When Zach and I got married, we dreamed of honeymooning in Hawaii. Zach’s grandparents had honeymooned there, so we thought it would be the perfect place for us to visit too. But we quickly realized that Hawaii was simply not in the budget. We promised ourselves that someday we’d make it to Hawaii. And for our tenth anniversary, we did!
Exploring the Island
When we researched the various Hawaiian islands, we were immediately drawn to Kauai. It’s known as the “Garden Island” because of it’s large amount of undeveloped mountain ranges and rainforests. The island is calm and peaceful, which is exactly what we were looking for!
From the second we first laid eyes on Kauai from the plane, we knew it was going to be special to us forever. And let me tell you, Kauai delivered on that promise! Our week long trip was the perfect amount of time to explore with out feeling rushed. I’m typically all about seeing as much as possible while traveling, but I’m thankful we didn’t island hop and instead took our time getting to know Kauai.
Although we requested a jeep, all they had left were cherry red convertibles. Driving a sports car was a little comical for us. Especially so as we tried to cram all of our luggage into the back. But it was fun to drive it around for a day before trading it in for a jeep.
One of our favorite parts of the trip was when we were driving to the north side of the island, we passed through a beachy town called Kapa’a. From the road we could see the most incredible aqua waves crashing against the beach. So we pulled over and sat on the beach for awhile, watching surfers catch a few waves.
Kapa’a wasn’t just good for watching the waves, but also for exploring! We stumbled upon the most delicious juice I’ve ever tasted at Kauai Juice Co. We even discovered a little shop dedicated to orchids called Orchid Alley. My plant loving husband picked out a coconut orchid and they shipped it home for us! It was great!
A fun fact about Hawaii? Chickens. They are everywhere! We also spotted wild pigs on occasion.
On our actual anniversary, we decided to take it slow. We spent the day relaxing at the Grand Hyatt. We relaxed in a cabana by the pool and indulged in a few too many maitais. It was wonderful.
Hanalei Bay
When we were deciding between islands when planning our trip, one of the first photos I saw of Kauai was of Hanalei Bay. So it was a must that we visit this magical place! We spent an evening exploring the beach, listening to another beachgoer play ukulele and watching the sunset.
ATV Tour
One of the stand out activities we enjoyed during our time in Hawaii was an ATV adventure. And while one of our tour mates flipped their ATV (don’t worry, they were ok!) we had the best time! And this tour wasn’t all mud and speed, there were plenty of surprises along the way. We explored bunkers, learned the history of the island, jumped in waterfalls and saw part of the Jurassic Park set.
The Napali Coast
After reflecting on our trip, Zach and I both agree that our absolute favorite thing we did while in Hawaii was a sunset cruise along the Napali Coast. It was simply breathtaking and unlike anything we had ever seen. It was wonderful to sit back and relax together. We also loved that everyone on the boat made conversation and we enjoyed this spectacular experience as a group.
Delicious Food in Hawaii
I can’t write about our experiences in Hawaii with out sharing about the delicious food and drinks we had! From fresh coconut water on the beach in Poipu to ginger beer and coffee in Lihue, we tried everything! The ginger beer from Aloha Ginger Beer was my absolute favorite! And of course, we had to get some Hawaiian shave ice.
Our resort happened to be right next to two wonderful restaurants, both with very unique experiences! We enjoyed maitais and hula pie at Duke’s and the most delicious pasta at Cafe Portofino.
One of our favorite Hawaiian dinner experiences was The Beach House. I’m not sure what was better, the delicious food or the incredible view. Either way, it was the best place we could have possibly picked for dinner on our tenth anniversary! Other stand out restaurants during our trip were The Dolphin and Kilauea Fish Market for the most amazing lunch plates!
Our Resort
When it comes to where to stay while visiting Kauai, we hit the jackpot! Our stay at The Royal Sonesta was a dream. I loved that our view wasn’t just the ocean. Instead we woke up to mountains, palm trees and a serene bay… with ocean views too! Thanks to living in the eastern time zone, we were up very early every day in Hawaii. As a result, we had the beach to ourselves most mornings. It was the best way to start our days in Hawaii!
Zach and I are so thankful that we were able to make this trip a reality. It may have been ten years in the making but it was worth every minute of waiting. We will always look back on our time in Kauai with love and can’t recommend it enough to anyone traveling to the Hawaiian islands!
