The Explore All 50 States Project
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I had heard of this place but sadly didn't get to try it until our second trip to Kauai, and I am so glad I did! If you are craving some real deal BBQ this is definitely the place to enjoy chicken, pork or beef prepared the old fashioned way inside of a "barrel" over a smoldering fire. Mike Pierce who is a former contractor from Southern California turned his BBQ hobby into two thriving hot spots for awesome eats, … [Read more...]
This magical crescent bay of Hanalei is a great place to take surf or paddle board lessons. We opted for paddle boards as there wasn’t that much surf in the afternoon and because it looked easy enough for everyone to be able to do right away. None of us had any experience paddle boarding but we were all eager to try. We went with an outfit called Kauai North Shore Surfing School and ended up with a terrific … [Read more...]
As you’re driving through this adorable little town, you must stop sample the ice cream at…Lapperts—The homemade treat was created here in Hanapepe by Walter Lappert in 1983 when he retired here and could not find quality ice cream to enjoy. He sought to create a super premium brand of ice cream using flavors and ingredients in the islands. Walter has since passed away, but his ice cream legacy lives on … [Read more...]
Taking a ride and exploring at the Smith's Fern Grotto Wailua River Cruise was a wonderful low-key introductory activity for what remained of the afternoon on our first day. We took a leisurely cruise up the lush and beautiful Wailua River while our guide gave us a narrated tour of the local area and vegetation. After the short 10 minute cruise, we docked and went ashore and hiked along a path approximately half a … [Read more...]
My absolute favorite activity on our entire trip to Hawaii was a visit to The Steelgrass Farm which is a local organic farm on Kauai operated by the Lydgate family. They grow many unique items here on 8 beautiful acres, but specialize in growing the cacao tree (which is where chocolate comes from) and offer tasting tours to teach you about sustainable farming, the amazing produce grown on Kauai, and all about … [Read more...]
There are many ways to see the Napali Coast, which is inaccessible by land. You can sail on a catamaran with about 30-50 folks, or you can go on a motorized inflatable zodiac raft with about 12 folks on a super bumpy ride. Any way you slice it, it's going to be expensive (about $150 per adult and $100 per kid) and an activity that is going to take some time (4 hours at the minimum). I don’t know what possessed … [Read more...]
Looking for something to do on rainy day on Kauai (which by the way is home to the 2nd wettest spot on earth) we happened upon Kipu Adventures, an ATV Adventure tour that ended up being the most fun and memorable activity on our entire visit. Sometimes the best things are discovered when you least expect it, and that's why you can never let bad weather ruin your good time. When I called up and spoke with Leah … [Read more...]
Also known as the valley Isle, Maui is best know for it's lovely resorts and soft sand beaches making it an incredibly popular tourist destination. My goal in visiting Maui was to try and connect to Hawaiian history and culture while partaking is some of it's more popular activities and I think we did just that. We stayed in the resort town of Kaanapali which a wonderful central location for everything we … [Read more...]
Besides visiting the chocolate farm on the island of Kauai, this was by far my other favorite activity on the entire trip. Outrigger canoeing has deep roots in Hawaiian culture and is a serious sport here in the islands with races and clubs on every island. We went with the fine folks at Maui Paddle Sports who were friendly and knowledgeable making our experience truly memorable. If you find … [Read more...]
For a really fun dinner with an awesome view make sure you check out Cheeseburger Restaurant (formerly Cheeseburger in Paradise)—The gorgeous sunset alone was worth the price of the meal but everyone agreed the burgers were also pretty terrific. I could not help myself and ordered the teriyaki burger with grilled pineapple, grilled mushrooms and swiss cheese. OMG, that is heaven on a plate right there-salty, … [Read more...]
