We have been away from Hawaii and especially Oahu for so very long. The last time we visited Oahu was during the week of July 4, 2010. While in Oahu, we always stayed in the Waikiki area (Hilton Hawaiian Village).
This time, Inna found excellent ticket prices on Alaska Airlines, but we stayed in the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu's North Shore. We also rented an Alamo Car Rental (a midsize SUV) to help us transport surfboards to all of the various beaches (using Costco.com Travel)
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
On Tuesday, August 6, we woke up at 4:30 a.m. PST, dressed, and ordered UberX. We arrived at the San Jose Mineta Airport around 5:20 a.m. and went straight to the security checkpoint. Unfortunately, my pre-printed Alaska Airlines tickets did not scan appropriately in the security section, so Alex and I had to return downstairs and re-print our tickets. Eventually, we returned to the security section and passed through.
Our Alaska Airlines Flight #837 departed San Jose at 7:00 a.m. PST and arrived in Honolulu at 9:20 a.m. HST. We took the Alamo Rental Car shuttle to the Alamo Rental Car facility.
I hoped to rent a Toyota RAV4 midsize SUV, but all Alamo had were Nissan Rogue SUVs. I chose a grey Nissan Rogue, and we quickly started driving to Haleiwa, on Oahu's North Shore.
We decided to eat lunch at a small shack called Farm to Barn. While Inna and Alex selected Avocado Toast, I chose Fried Rice with Sausage. It was alright, but nothing to write home about.
We saw various food trucks on the way to our Turtle Bay Resort. These are very popular in Oahu. Since Alex had a sore throat, we stopped by a small grocery store (Celestial Natural Foods) to purchase some honey and lemon to help him with his throat.
We arrived at Turtle Bay Resort at around noon. After checking in, Alex and I decided to rent some surfboards for the week while Inna would explore the resort and enjoy swimming on the beach (and in the pool).
I would like to rent shortboards at a reasonable price. Our Turtle Bay Resort was charging $350 to rent a surfboard for one week, which seemed excessive. Eventually, we found the North Shore Surf Shop (near Shark's Cove), which rented shortboards, SUPs, and other gear. Alex and I selected two Firewire Pyzel shortboards: one was 6'6" with 39 liters of volume for me, and the other was 6'0" with 30 liters for Alex.
Since waves were non-existent at the North Shore, the surf shop told us to try surfing at Goat Island, which is accessible through the Malaekahana State Recreation Area. We arrived there around 4:00 p.m. when Alex and I started surfing. The waves were 1/2 a mile away, and it took a long time for me to paddle there. When I finally floated there, I was exhausted and decided this was not an appropriate surfing spot.
The waves were coming from multiple directions and were disorganized. I paddled back to shore while Alex continued to surf until 6:00 p.m. I took a few photos with my Nikon P900 superzoom, but all the surfers (including Alex) were far away. It was hard to capture quality photographs from such a distance.
After returning to room #433 at Turtle Bay Resort, I rested while deciding where to eat dinner. Since Inna developed a horrible migraine, she thought it would be best if we ordered takeout and ate in our hotel room. I drove to nearby Kahuku and ordered a few entrees from the Seven Brothers at the Mill eatery. I ordered two plates of Coconut Macadamia Nut Shrimp, while Alex ordered the Grilled Herb Ahi Steak entree. All of the entrees were quite tasty and relatively inexpensive. Alex especially enjoyed his chocolate-peanut-butter milkshake, which he thought was the best in the world.
Since we were tired, we returned earlier, falling asleep around 9:00 p.m. HST.
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
Waking up early, we took a shower and decided to eat breakfast. At first, we took a close look at pastries in our Turtle Bay hotel lobby and were quickly disappointed. They looked like they came straight from Safeway. We then decided to drive to the famous Ted's Bakery nearby to try breakfast there.
When we arrived, I ordered the Corned Beef Hash and Eggs breakfast plate while Alex and Inna decided to try the Croissant Sandwich. We also tried an almond pastry, and I also tried Hawaiian pineapple juice. The corned beef breakfast plate was not wrong, and Alex and Inna liked their croissants. While the food was decent, the dining environment was unacceptable. The tables were dirty, and chickens were running all around. Ordering the food at Ted's Bakery but eating elsewhere might be more pleasant.
