, there’s that beautiful view:



Once we got down there, I realized that I’d PACKED sandals for us, but failed to actually bring them down to the beach. Oops. No big deal, we’d just take our shoes/socks off, right? Well, Izzy was quite scared of the sand and it took awhile to convince her that her feet would be okay:



Success:



She also seems to have found a nice leaf to hold.

Izzy and I went to go take a walk down the beach and back while Dug stayed to watch our stuff and snap some photos. It looks like we picked up a new friend, but I think she just happened to be walking by us :



A couple of Dug’s pics:





It really was a beautiful beach. Next visit, I think either this or Kailua Beach would be a good place to take the family for some beach time. Izzy and I walked quite a ways down the long beach and there were a lot of people enjoying the day there (more than you can see in these pictures from one end). Izzy was very nervous when we got close to the water flowing in on the sand, but she did okay walking along with me. On the way back, she got brave and decided she wanted to stand in the sand while a small wave washed up to her feet. Well, that was all fine and good until she panicked as it hit and fell smack on her butt into the wave. She was not at all pleased about that one. Plus, now her shorts and diaper were soaked and I hadn’t thought to bring a spare pair of shorts along that day. Oops! I carried sopping wet and traumatized Izzy back to where Dug was waiting:



I believe that Dug took a few moments to walk down to the water and dip his feet in. We also took a few pictures:





We helped clean the sand off each others’ feet and get shoes back on (of course, we still ended up getting sand all over the floor of the car and Izzy’s carseat).

Probably my highlight on this beach was watching a lady paddle away into the calm, beautiful ocean (also, I'm finding it hilarious that Dug pans over and finds women in swimsuits and quickly turns the camera away ):

(click to watch)

On the long walk back to the car, Izzy enjoyed pointing out all the large, decorative rocks in peoples’ yards. She was naming them: "Mommy, Daddy, Baby, Doggie, Meow Meow." It was pretty cute. Little rock families.

Once we got to the car, I changed Izzy into a dry diaper and laid her shorts out to dry, just putting her in the carseat in her diaper until the next destination. Lanikai Beach ended up being a longer stop than anticipated and we didn’t pull away from there until 4:33pm, with several more planned stops before dark.

We drove down the coast a bit until we got to our next pull-off, the Makapuu Overlook. I was going to put Izzy in her jacket for this, as it was long enough to cover her diaper, but she wanted her damp shorts instead, so we went with that.

There were, once again, some very nice views to be enjoyed:







That is Manana Island, more commonly known as Rabbit Island. I think you can see the rabbit head shape pretty well from this angle.

Let’s just look around some more:



Oh, and this couple had no use for guardrails :



Izzy admiring the rabbit:



Izzy and I enjoyed watching the hanglider:







I don’t think we have a picture of it, but the hanglider actually came up almost right next to the overlook at one point. Pretty awesome.

And, of course, we can’t forget to take a family selfie in the wind (yes, it was windy there too):



Bye-bye, bunny:



Bye-bye, hanglider:



By the way, this area is also home to the Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail, which I had hoped to walk with Izzy during our trip. It’s completely paved, so stroller-friendly, but a very nice and scenic trail. Well, spoiler alert, I never had time to do it, so now I’m looking forward to it next trip. In a way, maybe that’s better, as it will be whale season and it’s common to see migrating humpback whales from the views on this hike.

Anyway, we moved on to the next small leg of our journey, stopping not too far down the road at the Halona Blowhole. This is a natural wonder that can sometimes cause water to shoot 30 feet in the air. Here’s a picture I borrowed from the internet of what it COULD look like:



Keep that in mind. First, we looked in the distance and saw another island, possibly Maui:



And the Oahu shoreline:



We watched and watched, but the blowhole was not impressive on this day:





The most we saw were some nearly imperceptible mists/sprays. Oh, well, still a pretty view and pleasant enough stop. See, pretty:



Up next: One more scenic view, a quick sunset tour of Waikiki, a dinner break at Aulani, and back to the airport to send Dug to California!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

That beach looks really nice - did you ultimately find a better spot that would be to park? Just thinking if you do bring the broader family there next time.

