Tag: Hawaii

Travel

A Day in Honolulu

Lori Martin

You may have noticed that this post is NOT titled “Day 2 Itinerary”, and I will explain why. Everyone will have a different pace that they need to follow. You and your travel partner may be ready to roll on Day 2, but another person might have slept poorly and is feeling exhausted on their first full day. The remainder of my posts will be sample “what to do in a day” posts. You can pick and choose what you want to do from these or follow them to a “T”. It’s your trip and it’s 100% up to you.

No trip to Honolulu is complete without a visit to Pearl Harbor. Well, if you’re traveling with really small children, maybe this is NOT the activity for you, but other than that, it’s a really moving experience. What follows are my tips for a day of Pearl Harbor.

First up, eat a good breakfast. You’re going to have a big day, so start it off right and fuel your body. You know your body best, but I do suggest having a good balanced breakfast. Yes, the French Toast with whipped cream, strawberries, and popping boba SOUND great, but that’s a big sugar spike – only to be followed by an even bigger sugar crash. Maybe today you opt for a few eggs (protein), some healthy fats (avocado), and some carbohydrates (toast or breakfast potatoes).

NEWSFLASH – there is a traditional Hawaiian dish called the Loco Moco. I’m NOT a fan of mixing foods together so I was super hesitant, BUT, I tried it and ohhhh myyyyy gravy. WOWZA! Who’s now a Loco Moco fan? This girl right here! What’s IN a Loco Moco you ask? It starts with a bed of rice (you can get white or fried rice, I prefer white for this dish). That’s topped with a ground beef patty, Portuguese sausage, sautéed mushrooms and onions, topped with brown gravy – and with two eggs (cooked your choice of ways) on top of all that.

The Loco Moco from Eggs N Things (Saratoga)

Once you’ve fueled, head out to Pearl Harbor. You have many transportation options (Lyft, Uber, city bus, rented car, taxi). Our Lyft XL from near the Honolulu Zoo to Pearl Harbor cost about $50. There were four of us going together. Cost for Lyft and Uber vary by time of day, so your results may vary!!

I suggest you plan ahead for Pearl Harbor and buy your tickets online. We had done that, and had tickets for visiting the Arizona Memorial at 1:00 and everything else was at our discretion (time wise). We allowed a half day and that simply wasn’t adequate. We visited the Arizona Memorial and after that the guys went on the submarine to tour that. I’m not a fan of tight spaces, so I opted to walk the grounds while they were on the sub. After that we boarded a shuttle out to the USS Missouri. Unfortunately they were closing within an hour and a half of our arrival, so we really had to hustle through. Was it worth it, even at a rush? ABSOLUTELY!! But, as it was our first time, I could’ve easily spent an entire day there, and the hubs agreed. I’m not going to share a lot of photos from the “destinations” because honestly, you want to see it for yourself. The Arizona was deeply moving to all of us. Over 80 years later, and there is still oil bubbling up from the wreckage. I heard one woman remark that they call those oil bubbles “black tears” and that seemed quite fitting. The hubs had a neighborhood “Mom” during his childhood who had a brother die on the Arizona. It was really something to look at those names and see Mrs. K’s brother’s name up there.

May they all rest in peace
I had no concept of the size of these ships until we saw one in person. They are absolutely massive. To think that a ship this size was hit by an 18″ bomb and came
completely out of the water is simply mind boggling.
Beautiful – Inspiring – Emotional – Solemn

Our visit to Pearl Harbor left me feeling very emotionally drained. I thought a lot about my Dad and uncles as we visited. I wondered how visiting PH had impacted my Dad, as his knowledge of the attack on Pearl Harbor was a lot closer than mine. We all would’ve liked to have had time at the Aviation Museum, but time had gotten away from us and we had to go. Again, this is why I’d 100% suggest you allow a full day for Pearl Harbor. I don’t think you’ll regret it – UNLESS you’re traveling with small children and frankly it’s just going to be too much for them. You know your children better than anyone but I definitely wouldn’t want to subject the youngsters in my life to a full day at a military memorial.

Our Lyft back to the Waikiki area was less expensive than our one out. However, my Lyft account shows that it was a standard ride vs. XL. The ride back was $25.

