Day 1 Itinerary

You landed in Hawaii and you’re ready to GO! Except you’re not. You’ve likely been traveling since the wee hours of the morning (Hawaii time) and now you’re ready for bed and it’s mid afternoon. My tip for Day 1 – and I’m counting the day you LAND in Hawaii as Day 1 – is to give yourself some grace!

Get to your hotel, Air BnB, resort, etc and get settled in. BUT – DO NOT – I repeat DO NOT – take a “nap”. Normally I’m a big proponent for napping, but in this situation, NO NAPS!!! Put on some walking shoes and head out to explore. You may want a quick shower after travel, but DO NOT nap!

First up, explore the area around where you’re staying. If you’re on or near the beach (and that’s a pretty good bet) take a walk along the shoreline. There are wonderful sidewalks, lots of people to watch, and there is NOTHING as invigorating as the sea breeze blowing in your face. Don’t let the sound of the waves lull you to sleep – but let the activity of the beach get you enthused for your Hawaiian vacation!

You’re gonna see ABC Stores – go ahead and just go in one and check it out now! Pretty much anything you need, an ABC is going to have it, and you can find one on just about every block. Remember to throw a reusable shopping bag into your bag or back pocket, because you’re going to pay for every bag in Hawaii.

If you need a snack or a drink, pop into one of the many establishments that you pass as you walk and enjoy. You’re in Hawaii, so as a wise man once told me – “If you go to Hawaii and DON’T have a Mai Tai…did you REALLY go to Hawaii?” Ha ha. Explore, have a drink, grab a snack, and start looking for where you’re going to have dinner.

Day 1 – it’s PROBABLY going to be an early dinner. If you’re traveling to Hawaii from anywhere in the mainland US, it’s much later “at home” than it is locally. Please just accept the fact right now that you MAY be ready for “dinner” or “supper” at 4:00 pm in Honolulu. No, that doesn’t make you old. Matching clothes makes you old, but I’ll get to THAT later. The GREAT news about being ready to eat so early is that a lot of places have “Early Bird” specials from 4-6, so look at those menus as you walk by and pick out your first Early Bird spot. Do what makes YOU comfortable, but I like to try new stuff when I travel. There are a lot of chain restaurants that we have on the mainland right here in Honolulu. But, for ME, it’s a hard pass to eat at PF Changs or the Cheesecake Factory. I mean, MAYBE, but it’s not my first pick. It’s a 100% hard pass for McDonalds or other mainland fast food. I am not here to experience the stuff I can get at home. That’s just me, so if eating dinner at Denny’s helps you because it’s familiar, no judgement from me. Just don’t ask me to join you for dinner, because then I’m probably going to judge you. Ha ha – kidding – kinda.

Eat a nice meal and have a cocktail if that’s your thing. You’re on VACATION baby! And not just vacation, but a HAWAIIAN VACATION!!! That’s super special in my book. Order the dessert. You’re doing a lot of walking!

Now, once you’ve eaten and you’re all stuffed and happy, take a leisurely walk back towards “home”. Maybe walk a little past “home” and then turn around and head back. Just give yourself a little “digestion” time, because nobody I know feels great when they go to bed with a full belly. Before you go to bed, drink a glass of water – because HYDRATION! You’ve had a long day of travel and your body needs water! Pay attention to the local time, and my general rule of thumb is that as long as you make it to 9:00 pm LOCAL TIME, you’re good on Day 1. You’re likely exhausted, so making it to 9 pm may be a stretch, but give it the ole college try!

Get a great night’s sleep because much adventure awaits tomorrow! If your Hawaiian “home” is near the beach and the temperature cooperates (which it almost always does), open the windows or slider and fall asleep to the sound of the waves. Ahhh – there’s just nothing better in my mind!