After breakfast, we dropped off Alex at the Malaekahana State Recreation Area so he could surf until noon. Inna and I decided to spend the morning at the famous Waimea Bay Beach.
First, however, we needed to rent an umbrella and beach chairs so we would not get sunburned. We stopped by on the way to Waimea at the North Shore Surf Shop, where we rented 2 Tommy Bahama beach chairs and one umbrella.
We arrived at Waimea Beach around 10:00 a.m. (finding parking eventually) and set up our umbrellas and chairs. The weather was beautiful, and Waimea Bay looked picturesque.
We went for a few swims, enjoying the warm Pacific ocean water and the beautiful sand beach. Many people were jumping off the nearby rock. I jumped off it a few years ago but decided against it this time.
I continued to read Three Days in Moscow: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Soviet Empire by Brett Baier. It was a fascinating non-fictional account of the ending of the Cold War, with many details behind Ronald Reagan's biography and speech-writing.
At around 11:40 a.m., we drove back to Malaekahana State Recreation Area to pick up Alex. We were about 15 minutes late, and he was already finished. He had a much better day of surfing, catching a few waves and getting more confident about his surfing ability.
We decided to stop by for lunch at Kahuku and eat from one of the food trucks. After exploring the various dining options, we settled on Auntie's Lil Green Hut. Alex wanted to try Giovanni's Shrimp Food Truck, but it had a long line, and peeling shrimp did not appeal to Inna or me. As most food trucks accept credit cards, I did not have enough cash. This time, I had to walk to the nearby Hawaiian Bank to use the ATM and pay for our lunch with cash. All other food truck vendors accepted credit cards.
Inna and I ordered the Mediterranean Plate (a salad with feta cheese), while Alex decided on a Waffle crepe. I also tried cherry-flavored Kombucha, which I really liked. The dishes took a long time to be made, as only one person was working. We waited about 30 minutes for our food, during which a short but heavy rainfall started (and eventually ended).
After lunch, we stopped to sample shaved ice at Wili Wili's Shaved Ice Heaven. We ordered the most popular flavor - Tigers Blood, and enjoyed it a lot.
After eating lunch, we returned to our hotel to enjoy the pool and see whether there were enough waves for me to surf on the west side of Turtle Bay. I paddled out in the bay, but there were not enough waves (or large enough) to catch any waves.
I returned to the pool for some rest and relaxation. It started to rain at some point, and we returned to our room.
When the rain finished, Inna and I decided to stroll through the hotel's grounds, finding multiple hammocks on the western side of the property. We enjoyed our walk and received a better understanding of the size and scope of the Turtle Bay Resort.
We decided to try our luck at the resort's Lei Lei's Bar & Grill for dinner. Inna made reservations for 7:45 p.m. We followed the main road to Lei Lei on poorly lit streets. I expected a sidewalk, but it wasn't always there. I am surprised this kind of fancy resort did not design sidewalks for nearby restaurants.
We sat down and ordered our entrees when we arrived at Lei Lei. I selected the Caesar Salad with grilled Ahi Steak. Inna and Alex set the Daily Fresh Fish selection - Ono. Both Alex and Inna enjoyed their freshly prepared Hawaiian fish. We set the Macadamia Nut Pie a la mode with vanilla ice cream for dessert.
It was delicious, but Alex did not try any. While we liked the restaurant, the ambiance & the atmosphere were not comparable to the fine restaurants in Maui's Four Seasons or Kea Lani Fairmont Hotel. Overall, the food was a bit overpriced.
Thursday, August 8, 2019
Waking up early, we took a shower and decided to eat breakfast at the famous Ted's Bakery nearby and plan our day. This time, we ordered 3 Croissant Sandwiches and a couple of pastries. The apple turnover tasted like a Safeway reject, but the other pastry was delicious.
Since Alex still had pain in his throat, all three of us decided to spend the day at Waimea Bay Beach.
We arrived at Waimea Bay Beach Park around 9:00 a.m. and spent a few minutes searching for parking. Even at this early hour, the parking lot was packed! We eventually found a parking spot and set up our Tommy Bahama umbrella on the beautiful sandy beach.
We immediately went for a swim, enjoying the beautiful, refreshingly cool ocean water of the Pacific. I tried using the snorkeling gear and was surprised by the clarity of the water.