That video was hilarious where Dug films the women in bikinis and quickly pans down to you and Izzy - showed lightening fast reflexes there

Aw, sorry about the wave and Izzy, and wet sand is no fun. Cute story about the rock family though

That's a great picture - Izzy seems very excited about this selfie!

Bummer about the blow hole not, well, blowing

 

[schmass]

Sorry you have to wait so long, but it may just fly by with a little one to care for (I know that the last 3 years has gone by in the blink of an eye for me ). The nice thing is that both kids can go to Aunty's together and you'll be able to have some couple time.

Being able to put them both in Aunty's is 90% of the reason we've decided to wait until she's 3!

Those are some beautiful pictures throughout the entire update!

It definitely looks like that lady is walking with you and Izzy on the beach - too funny.

Rory keeps doing the same thing with the labeling everything mama, dada, baby (or Ro-ro as he calls himself). I keep trying to get him to name Roro AND baby.

 

[Leshaface]

Dug’s parents and his sister/brother-in-law found their 1-bedroom condos on VRBO, I think. We found ours on Airbnb. They are all in the same neighborhood and pretty nearby. I think they are all very nice, but I am really excited about ours. I think you can see it here (lots of pictures):

If we didn't have DVC, we would definitely be going through one of these websites! Always such a bargain.

Whenever I think Hawaii, I always think beaches, waterfalls, sand, etc. Not skyscrapers!

Aulani!!!

Eeek!

I was able to get three Studios through my points person (standard view for us and DS/DBIL and upgraded island view for Dug’s parents, at their request)

DH and I sat down yesterday to look at points for October and will probably end up doing the Ocean View Studio, but it all depends on if people are joining us or not, then we'll have to downgrade the view and go for a bigger room. Either way, I think we're going!

We cannot wait to be back at Aulani!

DH was asking if there was anything to really even do there and I told him that I'm lucky that I have many friends here that have gone so we'll have tons of info before we leave Ideally, it would be nice to do a full week but with DH's work schedule that won't happen. Would you think 5 night/6 days is enough??

Also, I was amazed at how close this house was to the ocean:

Imagine if they had a tsunami That's all I ever think about for beach homes. I'm kinda morbid.

So beautiful!

She also seems to have found a nice leaf to hold.

I swear, Izzy and DS could be siblings. He still picks up leaves to this day! Or if he sees a pile of them he'll start jumping and saying, "Muddy Puddles!" from Peppa Pig

I love taking Panoramic shots.

She seems pretty pleased for just getting knocked down!

also, I'm finding it hilarious that Dug pans over and finds women in swimsuits and quickly turns the camera away ):

quickly turns the camera towards his loving wife and daughter

I feel like, since becoming a mom, everything makes me NERVOUS!!! And this makes me uncomfortable. Did you hear yesterday or the day before, Nick Cave's (musician) son fell off a cliff and died?

Letting Dug borrow some of your hair for a mustache

Beautiful!

 

[maloned]

We also went to Lanikai Beach. It was amazing. We heard about it on a podcast. It was awesome! It would be a dream come true to live there! It was a highlight to our Aulani vacation. Our photo album: https://goo.gl/ad6HlG

 

[cindianne320]

Oh poor Izzy getting wet from the wave/sitting down! Sounds like she took it in stride, though.
What a beautiful beach- loved the video and Dug panning away!

Halona Blowhole

I believe that is the same Blowhole we saw on our honeymoon, and it was definitely more exciting than the day you were there- bummer- but something to look forward to on future visits!

 

[Denovagirl]

Love all the scenery!!

Sounds like you got a lot of sites in on this day, now when you go back you'll be able to know which ones you want to redo and spend more time! Yay!

 

[AZMermaid]

That Rabbit Island place is gorgeous!!!

My kids also walked around in wet clothes a bit in Hawaii.

They charge you for the cabana when you are there, so prepayment required!

maloned- I love that pic on your balcony. I wish we would have thought to do that!

 

[alohamom]

Aulani photo to do list

1) Family selfie in the lobby inspired by Dugette, Dug and Izzy
2) Balcony evening family portrait inspired by Maloned family

 

[Jackiemarie21]

So beautiful! im glad you found a better place to see from. Izzy looks so happy once she gets used to the sand.

