Hawaiian Honeymoon Happiness

When you first arrive, head to the hotel, drop off your bags, and immediately head to the beach. All the beaches in Hawai‘i are public, so there is no beach that is truly “hotel owned”. They all provide access points to enjoy the sand. Wailea Beach is one of the more tourist spots but has beautiful beaches with shops, restaurants, and hotels all within walking distance. Great for your first day staying in Wailea. If you’re looking for something different, drive a little further past, to Big Beach, where you will find some hiking trails at the end of the beach across lava fields if you want to try something new!

Spend the day driving the road to Hana, stopping at the Bamboo Forest, Twin Waterfalls, Black Sand Beach National Park, Hana Town for the best banana bread, and the red sand beach. Wear hiking shoes for this adventure—there is a lot of hiking involved to see all these hidden gems. Even though there are a few beaches on the itinerary, they involve short walks to get to each.

Sunrise at Haleakala in the morning. You can do this on your own with a car but do need to reserve a parking permit and pass for relatively cheap. Or you can do this with an excursion for more money, but you don’t need to worry about reservations and parking (and you can sleep on the drive up). You do need to be there much earlier for an excursion—like 2 am, wake up early and dress warm! Or you can also try the downhill biking from the top of Haleakala without the early wake-up. After the sunrise, stop in Paia for breakfast and coffee, wander the town for a little brunch. Head back and hang out at the beach for the afternoon!

Pack your bags and head to Kauai! Land and head right to Poipu Beach and spend the rest of the afternoon on the South Shore. Stop along the way to enjoy some of the amazing views. You will find lots of chickens and seals wandering around. This is about a 30 minute drive from the airport but has shops and a beautiful beach area.

Head to the hotel to check in and for dinner head back down south and go to the Beach House in Poipu—make reservations as it gets packed and go during sunset for stunning views.

Spend the morning out at sea. Snorkel and sail the Napali Coast in the morning. You will see the Napali coast that is inaccessible any other way. You can only get there by helicopter or boat. Depending on where you stay, this may be an early wake-up but worth it! The port is located on Poipu Beach on the south shore. You will see the Napali Coast from the most stunning angle, the ocean. You will also find some dolphins, whales, seals, and turtles along the way. The only way to access this part of the island is by boat, helicopter, or hike.

Hike the Napali Coast and see the only beach accessible by hike. You do need to reserve a time slot for the hike 30 days in advance. Get the earliest time slot possible. It is long, and it gets hot, but it is so worth it. Starting earlier reduces the crowds hiking, and you may end up being some of the first ones on the trail (which adds a whole new element). Be prepared and bring snacks and water. If you don’t want to hike all the way to the waterfall, you can easily hike to the beach and back, and if you choose to continue to the waterfall you can!

After your hike, spend some relaxing time on Hannalei Bay Beach and make sure to check out the food truck in the parking lot.

Spend the rest of the morning relaxing before heading back home and reminiscing on all the memories made.