Here is a video I recorded using a GoPro Hero4 Silver of swimming at Waimea Bay:
This time, Inna found excellent ticket prices on Alaska Airlines, but we stayed in the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu's North Shore. We also rented an Alamo Car Rental (a midsize SUV) to help us transport surfboards to all of the various beaches (using Costco.com Travel)
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
On Tuesday, August 6, we woke up at 4:30 a.m. PST, dressed, and ordered UberX. We arrived at the San Jose Mineta Airport around 5:20 a.m. and went straight to the security checkpoint. Unfortunately, my pre-printed Alaska Airlines tickets did not scan appropriately in the security section, so Alex and I had to return downstairs and re-print our tickets. Eventually, we returned to the security section and passed through.
Our Alaska Airlines Flight #837 departed San Jose at 7:00 a.m. PST and arrived in Honolulu at 9:20 a.m. HST. We took the Alamo Rental Car shuttle to the Alamo Rental Car facility.
I hoped to rent a Toyota RAV4 midsize SUV, but all Alamo had were Nissan Rogue SUVs. I chose a grey Nissan Rogue, and we quickly started driving to Haleiwa, on Oahu's North Shore.
We decided to eat lunch at a small shack called Farm to Barn. While Inna and Alex selected Avocado Toast, I chose Fried Rice with Sausage. It was alright, but nothing to write home about.
We saw various food trucks on the way to our Turtle Bay Resort. These are very popular in Oahu. Since Alex had a sore throat, we stopped by a small grocery store (Celestial Natural Foods) to purchase some honey and lemon to help him with his throat.
We arrived at Turtle Bay Resort at around noon. After checking in, Alex and I decided to rent some surfboards for the week while Inna would explore the resort and enjoy swimming on the beach (and in the pool).
I would like to rent shortboards at a reasonable price. Our Turtle Bay Resort was charging $350 to rent a surfboard for one week, which seemed excessive. Eventually, we found the North Shore Surf Shop (near Shark's Cove), which rented shortboards, SUPs, and other gear. Alex and I selected two Firewire Pyzel shortboards: one was 6'6" with 39 liters of volume for me, and the other was 6'0" with 30 liters for Alex.
Since waves were non-existent at the North Shore, the surf shop told us to try surfing at Goat Island, which is accessible through the Malaekahana State Recreation Area. We arrived there around 4:00 p.m. when Alex and I started surfing. The waves were 1/2 a mile away, and it took a long time for me to paddle there. When I finally floated there, I was exhausted and decided this was not an appropriate surfing spot.
The waves were coming from multiple directions and were disorganized. I paddled back to shore while Alex continued to surf until 6:00 p.m. I took a few photos with my Nikon P900 superzoom, but all the surfers (including Alex) were far away. It was hard to capture quality photographs from such a distance.
After returning to room #433 at Turtle Bay Resort, I rested while deciding where to eat dinner. Since Inna developed a horrible migraine, she thought it would be best if we ordered takeout and ate in our hotel room. I drove to nearby Kahuku and ordered a few entrees from the Seven Brothers at the Mill eatery. I ordered two plates of Coconut Macadamia Nut Shrimp, while Alex ordered the Grilled Herb Ahi Steak entree. All of the entrees were quite tasty and relatively inexpensive. Alex especially enjoyed his chocolate-peanut-butter milkshake, which he thought was the best in the world.
Since we were tired, we returned earlier, falling asleep around 9:00 p.m. HST.
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
Waking up early, we took a shower and decided to eat breakfast. At first, we took a close look at pastries in our Turtle Bay hotel lobby and were quickly disappointed. They looked like they came straight from Safeway. We then decided to drive to the famous Ted's Bakery nearby to try breakfast there.
When we arrived, I ordered the Corned Beef Hash and Eggs breakfast plate while Alex and Inna decided to try the Croissant Sandwich. We also tried an almond pastry, and I also tried Hawaiian pineapple juice. The corned beef breakfast plate was not wrong, and Alex and Inna liked their croissants. While the food was decent, the dining environment was unacceptable. The tables were dirty, and chickens were running all around. Ordering the food at Ted's Bakery but eating elsewhere might be more pleasant.
