Cyndi Lauper really put it best when she said “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” I cannot think of a better way to embody those words than with a girls’ trip! For my first two years of college, I lived with Tori and Jess in a tiny little dorm room that we coined “The Shoebox.” Tori and I are Southern California natives, but Jess grew up in Hawaii. Taking advantage of the fact that one of our closest friends calls that gorgeous state home, Tori and I booked plane tickets for an end-of-summer getaway to the warm waters and gorgeous beaches of Oahu.
I have been looking forward to this trip all summer! We first mentioned a trip to visit Jess back when we first moved in together, but it took us two years to officially follow through and book the tickets. All summer, I have been day dreaming about soaking up the sun on the beach, hiking to waterfalls, and watching the perfect sunsets. Rather than stay in one of the hotels in Waikiki, Jess offered to host us at her house. We quickly took her up on that offer, for it was not only convenient, but I was also curious to see how the locals lived.
I have been to Hawaii a number of times before. I was four years old when my family took its first trip to Hawaii, and the last time I was there was when I was fifteen. Over the years, I have been to the Big Island, Oahu, Maui, and Kaui, yet for not even growing up in the state of Hawaii, I have visited more of the islands than Jess has! Because I am not new to Hawaii, or even the island of Oahu, I was looking forward to seeing the island through a local’s eyes, and I used Jess as my local tour guide.
Our trip started at the airport. Tori and I left our Los Angeles apartment at the crack of dawn before hopping in our Uber to LAX to catch the first flight of the day to Honolulu. After a very smooth flight (that Tori and I pretty much slept through), Jess and her family picked us up from the airport and quickly swept us off to dim sum for lunch. Although I have Asian ancestry in my family, I had never been to dim sum, and I happily ate every dumpling that came my way! Tired from traveling, we spent the rest of that day relaxing and unpacking at Jess’s house, keeping the evening low-key.
The next morning, we hit the ground running and decided to take up a local hike. Jess gave us a few options to pick from, but we decided to hike the Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail. It had rained the day before, so we picked this hike because it was paved. There would not be any mud to contend with on the paved path. This short hike was about two miles round trip, and was perfect for our picture taking needs. I absolutely loved the views of the coast that you could see from the top of the cliffs. At the peak of the hike, a little lighthouse is perched at the edge of the island and is still in use by the U.S. Coast Guard today. If you do this hike, wear comfortable shoes, bring water, and don’t forget your camera!
After our little hike, we decided to take a detour on the way home and head to the beach! Jess took us to Ala Moana Regional Park Beach, a local beach that she claims to be cleaner than the tourist beaches of Waikiki. Living in California, I am spoiled with gorgeous beaches of our own. However, what always gets me about the beaches in Hawaii is that they are warm! The water in California always feels so cold, but I had no problem jumping right in to these warm waters that afternoon. It is easy to see why Jess picked this beach for us. It was quiet that afternoon, there was plenty of parking, and it felt like a little gem near her house. I would recommend it to someone else for the same reasons she did.
We spent the next day doing some more tourist activities. Our day began with a visit to Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial. I had been to this memorial back in 2009, and I can say it is something that continues to move me. World War II can feel like something so long ago as time passes. However, it is important to remember and honor those who contributed to our history and gave their life to preserve our freedom. We boarded a boat for a harbor tour of Battleship Row after strolling through the museum on the grounds. The actual USS Arizona Memorial was closed for construction, but the boat tour took us past the memorial and the sites of the other sunken battleships. The USS Arizona Memorial rests directly above the USS Arizona itself. From the memorial, you can actually see the top of ship. I highly recommend to anyone that is visiting the island of Oahu to go and visit Pearl Harbor. It is a very well done memorial that allows you to experience an important part of history.
Continuing with our tourist endeavors, we decided to spend our evening exploring Waikiki. Home to many of the resorts of the island, Waikiki is full of bustling tourists and an ABC Store on every block. We strolled through the many gifts shops and local stores before stumbling upon a street market. A section of the main road had been closed down to set up tents of vendors selling clothes, jewelry, toys, and food. At one of the vendors, I spotted a gorgeous bangle with pearls and shells attached as charms. I bought this as my souvenir for the trip, and I cannot wait to wear it back in Los Angeles. It will be great with outfits I wear to class or to work, adding a global touch to my look. When we got hungry, we decided to grab dinner at the Yokocho Japanese Food Hall. The Japanese food hall was essentially a marketplace of restaurants, and we had our pick! For dinner, I was craving seafood and decided to order seafood fried noodles. Not only did it satisfy my craving, but it was absolutely delicious. With my seafood craving satisfied, my sugar craving began to take over, and we grabbed dessert. We got doughnuts that were made with mochi at a place around the corner from where we had dinner. I got white chocolate, Tori got cookies and cream, Jess got black sesame, and they were all amazing! The mochi doughnut is chewier than your average doughnut, which made for a fun and unexpected take on the traditionally fluffy treat. Waikiki is filled with so many shops and restaurants to explore that it is great for visitors. The last time I came to Oahu, we stayed in Waikiki, and I have such wonderful memories of the island from that vacation that I would highly recommend taking a look around.