 

[Imagineer5]

That beach looks beautiful and worth the walk! Would be nice to spend some time there, pack a lunch, etc. Glad that rocky ledge wasn't what everyone was raving about hahaha

That is nice to have many things to look forward to on the next trip, but especially things you missed from this one - that walk sounds perfect (and very nice that it is stroller friendly!). The hang glider must have been really neat to watch!

 

[DVC Tori]

Amazing photos!!

Staying at Aulani would be a dream come true for me !

 

[hokieinpa]

That really is a beautiful beach - it looks like a great spot for a family beach day for your next trip!

Poor Izzy! I think it's pretty much guaranteed that kids will fall in the sand/water if they are wearing regular clothes and you have no extra pants. Wearing a bathing suit? She would have stood her ground for sure!

Lovely overlooks again! Great family selfie!

 

[Dugette]

That beach looks really nice - did you ultimately find a better spot that would be to park? Just thinking if you do bring the broader family there next time.

I think better spots are hit-or-miss, given it's just street parking. Further down the road would be better, but availability is questionable. If we dropped off Dug's dad, it could work, maybe. Or going to Kailua Beach might be better, as it has a parking lot and is still beautiful.

That video was hilarious where Dug films the women in bikinis and quickly pans down to you and Izzy - showed lightening fast reflexes there

I had a good laugh when I saw it.

Aw, sorry about the wave and Izzy, and wet sand is no fun. Cute story about the rock family though

Yeah, she was not happy to plop on her butt in the water. But the rock families were really cute!

That's a great picture - Izzy seems very excited about this selfie!

Thanks. She loves seeing herself in the camera.

Bummer about the blow hole not, well, blowing

Kinda blew.

Being able to put them both in Aunty's is 90% of the reason we've decided to wait until she's 3!

Makes sense to me! We wouldn't have gone pre-3 had we not gotten the deal we did.

Those are some beautiful pictures throughout the entire update!

Thanks, you really can't go wrong with any scenery along that drive.

It definitely looks like that lady is walking with you and Izzy on the beach - too funny.

I know, I was looking at pictures and was like, "Who is this? Should I know her?" I mean, maybe she made a passing comment or something, but it totally looks like she's with us.

Rory keeps doing the same thing with the labeling everything mama, dada, baby (or Ro-ro as he calls himself). I keep trying to get him to name Roro AND baby.

Aw, that's cute - and I'm sure he'll figure out to add baby. Writing this from my notes made me realize that Izzy used to say "Mommy, Daddy, Baby, Doggy, Meow Meow" and now she says "Mommy, Daddy, Izzy, Bailey, Kitty". So, it grows and evolves!

If we didn't have DVC, we would definitely be going through one of these websites! Always such a bargain.

Good for non-DVC travel destinations, at least!

Whenever I think Hawaii, I always think beaches, waterfalls, sand, etc. Not skyscrapers!

Yep, you are right about MOST of the island, but the highly populated part is, well, highly populated. The famous Waikiki Beach has skyscrapers behind it.

Eeek!

DH and I sat down yesterday to look at points for October and will probably end up doing the Ocean View Studio, but it all depends on if people are joining us or not, then we'll have to downgrade the view and go for a bigger room. Either way, I think we're going!

Yay, that's awesome that you're planning a trip! This is for your 10th anniversary, right? An Ocean View would be amazing, but you really can't go wrong with anything - we loved our Standard View. And there are views all over the resort, even if not on your own balcony. Once you are deciding things, check out the Aulani Villas & Views thread - very helpful info and pictures!

DH was asking if there was anything to really even do there and I told him that I'm lucky that I have many friends here that have gone so we'll have tons of info before we leave Ideally, it would be nice to do a full week but with DH's work schedule that won't happen. Would you think 5 night/6 days is enough??

Honestly, I'd squeeze in the longest stay you possibly can. It really does fly by and I don't think you'll be bored. If 5 night/6 days is what you can do, then do that and you'll be fine. We had 9 nights last time and will have 9 this time (5 at Turtle Bay and 4 at Aulani) and I think that was about right - though we did want to stay another night or two last time.

