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Hawaii: Dawn is 50!
  • Empty Nest Will Travel
  • Empty Nest Will Travel

Hawaii: Dawn is 50!

Dawn's half century deserved a special trip. We visited the Big Island, Maui and Oahu and made a million memories. Read more
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  • Trip start
    October 1, 2021
  • Empty Nest Will TravelHawaii: Dawn is 50!Traveler

    Breweries and some Pupus!

    October 1, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F

    Arrived on the Big Island and got settled and then headed out for some lunch... our bodies all screwed up on time. We wound up nibbling. Uncle Ahi's Poke was our first of the trip.... and certainly not our last!

    Landing on Hawaii is like landing on a lava field - all the lava rocks. So different from the more tropical feel on other islands.    Read more

  • Empty Nest Will TravelHawaii: Dawn is 50!Traveler

    Kuleana Rum Works

    October 1, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Very near our hotel - the Hilton Grand Vacations Waikoloa Village - is Kuleana Rum Works. We did a tasting and then decided to stay for dinner because it looked and smelled great and the view was wonderful.
    We had the Pipi Kalua Lumpia and Kuleana Poke Nachos. They were both amazing.
    If only we knew on this day how much poke we would eat on this trip!    Read more

  • Empty Nest Will TravelHawaii: Dawn is 50!Traveler

    Waikoloa Village

    October 2, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    Beautiful place to wake up. The Waikoloa Village is pretty... but huge and it takes forever to get from your car to room and vice versa! Got lots of steps in though by the end of the stay here.

  • Empty Nest Will TravelHawaii: Dawn is 50!Traveler

    Rainbow Falls, Hawaii

    October 2, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    We drove across the Big Island which is such an interesting trip. We went from lava rocks with tropics, through a very dry part of the island with some elevation rise, down to the other side and back to tropical. Our first stop of the day was Rainbow Falls.
    We also saw Peepee falls on the map ... and like 5 year olds... had to stop!    Read more

  • Empty Nest Will TravelHawaii: Dawn is 50!Traveler

    Hilo

    October 2, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    The Hilo Farmers Market was a joy! So many beautiful fresh fruits. It was hard not to buy a ton, but Dawn did get some papayas that later became contraband.
    And more poke for brunch!

  • Empty Nest Will TravelHawaii: Dawn is 50!Traveler

    Kailua

    October 3, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    Just bumming around Kailua a little. We went to the farmers market, but compared to Hilo, it wasn't very exciting. We of course found some good food. We thought about snorkling but the area we picked wasn't exactly easy to get to.Read more

  • Empty Nest Will TravelHawaii: Dawn is 50!Traveler
    This is the Kona Airport. lol
    I don't think I have ever boarded a full sized plane this way!The amazing view at Star Noodle.Steamed pork buns and ahi with avocado.These were noodles rolled up with the shrimp and amazing sauce.The most amazing ramen!Smashed cucumber Salad.

    Lahaina - Arrival, Star Noodle

    October 4, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    The fact that we are going back in time to create this entry is extra painful as all of these places in Lahaina are either completely destroyed by the 2023 fires or seriously damaged. Beautiful memories and painful thoughts.

    Guy Fieri had gone to Star Noodle on his special show with his family in Hawaii and we had to check it out. It so did not disappoint.    Read more

  • Empty Nest Will TravelHawaii: Dawn is 50!Traveler

    Ku'ia Chocolate Farm

    October 4, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    MMMMM chocolate! Made by passionate people who are experimenting and trying to grow the best cacao beans. There were so many varieties and the view from the treehouse was amazing. Dawn spent a couple hundred dollars on chocolate lol - lots of gifts and lots for us that we parced out for more than a year as special treats to savor!

    I can't remember how the Dr. who owns it made his money, but 100% of the profits of the business went back to the community.... even before the Lahaina fire. They are doing even more now even though a majority of their trees were damaged by the fire. Real ohana and aloha love.    Read more

  • Empty Nest Will TravelHawaii: Dawn is 50!Traveler

    Fleetwood's on Front Street

    October 4, 2021 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 77 °F

    We went to a brewery to watch the sunset before our reservation at Fleetwood's on front street. We splurged on a really amazing meal, up on the rooftop with live music. The guy singing was the nephew of Carlos Santana. Brian Santana. He was great!

    Fleetwood's is also gone with the August 2023 fire. We had such a special night there. You can't take a memory away, but for those who lived and worked here, our hearts are broken.    Read more

  • Empty Nest Will TravelHawaii: Dawn is 50!Traveler

    Haleakala National Park

    October 5, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    OMG. Haleakala is famous (and fun to say) so we decided to drive up. We had NO idea what we were undertaking. The road is terrifying to two people afraid of heights. Bill drove nice and slow and when we had to cross paths with others, we held our breath.
    We also did not realize how much the temperature changes when you go from sea level up more than 3000 feet. The temp went from 80s to near 50 and windy! We were in shorts! No wonder we saw people in pants, with puffy vests and long sleeves as we started up.
    It was beautiful up there but we didn't stay too long.
    The drive down was equally terrifying as it looked like you could just drive off into the clouds.    Read more

  • Empty Nest Will TravelHawaii: Dawn is 50!Traveler

    Twin Falls, Road to Hana

    October 6, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    We didn't have time to drive the whole road to Hana.... and after the drive the day before really weren't up for that. We did the Twin Falls hike, which was beautiful and Bill got some coconut juice and fresh pineapple - he was so happy!Read more

  • Empty Nest Will TravelHawaii: Dawn is 50!Traveler

    Maui Pineapple

    October 6, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    Maui Gold Pineapple was an awesome tour! So amazing to see fields and fields of pineapples... and to know it takes 18 months for the first fruit and another year the second and that is all each plant will do!
    We came home with 3 pineapples that Dawn has grown into plants... that have yet to blossom, but they are nice plants.
    Maui Gold lost their Front Street store in the fire but the farms were spared.    Read more

  • Empty Nest Will TravelHawaii: Dawn is 50!Traveler

    Maui

    October 6, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    With time to kill before our flight to Honolulu, we hit a food truck park, another stunning beach and then the airport.

  • Empty Nest Will TravelHawaii: Dawn is 50!Traveler

    Oahu Island Tour

    October 7, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    We did an island tour to get around to different areas. From Diamond head to snorkling on the north shore to Dole Pineapple Plantation and a funky shrimp shack.... it was a great day.

  • Empty Nest Will TravelHawaii: Dawn is 50!Traveler

    Pearl Harbor

    October 9, 2021 in the United States ⋅ 🌬 79 °F

    Powerful memorial for all the lives lost. The reminder that we were standing on the final resting place of those soldiers was somber.

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