"Kauai Again, Kauai Again, Jiggity Jig"
Nov 14th, 2009, 02:31 PM
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"Kauai Again, Kauai Again, Jiggity Jig"
Some of you might remember my trip report from April. On that visit I stayed a couple of nights in a cottage on the west side and a week at Puu Poa in Princeville. I just returned from another trip where I based at Whaler's Cove in Poipu, with a 1 night side trip to Alii Kai on the North Shore. This trip was totally different in feel and flavor, with no repeats of dining...or any other...experiences. One thing that made this trip unique is that I was traveling with a Hawaii "virgin". This was the first tropical trip for my friend Marilyn. It is always special to see things anew through a fresh pair of eyes.
THURSDAY: The first change since April is that Thrifty Car Rental has moved to a nice new building (shared with Dollar) right at the airport. Much easier to find when returning the car than the old building in an industrial section of Lihue. As a Blue Chip member (free), I sped through the special line and into a PT Cruiser, which is my rental car of choice.
We arrived at unit 212 at Whaler's Cove to find Hawaiian music playing softly in the background- a nice touch. The condo (rented from Great Vacation Retreats) was nicely furnished and very clean. Our stay coincided with a period of unusual heat and humidity. The only drawback to this unit was that it did not have good cross-ventilation and the fans could not keep up with the oppressive heat. We solved this problem by spending most of our "at home" hours in and by the lovely oceanfront infinity-edge pool. We also enjoyed daily visits to the cove next to our unit to watch the turtles swim in and rest on the rocks. The story goes that they start arriving about 5pm each evening, stay for 2 hours, then swim back out to sea. We also saw a HUGE sea turtle on a roped off section of Poipu Beach Park. Alas, no monk seals this trip.
We had our first meal in the bar at Keoki's Paradise. Marilyn raved about the chicken stirfry, but my beer-battered mahi fish and chips was heavy on the batter and light on the fish. I did enjoy my first tropical-tini of the trip, however!
FRIDAY: Yummy breakfast at Joe's on the Green, then a jaunt down the road to Kauai Coffee Company, which has roasting demonstrations on Fridays. We stopped at Banana Patch studios in Hanapepe so I could buy a couple more of their colorful coffee mugs. It starts my day off right during the rainy Oregon winter to have that first sip of morning coffee in a bright mug with a rooster..or maybe a palm tree..painted on it. A quick look at the swinging bridge, then back to the condo for some relaxation by the pool. This was the night we had tickets for the luau, so we had to rest up.
I have been to several luaus, including Maui's Old Lahaina Luau and Feast at Lele, but never have I enjoyed one as much as the "Surf to Sunset Luau" at the Sheraton. We paid a bit extra for the Golden Circle seating, which gave us more comfortable chairs and good views of the entertainment. Plus we were first in line for the buffet. I thought the MC, Dickie Chang, was hilarious. The fire dancer was excellent, and also had a great sense of humor. There was a lot of audience participation. Very hokey, but I laughed and laughed. Maybe it was the mai tais.
THURSDAY: The first change since April is that Thrifty Car Rental has moved to a nice new building (shared with Dollar) right at the airport. Much easier to find when returning the car than the old building in an industrial section of Lihue. As a Blue Chip member (free), I sped through the special line and into a PT Cruiser, which is my rental car of choice.
We arrived at unit 212 at Whaler's Cove to find Hawaiian music playing softly in the background- a nice touch. The condo (rented from Great Vacation Retreats) was nicely furnished and very clean. Our stay coincided with a period of unusual heat and humidity. The only drawback to this unit was that it did not have good cross-ventilation and the fans could not keep up with the oppressive heat. We solved this problem by spending most of our "at home" hours in and by the lovely oceanfront infinity-edge pool. We also enjoyed daily visits to the cove next to our unit to watch the turtles swim in and rest on the rocks. The story goes that they start arriving about 5pm each evening, stay for 2 hours, then swim back out to sea. We also saw a HUGE sea turtle on a roped off section of Poipu Beach Park. Alas, no monk seals this trip.
We had our first meal in the bar at Keoki's Paradise. Marilyn raved about the chicken stirfry, but my beer-battered mahi fish and chips was heavy on the batter and light on the fish. I did enjoy my first tropical-tini of the trip, however!
