Curtis’ Family Comes to Oahu

Curtis’ Family Comes to Oahu | Spring Break 2019

At the end of March and beginning of April, we were excited to host some more guests in our tiny home: Curtis’ family! I had a great week showing them around the island to some of our favorite spots, and checking out some new places with them as well! Unfortunately for Curtis, it came at a time when things were more eventful at work so he wasn’t able to take much time off, but we were thankful that he was at least on island for their entire visit. Fortunately for me, it came at a time when Curtis was working long hours and having company helped make time go faster!

Here’s a run down of what we did during their week long visit:

Friday, March 29 | They arrived in the afternoon. After lunch (featuring our homegrown Okinawan Sweet Potatoes) and showing off our home, we went for a walk on Kailua and Lanikai Beaches — it was Claire and Julie’s first time at the Pacific!

Saturday, March 30 | After stopping for letterboxes at Bellows Air Force Beach and Waimanalo Beach, we went for a walk around Koko Crater Botanical Garden. For lunch, we went to Zippy’s in Hawaii Kai, then visited the Mount Tantalus Scenic Overlook and National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Sunday, March 31 | We were finally able to go pick up Curtis from his 72 hour shift, then we went to visit the Swap Meet held around the Aloha Stadium. It was Curtis and my first time there, and we learned that this is a good place to go get…well, just about anything, from souvenirs to fresh produce to clothing to gear and more! Next, we drove up to Wahiawa and walked through the botanical garden up there, then stopped for lunch at the Islander Drive Inn. That afternoon, Curtis, Ray, and Claire went snorkeling at Lanikai Beach while Julie and I prepared for dinner. Since Ray has some extended family also living on island, we hosted a mini family reunion for dinner that night!

Monday, April 1 | Curtis went back to work that morning, and we went to spend the morning around Pearl Harbor. We took the AZ Memorial tour, Ray, Julie, and Claire toured the Missouri, then we met Curtis for lunch at 604. Afterwards, we returned to Ford Island to see the Utah and Oklahoma Memorials and find some letterboxes, then did a little more letterboxing in Pearl City. Feeling the need for a sweet treat on this warm day, we drove up to the Dole Plantation for some Dole Whip — my first time! It was delicious and I’m now in search of a copycat recipe.

Tuesday, April 2 | Curtis was on duty on Tuesday, so we decided it was a good day to spend on the North Shore. We stopped to check out some beaches and letterboxes along the way, and spent a good amount of time snorkeling at Turtle Bay and Shark’s Cove. We enjoyed a delicious meal at Seven Brothers and wrapped up our time by getting Hawaii’s Whispering Giant letterbox. Still have yet to locate that statue…

Wednesday, April 3 | This morning, we rose early for a sunrise hike up to Makapu’u Point. Afterwards, we grabbed Leonard’s for breakfast and stopped to see the Halona Blowhole. That afternoon, we drove up to the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie and fit in as much “island hopping” as we could. Curtis was able to drive up and join us, and we all enjoyed dinner and the show, “HA! Breath of Life” together that evening.

Thursday, April 4 | Since it was shaping up to be another warm day on the island, we decided to visit Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens in Kaneohe since they have easier walks and are more shaded than other areas on island. We lucked out with perfect, cloud-free mountain views here as well! That afternoon, we took advantage of free re-entry into the Polynesian Cultural Center to fit a little more exploring in. On our way up, we also spotted a monk seal resting on a beach!

Friday, April 5 | On their last morning, Ray and Julie planned to go snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, but knowing that Claire had wanted to do more hiking, I had them drop us off for the Lanikai Pillbox hike. I enjoyed reconnecting with her as we climbed up to the bunkers with scenic views over Lanikai Beach and the entire Ko’olau Ridge free of clouds. Once finished with the hike, we walked to Kailua Beach until Ray and Julie came to pick us up. We had one last lunch together before they began their long trip back to the mainland.

Thank you family for making the trip out here and keeping me company for the week! We’re so thankful that we won’t have to wait another year and a half to see you all again (Lord willing)! And as a reminder to those who are still considering visiting — we’re now halfway through our time on Oahu (Lord willing, again!), so time is ticking! 😉