You may find yourself needing a short rest and/or refresh after a day at Pearl Harbor. Depending on the day of the week and crowds at the time of your travel, you may want to make reservations for dinner. As of February 2025, Open Table seems to be the most commonly used app for reservations in our experience. Choose something for dinner and discuss your experience at Pearl Harbor. Dinner is also a great time to discuss plans for your next day. Perhaps after Pearl Harbor you’re wanting something a little less emotionally taxing. In my opinion, nothing heals the soul as much as good old Vitamin Sea – so maybe a day at the beach is what’s next on your agenda! Don’t forget to enjoy the sunset and take a stroll along one of Honolulu’s bustling sidewalks! There are great restaurants inside the Royal Hawaiian Center, with a range of price points. We enjoyed Noi Thai Cuisine, which offers their dishes on a 1-5 scale for spiciness. For a complete list of restaurants inside the Royal Hawaiian Center, click HERE. It’s a beautiful spot to walk through before and after dinner! Remember my thoughts on going to bed on a full stomach! Get that post-dinner leisurely walk!

If you’re still ready for fun, stop in one of the hotels or restaurants for a drink. The Sheraton Waikiki has a bar/restaurant called “Rumfire”. In the spirit of research for the blog we tried the Mai Tai flight – and discovered that our favorite was the Rumfire Signature Mai Tai. We enjoyed it so much, we tried it again just to make sure it was as good as we believed. And then we went back at least one more time – just to make sure! As of 2/2025, Rumfire offers a dinner menu from 4:30 pm – 10:00 pm, last call for cocktails at 10:45 pm, and last call for food at 9:45 pm. They also offer Happy Hour from 3:00 – 5:00 daily. And, in case you’re wondering, the Mai Tai is $9 during Happy Hour. They have a good selection of food on their Happy Hour menu as well as those delicious beverages!

Pro tip – don’t drink a bunch of Mai Tais and make an impulse buy on your way back to your hotel. Although, this hat might be my favorite Waikiki souvenir!

My sister-from-another-mister always helps me make questionable decisions!

To be clear, YES – I bought that hat and NO – I regret nothing. But, I’m not sure how I’m gonna get that sucker back home. I may have to ship it. The hubs says he’s gonna wear it on the plane. I think he’s bluffing. Kinda.

If you try any of these suggestions, leave a comment and let me know! Heck, if you READ a post, leave a comment and let me know! I dunno if anyone is even out there….helloooo……????

Travel

Day 1 Itinerary

Lori Martin

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.

Killah Dragon at LuLu’s Waikiki – they have a great selection of Gluten Free items and their
Happy Hour is from 2-4 pm (Monday – Friday)

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!

We are tired, but we’re walking, because we cannot go to bed at 6:00 pm, no matter how much we want to! Enjoy the walk, enjoy a meal, and then get ready for a good sleep!

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!

Our first – of many – Waikiki sunsets

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!

Travel

Getting to Hawaii

Lori Martin

One of the biggest expenses when planning a trip to Hawaii will be your travel there. Airfares have been steadily going up since 2023, and fares to Hawaii are no exception. The hubs and I flew to Hawaii for less than $50 total (for both of us). Yes, you read that right. Let me explain how.

I take FULL advantage of reward programs. So, we have the Southwest Visa card that we use for absolutely EVERYTHING. Now, this takes some discipline, because I’ve seen people do this, and they don’t SAVE the money they’re spending so when that credit card bill comes every month, they don’t have the funds to cover it. DO NOT DO THAT!!! It’s SMART if you’re fiscally responsible! Don’t go buy random crap to get miles! Here’s what we do.

Everything possible goes on the Southwest Visa card. I’m talking EVERYTHING!! Utilities, insurance, groceries, gas, etc. If they accept a card, I use that card. Then at the end of the month I go and pay the bill off. If you’re unsure about being disciplined enough to save the money for the bill, here are a couple tips. One is to pay the card every time you use the card. You could do it daily or weekly if that helps you budget easier. You could also move the money from your primary checking account into a savings account daily or weekly, as you spend on the card. However you do it, just remember that you DO NOT want to roll a balance from one month to the next.

I use that card for everything until the Southwest Companion Pass is achieved. Not only am I getting Southwest points on every charge, I also am working my way towards a Companion Pass. Now, perhaps you don’t know what a Companion Pass is. Southwest Airlines has a program where if you earn the CP, someone that you designate as your Companion flies with you for free – you pay the taxes which currently run $11.20 for a round trip flight. There are rules and restrictions for the CP program, but we have had really amazing luck with it. If you’re interested in a Southwest Rapid Rewards Chase Visa, click HERE and not only will YOU get bonus points for joining, but I’ll get some points for referring you! As of 2/14/26, you can use the link to earn a CP valid through 2/28/26, plus 30,000 bonus points! If you’re a business owner you get even more points with the Premier Business Credit Card!

Now, because the hubs and I are business owners, we also have a Southwest Rapid Rewards Business card that we also use. Once the CP has been earned for ONE of our RR accounts, we switch and start using the other card in order to get the CP for the other person as well. Then, if we’re both flying with 2 guests, the guests are free. Please note there are rules and regulations for changing your companion, but it’s pretty straightforward and as long as you pay attention to the rules you’ll be golden!

