Michael Bennett
I’ve lived on the U.S. west coast since 1987. It’s no secret to anyone who knows me I love California, although I’m temporarily living in Las Vegas. In that time I’ve gone to Fiji, South Korea, Japan, Puerto Vallarta twice, Cabo San Lucas twice and Alaska to name a few. Despite my westwardly travels there was one glaring omission from my itinerary—Hawaii. Until a few months ago I’d never set foot in the Aloha State. For the life of me I can’t figure out why. We (my girlfriend and I) left ourselves less than a week to soak it all in. That proved to be a big mistake.
Once my eyes took in the sights from my window seat on Hawaiian Airlines I quickly realized our second mistake— we should have gone sooner. Our final destination was Waikiki Beach, but due to our late booking we had a two-hour layover in Maui. “The Valley Isle” from 3,000 feet left us speechless. Imagine landing in a valley with a 6,000 foot volcano – Puʻu Kukui in the West Mountains on one side and the 10,000 foot volcano Haleakala (The East Mountains) on the other. Neither volcano has erupted since 1790. The result is a valley with this wonderful lush green tapestry that I struggle to find words to convey its beauty.
From Maui we boarded our Hawaiian Airlines flight to Honolulu. Flight time is about 30 minutes. There are a dozen flights or more daily between Oahu and Maui in case you want to take excursions between the two islands. As we sat curb side waiting for my girlfriend’s son to pick us up in a rented Tesla, several people greeted me with the Shaka, the pinky and thumb salute that means so much to the locals—hang loose, right on, things are great, take it easy. I took it as a welcome sign.
That first night found us enjoying live music and way too many Mai Tai’s at an outdoor Tiki Bar, Cuckoo Coconuts off Royal Hawaiian Avenue between Kalakuna and Kuhio Avenues. We simply could not leave the festive atmosphere filled with locals and tourist alike. My credit card bill shows the damage. In fact, we shut the place down. Not proud of that moment, on second thought I am. I have not stayed up that late in years.
Day Two
I’m a history buff. So imagine my delight when day two took us to Pearl Harbor and the Navy base. I’ve watched so many World War II movies I felt like I knew the place before I arrived, yet nothing prepares you for a place that represents so much beauty and innocence juxtaposed against the death and destruction of 75 years earlier—the day America lost its innocence. A trip to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial puts it all in perspective. Unfortunately, the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial was closed that day due to weather, but the immensity of the attack that unfolded on December 7, 1941 put shivers through my spine as I sat looking at the symbol of death and destruction from a distance.
Later that day we took a trip to Ford Island, where the U.S.S. Missouri is docked. It is onboard the Missouri where General Douglas MacArthur accepts the Japanese surrender. The ceremony, as it was told to me by my Japanese American tour guide took less than 30 minutes. Below is my attempt to take a picture of the actual documents.
Ford Island actually gave me an even better perspective of not only the Arizona, but battleship row and why America was so vulnerable during its darkest hour. Shut down that narrow opening and you’ve basically rendered the fleet docked it its pristine waters powerless.
Later that night we walked the Rodeo Drive of Waikiki Beach, Luxury Row. I’m not a big shopper, but I must admit I love the atmosphere and window shopping the high-end fashions that are so familiar. If this is your thing, start at 2100 Kalakaua Avenue. International retailers include Chanel, Gucci, Dior, Moncler, Bottega Veneta, Miu Miu & Golden Goose. Located in heart of Waikiki, Luxury Row is a renowned international travel destination.
Day Three
Day three took us on a journey to Oahu’s North Shore past the Dole Plantation on Kamehameha Hwy., Wahiawa. They do offer tours, but our time that particular day was limited so we didn’t stop. We were determined to see the big waves the North Shore is so famous for, unfortunately, as we discovered later we didn’t drive far enough to reach them. No matter, the beautiful inlet we found near Haleiwa Beach was well worth the trip.
On our return trip we stopped in Haleiwa on a stretch of road along Kamehameha Hwy., known for its food trucks. My girlfriend was looking for one in particular Big Wave Shrimp, made known to her by none other than Food Network star Guy Fieri. If you like garlic, then the Garlic Butter Shrimp is for you. The vibe, as one might expect in Hawaii was so chill. I sat on my picnic bench taking in the smells, sights and sounds of this majestic place. When I go vacation in Maui next year, I will take a day trip just to eat here. Love this place.
That evening we attended the Chief’s Luau. It was well worth the experience that explored the history of Chief Sielu and his families journey across the South Pacific from Samoa, along with an exploration of the peoples that make up Hawaii. He delves into local customs from basket weaving to every ones delight the fire dancing and a sumptuous authentic feast. It takes about three hours in the early evening so plan accordingly.
Day Four
It was time to hop another Hawaiian Airlines flight, this time to the Big Island of Hawaii. From Oahu, it’s about an hour. On our journey we noticed several snow-capped peaks in the distance. Who said it doesn’t snow in the tropics. We met up with Jordan from Hawaii Tours, in Hilo. My primary reason for this day trip, Volcano National Park.
I’d always wanted to see Mauna Loa and Kilauea. I found out later that the Big Island of Hawaii is actually made up of five volcanoes. Due to its recent volcanic activity, we were not allowed near Kilauea, but Mauna Loa was well worth the journey. From lava tubes to humungous craters left from previous eruptions to areas of dried lava flow that felt like we were on the Moon, we loved every moment of our exploration. Mauna Loa is the second largest volcano in the world if you include the part under water. One thing we quickly discovered about volcanos in Hawaii, most are gentle in slope, not the ring shaped craters we’re so accustomed to seeing on television. It was a chilly and rainy day, but standing next to a steam vent turned out to be all the warmth we needed.
Sadly, our journey came to an end the following day. Our trip felt rushed. Next time I won’t make that mistake. My big takeaway from Hawaii in addition to its beauty and unique American culture is its people. They, collectively might be the friendliest group of people we’ve ever met. Even in the densely populated areas of Honolulu the drivers were so friendly to each other and the pedestrian traffic, no one seemed rushed unlike us. We won’t make that mistake again either.
Mahalo Hawaii, until we meet again.
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