Hawaii Had Me in My Feelings (and My Bikini)

Warning: after reading this, you might accidentally book a one-way ticket to Hawaii.

I touched down in Honolulu and the air grabbed my face like, “Hi, gorgeous. Welcome to paradise. Drink up.” The humidity wrapped around me instantly, the ocean was practically shouting from the shoreline, and I was already rolling a carry-on and a delusion that one spritz of setting spray could tame trade winds. Spoiler: it could not. But the frizz framed my halo era and honestly… iconic.

Waikiki is the baddie of beaches: glossy palms, that diamond-blue water, and a skyline that says, “You’re getting a balcony.” I checked into a high-rise with an ocean view so indecently good I considered apologizing to the Pacific. Morning coffee on the balcony, toes tucked in a hotel robe, the world sparkling like it was filtered in 4K.

Daytime rhythm: sunscreen, swimsuit, shave ice, repeat. I padded down to the sand just in time to watch surfers carve the glassy breaks, each one looking like he’s on the payroll for a perfume commercial called Salt. I floated, I giggled, I pretended I knew the difference between a longboard and a “really long board.”

When golden hour hit, I posted up at a rooftop with tiki torches and live ukulele. The sunset went full theater-kid, changing costumes every minute: coral, fuchsia, then that moody violet that makes you text your ex “hope you’re well” (I didn’t. Character growth!). I did, however, order a mai tai that tasted like tropical truth serum, and I might’ve told the bartender he was my soulmate.

Side quest: If you’re hunting for the best hotels in Waikiki, stay near Kalākaua Avenue for easy beach access and shopping, or scoot toward the Ala Moana side if you prefer quieter mornings and jogging paths along the park. Options for every vibe — luxe-to-chill.

North Shore: Soft-Launch Me as a Surf Girlfriend

I rented a car (convertible, because I’m nothing if not committed to a bit) and cruised up to the North Shore of Oʻahu, where life slows down and the waves grow up. Big. Like, sign-a-waiver big. Like, I needed multiple floatie big. Luckily, I rolled in during shoulder season, which is local for “safe for your ego.” Haleʻiwa welcomed me with pastel storefronts, shave ice bigger than my head, and a lineup of food trucks making garlic shrimp that could start a religion. I sat curbside with buttery fingers, watching bronzed pros dance on water like gravity was a rumor. I beach-hopped to Waimea Bay (cliff-jumpers living their best lifeguard-movie fantasy) and Sunset Beach (appropriately named, 10/10 drama). I sprawled out on the sand, journaled like the lead in a coming-of-age film, and remembered that “nothing to do” is still something.

🧋 Honolulu Eats: Consider Me Nourished and Nosy

Honolulu is more than Waikiki, it’s a delicious tangle of neighborhoods, markets, and aunties who will lovingly judge how you pronounce “mochi.” I spent a morning at a local farmers’ market sniffing mangoes like a sommelier and hunting the perfect spam musubi (salty, sweet, handheld joy, and yes, you must try it and thank me later).

I chased it with malasadas dusted in sugar so aggressively my phone thought it was a sandstorm. Poke bowls became a personality trait — fresh ahi, warm rice, furikake confetti. If you’re taking notes on things to do in Oʻahu: add “eat like you mean it.”

For history and perspective, I carved out time for Pearl Harbor. It’s humbling, quiet, and necessary. A reminder that paradise holds many stories.

🌺 Maui: My Soft-Girl Era With Cliff Notes

I hopped over to Maui where the vibe shifts from champagne pop to deep breath. The island is greener, gentler, and a little bit like she’s in therapy and recommends it. I snagged a rental Jeep and pointed it toward the legendary Road to Hana, armed with snacks and the confident delusion that motion sickness is “a mindset.”

Six hundred curves later, I had a camera roll that could retire me: roadside waterfalls crashing like applause, bamboo forests whispering secrets, and black sand at Waiʻānapanapa so sleek it looked couture. I dipped into tidepools, let the trade winds bully my ponytail, and ate banana bread so warm I briefly believed in soulmates again.

Back in Wailea, I leaned into resort life: infinity pools, pink skies, and a cocktail that tasted like a vacation put on lip gloss. If you want the best hotels in Maui for honeymoon-level sunsets and walkable beaches, this stretch is your girl. See it for yourself 🌅 [Expedia link].

🌋 Big Island: The Real Main Character was A Volcano, and She was Stunningggg

Then I met the Big Island — bold, wild, and a little feral in the best way. The landscapes change every twenty minutes: emerald ranchland, coffee farms perfuming the air, and miles of jet-black lava fields that look like the moon hired a decorator.

At Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, steam vents curled into the sky and the earth felt… alive. I walked the boardwalks in absolute awe, the kind that turns you quiet, then buys a geology book on the flight home. I traced petroglyphs, tiptoed through lava tubes, and watched the sun melt into the ocean along the Kona Coast like it was choreographed just for me.

Book your Big Island epic 🔥 [Expedia link].

Pro tip: The Big Island is, well, big. If you’re into snorkeling and sunsets, base yourself in Kona. If your heart beats for rainforests and waterfalls, consider Hilo. Or be extra (hi) and split the stay.

🧘‍♀️ The Reset I Didn’t Know I Needed

Somewhere between a second plate of haupia pie and a third ocean dip, my nervous system took off its heels and sat down. I stopped refreshing emails. I read on the beach without taking a single “candid” (growth). I even said yes to a sunrise paddle, and when a sea turtle surfaced nearby, we just… blinked at each other like neighbors sharing an elevator. No big deal. Totally casual. I cried later, obviously.

Travel isn’t a magic eraser, but Hawaii rubbed out the edges — turned the volume down on the noise and turned me back up.

🏨 Where to Stay (Because You’re the Star Too)

• Waikiki, Oʻahu: High-rise glam, steps to the beach, endless dining. Book your ocean-view moment ✨ [Expedia link].

• North Shore, Oʻahu: Bungalows and surf shacks with sunset front-row seats. Live the slow-life fantasy 🌤️ [Expedia link].

• Wailea or Kāʻanapali, Maui: Resort heaven, walkable beaches, restaurants in heels distance. Treat yourself 🌺 [Expedia link].

• Kona or Hilo, Big Island: Kona was so gorgeous, I named my puppy after her and she def lived up to her name. Choose sun-kissed west for snorkeling, lush east for waterfalls and markets. Build your split-stay saga 🌋 [Expedia link].

🎬 It’s Giving Final Montage

My last night, I took my drink to the sand and let the ocean narrate. The sky went full technicolor. Someone strummed a guitar. A toddler chased pigeons like it was the Olympics. I felt soft and loud all at once — grateful, salty, a little sun-stupid, fully alive.

Hawaii wasn’t a vacation. It was a plot twist. It was proof that the movie doesn’t start when you land — it starts when you decide you deserve to be the lead.

🛫 Pack your bags, book your trip, and claim your island main-character arc now 👉 [Expedia link]