After breakfast, we dropped off Alex at the Malaekahana State Recreation Area so he could surf until noon. Inna and I decided to spend the morning at the famous Waimea Bay Beach.
First, however, we needed to rent an umbrella and beach chairs so we would not get sunburned. We stopped by on the way to Waimea at the North Shore Surf Shop, where we rented 2 Tommy Bahama beach chairs and one umbrella.
We arrived at Waimea Beach around 10:00 a.m. (finding parking eventually) and set up our umbrellas and chairs. The weather was beautiful, and Waimea Bay looked picturesque.
We went for a few swims, enjoying the warm Pacific ocean water and the beautiful sand beach. Many people were jumping off the nearby rock. I jumped off it a few years ago but decided against it this time.
I continued to read Three Days in Moscow: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Soviet Empire by Brett Baier. It was a fascinating non-fictional account of the ending of the Cold War, with many details behind Ronald Reagan's biography and speech-writing.
At around 11:40 a.m., we drove back to Malaekahana State Recreation Area to pick up Alex. We were about 15 minutes late, and he was already finished. He had a much better day of surfing, catching a few waves and getting more confident about his surfing ability.
We decided to stop by for lunch at Kahuku and eat from one of the food trucks. After exploring the various dining options, we settled on Auntie's Lil Green Hut. Alex wanted to try Giovanni's Shrimp Food Truck, but it had a long line, and peeling shrimp did not appeal to Inna or me. As most food trucks accept credit cards, I did not have enough cash. This time, I had to walk to the nearby Hawaiian Bank to use the ATM and pay for our lunch with cash. All other food truck vendors accepted credit cards.
Inna and I ordered the Mediterranean Plate (a salad with feta cheese), while Alex decided on a Waffle crepe. I also tried cherry-flavored Kombucha, which I really liked. The dishes took a long time to be made, as only one person was working. We waited about 30 minutes for our food, during which a short but heavy rainfall started (and eventually ended).
After lunch, we stopped to sample shaved ice at Wili Wili's Shaved Ice Heaven. We ordered the most popular flavor - Tigers Blood, and enjoyed it a lot.
After eating lunch, we returned to our hotel to enjoy the pool and see whether there were enough waves for me to surf on the west side of Turtle Bay. I paddled out in the bay, but there were not enough waves (or large enough) to catch any waves.
I returned to the pool for some rest and relaxation. It started to rain at some point, and we returned to our room.
When the rain finished, Inna and I decided to stroll through the hotel's grounds, finding multiple hammocks on the western side of the property. We enjoyed our walk and received a better understanding of the size and scope of the Turtle Bay Resort.
We decided to try our luck at the resort's Lei Lei's Bar & Grill for dinner. Inna made reservations for 7:45 p.m. We followed the main road to Lei Lei on poorly lit streets. I expected a sidewalk, but it wasn't always there. I am surprised this kind of fancy resort did not design sidewalks for nearby restaurants.
We sat down and ordered our entrees when we arrived at Lei Lei. I selected the Caesar Salad with grilled Ahi Steak. Inna and Alex set the Daily Fresh Fish selection - Ono. Both Alex and Inna enjoyed their freshly prepared Hawaiian fish. We set the Macadamia Nut Pie a la mode with vanilla ice cream for dessert.
It was delicious, but Alex did not try any. While we liked the restaurant, the ambiance & the atmosphere were not comparable to the fine restaurants in Maui's Four Seasons or Kea Lani Fairmont Hotel. Overall, the food was a bit overpriced.
Thursday, August 8, 2019
Waking up early, we took a shower and decided to eat breakfast at the famous Ted's Bakery nearby and plan our day. This time, we ordered 3 Croissant Sandwiches and a couple of pastries. The apple turnover tasted like a Safeway reject, but the other pastry was delicious.
Since Alex still had pain in his throat, all three of us decided to spend the day at Waimea Bay Beach.
We arrived at Waimea Bay Beach Park around 9:00 a.m. and spent a few minutes searching for parking. Even at this early hour, the parking lot was packed! We eventually found a parking spot and set up our Tommy Bahama umbrella on the beautiful sandy beach.
We immediately went for a swim, enjoying the beautiful, refreshingly cool ocean water of the Pacific. I tried using the snorkeling gear and was surprised by the clarity of the water.
