Hawaii 2026

Recap

First off, I must preface this with, I am not a social traveler. I’m not packing fancy clothes/shoes to go out to clubs and snobby malls to impress anyone. Don’t get me wrong, I still go out to dinner and malls, I just don’t care what others think when I show up in shorts and a cat shirt 😹 I also do very little makeup on vacation because that’s what I’m vacationing from. I’m only dressing to impress myself lol. I did get a few looks from other vacationers when I was checking into the Outrigger on the Big Island. It was the classic, whispering, lifting the sunglasses and looking down the bridge of their nose. I just stared back and they turned away. Lol, I hope I made them feel a little uncomfortable but I doubt it.

I do have to say that the staff was very nice and treated me with respect. The Valet guys always remembered my name, “Miss Fox”😄 and I got a good table at the restaurant even though it was for a for party of one. Not once was I directed to the bar.

This trip I tested a theory on flying and germs. Typically I end up catching the flu, cold or something on the flight. So, right before I got to the airport I used the saline spray that I use for my allergies. It’s just plain saline, but it coats your nasal passages and doesn’t allow pollen to stick. I figured it was worth a try and….drum roll….I did not get sick in either direction! Maybe it was a fluke but I will definitely be doing this in the future.

Favorite islands:

Big Island or Island of Hawaii will remain my favorite Hawaiian island. Easy to drive around and not super crowded. When I go back I think I’ll stay on the Hilo side. I missed seeing the volcano, Kilauea and Akaka Falls. I guess I need a return flight lol.

Kauai is next on my list. Laid back, a lot of swimmable beaches and also easy to drive. Favorite hike was the Sleeping Giant. There is really only one main road to drive north and south which can become quite clogged with traffic. I suggest visiting all that’s around where you’re staying first. If you run out of things to do then go north or south.

Kauai: Me with a hitchhiker (centipede) 😂

Maui

A mix between Oahu and Big Island. It’s easy to drive but it has the shopping with a closer feel of Oahu without the busy freeways. I love Kaanapali Beach and Black Rock for snorkeling. If you stay there it’s very walkable to restaurants and shops. The last time I was there was just before the fires. So many mixed messages on whether to visit or not. I do want to go back someday.

Molokai

This island is primitive. The vibe is slow and laid back. There are no big shopping centers and most locals fly to another island to stock up on essentials. The local grocery store is expensive but you’re not there to cook a gourmet meal lol. I bought peanut butter, bread, honey, apple bananas and frozen hamburgers which is pretty much what I eat at home lol. It was all around $80 dollars. The only thing I ate out was shave ice. The beaches were empty and there weren’t any crowds of tourists. I was there during a holiday so none of the tours were available. I definitely want to go back.

Kauai: Papohaku Beach

Oahu

In places it was very busy with tourists and driving was comparable to a big city with five lane freeways. Waikiki is walkable if you wear the right shoes.

If you are just looking for the beach and a quiet hotel I would definitely stay at the Circle Hotel. Located right across the street from the beach and in the heart of Waikiki, it was perfect.

I love the North Shore and the hikes I went on while staying in Honolulu. My favorite hike was Koko Head Crater with 1048 stair steps to the top and from there you can see everything.

Lanai

I havent stayed on this island. Way too expensive. I did take a ferry from Maui to see the cat sanctuary. It was awesome. Over 650 cats living at the rescue, some are adoptable. They are divided by age and health. I stayed for a couple of hours and fed them cat treats and petted them.

I do want to go back to see other parts of the island.

Where to stay:

I enjoyed the kitchen and washer/ dryer of an Airbnb but I also liked the convenience of a hotel with the restaurant, pool and valet parking lol.

What I forgot:

Small tripod (it would have come I handy on Mauna Kea)

Trail/running shoes

Packing:

Less than a week:

Carry on and a backpack.

More than a week:

Medium suitcase and pack a small duffle inside, check the suitcase on the way to the destination and check both on the way back.

Backpack for the airplane:

Sanitizing wipes for the seat and tray

Ipad

Headphones

1 bar battery

Cord

Car food

Waterbottle

Travel size pillow (for my back) and blanket

Shorts and slippers to change into upon arrival

Note:

Do not stuff your backpack so full it weighs 100 lbs lol

Clothes for Hawaii:

3 pairs of shorts

Belt

4 shirts/tank tops

2 swimsuits & swimshorts

1 lightweight sweatshirt

Slippers

Water shoes

Trail shoes

Wear on plane:

Pocket jacket

Yoga pants

Tshirt

Trail running shoes

Compression socks

Best time to go:

May: the rainy season has passed, it’s not super hot and most kids are still in school (but I need to see the sun in January lol)

Upon landing:

Immediately go to grocery store/Costco so you start out with food and car food.

Check out local thrift stores for extra clothes to wash and wear if you have access to laundry.

Flights

The red-eye back was cheap and noone sat next to me but six hours in a tiny seat was not good on my back. I only slept part of it and that was probably because I was delirious lol. So unless you are in first class I don’t think it’s worth it.

Lastly,

I love Hawaii. I always try to respect the culture and read up on how to not look and act like a tourist.

