My recent trip to Hawaii SOLO (yes, you read that right) was one of the single most eye-opening experiences of my life. A lot of you followed along on Instagram and were very inspired by my trip, and I appreciate you for coming along with me! I wrote a full blog post on all of my outfits, swimstuits, etc from the trip and also have a full blog post coming out this week on what it’s like traveling solo! Back to today’s blog post: everywhere I went and everything I did during my 6 day trip to Hawaii:
What island did you go to?
Oahu. I was in Waikiki for 3 nights and then 2 nights on the North Shore (which turned out to be my favorite of the two).
How long were you in Hawaii for?
I was in Hawaii for 5 nights and 6 days and wish I stayed longer. I actually tried extending my trip, but airline costs deterred me from that. My time frame was perfect, but I wanted a couple extra days to just relax and do nothing since mine was jam packed with activity. A week would definitely be ideal in my opinion.
Where did you stay? (none of this trip was sponsored, by the way)
The first 3 nights I stayed in Waikiki at the Alohilani Resort and highly recommend it. Centrally located and walking distance to everything, very great staff, and a clean/high end resort feel with an incredible infinity pool.
The last 2 nights I stayed on the North Shore at Turtle Bay Resort which I absolutely loved and highly recommend. From the second I pulled up, the staff made sure I felt special and was invested in my time there. The resort property itself was incredibly beautiful and I could have moved in to the hotel in a heartbeat. The pool was great, beach was amazing, and it was a great couple spot and/or family friendly spot as well.
What hikes did you do?
You all know I love my fitness and had to squeeze in some hiking time. The Hawaiian scenery was beautiful!
Waikiki hikes:
- Diamond Head Crater- this hike took about an hour and a half and was very crowded, recommend going early (wish I also did Koko Head)
- HooMalani Botanical Gardens- I wouldn’t necessarily count this as a hike, but it was beautiful and must be noted. It’s like a jungle scene straight out of Jurassic Park and is a national park I believe. You can park your car outside and walk the 3 miles in and back out, but I was limited on time so ended up driving through and took in the scenery that way.
North Shore hikes:
- Crouching Lion (very dangerous, muddy and steep, yet extremely rewarding once you get to the top and see the insane 360 views)
East side of the island:
- Lanikai Pillbox- very doable hike for all ages that took about 1 hour, parking is hard to find but worth it (30 min from Waikiki and 45 min from North Shore). I wish I spent more time in the cute town of Kailua which is located at the base of the hike. Some of the clearest water I’ve seen!
What beaches were your favorite of the trip?
Waikiki: Waikiki beach itself was great, just VERY crowded and touristy (which isn’t my scene). It was great for surf lessons, watching the sunset, people watching, and taking fun photos and walking through the surrounding hotels like the iconic Royal Hawaiian. But if you’re looking for peace and quiet this is not the beach for you.
North Shore: Now these are my favorite types of beaches that are peaceful, where you can create your own sandy footprints, no one is around, and you can just relax and be with your thoughts. There are a ton of great obvious ones I loved like Pipeline (huge surf), Sunset Beach (insane sunsets), Sharks Cove (very quiet and gorgeous), and Wailea, but there are also little hidden beaches and local favorites in between the neighborhoods and brush that are worth checking out!
What books did you read?
Winter in Paradise– my favorite read of the trip! So good.
The Last Mrs. Parrish– also such a good read.
Where did you eat/drink?
Waikiki:
- Coffee shops: Starbucks nearby, Oliver&Oliver coffee shop was cute + instagrammable
- Da Cove Health Bar: juice, coffee, açaí bowls, smoothies. Perfect for going after hiking Diamond Peak!
- Alohilani Hotel Pool: order the Buddha Bowl, trust me
- Duke’s of Hawaii: the #1 most popular spot for happy hour + dinner and SO amazingly fun (on Sundays they have live music and you can drink outside on the sand). I came here 2/3 nights!
- Tiki’s: great atmosphere for outdoor drinks/apps/dinner
North Shore:
- North Shore Goodies: they sell the BEST coconut peanut butter, chocolate macadamia nut peanut butter, and MORE. I came home with 6 jars! Perfect to stop at on your drive up to the North Shore.
- Shrimp Truck: right near Sunset Beach and INSANELY good
- Sunrise Shack: BEST (!!!) acai bowls, smoothies, coffee around (I went here every single morning)
- Roys Beach House: this restaurant is located on the beach at Turtle Bay Resort and was phenomenal (I ordered the cauliflower curry brussel sprouts, macadamia crusted mahi mahi, and a chocolate lava cake..just divine)
- Ted’s Bakery: heard this is amazing but didn’t have time to stop in
Eastside of the Island:
- Kalapawi Market: SO good (the best sandwiches, wraps, salads, AND banana bread). I came here after hiking Lanikai Pillbox!
Most instagrammable spots in Waikiki?
- Waikiki Beach- surfboard central
- Royal Hawaiin Hotel- pink everywhere
- Oliver & Oliver Coffee Shop- cutest cups
- Laylow Hotel- super chic + trendy
- Alohilani Pool- infiniti pool + cabanas
- Shoreline Waikiki- bright walls
- Kakaako Pow Wow- wall murals
What was your favorite thing about your trip to Hawaii?
EVERYTHING. #1 being traveling solo, exploring, being on my own schedule, doing what I wanted to do/when I wanted to do it, relaxing, reading, hiking, meeting people, etc. Every single second was incredible!
Thank you for traveling with me to the beautiful Hawaiian islands! Do you have any travel plans coming up to warmer weather? I’d love to hear and would love for you to follow along as I plan a few more fun trips coming up 😉
XO