Here is a video I recorded using a GoPro Hero4 Silver of swimming at Waimea Bay:
I could see all the way to the beautiful, sandy bottom. I saw a few fish but no turtles or other marine life.
Alex also swam for a bit, eventually deciding to try diving off the tall rock. Here is a video I recorded using my iPhone:
He attempted multiple jumps from various heights.
We spent almost five hours swimming and snorkeling at Waimea Bay and were reluctant to leave. It was such a fantastic beach.
From Waimea, we drove our Nissan Rogue to Haleiwa, where we decided to eat lunch at the No. 7 Japanese Food Truck. Alex and I selected Original Poke, and it was a delicious treat! Inna's Poke Combo was also quite tasty. The poke was the best food we have eaten on Oahu so far!
After lunch, we stopped by the Island Vintage Coffee to try the famous frozen drinks. Inna and I ordered the frozen Vintage Kona Mocha. The frozen coffee drink was delicious!
While sipping our frozen coffee, we stood in a long line at the Matsumoto Shave Ice to sample the multiple flavors of the world-famous shaved ice. The line moved fast, but ordering our shaved ice took us 20 minutes. I selected 3 flavors for my shaved ice: Green Tea. Yuzu (Japanese citrus) and Ume (Japanese Plum). Besides, I also picked condensed milk and Azuki beans. I liked the condensed milk, though the beans were not needed. The combination was delicious, but it became a bit too sweet at the very end. Inna liked her Tropical Shaved Ice Combo of Lilikoi, Guava, and Papaya.
After finishing the frozen ice, we stopped by the nearby store to purchase some T-shirts and a bag. From there, we started our drive home to Turtle Bay. On the way there, we noticed a considerable commotion of people on the beach, so we pulled over and discovered a few sea turtles!
They were a small crowd of people taking photos, and we joined in. Inna and I both took many pictures of the famous Hawaiian sea turtle.
We decided to pick up dinner from one of the food trucks after returning to our hotel. We decided to try the Fish Tacos and ordered 3 surf taco takeouts. I selected the chicken and shrimp combo, while Inna chose shrimp and fish. Alex liked the beef & shrimp combination. The tacos were quite delicious (when we ate them later that evening).
When we returned to our hotel, we dropped off all of our beach items in our room and then returned to the beach to enjoy the coming sunset. The beach by Turtle Bay is not as sandy or beautiful as Waimea Bay, but it is still quite good.
We swam around for a while and then walked back to the pool to enjoy the last minutes of our fantastic day. Once we returned to our hotel room, we took showers and ate our surf tacos (followed by hot tea).
Alex also swam for a bit, eventually deciding to try diving off the tall rock. Here is a video I recorded using my iPhone:
He attempted multiple jumps from various heights.
We spent almost five hours swimming and snorkeling at Waimea Bay and were reluctant to leave. It was such a fantastic beach.
From Waimea, we drove our Nissan Rogue to Haleiwa, where we decided to eat lunch at the No. 7 Japanese Food Truck. Alex and I selected Original Poke, and it was a delicious treat! Inna's Poke Combo was also quite tasty. The poke was the best food we have eaten on Oahu so far!
After lunch, we stopped by the Island Vintage Coffee to try the famous frozen drinks. Inna and I ordered the frozen Vintage Kona Mocha. The frozen coffee drink was delicious!
While sipping our frozen coffee, we stood in a long line at the Matsumoto Shave Ice to sample the multiple flavors of the world-famous shaved ice. The line moved fast, but ordering our shaved ice took us 20 minutes. I selected 3 flavors for my shaved ice: Green Tea. Yuzu (Japanese citrus) and Ume (Japanese Plum). Besides, I also picked condensed milk and Azuki beans. I liked the condensed milk, though the beans were not needed. The combination was delicious, but it became a bit too sweet at the very end. Inna liked her Tropical Shaved Ice Combo of Lilikoi, Guava, and Papaya.
After finishing the frozen ice, we stopped by the nearby store to purchase some T-shirts and a bag. From there, we started our drive home to Turtle Bay. On the way there, we noticed a considerable commotion of people on the beach, so we pulled over and discovered a few sea turtles!
They were a small crowd of people taking photos, and we joined in. Inna and I both took many pictures of the famous Hawaiian sea turtle.