Imagine if they had a tsunami That's all I ever think about for beach homes. I'm kinda morbid.

Yeah, I was thinking about what would happen if the water levels were up or there were big storms. Not much leeway there.

So beautiful!

I swear, Izzy and DS could be siblings. He still picks up leaves to this day! Or if he sees a pile of them he'll start jumping and saying, "Muddy Puddles!" from Peppa Pig

Haha, cute! Nothing like a good leaf!

I love taking Panoramic shots.

It's nice to have some when the vistas are this good.

She seems pretty pleased for just getting knocked down!

Yeah, that was back when she recovered from things quickly (unlike now, when the upset just drags on and on...)

quickly turns the camera towards his loving wife and daughter

I feel like, since becoming a mom, everything makes me NERVOUS!!! And this makes me uncomfortable. Did you hear yesterday or the day before, Nick Cave's (musician) son fell off a cliff and died?

Oh, I agree. I'm always thinking through worst-case-scenario things now. I hadn't heard about that until I saw your post the other day - yikes! The day I saw that was the same day I heard a toddler drowned at the Art of Animation pool , so I understand the whole nervousness-with-a-kid thing.

Letting Dug borrow some of your hair for a mustache

Well, I'm generous that way.

Beautiful!

Can't get enough of those views!

We also went to Lanikai Beach. It was amazing. We heard about it on a podcast. It was awesome! It would be a dream come true to live there! It was a highlight to our Aulani vacation. Our photo album: https://goo.gl/ad6HlG

Yes, it's really picturesque there!

I loved your pictures! You have a ton of great shots and your girls are just adorable! Seems like your little one shares Izzy's fondness for Minnie! Very cool to see all the scenery and some of the same spots we were in. I see you went to Aoki's for shaved ice - did you like it? We didn't stop for any, but want to next trip and I hear Aoki's has shorter lines than the more-famous one and is just as good. Anyway, thanks for sharing the album!

Oh poor Izzy getting wet from the wave/sitting down! Sounds like she took it in stride, though.
What a beautiful beach- loved the video and Dug panning away!

Yeah, she handled it pretty well. She was briefly upset, but got over it. I don't know that she'd bounce back so quickly these days. The beach was really beautiful!

I believe that is the same Blowhole we saw on our honeymoon, and it was definitely more exciting than the day you were there- bummer- but something to look forward to on future visits!

Oh, that's cool that you saw it! Yes, maybe we can get back there next time!

Love all the scenery!!

Thanks, it's hard not to love it!

Sounds like you got a lot of sites in on this day, now when you go back you'll be able to know which ones you want to redo and spend more time! Yay!

We really did do a LOT this day. It helps to have seen so many things before so we know what Dug's mom might want to see/do.

 

[Dugette]

That Rabbit Island place is gorgeous!!!

It's pretty cool!

My kids also walked around in wet clothes a bit in Hawaii.

If you gotta be in wet clothes, at least Hawaii is a sensible place for it.

They charge you for the cabana when you are there, so prepayment required!

Thanks, I need to get this taken care of!

maloned- I love that pic on your balcony. I wish we would have thought to do that!

Yes, that was a good idea!

Aulani photo to do list

1) Family selfie in the lobby inspired by Dugette, Dug and Izzy
2) Balcony evening family portrait inspired by Maloned family

So beautiful! im glad you found a better place to see from. Izzy looks so happy once she gets used to the sand.

It was worth a stop, but I wish we'd been able to park a bit closer (and brought spare shorts for Izzy). She did have a good time until she fell.

That beach looks beautiful and worth the walk! Would be nice to spend some time there, pack a lunch, etc. Glad that rocky ledge wasn't what everyone was raving about hahaha

I agree on all counts. I hope we can get back there or to the nearby Kailua Beach with the family. FIL is worried about mobility issues in general (he has a heart condition and cannot walk far without a rest - and is so concerned about it that he talks about not going at all ), so I'm not sure what our best option is for him - but he wanted to enjoy a beautiful beach and does well in the water.

