Aloha from Hawaii

My youngest is fleeing the nest this fall to go to college 🙁

  
Since this was the last high school spring break in our house, we went big.

Hawaii bound!

Five moms and senior daughters banded together and picked Maui as our destination.

More specifically, the Makena Beach and Golf Resort in South Maui.

  
Our cab driver D.K. showed us Oprah’s private road that ends (gated) right across from our hotel.  Celebrities in the hood!

Grace and I reaped the benefits of highly organized moms on this trip.  I usually drift towards the beach chair and a paperback and would never have seen all of the incredible things if they hadn’t planned them.

 
A small group went to watch the sunrise at the Haleakala Crater the first morning.

 
Grace and I drew the line at the 3:00 am wake-up call.  But I got to use their pictures!

On top of Haleakala Crater, 10,000 feet

A Luau is a must if you are in Hawaii and the Old Lahaina Luau is fabulous.

 
It takes place in Old Lahaina (Lahaina was the original capital of Hawaii), right on the water.

Luau Girls!

 
The food is delicious.  Entertainment is great.  Mai Tais ice cold.  Go.

The Humpback whales were in season while we were in Maui and we hit the high seas with Captain Joel of Ultimate Whale Watch to see them.

Captain Joel and his mate!

 
Mom and baby.

 
We saw humpback babies, mothers and their escorts in Lanai Bay.

Baby Breaching.  Lanai island in the background.

We sang ABBA on the boat (for some strange reason) and the babies kept breaching to check us out.  We were not complaining!

  
Make sure to book with Joel in Lahaina Harbor, Slip 17 (plastic whale in photo above).

Waterfalls were also on the bucket list.  Four of us took off on the road to Hana to find some.

 
We pulled over at Twin Falls and walked the mile in to find our waterfall.  It did not disappoint!

I did squeeze in sufficient beach time and late afternoons by the pool with my fellow ladies.

Our hotel had a stunning beach and lots of snorkeling equipment at hand.

 
Makena Beach

Makena hotel at the base of the volcano

The ten of us ventured out, Starbucks in hand, one morning for a 7 am guided kayak and snorkeling tour.

Out into the open ocean we went.

Our guide anchored in two places and we snorkeled with fish, turtles and a giant stingray.

 

Ok, enough with all of the activity.  We ate at some great restaurants; Monkey Pod and Cafe O’Lei to name a few.

There is no better Mai Tai than a Hawaiian Mai Tai and lets talk about the coffee…

It was a memorable and bittersweet trip with our adorable girls.  They actually liked hanging out with us and for that reason alone, I will cherish this trip.

the wry home

(photo credit: Diane, Kristin, Sue and Captain Joel)