Dear Friends and Family,
Greetings from Outstanding Oahu!!! I emphasize the outstanding part because number one, compared to the other Hawaiian Islands, Oahu gets a bad rap, and two, I nailed it when I chose this accommodation, Turtle Bay Resort - one of my best decisions ever! I recommend if you can putting this on your bucket list as a destination.
Our hotel is on the tip of the north shore and built into the side of a cliff with floor to ceiling windows giving us incredible views both inside and outside the building. This locale is also great for sunset yoga together with R and R, working out while taking in the view, golf, surfing, and long walks on the beach. Truly, these pictures below do not do it justice- it’s pure paradise here.
We spent most of our time off the beaten path on the North Shore, the surfing capital of the world. Stunning vistas, pounding surf, great food, and surf competitions. If you look at the picture gallery, you can see dogs surf too- not kidding! I captured this hound surfing with his owner from my balcony. Here we fell in love with Hawala bowls and Ryan fell in love with the girl behind the counter- suffice to say we ate a lot of bowls...
I also got caught up on this season’s latest swimsuit trends including women of all shapes and sizes in thong string bikinis. It was business in the front, party in the back. No judgment from me here, I figure you do you. I was laughing to myself though because compared to most I was dressed like a nun when I went to the beach.
Honolulu is like Vegas meets Beverly Hills in Hawaii - great people watching and a party vibe. Last night we dined under the stars and a 115-yr. old Banyan tree on Waikiki beach. Make sure you click on my movie below to see my fabulous Hula girl I found in Honolulu -she is fun and can really dance!
Just a fantastic trip...and I think we are only a week in! If you want to catch more posts, you can follow us @mysuperawesomelife on Instagram or Facebook. We are en route to New Zealand now...we just crossed the international dateline and your today is now my tomorrow, what a great tagline! I must utilize that someday. To celebrate Air New Zealand is serving some delicious Sauvignon Blanc wine...from NZ of course! Mahalo and thanks a million for hanging in there with us and all your kind replies and good wishes...
Aloha!
Jane
Stay, Play, Dine and Shop in Oahu!
Stay
57-091 Kamehameha Hwy Kahuku HI 96731
A stunning hotel in a stunning location Turtle Bay is a dream destination. Located on the tip of the North Shore in Oahu, Turtle Bay Resort has accommodation levels for a variety of budgets, and it is conveniently located to tons of beaches and destinations. Great for families, couples or a corporate gathering it has hands-down my favourite gym with floor to ceiling windows and state of the art equipment overlooking the stunning surf, with the perfect sunset yoga locale. R and R played golf and said it was fantastic, there are activities abound and you can even surf with a dog if you like- just ask the concierge There is a surf school located on the premise but if you want more reasonably priced lessons you can go into Halawai. Put this place on your bucket list and ensure you venture out of Honolulu- there is so much more to Oahu than Waikiki.
2045 Kalakaua Ave. Honolulu HI 96815
We had a fabulous stay at this very affordable and super clean and centrally located hotel. I took advantage of the free rooftop yoga classes and bike rentals. There is a lovely rooftop pool and deck to have a drink to unwind. Within walking distance or a shuttle ride to Waikiki Beach its an easy stroll to tons of shops, restaurants, or the beach. Our suite offered a kitchen with full refrigerator which came in handy. Affordable, great value, and good for families.
Play
There is a plethora of things to do in Oahu. Most people concentrate on Honolulu, but you should really get out and see the rest of the Island; particularly the towns and beaches along the North Shore. Haleiwa was one of my favourite stops; a quaint surfside town with interesting boutiques, surf and dive rentals, and a great vibe- plus those Haleiwa bowls I love! I would recommend a visit and renting a surf or paddle board to help you drink in the sunshine. If you go, pop into Surf and Sea- it was our go to store for rentals; great staff and great prices.
The North Shore of Oahu is the capital of the world when it comes to surfing competitions. We happened to catch a great women’s competition at Pipeline when we were there; those girls can really cook! If you are planning to watch a major competition, Lush Palm/Surf Travel is a great option to connect with the surfer lifestyle and clarify competition schedules.
In Honolulu we booked a Pearl Harbour tour which was very important to me; this is a historically significant event which changed the course of history. Plus, remembering and visiting is a nice way to honour the armed service personal and civilians who risked their lives for our freedom. All tours are centrally located through pearlharbouroahu.com and reservations are a must.
Dine
One of the reasons I love Oahu is the Food Trucks; they are everywhere with delicious choices and affordable prices. There are two main food truck areas we discovered on the North Shore; one on the Kamehameha Hwy in Kaneohe, and one in Haleiwa on the Kamehameha Hwy. You can get everything from upscale cuisine or a quick bite. My favorite food truck of all time is the Aji Limo Truck (ajilimotruck.com) on Facebook and Instagram. Their food is fabulous, and they have outdoor seating with lots of shade and twinkle lights at night where you can linger and enjoy their delicious cuisine. This is a great pick day or night. if you are looking for a date place take your partner here; you’ll score big cool points for choosing a super romantic place!.
For the queen of juice bars and bowls I would visit Hale’iwa bowls in Haleiwa. LOVE these bowls and the great vibe from the staff and the little thatched roof ambiance. A definite must do and they are open day and night; a healthy option for breakfast, or an alternative to ice cream on a warm Hawaiian evening.
In Honolulu check out the Westin Moana Surfrider Hotel on the beachfront. It has a fantastic beach bar to watch the sunset with live music while the boats go by. Rent a bike and tour the town, it is very flat with lots of paths along the water.
Shop
For shopping Honolulu is like Hawaii meets Rodeo drive- tons of upscale stores plus a few ABC Stores thrown in for good measure. If you don’t know what an ABC store is yet they are all over Hawaii and you can grab some great finds here; sunglasses, souvenirs’ etc. An ABC store is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you might get! For shopping in Honolulu Kalakaua Ave is the place to be and you can google it to find out more...
The best boutique shopping in Oahu is in Haleiwa Town. Haleiwa Store Lots and the town centre contain an eclectic array of shops that are fun to explore with great finds. If you are staying in Honolulu, It is a 75 minute drive from Waikiki. I recommend you plan at least a day trip here and plan to stay for lunch, dinner, or both.