When I last left you, it was our second last day in Southern California. We had gone to get our required COVID test for entering Hawaii. Good news, another negative test so we were good to go. Unfortunately, the Dodgers lost. This has left me with a dilemma. Who to cheer for in the World Series. It can‘t be Houston as I still view them as cheaters from the beating drum/stealing signs scandal which led to their World Series win. Atlanta continues to encourage the incredibly offensive ”tomahawk chop” during their games. So I am not cheering for anyone. This decision was made slightly easier by the fact that where we are staying in Hawaii does not have a TV so I am not watching the World Series anyway.
Here is some more info on travelling during a pandemic and some of the great stuff we did during our first week in Hawaii.
Firestone Walker Brewery - Venice Taproom and Pub - https://www.firestonebeer.com/venice/ . Our last restaurant outing in California and another new place we had not tried before. They brew their own beer on-site. Lots of choices and great craft beer flavour. They have an extensive menu with lots of different choices. We had poke nachos, chicken wings, grilled shrimp to share. I had fish tacos. Everyone’s food was great. They have a retail store where you can buy beer to take home if there was something you really enjoyed. Definitely, a place to check out when you are in or near Venice.
Temescal Canyon Trail - https://www.hikespeak.com/trails/temescal-canyon/. This was our last hike in Southern California and it is one of our favourites. Alltrails rates the hike as moderate, it is a 5 km loop. Not exactly sure how Alltrails decides on their ratings as a hike we did in Hawaii, Pill Box 1 was also rated as moderate and is much more difficult than Temescal. Anyway, it is a great hike, steep and somewhat difficult in parts. There is also some shade which is nice in the hot afternoon sunshine. Halfway through the hike, you reach a waterfall but unfortunately, because of the ongoing drought in California, there is no water, no waterfall. But the views are spectacular. Here are just a few of the many photos I took.
Getting ready for Hawaii - As I had mentioned previously Hawaii has strict entry restrictions. If you are a US resident travelling to Hawaii you must be double vaccinated or be in quarantine for 14 days when you arrive. For non-residents (including Canadians) you need to be double vaccinated and take a COVID test 72 hours before your flight leaves for Hawaii. Hawaii only accepts COVID testing results from a relatively short list of what they call their trusted partners. Fortunately, we were able to find one near Malibu. You also have to open an account on the Hawaii Travel Safe website and upload a bunch of information, including personal data, travel information, your COVID test results (which can only be uploaded in PDF format). You also have to complete a questionnaire 24 hours before your flight. Once all the information is loaded and you complete the questionnaire the site sends you a QR code that is used for entry into Hawaii. I had received an email from United Airlines that indicated they had pre-clearance for Hawaii Travel Safe at the LA airport so we planned to find that once we got to the airport.
Travelling Los Angeles to Honolulu - We decided to get to the airport early, 3 hours before our flight just to reduce our stress level and accommodate any issues that might arise. Teresa’s sister and husband drove us to the airport (thanks very much!). We said our goodbyes after a great time in California and headed into the airport. The United Premier Access (thanks again Air Canada status) was not busy and we got checked in quickly. Interestingly unlike Air Canada for our flight to LA where they checked our COVID test results, United did not ask to see our test results, I guess they leave that to the Hawaiian authorities. We got through security relatively quickly and although I was a little confused about which United Customer Service desk to go to for pre-clearance we eventually found it and joined the line. We showed our QR code, they checked our uploaded documents and ID and gave us a wrist band which meant we did not have to do any further clearance to enter Hawaii. We could just pick up our luggage and go. The wristband was very basic, essentially the United tag they put on carry-on luggage. Despite this, they later made an announcement at the gate that they had run out of wrist bands (?) and anyone without a wrist band would have to go through the clearance process in Honolulu. It seems crazy to me that United would not have any more of these very basic wrist bands (believe me they did contain any sophisticated security features) but the good news is we had one for entry.
