Things to do in Hawaii!

I’m back in California now and already missing Hawaii! In reminiscing about my trip, I’ve compiled a list of things that I think every Hawaii trip needs:

Pineapple Dole Whip Float - I know you can get these in Disneyland but why not get an authentic one on the Pineapple Plantation in a little souvenir cup! It's so yummy and pineapple is a staple of Hawaii so you might as well indulge!

Acai Bowl - these are pretty specific to Hawaii. It's hard to find them anywhere else and the acai bowls are tart and tasty. Sort of like a parfait and Jamba Juice smoothie all in one.

Surf/Paddle Board/Snorkel/Scuba - I suggest doing at least one of these activities while in Hawaii. The clear water and abundance of coral life really makes this worthwhile. And it's a great way to get exercise while enjoying Hawaii!

Shaved Ice - Shaved ice is another one of those local foods that just somehow tastes better in Hawaii. It's a light dessert or afternoon snack and since it's just syrupy water, you don't feel too guilty for having one...or two.

Poi - I had no idea what poi was until we were on our luau bus but the tour guide suggested that we try it, even if we don't like it. According to wiki (and because I'm too lazy to describe it by myself):

Poi is a Hawaiian word for the primary Polynesian staple food made from the corm of the taro plant (known in Hawaiian as kalo). Poi is produced by mashing the cooked corm (baked or steamed) until it is a highly viscous fluid. Water is added during mashing and again just before eating, to achieve a desired consistency, which can range from liquid to dough-like.

I'll be honest, it doesn't look like the most appetizing thing but we dipped our Kahlua pork in it and it doesn't taste like too much of anything at all. It's kind of like an extra dipping sauce.

Mai Tai - If you're 21+, mai tais are the drink to have. Actually, any of the fruit cocktails are delicious but mai tais have Polynesian flavors in them and really help capture the spirit of Hawaii. (See what I did there, SPIRIT?)

Macadamia Pancakes - We had some macadamia pancakes in a local breakfast place and they were amazing. The pancakes were light and fluffy with little macadamia nuts spread throughout and it was the perfect mixture of soft and nutty. I really want to get the recipe for those pancakes but I know it just won't be the same without the Hawaiian sun peeking over my shoulder while I eat them.

Luau - Luaus are SO much fun. It's part tourist-y, part cultural, and lots of food. Though I would highly suggest doing your research before picking a luau (the one we picked gave me some bug bites and an upset stomach), the night is worth it.

So here's my list of things that are needed for every Hawaii trip! I'd love to hear your suggestions because I know I'm going to be making a trip back sometime in the near future!

The World’s Largest Maze!

Today was so much fun!!! We were planning on going to Pearl Harbor in the morning and then heading to the Dole Plantation but it turns out that Pearl Harbor tours need to be booked at 8AM so we kind of missed that…But we drove to the Dole Plantation instead and it was easily the most fun I’ve had so far on this trip!

I’ve never been to the Dole Plantation before but many of my friends have and I was really excited to go for the first time. We bought the package that included the maze as well as the 20-minute train ride. We decided to run the maze first. The Dole Plantation Maze is touted as the world’s largest maze, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Hidden in the different corners of the maze are 8 little stations that you can have to get to and mark off on our little cards. We split up boys vs. girls and had a somewhat Amazing Race competition. It was so much fun running around and asking everyone if they had seen the “pineapple” or the “sea urchin.”

My finished maze card!

After our maze race, we took a little train ride that took us around the plantation. It had a recorded tour guide who told us about the history of the Dole plantation. All the different crops that grow on the plantation surprised me: not only pineapple, but bananas, breadfruit, rambutan, and sugarcane, too! I also picked up an authentic Pineapple Dole Whip. You can get them at Disneyland too but if you’ve never had one, it’s basically pineapple frozen yogurt sitting in a cup of pineapple juice. I got the little souvenir cup too so I could have a little memento of the place.

Pineapple Dole Whip. Yummiest thing ever!

After Dole Plantation, we went to North Shore for lunch and also swam around on beaches. I wish we had thought ahead to bring snorkel gear but we had our swim goggles and so we paddled around and took a look at the fish swimming around. I am terrible around coral reefs because I kick like none other and I got a few scratches on my feet. Nothing serious, just a few stings.

We decided to take dinner easy and eat at the food court at a mall down the street from where we’re staying. The food court is nice because we can all choose what we want to eat and get different things. Tomorrow we’re going to head back to Hanauma Beach early in the morning with our new snorkel gear to look at the fishies! And then maybe a showing of “The Internship” since it’s coming out tomorrow! I also completely forgot “Now You See Me” is playing and I really want to see that too! So many movies, so little time. Until tomorrow!

Look us, a pile of pineapples!