Thanksgiving in Hawaii
Hawaii travel guide + story where I'm the turkey
Throw back to Thanksgiving in Hawaii! Back when Bryan and I were a little over a year into dating and due for our first Thanksgiving together. If you ask him, the invite to his family dinner was a no brainer. Too obvious.
But alas, my mental illness (aka delusion one succumbs to when dating a cute boy) told me I’d look desperate and assuming if I didn’t have plans. And soon (it wasn’t even October).
Cut scene to me foregoing all basic communication skills, and instead purchasing an overpriced Thanksgiving flight to visit my dad and sister in Hawaii.
Brilliant. Well played. Keep ‘em wanting more, they say.
Of course, when he found out, I looked less I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T and more so silly and of questionable judgement. Not my best look. Plus, turns out ‘take backsies’ are hard when the flight’s booked and family expects to see you. Another duh moment. Also - his family would have been an easy hour away in New Jersey, whereas, my dad and sister were a 15 hour butt numbing flight to Honolulu, Hawaii.
:’-)
Worth it.
The trip was peppered with warm memories and an even warmer temp. We wore sundresses (minus Dad - don’t worry, Dad), hiked with an ocean view, ate tons of phở (Asian restaurants are elite on the island), sang at karaoke bars, and had Indian for Thanksgiving dinner.
Bryan didn’t break up with me (woo!). We called each other every day and shared cute pics of family. Part of me wishes I’d been there with him, but I also wouldn’t trade those memories with my side of the family. Especially now that Thanksgiving is an annual trip to New Jersey… and my dad moved even further away to Japan, that rascal.
I loved that trip. And figure this is a good place to share and later reference our favorite O‘ahu spots. I also visited another year during Christmas, and you guys, THAT’S the move. Nothing as surreal as watching surfers mid tan sesh in December.
🌊 BEACHES
Eternity Beach / Halona Beach Cove — the path down is steep (an adventure in itself), the beach feels secluded, and there’s no lifeguard which makes it a favorite spot of mine. You can picnic and watch kids crawl up along that cliff, flipping into the water, or even catch a cute proposal.
Kahanamoku Beach — located between the boat harbor and boardwalk. It was a 10 min walk from Dad’s place, so my go to for sun bathing. Pretty peaceful and bonus - there’s a food truck nearby with shaved ice (and garlic shrimp?).
Shark’s Cove — great snorkeling spot.
Sunset Beach Park — on the North Shore of the island with the surfers. Great spot for sunsets as you may have guessed.
🍚 FOOD
Phở Bistro 2 — our post karaoke night remedy.
Cafe Maharani — great Indian food spot and what became our Thanksgiving take-out order <3
Million Restaurant — 10/10 low key authentic Korean food.
Leonard’s Bakery — I’ve gone gluten free since then, but back in the day we’d kill a box of malasadas.
Sweet E’s Café — Dad’s fav for an all-American breakfast with local vibes.
Matsumoto Shave Ice — ya gotta.
Don Quijote — a massive must-see of a grocery/convenience store and cultural experience with fresh fish and cool sandals (proof below). Really anything you’d ever need.
🥾 HIKING TRAILS
I didn’t get to hike as much as I’d have liked, but google maps “hiking trails” and a million amazing options pop up, promise.
Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail — steady incline of a walk up a wide, paved trail and views that are so worth it. Great for families as it’s pretty accessible to all. Heads up not much shade.
Diamond Head Beach Park — “hike” used loosely on this one - you could wear flipflops and be fine. Also a great spot for the beach alone.
Manoa Falls — Also done in Rainbow flipflops though not recommended because it’ll get slippery in parts. Get there early so there’s less traffic on the trail.
🌺🌴🌊 EXPERIENCES
We were hooked up with a family friend for surf lessons in Waikiki, but worth looking into - where better to learn than Hawaii??
Visit Pearl Harbor National Memorial. I can’t put into words how awe striking it is to be in that area and walk along and inside the ships of that day. 10/10 recommend.
Went hiding under the table as Dad sang at a karaoke bar. He’s not bad, honestly.
Dine at a luau for traditional Hawaiian food and entertainment.
Go see a college football game!
Aloha Home Market & Kailua Farmers' Market to support small businesses.
Dole Plantation for a little pineapple history.
Dad earned five stars for the O‘ahu tour, but I’d love to come back with Bryan (who’s never been!) and explore more. The island’s packed with gems. And I’m itching for a hike you can’t flipflop your way through. If we go, I’ll make sure to update here :)