We decided to pick up dinner from one of the food trucks after returning to our hotel. We decided to try the Fish Tacos and ordered 3 surf taco takeouts. I selected the chicken and shrimp combo, while Inna chose shrimp and fish. Alex liked the beef & shrimp combination. The tacos were quite delicious (when we ate them later that evening).
When we returned to our hotel, we dropped off all of our beach items in our room and then returned to the beach to enjoy the coming sunset. The beach by Turtle Bay is not as sandy or beautiful as Waimea Bay, but it is still quite good.
We swam around for a while and then walked back to the pool to enjoy the last minutes of our fantastic day. Once we returned to our hotel room, we took showers and ate our surf tacos (followed by hot tea).
Friday, August 9, 2019
Waking up early, we took a shower and decided to eat breakfast. We decided to drive to the famous Ted's Bakery nearby to eat breakfast and chose our plan for the day. This time, we ordered 3 croissant sandwiches and a couple of pastries.
After finishing breakfast, we continued our drive to Honolulu. Alex and I decided to try surfing at the famous Ala Moana Beach Park. We arrived at about 9:00 a.m. and quickly found parking. The waves look very lovely in the distance. Alex promptly changed into his swimsuit and rashguard and took out his Firewire Pyzel 6'0" shortboard, fast paddling for the surf break.
After setting up the umbrella for Inna, I changed into my swimsuit and waxed my Firewire Pyzel 6'6" 39-liter shortboard. I also paddled out for the break. It took my long paddles to reach the proper area for catching incoming swells.
When I caught up with Alex, we tried catching multiple incoming waves. I was able to ride 2 waves while Alex saw many more. The difficulty at Ala Moana was in returning, as the waves would come in rapid succession, with 10-12 waves rushing in non-stop. Returning to the starting lineup was tiringly slow, even with quick duck diving. After 90 minutes of surfing, I was exhausted and returned to shore. I changed into shorts and a T-shirt and used my Nikon P900 to try to capture photos of Alex. I could capture just one photo of Alex surfing, but many other surfers and one SUP foiler.
Alex returned from surfing at 1:00 p.m., thoroughly exhausted. Four hours of surfing at Ala Moana can be challenging.
Since Inna made lunch reservations for 1:45 p.m. at the Hula Grill Waikiki, located inside the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, Alex quickly changed into his dry clothes. We promptly packed our car with the two chairs and umbrella. After a short drive from Ala Moana to downtown Waikiki, we parked our car and walked briskly to the Hula Grill.
At the Hula Grill, Inna and I ordered the Coconut Seafood Chowder. Alex decided to try the Chef's Burger and Fries.
I selected the root beer for drinks, while Inna tried the Lilikoi Coconut Spritzer. The entrees were delicious, and the view of surfing on Waikiki was unbeatable.
After lunch, we stopped by for shaved ice at the Island Vintage Shaved Ice stand. While Inna enjoyed her Tropical Island ice, I munched on the Green Island shaved ice.
With the shaved ice eaten, we decided to stop by the Island Vintage Coffee shop to purchase coffee for Alex and rest a bit. Inna made dinner reservations at the fine Orchids Restaurant, but none of us were particularly hungry, so we canceled dinner.
Instead, we walked to the beach in front of Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Resort to watch the 8:00 p.m. fireworks scheduled for every Friday. Many people were on the beach, prepared to see the fireworks.
The fireworks were fantastic! I took lots of photos. After the fireworks, I saw a live fire show on the beach. Here is a short video I recorded using my iPhone:
Waking up early, we took a shower and decided to eat breakfast. We decided to drive to the famous Ted's Bakery nearby to eat breakfast and chose our plan for the day. This time, we ordered 3 croissant sandwiches and a couple of pastries.
After finishing breakfast, we continued our drive to Honolulu. Alex and I decided to try surfing at the famous Ala Moana Beach Park. We arrived at about 9:00 a.m. and quickly found parking. The waves look very lovely in the distance. Alex promptly changed into his swimsuit and rashguard and took out his Firewire Pyzel 6'0" shortboard, fast paddling for the surf break.
After setting up the umbrella for Inna, I changed into my swimsuit and waxed my Firewire Pyzel 6'6" 39-liter shortboard. I also paddled out for the break. It took my long paddles to reach the proper area for catching incoming swells.