FRIDAY: Yummy breakfast at Joe's on the Green, then a jaunt down the road to Kauai Coffee Company, which has roasting demonstrations on Fridays. We stopped at Banana Patch studios in Hanapepe so I could buy a couple more of their colorful coffee mugs. It starts my day off right during the rainy Oregon winter to have that first sip of morning coffee in a bright mug with a rooster..or maybe a palm tree..painted on it. A quick look at the swinging bridge, then back to the condo for some relaxation by the pool. This was the night we had tickets for the luau, so we had to rest up.
I have been to several luaus, including Maui's Old Lahaina Luau and Feast at Lele, but never have I enjoyed one as much as the "Surf to Sunset Luau" at the Sheraton. We paid a bit extra for the Golden Circle seating, which gave us more comfortable chairs and good views of the entertainment. Plus we were first in line for the buffet. I thought the MC, Dickie Chang, was hilarious. The fire dancer was excellent, and also had a great sense of humor. There was a lot of audience participation. Very hokey, but I laughed and laughed. Maybe it was the mai tais.
Nov 14th, 2009, 06:34 PM
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SATURDAY/SUNDAY: I wanted Marilyn to get a good look/feel of the North Shore- more than what a long day trip would provide. I found an on-island owner who would rent her condo at Alii Kai for just one night at a price we could afford. That allowed us to have a leisurely visit and really soak in the beauty of what is probably my favorite part of the island. After reading about delays for tree trimming and road work I thought the weekend would be our best bet for a hassle free trip. We packed an overnight bag and headed up the highway. Our first stop was breakfast at the quaint Ono Family Restaurant in Kapaa. I was pleasantly surprised to find parking spaces right out front. As we finished our meal and prepared to leave I discovered why no one else was parked out front. The annual Verterans Day Parade was slowing making its way down Kuhio Highway. So much for not being delayed! There is something special about a small town parade, though. Marching bands. Some horses. Queens and princesses of this and that. Groups of veterans from several wars being cheered by flag-waving people lining the sidewalk. We loved it.
Eventually the parade passed and we were able to continue our journey in the on-and-off rain. One stop was up a side road at the Anahola Farmers Market. This consisted of one table selling fruit and an open fire roasting various meats including wild boar. A quick look at the Kilauea lighthouse then a stop at Banana Joes for a smoothie and more fruit. We drove down Anini Beach Road to check out the conditions for a possible swim on Sunday morning. Surf has been up on the south shore and I though Anini might be a good place to dip our toes in the warm Pacific waters. Looked calm and nice.
Now it was time to meet the owner at the condo. Alii Kai is not a deluxe property, but it is perched right on the edge of the ocean. Our unit had million dollar views at a budget price. Very comfortable and well-equipped. I would stay there again in a heartbeat. www.vrbo.com/57600.
It was early afternoon so we continued our journey along the North Shore with stops in Hanalei and some of the beaches and caves on the way to the end of the road. The rain was heavier now so we didn't linger. After enjoying a rest and the views at the condo we made the excellent decision to try Happy Talk Lounge at Hanalei Bay Resort for dinner. Incredible views, good food, and great service.
It rained hard all night and into the morning so we scratched the idea of a swim at Anini and headed back south. We detoured to both Opaeka'a Falls and Wailua Falls. Wailua normally has 2 tiers of water, but due to the rain it was one powerful, raging gush...mostly brown. Very imposing.
Our afternoon was uneventful back at the condo. Pool. Watch turtles. We checked out Merrimans for dinner, but the upstairs looked too fancy for our mood and the downstairs too casual. Drove over to Poipu Beach Broiler instead. It wasn't at all crowded, and after a mediocre meal we understood why.
Eventually the parade passed and we were able to continue our journey in the on-and-off rain. One stop was up a side road at the Anahola Farmers Market. This consisted of one table selling fruit and an open fire roasting various meats including wild boar. A quick look at the Kilauea lighthouse then a stop at Banana Joes for a smoothie and more fruit. We drove down Anini Beach Road to check out the conditions for a possible swim on Sunday morning. Surf has been up on the south shore and I though Anini might be a good place to dip our toes in the warm Pacific waters. Looked calm and nice.
Now it was time to meet the owner at the condo. Alii Kai is not a deluxe property, but it is perched right on the edge of the ocean. Our unit had million dollar views at a budget price. Very comfortable and well-equipped. I would stay there again in a heartbeat. www.vrbo.com/57600.