The next day, we returned to Ala Moana Regional Park Beach for a barbeque! At this point, we were halfway through our trip, and a beach barbeque sounded like the perfect day. We got to the beach by eight o’clock in the morning to snag a spot where we would be able to cook. We set up a tent, a table, some chairs, and brought the other necessities for a barbeque. Jess’s family owns their own stand up paddleboard and kayak, so we brought those to the beach as well. I attempted to use the paddleboard, but the waves made it difficult to stand up. I was more comfortable paddling on my knees. I definitely want to try paddleboarding again, but I think I might go somewhere smoother like the Back Bay in Newport Beach (stay tuned for that adventure to come!). It felt so good to just spend the day swimming and lounging about. Even as I sit at my desk in Los Angeles, I can still feel the bright blue waves carrying me back to the island.
Following our exhausting day at the beach, we avoided the sun with a visit to the Iolani Palace. Iolani Palace originally served as the home of the Hawaiian monarchs of the Kingdom of Hawaii, and it was certainly fit for royalty. The rich historical landmark is feels like the Hawaiian take on Downton Abbey. Filled with luxe bedrooms and gathering areas throughout the palace, my favorite room was the throne room. The thrones against the wall coupled with the striking red and gold tones made me want to pop a crown on my head and call myself royalty. The tour of the palace is self-led by audio guides that told the history of the palace and the story of the people who once walked its halls. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about this piece of uniquely Hawaiian history.
Ready for another excursion, we spent the next day hiking to Manoa Falls! This hike is very different from the hike to the lighthouse. The environment feels more like a jungle as you make your way up toward the falls. The path is covered by tall green trees and patches of mud that will remind you of Jurassic Park, only without the dinosaurs. Although I enjoyed the rich scenery and rich plant life, the falls at the top were the best part. I would advise anyone doing this hike to watch their step, as the mud can make some of the narrower steps slippery. However, the gorgeous falls at the top are worth the trek!
We decided to finish off our trip with some snorkeling in Hanauma Bay, and this was certainly my favorite part of the entire week! All of the fish in Hanauma Bay were very friendly with people and were not easily scared off. They were not intimidated by the people snorkeling right above the coral, and they swam around our feet even close to the shore. I absolutely loved being able to catch a glimpse of life under the sea. Watching the fish swim among the coral was both exciting and peaceful. I have been snorkeling in the past on another island, but there were not nearly as many fish to see as there as there were at Hanauma Bay. Being able to see all of the marine life truly made the snorkeling excursion special, and I would jump at the opportunity to go again.
After an amazing week of tropical island activities, it was time to return to Los Angeles. Tori and I boarded our plane back home, bummed to leave behind the island, but glad that we will see Jess again soon. It felt good to get away for a week, but I am ultimately happy to be back home. I feel ready to take on the fall quarter of classes and my new internship. A week of island life is exactly what I needed.
Throughout this trip, I cannot thank Jess’s parents enough. They not only drove us around the island without hesitation, but her mom also cooked nearly all of our meals! I was spoiled with homemade Chinese food, including noodle dishes, dumplings, and soups throughout the entire week. Some of the best foods really are the ones made at home, and I am returning to Los Angeles very happy and well-fed!
As a side note, I cannot say I was on top of my fashion game throughout this trip. I spent much of my time soaked in sunblock and did not want to ruin my clothes. If you were hoping to see some island fashion in this post, you will have to wait for the next time I go someplace tropical (I’m thinking maybe the Bahamas or Bora Bora), and I promise that the fashion will be significantly better than these five-dollar tank tops I bought six years ago.
If you are looking to plan a girls’ getaway, I highly recommend coming to the gorgeous islands of Hawaii. There are so many options of places to stay, things to do, shopping to explore, and food to eat that it is pretty hard to go wrong by coming here. If it is your first trip to Hawaii, some must-do’s should include the beach, snorkeling, a luau, a hike, and any of the local museums the island of your choice has to offer. I absolutely loved all the things we did on this trip that I would recommend all of it to anyone coming here soon. From the local spots to the tourist attractions, you are bound to have as much fun as I did exploring the island. Over the years, I have thoroughly enjoyed each trip I have made out to this gorgeous state, and I am confident you will too.
xx
Emily
