travel tips

The most beautiful beach on the Big Island

 in Travel  tagged beach / family / hawaii / hawaii big island / summer 2019 / travel / travel tips by

aiopio beach hawaii travel guide hawaii big island beaches

One of the most beautiful sights to see in Hawaii is the large network of beaches. So when I was planning our family vacation to Hawaii, I knew I needed to research where to go, and plan ahead!

In the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, there is a beach which is not only beautiful, it is sacred ground filled with history. What we thought would be a hike through lava, turned out to be a short walk to a beach that was hidden behind a marina; and has to be the most beautiful beach I have ever seen in my life. Ai’opio Beach, you have to go there!

best beach hawaii historical beach hawaii

After walking on a trail, and almost overheating, we suddenly came upon the beach. We knew it was there, but we had no idea how dreamy it would be. There was a hut, which we later found out was a sacred and historical fishing hut. In the water, there were what appeared to be short walls made from lava rocks. They turned out to be ancient foundations for sacred buildings and fishing huts.

There was also a short wall which was an ancient fishing area that fishermen used to trap fish, and then capture them with nets. It was a  beautiful little cove, and the ancient foundations and history made it all the more beautiful.

It’s always fun to learn more about the local history of the places we visit. It is not only educational for the kids, it helps us understand the local area; plus it’s super interesting!

aiopio beach kona hawaiiturtles beach hawaii

In addition to history, we had a turtle sighting! There were two swimming in the water where it was really shallow. One of the turtles stuck it’s head out when we were watching it; as if it were saying “Aloha!” We were so excited to see the turtles.

Shop my Ai’opio Beach look:

If you are traveling to the Big Island, this beach is a must-see! You can park in the Marina, and then follow the signs to the shore which will lead you on a path to this amazing beach. It’s a must-do!

Thanks for stopping by, and stay tuned for more Hawaii coverage!

Aloha!

Cathy

fishing hut hawaii beautiful beach hawaii

Kona coffee farm tour

 in General Fashion / Travel  tagged family / hawaii / hawaii big island / summer 2019 / travel / travel tips by

kona coffee farm tour mountain thunder coffee farm kona

One of the crops the Big Island is famous for is coffee. Kona coffee is arguably some of the smoothest, most luxurious coffee in the world. If you are a coffee connoisseur, you know what I am talking about! While I don’t drink coffee often now, when I used to drink it all the time, Kona coffee was always my favorite. So visiting a Kona coffee farm while visiting the Big Island was a no-brainer.

Now, when I say Kona coffee, I mean 100% Kona coffee. Not the coffee found in most supermarkets and big box stores which claim to be Kona coffee. If you look closely at the boxes of those mass-marketed brands, you will find they only contain 10% Kona coffee. The rest of the beans are from other countries, and are inferior to the premium beans grown in Kona. There is a huge difference! Don’t pay for Kona coffee marketing, if you are going to pay for Kona coffee, be sure to read the fine print. It must say 100% Kona to have that Kona coffee deliciousness.

mountain thunder coffee farm tour family friendly coffee bean processingbest kona coffee farm tour

Although my kids don’t drink coffee, and I only drink it occasionally, I thought it would be cool to take my kids to a coffee farm and see how it is produced. After all, it’s one of Kona’s biggest farming industries; and they are famous for it!

There are many coffee farms in Kona which offer tours. Some tours are free, while others are not. I was thrilled to find Mountain Thunder Coffee Farm in Kona while googling. They not only offered free tour, they were a quick fifteen drive from our hotel. That’s win-win!

The farm is small, but the tour is broad and informative. For forty-five minutes we learned about Kona’s coffee industry, coffee history, and how coffee is produced. We toured a few plants, saw machinery, and learned so much! The farm is family owned, and they take their business seriously. After the tour, we were able to taste all of their coffee varieties, and they were so good! My favorite was the organic followed by the French Roast. If you love coffee, this is the farm to tour!

kona coffee tasting

My kids tasted a little bit of coffee too, but they really enjoyed the chocolate covered coffee beans. Um, so did I! They were delicious! If you visit, buy a can of them! You will thank me when you taste them . Yum!

You can learn more about Mountain Thunder Coffee Farm in Kona on their website.

My Kona coffee farm tour outfit:

Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to stay tuned for more coverage from Hawaii!

Aloha!

Cathy

family coffee farm tour kona

Exploring Hulihe’e Palace in Kailua-Kona

 in General Fashion / Travel  tagged chicos / hawaii / hawaii big island / outfits / summer 2019 / travel / travel style / travel tips / vacation outfits by

hulihe'e palace hawaii big island outfits

wearing: sun hat c/o Chico’s / bold silver earrings c/o Chico’s / summer lipstick / sunglasses (avl in prescription) / bold convertible necklace c/o Chico’s / black tee c/o Chico’s / palm print kimono c/o Chico’s (on major sale!!) / black slim fit pants c/o Chico’s / bold blue bracelet c/o Chico’s / summer nail polish / woven handbag c/o Chico’s / gold ankle bracelet / black espadrilles (super comfy!)

One of the first things I wanted to do when we arrived in Hawaii, was to show and teach my children some Hawaiian history. After breakfast on our second day on the Big Island of Hawai’i, my husband and I took the kids out to tour the grounds and buildings of the famous Hulihe’e Palace.

We took a few family photos around the grounds until 10am when the first tour was supposed to start. Unfortunately they didn’t have a docent available, so we ended up doing the self guided tour. It was incredible to view the interior of the Palace, and learn the history behind Hawaii’s last royal family; and the grounds themselves. I wish we were allowed to take photos inside the Palace, but they only allowed outdoor photography. Boo!

kona viewshawaii big island travel guide

My kids enjoyed seeing the Hulihe’e Palace, and learning the local history. It was fun to learn that the Prince had studied in San Mateo, and ended up having a San Francisco Bay Area connection. The museum included a large amount of historical facts and items, including what happened to the monarchy of Hawai’i. The self-guided tour took us close to an hour to read through and absorb. It was truly amazing, and a must-do if you ever visit the Big Island of Hawai’i.

hawaii outfit ideas island outfit ideas

Since we were doing a lot of walking, I was so happy to have a comfortable outfit which had an island theme. These pants and this tee were the perfect canvas for this amazing kimono from Chico’s. I received so many compliments from both tourists and locals alike! This kimono was the hero piece of my look, and it was so much fun to wear! If you are looking for one fabulous piece this summer to get you into a vacation vibe, this is it! Plus, it’s on major sale, love that!

If you visit Kona, don’t miss touring the Palace! It’s on beautiful lands, and the history is just incredible. It is so important to learn about the places you visit around the world, otherwise, what’s the point?

Shop my Hawaii sight-seeing outfit from Chico’s:

Thanks for stopping by, and stay tuned for more coverage from Hawaii!

Aloha!

Cathy

travel handbag hawaii islandhow to dress on a hawaiian vacation