For my first documented trip, it only felt right to go to Hawaii for the first time. Kidding, I wish I could say that was the reason. I actually went to Hawaii with two of my closest friends as a farewell to one of them, as she will be moving back cross country this summer. As someone who grew up in the Northeast, Hawaii was always considered an expensive and very taxing trip. Now that I live on the West Coast, I don’t know if I would say it was a total-budgeter dream, but it did cut flight costs and travel time in about half.
The trip started with a smooth flight to the Big Island, followed by a short hop to Maui, where we stayed. Bags were delivered quickly, and we went off to grab our rental car. After a quick drive (and a stop for groceries), we arrived at our Airbnb. Our condo was an adorable one-bedroom located in a complex right on the beach. We christened our first night with a beer by the water and a bedtime of 7:30 PM.
After an early rise to get some work done in the morning, we decided to head out and grab breakfast before our first adventure: The Maui Ocean Center. In Lehman’s terms, this would be considered an aquarium, but it is actually a conservation site dedicated to the protection of whales, coral, sea turtles, and more. We learned about humpback whales’ migration patterns (and that we know very little about them), the numerous types of coral, and all the little critters that live within them. We, of course, took a brief pause in our education to stop at the on-site bar and restaurant. Seascape Maalaea offered a wide variety of local beverages and foods while still covering all the American Basics to keep tourists happy. I had a Mai Tai (made of the original fashion) and had my (non-existent) socks blown off. The drink was punchy, fruity, both sweet and sour, and the perfect blend of strong but still delicious.
After wrapping up our time at the Ocean Center, we decided to hit the beach at the Four Seasons, where White Lotus was filmed. While my gals spent a few hours playing in the waves, I read a book in the sand and tried to soak up as much sun as I could. The weather was absolutely perfect for the duration of our trip: mid-80s with clear skies and a (albeit sometimes a touch too much) light breeze to keep you from overheating.
Upon reaching our fill of the sand, we decided to head back to the Airbnb and spotted a little pizza place on our way home. Realizing we had little to no real food in our fridge, we took a gamble and swung by to grab some takeout, and my goodness, that may have been the best decision we made on the entire trip. Don’t get me wrong, when I’m somewhere like Hawaii, the only thing on my mind is fish and local cuisine, but this may have been the BEST pizza I have had in my life. The crust was thin and crispy but still had enough substance to it that it wasn’t soggy. The sauce was deliciously seasoned while being slightly sweet, giving it Sicilian vibes. And the cheese. The cheese was a beautiful blend that hit all the notes; gooey, melty, and full of flavor. While I didn’t get the secret combo, it featured mozzarella to give it that gorgeous texture, cheddar to provide a slight depth, and parmesan to provide the classic cheesy, nutty pizza taste. We also grabbed a Caesar salad and some wings, which were respectfully delicious (the wings were so insanely crispy even after the drive home; I was blown away), but the pizza is something I will compare every future slice to.
We woke up excited for our next adventure on Friday morning: a helicopter tour. What started as an “I wonder how much that will cost” turned into one of the best last-minute decisions we could have made. Upon arriving at Maverick Helicopters, we were greeted by the kindest staff and started the wait to take off. Our pilot, Nick, was an absolute sweetheart who kept the jokes light-hearted to ward off any nerves but still remained serious enough that we had complete trust in him.
Seeing the island from above was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience and was worth every penny. We landed in the Hana rainforest after a 25-minute flight up and around the island. There, we were greeted with a champagne toast (pilot excluded, of course) and the most lush landscape you can imagine. We took a dip in the watering hole located just past the base of a waterfall, which was delightfully refreshing, before exploring the areas we could. There were fresh guava, papayas, and bananas (sadly not ripe yet), along with all sorts of colored flowers, ferns, and more. We took a quick trip back to the other side of the island and bid Nick goodbye.
After showering and sprucing, our final stop on Friday was dinner at Morimoto. Yes, that Morimoto, as in Iron Chef Morimoto. It was here that my tastebuds were greeted with the most decadent, yet light, pieces of nigiri I’ve experienced. I began our dinner with a glass of bubbly because who says no to champagne? With the main course, I got a carafe of their homemade sake (Morimoto ginjo), and my tastebuds were met with a crisp, refreshing, and just ever so slightly sweet rice wine. The pear and stone fruit flavors paired gorgeously with the nutty yet sharp rice wine. I may not be a sake connoisseur, but I do enjoy it from time to time, and it has to take one of my top three spots.
Along with the Chef’s Combination (10 nigiri and 1 maki), I was a very happy camper that night. The nigiri featured a variety of toro, salmon, eel, and even some local fish. The maki was your standard spicy tuna roll but somehow elevated in a way I can’t explain (though, upon reflection, the elevation could have been influenced by eating on the beach during sunset). As an avid Toro fan, it pains me to admit that the salmon nigiri was my favorite bite of the night. Deliciously fatty and tender, it quite literally melted in my mouth.
With a full belly and a happy heart, we headed back home and went to bed to prepare for our next day’s adventure.