It was early afternoon so we continued our journey along the North Shore with stops in Hanalei and some of the beaches and caves on the way to the end of the road. The rain was heavier now so we didn't linger. After enjoying a rest and the views at the condo we made the excellent decision to try Happy Talk Lounge at Hanalei Bay Resort for dinner. Incredible views, good food, and great service.
It rained hard all night and into the morning so we scratched the idea of a swim at Anini and headed back south. We detoured to both Opaeka'a Falls and Wailua Falls. Wailua normally has 2 tiers of water, but due to the rain it was one powerful, raging gush...mostly brown. Very imposing.
Our afternoon was uneventful back at the condo. Pool. Watch turtles. We checked out Merrimans for dinner, but the upstairs looked too fancy for our mood and the downstairs too casual. Drove over to Poipu Beach Broiler instead. It wasn't at all crowded, and after a mediocre meal we understood why.
, bring it on!\
/
Nov 17th, 2009, 10:30 AM
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MONDAY AND TUESDAY: A visit to Grove Farm Plantation was the highlight of our day Monday. I made reservations a few weeks in advance since tours are limited to just a few people and only given 3 days a week. I had done this tour several years ago and knew that Marilyn would enjoy the history of the plantation and the Wilcox family. Such a peaceful spot, and how wonderful that all the furniture and personal items are original to the property. Highly recommend!
www.grovefarm.net
We had lunch just down the road at JJ's Broiler, at an outdoor table overlooking fabulous Kalapaki Beach and the lush grounds of the Marriott. Later we watched the surfers and then the sunset from Lawai Beach. Dinner was delivered to our condo. It was that great native dish: Hawaiian Pizza from Pizza Hut.
Tuesday was our last full day on the island and we had not yet been swimming in the ocean. Kalapaki Beach had looked calm the day before so we donned our swimsuits and hoped we would be early enough to get a parking space at the lot by the pink & marble bathrooms (north end). The lot was full, but we were able to angle into a spot on the access road. The water was calm and warm..heavenly! I like the hard-packed sand and the nice lawn area at this beach.
Our farewell dinner was at Keoki's...this time in the dining room. Their Sunset Special, served 4:45 to 5:45 pm, has got to be one of the best values on the island. Just $19.95 for a 3 course meal, with several choices and generous portions.
Our trip was winding down, as is this trip report. There were dire warnings of wind and rain in the forecast so we were a bit anxious about our flights. Fortunately, we flew off before the worst of the storm arrived. I read a day or two later that there was flooding in several places, bridge closures, and...ICK!...a dead cow washed up on the beach at Lydgate.
It was a lovely trip, and a real pleasure to introduce the delights of Kauai to a new travel companion.
www.grovefarm.net
We had lunch just down the road at JJ's Broiler, at an outdoor table overlooking fabulous Kalapaki Beach and the lush grounds of the Marriott. Later we watched the surfers and then the sunset from Lawai Beach. Dinner was delivered to our condo. It was that great native dish: Hawaiian Pizza from Pizza Hut.
Tuesday was our last full day on the island and we had not yet been swimming in the ocean. Kalapaki Beach had looked calm the day before so we donned our swimsuits and hoped we would be early enough to get a parking space at the lot by the pink & marble bathrooms (north end). The lot was full, but we were able to angle into a spot on the access road. The water was calm and warm..heavenly! I like the hard-packed sand and the nice lawn area at this beach.
Our farewell dinner was at Keoki's...this time in the dining room. Their Sunset Special, served 4:45 to 5:45 pm, has got to be one of the best values on the island. Just $19.95 for a 3 course meal, with several choices and generous portions.
Our trip was winding down, as is this trip report. There were dire warnings of wind and rain in the forecast so we were a bit anxious about our flights. Fortunately, we flew off before the worst of the storm arrived. I read a day or two later that there was flooding in several places, bridge closures, and...ICK!...a dead cow washed up on the beach at Lydgate.
It was a lovely trip, and a real pleasure to introduce the delights of Kauai to a new travel companion.
Nov 26th, 2009, 10:41 AM
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I so enjoyed reading this report. My niece just moved to Hawaii. She was in a hotel, now in rental on the west side until tomorrow. They are then going to rent for 6 mo. on the east side until they find a house to renovate or buy.
I am getting in the mood as I will just have to go visit her. She even offered to pay for my trip. How can I refuse?
This report made me want to go sooner rather than later.
I am getting in the mood as I will just have to go visit her. She even offered to pay for my trip. How can I refuse?
This report made me want to go sooner rather than later.