Flying to Honolulu - Another full flight and 5 hours of wearing a mask. I finished watching the final season of Dear White People, a great Netflix series. Worth watching if you have not seen it yet. Our flight was an hour late leaving but otherwise uneventful. We were able to skip the Hawaii Travel Safe clearance with our wristband, pick up our luggage and get our rental car. We are very fortunate that Teresa’s brother lives in Honolulu and one of his family members owns a vacation home (they live in New York) next to their house where Teresa and I get to stay. It is a perfect setup as we are close to them but given they are working and going to school while we are visiting we don’t get in their way as they are getting ready for their busy schedules. One slightly strange requirement for our visit was that our family’s school and work required that they stay away (quarantine) from any non-residents for four days. This seemed a little strange given we are double vaccinated and were required to take a COVID test to enter Hawaii. Also, I am not sure what a quarantine of four days accomplishes in terms of the disease. However, we definitely obliged and did not want to cause them any issue at work or at school. We went to a local grocery store the evening we arrived and stocked up the house for our two-week visit.
Self-guided bike tour - On our first full day in Honolulu, we decided we would do a self-guided tour of Honolulu. After searching around the web I decided on Hawaiian Style Bike Rentals - https://hawaiianstylerentals.com. It seems that they really specialize in scooters and motorbikes (they have a neat-looking scooter for two) but they also have lots of bikes. For $20 each Teresa and I both got a bike, helmet and lock. We were all set. Our first stop was to see a wall mural that was part of the 2021 Pow Wow Hawaii Street Art Festival. As it turned out the first mural that we went to see was in an area that contained a number of the murals. So the 30 minutes that it took to ride there was well worth it as we got to see a ton of murals. Very neat and definitely something different.
Here are just a few of the murals we saw:
After looking at the murals which were awesome we decided that we would ride down to Waikiki beach. Honolulu is a busy city so you are often riding on streets with lots of traffic. However, we made it down to the beach and were able to ride on some side streets which made looking at the beautiful views a little easier. You know you are in Hawaii when you see this:
The photo below is Diamond Head as seen from Waikiki beach. We hiked to the top of Diamond Head the next day.
The last stop on our bike tour was the Beer Lab, Honolulu - https://www.beerlabhi.com. We went to the location near the university. It is a casual place with great draft craft beer. We enjoyed one of their beers each and then headed back to return our bikes.
Hike at Diamond Head - https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/parks/oahu/diamond-head-state-monument/ . This is likely the most popular hike in Hawaii. Close to Honolulu and while steep in parts the trail is easy to navigate and the views on the way up and at the top (especially at the top) are spectacular. All trails rates the hike easy and 2.9 km. The hike starts in a volcanic crater which is kind of cool. There is an admission charge and parking is very (very very) limited (I think the parking lot might be under construction so check if you plan to go). We had to park quite a distance away so we had a good hike just to get to Diamond Head before our real hike started. One option would be to rent a bike in Honolulu and ride out to Diamond Head. It is approximately 45 minutes by bike and then you don't have to worry about parking. I would say this is a must-do if you are in Honolulu.
Lunch at Diamond Head Market and Grill - http://www.diamondheadmarket.com/ . After we had burnt off some calories hiking we headed to this bakery and take-out restaurant. Hawaii (and I assume some others places) have what is referred to as plate lunches. This is normally some kind of meat, the most common being a hamburger patty, served with rice and some kind of salad (either macaroni or green) and covered with gravy. The semi-famous Hawaiian plate lunch is Loco Moco, hamburger patty, topped with egg, served with rice, macaroni salad covered in gravy (mmmm). Teresa had the hamburger patty plate, I had the mixed grill. Both were totally delicious. The bakery is also known for its scones so we bought blueberry cream cheese scones to take home and share with our family. We also found a cake that I went back to get later for our nephew’s birthday. Lemon crunch cake, white cake, covered with lemon curd, covered with toffee bits. I could live in this bakery and grill. One thing to note is this restaurant is take-out only and there is nowhere around to sit. So you are either taking the food back to where you are staying or eating in your car. Either way, the food is worth the visit.