Being adopted, I took a DNA test. When I got my results back there was a hit from Honolulu. The biggest one lol. It was less than 1% but it would make sense. The beaches, the sun and the ocean have always called to me. That’s not the same as the Oregon coast. I don’t consider that the beach, the water is cold and black. Maybe someday a closer relative will add their DNA but until then I will visit as much as I can. 🌅🐠🌴 yolo 🤙🏽

Big Island 2026

Day 13 Friday

Last day in paradise. I checked out of my room and stored my luggage until it was closer to my flight time which isn’t until 7:40pm. I am debating on whether or not to get in the ocean. I don’t know if I want to be soggy before the flight. Like Kauai with Krystal lol.

I wanted to swim in the lagoon but it was closed due to the high surf. I was wondering how that turtle got into the lagoon when I was here last time. Now I know. The lagoon is pretty much protected but in high surf conditions the waves go over the protective barrier of rocks and even over the wall onto the sand. I could sit and watch the waves forever.

I love this beef jerky! Beef Crisps made in Hilo. I got it from Costco on Oahu and here. It’s like potato chip beef. Very crispy. I will definitely be ordering this. I also have eaten probably 100 of these apple bananas lol. I will miss them 💔

I went to Gecko Girlz shave ice. That was the best shave ice I’ve had this whole trip. I got the Lava Flow with mochi. The mochi was hand made and so delicious 😋 it was also the messiest. It started melting and dripping through the metal table I was sitting at and onto my feet. This attracted honey bees that wanted to eat it off of me lol. I moved to a different table and then spilled it down my legs lol.

Headed to the ocean to wash it off. I was going to use the outside shower but there was a line. Went back and chilled by the pool until I had to leave.

I did my math and put 2.75 gallons of fuel into the tank lol. Dropped off my rental. It wasn’t too far from the front of the airport.

This was the first red eye trip I’d ever done. Two layovers. One in Honolulu – 2 hours and the second in Seattle – 3 hours. The long layovers weren’t that bad. I didn’t have to worry about missing my connecting flights, so no need to run to the next gate. The second flight, Honolulu to Seattle, was the longest. Pacific time 12:30am to 6:30am. I think I slept four hours which is good but it was not comfortable. I don’t think I would do a red eye again unless I was in first class lol.

Home at last😁

Big Island 2026

Day 12 Thursday

I walked down Ali’i Drive from my hotel. I was headed to check out the Marriott and the lagoon in front. It has a sandy beach and some rocks to snorkel around. I saw a bunch of colorful fish.

I noticed a couple of changes since my 2017 trip. Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant is gone. Scandinavian Shave ice was temporarily closed until further notice. Bummer, that was my favorite place for shave ice. So I waited at Ululani’s for them to open. I needed my shave ice fix lol.

On the way back I stopped at the farmers market and got a butter avocado. It’s so huge! I cut it open but it was still crunchy. Oh well, all I really wanted was to see the seed. It was regular size lol.

I had to wear my hiking/water shoes today because both pairs of sandals gave me blisters. All this walking today has given me new blisters in different places lol. I didn’t think I was going to make it back to the hotel. So I stopped and bought some slippers and said goodbye to the hikers lol. Ahhhh, so much better.

Went back to by the hotel pool and it started to sprinkle. Half the people hogging the good lounge chairs got up and left. Thank you rain gods lol 😁

Last night here. I have to get packed up tonight and decide what to take and what to leave behind lol. That means a very difficult game of Tetris😂

Big Island 2026

Day 11 Wednesday

Checked out of the Outrigger and went to take my rental car back to Enterprise. I decided to rent another car through Turo for the remaining two days. Basically, you’re renting somebodys car from the island. I dropped off the Jeep at Enterprise. With Turo you can choose any car, not just a Jeep and it’s a tiny bit cheaper. I looked at the app to see where I was supposed to pick it up. The car was parked out in long-term parking, which was a ways away from Enterprise. I had to walk a half mile to get there. The sidewalks were covered with little round tree nuts so I opted to walk in the middle of the road rather than slip and knock myself out. I was dragging two suitcases and wearing a backpack so I think I got my workout in lol.

I rented a 2022 Subaru Forester. You would think that would be fine for the year but it was very rough to start and it ended up dying at a stoplight. I’m not talking about the auto shutoff. It completely turned off. I had to put it into park to start it back up all while people were honking for me to go lol. Then, I looked down at the gas gauge and it was missing one bar. Which meant I didn’t start out with a full tank. Annoyed, I sent a message to Turo about the fuel level and the car shutting off and they said they never heard of it dying before and to put what gas I think I used when I filled it back up. Great, now I have to do math😂

I checked in to the Royal Kona Resort. This is where I stayed in 2017. My first solo trip to Hawaii.

They were very nice and stored my luggage until my room was ready. While I was waiting I drove to Waikiloa and checked out the Queen’s Marketplace and surroundings. It was a fancy resort area that we drove by on the way to Mauna Kea. I ate my go to Starbucks lunch. A pink drink, grilled cheese sandwich and a lemon loaf. By the way I have eaten that five times so far lol. I’m not a big fan of trying new restaurants or waiting for my food. Its a huge waste of time plus you never know what you’ll get. I can order on the app and just pick it up lol.

My room was ready. I am on the fifth floor. I have a corner room with a wrap around lanai. There are big windows on both side walls. I have an ocean view and a mountain/parking lot view😁

The hotel is ocean front, not beach front but it does have it’s own little lagoon. I took a dip in it and swam around. The last time I was here there was a turtle in it.