That is nice to have many things to look forward to on the next trip, but especially things you missed from this one - that walk sounds perfect (and very nice that it is stroller friendly!). The hang glider must have been really neat to watch!

I was really upset that I didn't have enough time for that walk, so this is great! Of course, these days, who knows if Izzy will even ride in the stroller, but I'd like to do it anyway. Especially if I can see whales! Oh, and the hang glider was just amazing to see!

Amazing photos!!

Staying at Aulani would be a dream come true for me !

Thanks! It really is a wonderful resort! Certainly a dream come true for us! I hope you can get there someday.

That really is a beautiful beach - it looks like a great spot for a family beach day for your next trip!

Yeah, I hope we can get back there (see above comment about FIL). I'd like to spend more time there vs. the quick walk-through we did last time.

Poor Izzy! I think it's pretty much guaranteed that kids will fall in the sand/water if they are wearing regular clothes and you have no extra pants. Wearing a bathing suit? She would have stood her ground for sure!

Sounds about right!

Lovely overlooks again! Great family selfie!

Thank you!

 

[Dugette]

Small White Dog Required

After our attempt at seeing the Halona Blowhole in action, we headed just up the way to the Lanai Lookout. Since it was nearby, the views were all very similar to what we’d seen already, but still very enjoyable. A few pictures from the brief stop:









It was getting to be nearly dusk by the time we finished there, so we hit the road:



Dug wanted to see some of the Waikiki area sights, but we didn’t want to spend the time to stop at Ala Moana Beach Park, which had been one of my original plans (has nice views of Diamond Head and you’re on the beach and there are nice stroller paths – never made it there, though). Instead, Dug navigated and I drove us around Waikiki. We saw Diamond Head (I’ll be returning there on the last day ), Koko Head, Koko Crater, and Waikiki Beach just enough to satisfy Dug. My favorite, though, was driving through a ritzy neighborhood where EVERYBODY was out walking their tiny, white doggies. It got to the point where we were just laughing at the fact that it seemed this neighborhood required people to have a tiny, white dog before taking up residence. There were some very nice neighborhoods and houses with stunning ocean views, by the way.

Our original plan had been to eat dinner at Kona Brewing, along our scenic drive (near Waikiki). However, we decided to skip that in favor of seeing the Waikiki sights before it got dark. We will probably get back next trip, though, as Dug's dad has requested a meal there. And it was nice to see Waikiki by sunset, so I think we made the right call.

Once we drove across the island and parked back at Aulani, we had another unplanned activity to pursue. Back when we first landed in Honolulu, Dug turned on his phone and checked Facebook and – huge coincidence! – saw that his dad’s cousin (who lives in Canada) posted that he’d just arrived at his Ko Olina resort for a family vacation. What?!?! We found out that he was staying at the Marriott and said we’d stop by to visit if we had time. After all, Aulani is next door to the JW Marriott (which is now the Four Seasons Resort, I believe), so we could just walk right over. We made our way along the beach path and there it was:



Except, as it turns out, they were at the OTHER Ko Olina Marriott, the Beach Club. That resort was the other direction, a couple resorts/lagoons down – too far to go this night. We decided to try to meet up later in our trips, if possible. We walked back along the very quiet lagoon:



We were hungry for dinner by now, so decided to try out Aulani’s Ulu Café. I saw this in a display case and found it amusing:



I mean, I know that Spam is very popular in Hawaii, but I can’t say I’d ever seen a Mickey head of Spam before this.

We all shared a bag of Maui Style Chips to see what the fuss was about (they were quite tasty ):



Izzy had a pouch and milk with her chips:



(So funny for me to see this now, as she was obsessed with pouches on this trip, but now – 8 months later – she is totally over them and has zero interest).

Dug and I each went with a flatbread. He got a Kalua Pork flatbread:



I tried to keep it simple on my questionable tummy and got a Margarita flatbread:



It was good and I think I ate a lot of it, as I was pretty much starved by that point. However, no surprise, I was up sick in the middle of the night again. Guess that’ll teach me to eat in Hawaii! So far, the stomach bug I’d gotten just prior to the trip was really making it hard for me to enjoy any of our planned meals and snacks this trip. Ugh. Dug enjoyed his flatbread and had no ill effects.