Pill Box 1 hike - https://www.best-of-oahu.com/lanikai-pillbox-hike.html . We planned to check out Lanikai beach and found this hike was nearby so we decided to hike first and then head to the beach. All Trails rates this hike as moderate, but I would say it is at the difficult end of moderate. Right at the beginning of the trail, there are 3 areas where you use a rope to help pull yourself up. There are a number of very steep areas that are difficult to get up and even more difficult to get down. That trail is 1.1 km but there is an extension to the trail, which Teresa and I did so you can go for longer if you want. I feel like I have been saying this about almost every activity in California and Hawaii but the views are spectacular and maybe even nicer here than other places. Beautiful ocean and coastal views and there was just a little light rain which created (and allowed me to photograph) a beautiful rainbow. I would describe this as a hike bordering on a climb so if you don’t enjoy hiking this is not for you, but if you do put this on your list.
Lanakai Beach - https://www.best-of-oahu.com/Lanikai-Beach-Oahu-Hawaii.html . This is consistently rated one of the top beaches in Hawaii and in fact is mentioned in the top beaches in the world. There is no parking and we had seen signs saying they were not allowing parking in the residential areas around the beach. We had lucked into a parking spot (free!) for the Pill Box hike and there was a beautiful beach right there, Kailua Beach Park so we just decided to stay there. Given the beaches are less than a kilometre apart I can‘t imagine they are that different. There was beautiful fine sand both on the beach and in the water. The water is a lovely turquoise blue-green and the water is so warm. Teresa and I are not hang out and lay around the beach people but you can’t help but enjoy a beach like this. We went swimming a couple of times and enjoyed a relaxing time on the beach. You get totally covered with the fine sand that you can’t get off even with the beach shower but it is definitely worth it.
Konos - https://www.konosnorthshore.com . We drove into Kailua a small beach town in the area. Before I tell you about this place, the last time we were in Kailua we had a great experience at Whole Foods. In Whole Foods in Kailua, they have a bar with a counter and a few tables. You can grab a table and order a beer or a glass of wine and then go into the store and buy any of their ready-to-go food and eat it with your beer in the bar. What a great idea. Ok, back to Konos. We went to the Kailua location. This restaurant is also takeout only but they do have a few benches nearby and Teresa and I were able to snag one for our lunch. We ordered the Triple Crown which is a sandwich with 12 hour slow roasted Kalua Pig, ham, bacon, cheese and slaw. It sounded pretty huge so Teresa and I ordered one and split it, good move. It was delicious.
Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail - https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/hiking/oahu/makapuu-point-lighthouse-trail/ . This trail is at the opposite end of most of the hikes we have done. Although relatively steep the trail is paved from the parking lot right to the top. AllTrails rates the trail easy (it is) and is 4 km out and back. The views are amazing (I am sure you are tired of me saying this all the time but they are!). It is kind of a nice break to do a hike like this. You still get out and get some exercise, certainly gets your heart going climbing up to the top but no rocks, tree roots, mud, nice smooth pavement. I am not a hiking purist so I can enjoy hikes/walks like this. As I said the views are amazing and when you get to the top you can see up and down the coast as well as look at the lighthouse. At the bottom, there is a flat, gravel some rocks trail that takes you out to the ocean. I am guessing 2 km out and back and it is a nice addition to the lighthouse trail. We didn’t do the ocean walk the last time we were here as it had rained and was muddy, but this time nice and dry and easy to walk. A great start to our day.
Waimanalo Beach - https://www.to-hawaii.com/oahu/beaches/waimanalobeachpark.php . After the hike, we headed to the beach which was just a short distance away. How we planned our day was we picked what beach we wanted to try, then searched out hikes nearby. Last was to find a great place for lunch after hiking and swimming. This beach is only 20 minutes from Lanakai beach where we were yesterday but was very different. The waves were significantly bigger and there were warning signs for Man O’ War, reminding you that their sting is painful and you should stay out of the water. The sand is beautiful at this beach (as it is at all beaches in Hawaii). There were people swimming despite the warning signs so I decided I would try the water. It was beautiful and warm and the waves were fun for body surfing. Just so I am clear, body surfing for me is going not very far out and jumping into what I am sure would be considered a very small wave. However, I had fun and did not get stung by any Man O’ War.
