Adventure #9 - North Shore

On our last full day in Hawai'i we headed to the North Shore of Kauai to complete our tour of the island.  While very different than the West and the South, like all spots around the island it offers breathtaking vistas and serene spots.  

Our first stop was in Kilauea where we hit up the Kilauea Bakery for some breakfast - lots of tasty, buttery pastries.  After doing some shopping in the Kong Lung Center, where I got a stick thrown at me by a parrot (Sam tells the story much better than I do), we visited the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. We spotted numerous birds, sea turtles and WHALES.  

Sam and I thought that the surf was rough - but some women who lived nearby told us that this was a relatively calm day. 

We spotted our first sea turtle swimming around this island. 

The view of the rest of the North Shore from the lighthouse - the most northern point of the whole island. 

As we drove away from the lighthouse towards Anini Beach, Sam sang a song to the sea turtles because he wanted to see some more them.  Then lo and behold when we arrived at the beach park, one popped up mere feet from us as we strolled along the coast.  I tried, and failed, to capture the coolness but we did get some cool shots.  

Anini Beach is a great place for swimming because as you can (kind of) tell from this shot there is a very long reef that creates a safe, wave-free place to swim.  

Leaving the beach we continued our journey west, stopping next in the exclusive resort area of Princeville.  Upon returning home (and catching up my celebrity gossip news), I learned that Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck spent New Year's Eve there at the St. Regis.  Sam and I couldn't quite swing staying there for a week so we decided that a lunch would suffice.  The food was good - the view incomparable.

We ended the day at Kee Beach and the Kalalau trail.  Sam puts this hike at the top of his list of favorite activities for the trip. Me - not so much. Although I am proud that I made it! Enjoy the views! 

Adventure #8 - Kayaking!!

The next day found us in the Wailua River - trying our hand at kayaking.  Needless to say there were a few tense minutes at the beginning (due to my supreme lack of coordination) but then we got the hang of it - mainly because Sam was kind enough to adjust his paddling speed to mine. 

These beautiful flowers live for exactly one day.  They start out yellow in the morning and change color as they age.  The flowers float everywhere.   

We had high hopes as we started out....

Once we finished our kayaking, we did a MUDDY muddy hike to the Secret Falls.  You can't see them from the road or from the air.  The only way to get into them is to hike. 

Ours was not the only kayaking group headed to the Falls that day.  

The hike was longer and harder than expected but the Falls were picturesque, if frigid. 

Adventure #7 - Go West Young Man!

After we got back to the ground we headed west, stopping for lunch at the Kalaheo Coffee Co. & Cafe for one of my favorite meals of the trip.  We got delicious California-style sandwiches with fresh greens.  Once we finished refueling we drove to Waimea Canyon.  A Grand Canyon look-a-like, it is 14 miles long, one mile wide and 3600 feet deep.  Having never been to the Grand Canyon (yet!!), I can't say how this compares but we found it simply spectacular.  

From there we headed up to Kokee State Park and the Kalalau lookout.  From there we were able to see parts of the Na Pali Coast.  

In the parking lot we saw a whole family of chickens!! 

Can you tell where the ocean stops and the sky begins? 

Last but not least, we did a little hiking in the Kokee State Park on the Awa'awapuhi trail - but just a little. 

 Where is Sam? 

Here he is! 

Touchdown Buckeyes! 

Adventure #6 - Ziplining in Kaua'i

One of my absolute favorite activities from our honeymoon was going ziplining.  We went with Just Live and had a marvelous time.  Their big claim to fame is that once you're "airborne" your feet never touch the ground until the end.  It definitely feels like you are flying and the views from up top are pretty sweet. 


This first video is our first Kaua'i recap - pre-zipping. 

Some shots of "base camp" and the general vista. 

Then we headed up into the skies! 

If you can't tell by this picture, this next video will show you that I really liked it :) I just wasn't always great at the landing part. 

Sam's has more of a Blair Witch Project feel to it. 

And I think that this video is one of Sam's favorites.  Watch to the end and I think that you will see why.