Towards the end of our meal, a CM came around offering free Pumpkin Shake samples. I think we all had one, but I only have pictures of Izzy enjoying hers:





Our original plans had us all napping for a bit prior to leaving for the airport. However, our unanticipated beach walk and just general behind-scheduleness meant that we didn’t have enough time left for that. Instead, once we arrived back to our room, Dug went into a packing frenzy and I got Izzy ready for “bed.” In case you’ve forgotten, since this TR has dragged on forever, Dug had to leave during the middle of our trip to attend a mandatory retreat for his relatively new job. It was a real bummer timing-wise, but it has been worthwhile overall (especially now that we get to go back to Hawaii and he will have more time there with us). Because I was driving Dug to the airport (would be rather expensive to get him there any other way and we had the rental car), Izzy had to start her night’s sleep in the car. So, I put her in jammies and she insisted on jelly shoes:



Cute!

After we had everything squared away, I had to go down to the ramp to retrieve the car. I wasn’t feeling good at all by then. My stomach wasn’t too upset yet, but I was just SOOOOO tired. I was not liking the idea of driving all the way across the island twice, with a sleeping kid in the back, when I was this tired. You can see my excitement in this elevator selfie :



Once I got to the car, I realized I’d forgotten to grab some much-needed pop for the road. I sent Dug a text to grab me a can from our fridge and bring it down with him (he was bringing Izzy and his luggage down to meet me at the main door). Soon, he and Izzy met me at the car and it turns out he didn’t see my text. I remember being irrationally irritated that he didn’t bring me pop. He told me to go into the gift shop and buy some while he loaded up Izzy and his bags. I did, but I really hated paying $2.77 for a 20 oz. bottle of Diet Coke when I really wanted a can of Diet Dr. Pepper, which I had a stock of in our room. Yeah, I wasn’t in a good mood at all that night. At least I had something caffeinated to drink, though.

I think we got on the road at least reasonably close to our 9:30pm goal (his flight was at 11:50pm). Izzy fell asleep and I stayed awake, so that was good. Not sure where I took this, but probably the airport:



And, yes, she is fully buckled in, but just hanging her head REALLY far to the side. Gotta snuggle with that blankie. She loves her blankies! (She’s sleeping with six of them right now!)

The Honolulu airport is ridiculously confusing, but I managed to get Dug dropped off successfully. It was sad to say goodbye, but it was what we had to do.

I drank lots of Diet Coke and we made it back to Aulani just fine (thankfully, no real traffic at that time of night). Izzy was still sound asleep:



This night was one of the very few times in her life that that carseat-to-stroller transfer was successful and she stayed asleep:



Poor baby was even more tired than I was!

Meanwhile, Dug got on the plane and found that his seat was against a wall and, therefore, would not recline (on an overnight flight where everyone was likely going to be sleeping):



He didn’t have anyone next to him, though, so that was nice. (Guess they didn’t want non-reclining seats! ) Dug listened to his Deep Forest soundtrack and tried to sleep, but ended up in a kind-of half-awake state all night. He was not particularly well-rested to start his retreat, but he was okay.

I apparently got Izzy out of her stroller and into her sleepsack, then into her pack ‘n’ play – still sound asleep:



I was right behind her. We were wiped out!

Up next: A MUCH slower-paced day!

 

[Imagineer5]

Wow, what a busy evening!! Glad you saw the sights that Dug wanted to see though. That was really unfortunate timing for his retreat, but it was so nice how his company worked with you guys to get the flights to/from Hawaii vs. home. I can't wait to see how your mommy/daughter time panned out, as that is some of my favorite time with Aria.

That is funny about walking to the wrong resort - ugh!! Hopefully it was still a nice beach walk though. That spam thing looks SOOOOO gross omg. I am literally disgusted.

Nights like this make me very thankful for the magical express, I'd have just shuffled DH onto that thing and said goodbye at the resort!! Esp with poor Izzy sleeping but glad she slept the whole way and for the transfer to her bed.