Kona Brewery - https://www.konabrewinghawaii.com . Kona is one of the larger breweries on the Hawaiian islands. In addition to brewing and selling beer (you can buy it in grocery stores) they have brewpubs. We stopped at one on the way home from the beach. First great thing they have a long list of their beers on draft (as you might expect). I was able to try a delicious IPA I had never seen before. Second, we had a great table outside looking over the marina. Last, the food was delicious. I had fish tacos and Teresa had fish and chips. Reminder, this is pub food but after a hike and some time on the beach, it was perfect. We would go back again.
Saturday we took it relatively easy as we were having our family over for dinner for a birthday party for our nephew. I went back to Diamond Head Market and Grill (where had lunch and got scones) and picked up the lemon crunch cake. White cake topped with lemon curd and covered with toffee bits. Mmmmmm, it was delicious. I also got some sushi from Yanagai Sushi - https://www.yanagisushi-hawaii.com . Our nephew loves sushi rolls so we got a platter of that, combined with some other appetizers, beer, wine, sake and Japanese chicken and vegetable curry we had a great birthday celebration.
The next day we were off to the North Shore. About an hour from Honolulu this is a beach town where the really big waves are (especially in winter). This is where many of the surfing competitions take place in Hawaii. Our brother-in-law knew a quiet beach that was not busy, had parking (yeah!) and the waves were not too huge. It made for a great time. We swam in the ocean, saw a sea turtle and took lots of great family photos. It was lots of fun.
Giovan’s Shrimp Truck - http://giovannisshrimptruck.com . Shrimp food trucks are a big thing on the north shore and this is certainly one of the famous ones. If you like lots of garlic and shrimp you will love this place. The very (read very very) garlicky shrimp comes with two scoops of rice (to soak up the garlic and butter).
Big Wave Shrimp - https://www.bigwaveshrimp.com . Honourable mention goes to Big Wave Shrimp, also on the north shore. We did not visit this trip but Teresa and I went there the last time we were in Hawaii. The Food Network show, Drive-ins - Diners - and Dives visited here and that is where we first found it. They also have delicious shrimp but have other choices so if you have some non-shrimp eaters in your group this might be a better choice.
Matsumoto Shaved Ice - https://matsumotoshaveice.com . An absolute must-go-to spot when you are on the north shore. We went to the original location on previous visits, which was smaller and kind of a dive. The new location is bigger and nicer but the shaved ice is the same, delicious. Just so we are clear this is not a snow cone from the Rogers Centre. This is amazing shaved ice with tropical fruit flavours. Make sure you have it with ice cream and sweet beans (I know it sounds gross but you will love it). We had a small Matsumoto with ice cream and beans. That’s shaved ice with four juice colours and flavours that sit on top of the ice cream and beans. Aren’t you now just dying to try it?
And that was our first week in Hawaii. We packed a lot in (as Teresa and I do on all our vacations).
One of the nice things about both the locations we have visited is that the COVID rules and protocols are very similar to home. In California, the rules are almost exactly the same as in Ontario with the exception that you do not have to show proof of vaccination to get into a restaurant. I would say in Hawaii the rules are even stricter than in Ontario. You have to show proof of vaccination for restaurants both inside and on the patio. I would also say in Hawaii you see more people with masks on outside. Even in non-busy residential areas, you will see lots of people wearing masks while walking. This made us feel very comfortable as it was almost like being at home (only the weather is much warmer).
Last point which I will likely make again as I summarize our whole trip is that I feel that you need to be relatively comfortable with technology now to travel. All airlines now require you to enter information and upload data into their app before you board the flight. In the case of Hawaii, you have to fill out fairly extensive information online prior to entering Hawaii and boarding your flight. You must complete the information on the Travel Safe Hawaii website and upload your Covid test results in a specific format. While certainly not rocket science, if you are not comfortable with a laptop or tablet and a smartphone, saving and uploading files you are going to struggle to get all the information ready for your trip.
As always let me know any questions or comments you have at thethirdperiod.ca@gmail.com.
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