Heavenly Hawaii
By Guest Blogger, Zena Martin aka americanbritgirl
Did you know that Aloha means: hello, goodbye, and love? We didn’t, until we recently visited Hawaii, for the first time!
For Mother’s Day, this year, I took my mother there, for her gift.
We both really needed a break, and neither of us had ever been. Mum and I have strong personalities and both tend to be leaders. However, when we travel, she likes to say, “that it’s the only time that she allows me to completely take charge.” Hah! She’s right, though. It’s quite amusing, as my Type A personality kicks in, and I assume the role of ‘cruise director,’ with my itineraries, folders, pre-printed tickets, and various apps.
Mum and I have always traveled well together, since she started visiting me, while I lived in London, for almost two decades. Each time that she visited, she would fly across The Atlantic, from Atlanta, and we would have new, fun adventures, in London for a week, and then travel to somewhere in Continental Europe, for a week, for more, fun adventures.
We flew from Atlanta to Honolulu, and were based in Waikiki Beach, on Kalakaua Avenue, which is fabulously famous for its beaches, restaurants, and luxury shopping. Try to stay somewhere that offers a good view of Waikiki’s Friday-night Fireworks, whilst sipping a refreshing cocktail or mocktail.
While we definitely spent time reading, on our hotel balcony, and at the beach, we both love to soak up culture, so did a lot of sightseeing, as well. I highly recommend purchasing a Go Oahu Card, which offers great discounts for all of the must-see attractions.
Our Oahu sightseeing highlights were: The Pearl Harbor Historic City Tour , which included a scenic tour of Honolulu, plus a guided tour at Pearl Harbor, which was incredibly powerful, poignant, and patriotic.
Mum & I at Pearl Harbor 
USS Arizona Memorial
We took the The Taste of Kualoa Tour, which was a fun trolley tour on a lush farm, in the mountains, that grows all kinds of plants, fruits, and vegetables, and also has horseback riding and zip-lining, and has been the site for many film and TV shoots, such as Hawaii 5-0 and Jurassic Park.
Additionally, a must-stop, detour of yumminess, less than a mile away, is at the Tropical Farms Macadamia Nut Shop – you have not lived until you have tasted the Macadamia Nut Honey Coconut Peanut Butter – seriously delish!!
The Iolani Palace Tour , which was really eye-opening about the royal history of Hawaii (and the USA).
And the pièce de résistance was the all-day VIP tour at The 42-acre Polynesian Cultural Center, which included a cultural snapshot on-foot and canoe tour of six Polynesian Islands, learning how to Hula Dance, a tummy-filling, delicious and delightfully entertaining Luau, with a spectacular, night-time amphitheater show called, The HA Breath of Life .
Most of the Go Oahu attractions provide transportation (either included, or for an additional fee); however, I recommend renting a car, as we did, especially for traveling up the mountains to The North Shore. If that’s not an option, Uber & Lyft are everywhere, and there is also public transportation, as well as many hotels offering some sort of shuttle service, to the major shopping areas.
Mum and I also enjoyed a lovely evening, when we took in some Jazz, at Blue Note Hawaii, and saw world-famous saxophonist, Dave Koz, and his band, perform. So much fun, with a great meal, and dance-in-your-seat music!
With time permitting, most visitors do a bit of island-hopping, and we were no exception. On Mother’s Day, Mum and I rose before the crack of dawn to fly to Maui, for a one-day Heavenly Hana Tour. There were so many waterfalls, and a tropical rain forest, as well as an incredibly scenic, rugged coastline, with black sand beaches. We also saw Charles Lindbergh’s grave. Our favorite experience was climbing out to the huge deposits of rocky back lava, on the beach, at Keanae Lookout.
The Hawaiian people are stunningly beautiful inside and out, and so incredibly welcoming. I would say that their friendliness was almost overwhelming, but there should be no such thing as too much, sincere warmth.
Whether it’s a short hop from California, or you are making the trek from much further away, Hawaii is most definitely well worth the trip. We couldn’t stop smiling, and we will definitely return. Aloha and hang loose!
Zena Martin / americanbritgirl is a dual, American-British citizen, whose wanderlust was instilled in her by her parents. She currently owns her own Rodan+Fields skincare business, after spending decades as a C-suite global marketing communications specialist. When not working, she spends her time volunteering with various local, national and international non-profits. She currently lives on St. Simons Island, Georgia, and her mother, Dr. Mona MacDonald, lives in the Atlanta area.