Day 8: Hello Honolulu

We grabbed breakfast at the hotel coffee shop, and headed off to the airport.

But not before stopping to fill up the rental car… at $4.97 a gallon!!! Gulp! The Kona Airport is great – about the size of the Greensboro airport. It is incredibly easy to navigate. Plus, we liked the open air waiting and gift/snack shops.

The inter-island flights are really short, 30 to 45 minutes, so they only do beverage service. Your options are water or passionfruit juice and both come in these like containers like a lunchbox cup of peaches.

Only in Honolulu would they have an oasis in the middle of the open air airport.

Honolulu is a relatively large city, about the size of Greensboro, but it is really big considering the size cities we have seen over the last week. The highway system though could rival most major metro areas. We all really liked the mix of old and new architecture.

And of course, when we went by the courthouse, Mike and I started humming the Hawaii-5 0 theme song 🏄🏻🌺🎶 The boys were clueless when I said “Book ’em Danno” but we laughed any way 🤣

We are staying at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki for the next four days. Shameless plug: Usually, we are Hilton/Marriott people. However we have to have queen size beds, which weren’t available at any Westin or Marriott on our dates. Plus, a rollaway bed or pullout couch would really be fantastic so boys would both get good sleep at this point in the trip. So, we decided to try out the Hyatt Regency. This is BY FAR our favorite so far… and BONUS, it is the least we have paid for a hotel so far! The hotel is shopping/stores and restaurants on first 2 floors, and pool, hot tub and gym on the third. And they have the best perks (in addition to a rollaway bed): lei making classes; jewelry making classes; yoga classes; and beach chairs that you can borrow and return. Plus, sand toys and boogie board for free use as well. Every other hotel we have stayed had these things for always for a fee… And this view is just about perfect!

We decided to check out Duke’s Waikiki for lunch – it was right on the beach and since we caught it at 2:45, we were able to walk right in. The cajun fish tacos were delicious… if we do nothing else well, we always eat well. 😁

We wanted a little something sweet after lunch, and what luck! There is a Haagan Daz store on the way back to the hotel 😀

After our late lunch, we hit the beach to relax.

Another Hawaii Sunset… seriously wondering if I am ever going home?

After the beach, the boys went to the gym for another soccer workout, and then we headed out for sushi, because when will it ever be fresher that right beside the ocean???