Hi guys! Have you ever considered traveling to Hawaii for your honeymoon? Or how about just vacationing there? Dave and I visited 2 Hawaiian Islands last year, and were blown away by its rich history, diversity in landscape, and its beauty. We visited 2 islands – Oahu and Kauai. I urge everyone to see Oahu and visit Pearl Harbor, hike the beautiful trails to the waterfalls, snorkel, and dine at Duke’s Bar & Grille (and don’t forget to listen to Jimmy Buffet’s song “Duke’s on Sunday” before going there so you have it in your head). Today, however, I’m going to talk specifically about Kauai, The Garden Isle. This island has a vibe distinctly different from Oahu. It’s a bit more laid-back and less crowded. Ahhh, just thinking of Kauai makes me giddy with joy. Why Kauai? Well, friend, read on!

We stayed in a fully furnished condo in Princeville (Wyndham Bali Hai Village). It was wonderful to be able to store and heat up leftovers and do some laundry while we were there. It sure beats doing laundry at home! Most condos don’t have (or need) air conditioning. Instead they use ceiling fans and cross-ventilated windows to cool the rooms during the day. Therefore, you get to wake up to roosters and hens crowing in the morning. Roosters? Hens? Yes, they’re everywhere and are protected by law! So be on the lookout for them when you’re driving. Princeville was a beautiful town and very conveniently located to our favorite sites. You can essentially drive around the entire island in a few hours. Unfortunately though, when we were there a section of the highway was closed so we couldn’t make a full loop but rather had to turn around. That wasn’t much of a problem since we enjoyed the scenery from the highway so much and were able to view it twice!

The residents in Kauai are some of the nicest people you could ever meet too. I guess it’s hard not to be happy when you live in paradise. A lot of them have a story to tell about how they ended up in Kauai and how much they love it. One gentleman in particular, was at Kilauea Lighthouse showing us birds that were unique to that area. It’s really hard to beat a vacation destination that boasts beautiful scenes at every turn. Here are a few of the places Dave and I enjoyed most:

• Waimea Canyon
• Na Pali coastline boat tour via Blue Dolphin Charters in Port Allen
• ATV rentals-Go to Koloa where Jurassic Park was filmed
• Hiking trails – too many to mention but all of them were fantastic!
• Sunsets and drinks – Happy Talk Lounge Restaurant and Bar
• Sunsets – Kenomene Ocean Sunset Outlook on Ka Haku Road
• Sunsets – Hideaways Beach pathway from parking lot near St. Regis Resort
• Snorkeling-St. Regis Resort in Princeville (you don’t have to be a guest to use the beach-bring your own snorkeling gear. You can rent it at Hanalei Surf Company.)
• Kayak rentals – Kamokila Hawaiin Village across from Opaekaa Falls

So why not consider Kauai for your next vacation or honeymoon? You’ll return with a lifetime of wonderful memories!

Join me on Tuesday as I introduce a beautiful high school senior who we photographed in Cincinnati’s historical Over-the-Rhine area!

Wishing you many blessings in the meantime!

Peggy