Now, another concern is “ewwww….flying to Hawaii takes SOOOOO long”. Honestly, it was NOT bad! We flew from St. Louis to Las Vegas. It was an early morning flight and I never sleep great the night before a flight so I was ready for a nap. Anyone else get paranoid they’re going to oversleep and miss their flight?

Once we got to Vegas, we had enough time to hit the restrooms, grab some food, and board our flight to Honolulu. I ate my sandwich, knit for maybe 30 minutes or so, had one cocktail, and then it was off to sleepy land for me again!

We saw the Sphere when taking off from Vegas!

Yes, it’s a 6.5 hour flight from Vegas to Honolulu, but it was not bad. A couple tips –

  1. HYDRATE! Take a refillable bottle of water with you and fill that baby up at every stop. Liquid IV packets are a great way to help get the water down and balance your electrolytes.
  2. Get up at least 3 times during your flight (that’s about once every 2 hours) and walk to the restroom. It’s good to get some blood flowing in your legs and give yourself a stretch, as well as empty your bladder from all the water you’re drinking (see #1 above).
  3. Pack things to keep yourself entertained on a long flight. I loaded up my Kindle with books, I had a knitting project, and I had music on my phone. It was nice to have distractions from sitting.
  4. Here’s another product recommendation and I don’t get anything from this one! Just sharing the love! The hubs and I both get sore legs after prolonged sitting. I had read about Firefly nerve stimulators and decided we’d give it a try for our long flight. Once on board the flight we both put them on and started them up. I can honestly say I feel like they REALLY made a difference for me and I will not only be using them on our return flight, but I’ll also use them on future long car rides (anything over 2 hours tends to make my legs hurt). You can order HERE. Again, nothing gained for me by you buying them. But, anyone who knows me knows that I would never recommend something unless I had experienced a benefit and really believe in it! For our trip I ordered “The Ultimate” so that we both had a pair of devices and straps. You are able to turn the device off when not in use, but once the battery dies, the device must be thrown away. At this time they do not have a rechargeable device.

Now, there are LOADS of airlines that fly to Hawaii, lots of deals to be had, etc. I’m giving you OUR experience, which was with Southwest. If you’re really bougie and want to fly first class, treat yourself! I’m a little bougie and would’ve loved first class tickets, but MAN, I’m also a bit practical and two people round trip for less than $50 – even I’m not passing that deal up!

Once you GET to Honolulu, you need to get from the airport to your hotel, resort, condo, etc. We chose to get a Lyft because we were tired, lugging a lot of luggage, and didn’t want to mess with having to think too much. Lyft and Uber are great options.

You can take the public bus. We have used it a lot since settling in, but did not use it to get from the airport to our condo. I would suggest that if you have the time to plan, order your bus pass ahead of time so that you have it and are ready to go when you land. You can get the bus pass HERE, but remember to allow enough time for the actual physical card to be shipped to YOU at your home address! You can add funds to your card once you get it. At the time of this post, as far as I know, there is not an app on your phone for the bus system. But, I will admit that getting the bus passes was a task I asked the hubs to handle and I don’t know much about it. I just was handed my card and scan it when I get on/off the bus.

There are private taxis and transfers that you can also schedule to get you and your party from the airport to your hotel/condo. Viator has some options. I’m sure you can also find good ones on Google. Just make sure that no matter what you choose you check the ratings!!!

Some people prefer to rent a car for their stay. Parking, however, will be your biggest hurdle for renting a car. Know before you go if parking is available at or near where you’re staying, and how much it costs per day. Parking CAN be very expensive and in our experience thus far, we have not had a need for a car every day.

Check back soon for my first “full day agenda” for adventure on Oahu! Until then, Mahalo friends!

Travel

Travel feeds my soul

Lori Martin

Adventure. Exploration. Wanderlust. Discovery. No matter what you call it, there is nothing as invigorating as traveling to a new place and discovering new things.

For most of February, the hubs and I have had the privilege of being in Honolulu. A week here is an indulgence, but a little over 3 weeks is an insane opportunity that we just could NOT pass up. I’ve decided to create some posts about our time here, including tips for traveling that made our travels easier, sample agendas for different day trips, and some of the restaurants that we’ve really enjoyed. I’ll sprinkle in photos from our travels as well. So, if you are stuck in cold weather and don’t want to hear about it or see absolute paradise, I suggest skipping the posts tagged with #travel or #Honolulu. Ha ha.

Sunset on Waikiki Beach 02_14_2025

But, if you’re interested in travel or think you may want to visit someday, follow along for what hopefully will be an inspiring and educational trip!

Mahalo (that’s “thank you” in Hawaiian)…

Lori