Dreaming of Being on Aloha Time

While thinking of our next tropical vacation

I’ve been able to go on some great vacations in my life, including the tropical island of Maui.

Because our daughters are always so busy with dance and school, I made it a point to schedule at least one but usually two vacations a year.

As I am sitting here dreaming about a definite vacation that we have planned this year and one in the works, I am reflecting on some past incredible memories that were made.

For many years, I thought that a summer vacation had to be somewhere tropical with a stunning beach and a pool overlooking it. While we have done a few of these types of trips, we have also branched out and have been lucky enough to explore mountains, cities, and desert landscapes.

Our last vacation was to England and Scotland, which are hardly tropical. While we had fun adventuring there, one of our vacations this year has to include sand, sun, and palm trees.

One of our past tropical vacations was to Maui, Hawaii. It’s hard not to love being on “aloha time”. Everything is so relaxed and the pace is slow. People even stop on the road to let you in, what a concept.

When you land in Hawaii, you are greeted with an aloha, a fruity beverage, and leis with a smile. You feel instantly calm and ready to unwind.

The salty air is warm, but not too humid, and the sun kisses your skin gently. The weather is like a big, warm hug.

The last time we were in Maui my little family of 4 met up with my parents there for some fun adventuring. We rented a car because it’s hard to see the island without one.

There was actually way too much driving in the cards for my husband. He was dreaming of spending a week in a hammock reading. But, I had to drag him away for different excursions.

If you don’t like driving, Maui’s famous Road to Hana isn’t for you. It’s an incredible drive around half of the island's coast.

The Road To Hana

The 64-mile trek is an all-day event because you make many stops along the way.

We were able to stay in the resort town of Kaanapali beach, which is on the opposite side of the island. It’s close to one of the main cities, Lahaina, which boasts many activities and restaurants.

To get from Kaanapali to where the road to Hana begins is about an hour. The trip begins with driving before you even arrive.

Now, you can download the Road to Hana tour application on your phone which is a great guide that will explain each stop along the way.

The first accessible waterfall is Twin Falls and is worth the stop.

There are different food stands along the way and we had the most incredible sandwiches, tacos, and shaved ice.

Much of the drive to Hana was rainy but warm, so we didn’t mind. We stopped at some caves to do some exploring inside.

Once we arrived in Hana, we took some time to relax outside of the vehicle, which my husband was grateful for.

A tropical adventure

We swam next to turtles, zip-lined through the tropical forest, hiked to waterfalls, ate some delicious food at Mama’s Fish House, and saw a blowhole erupt.

The Maui Zipline Company provides a thrilling adventure soaring through the trees, which is a completely different landscape from the beach.

The Nakalele Blowhole is a short drive from Kaanapali Beach, at Nakalele Point. After you park, the hike is moderate but quick to get to the blowhole and heart rock.

Although, I just read that heart rock is no longer there and was destroyed due to weather conditions.

Summer plans in the works

This summer I’d love to go to Costa Rica. We haven’t been on a tropical vacation in a little while and my husband is still dreaming of that hammock on the sand.

Listening to the waves crash on the sand, while monkeys hoot and scream, all while reading a book in a hammock sounds pretty amazing to me, too.

What I’ve learned from past trips is to not plan too much. Everyone complains. I have to remember I am not on the trip by myself. So, as I am researching places to go in Costa Rica, I am trying to find a place with the balance of both.

Heading to the rainforest one day and having a chill day on the sand the next.

Travel planning is tedious and time-consuming for me. I have such a hard time making a decision on a hotel/Airbnb and flights. Once I get those down, the rest is easy but I will browse and go down the rabbit hole for hours.

What I am hoping for here is any recommendations from fellow travelers. If you have had the pleasure of traveling to Costa Rica, what town(s) did you visit? Where did you fly into? Are July and August good times to visit?

Until then, I’ll be dreaming…

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Thanks for reading!

Much love, Michele