When I caught up with Alex, we tried catching multiple incoming waves. I was able to ride 2 waves while Alex saw many more. The difficulty at Ala Moana was in returning, as the waves would come in rapid succession, with 10-12 waves rushing in non-stop. Returning to the starting lineup was tiringly slow, even with quick duck diving. After 90 minutes of surfing, I was exhausted and returned to shore. I changed into shorts and a T-shirt and used my Nikon P900 to try to capture photos of Alex. I could capture just one photo of Alex surfing, but many other surfers and one SUP foiler.
Alex returned from surfing at 1:00 p.m., thoroughly exhausted. Four hours of surfing at Ala Moana can be challenging.
Since Inna made lunch reservations for 1:45 p.m. at the Hula Grill Waikiki, located inside the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, Alex quickly changed into his dry clothes. We promptly packed our car with the two chairs and umbrella. After a short drive from Ala Moana to downtown Waikiki, we parked our car and walked briskly to the Hula Grill.
At the Hula Grill, Inna and I ordered the Coconut Seafood Chowder. Alex decided to try the Chef's Burger and Fries.
I selected the root beer for drinks, while Inna tried the Lilikoi Coconut Spritzer. The entrees were delicious, and the view of surfing on Waikiki was unbeatable.
After lunch, we stopped by for shaved ice at the Island Vintage Shaved Ice stand. While Inna enjoyed her Tropical Island ice, I munched on the Green Island shaved ice.
With the shaved ice eaten, we decided to stop by the Island Vintage Coffee shop to purchase coffee for Alex and rest a bit. Inna made dinner reservations at the fine Orchids Restaurant, but none of us were particularly hungry, so we canceled dinner.
Instead, we walked to the beach in front of Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Resort to watch the 8:00 p.m. fireworks scheduled for every Friday. Many people were on the beach, prepared to see the fireworks.
The fireworks were fantastic! I took lots of photos. After the fireworks, I saw a live fire show on the beach. Here is a short video I recorded using my iPhone:
Saturday, August 10, 2019
We showered later (7:00 a.m.) and ate breakfast at Ted's Bakery. Like the day before, we ordered 3 croissants (ham & cheese) sandwiches and a couple of pastries. I also tried the hot Mocha coffee while Inna selected the latte. I noticed numerous pickup trucks with dirt bikes heading past Ted's Bakery. I found a famous Motorcross track nearby - Kahuku Motorcross Track. I wondered how the riders handled Hawaiian heat and humidity.
Since Alex was feeling unwell with his cold (he has a sore throat and runny nose), we drove to Waimea Bay Beach Park, arriving around 8:40 a.m. We spent a few minutes trying to find parking. We eventually found a parking spot and set up our Tommy Bahama umbrella on the beautiful sandy beach. Since it was a windy day, the umbrella kept falling off.
We immediately went for a swim, enjoying the beautiful, refreshingly cool ocean water of the Pacific. First, Inna went for a long swim, followed by a snorkel, where she used the GoPro Hero 4 Silver to record some underwater marine life. After she returned, I followed in her footsteps and snorkeled to one of the farthest rocks. I saw a few school fish but no turtles or other marine life.
We spent almost five hours swimming and snorkeling at Waimea Bay and were reluctant to leave. It was such a fantastic beach. Many boats were dropping anchor at Waimea Bay, and many paddleboarders were out. Also, a Hobycat catamaran started sailing later in the day.
After 5 hours at Waimea Bay, it was time for us to eat lunch. We drove our Nissan Rogue to Haleiwa, where we decided to eat lunch at the No. 7 Japanese Food Truck. I selected the Spicy Poke, and it was a delicious treat! Inna's Poke Combo was also quite tasty. The poke was the best food we have eaten on Oahu so far!
After lunch, we stopped by the Island Vintage Coffee to try the famous frozen drinks. Inna and I ordered the frozen Vintage Kona Mocha. The frozen coffee drink was delicious!
We stopped at Ted's Bakery to pick up the famous Chocolate Haupia Cream pie. We ate it on Sunday (the next day) with hot green tea, which was delicious.
When we returned to our Turtle Bay Resort, the Inn and I spent time swimming in the ocean and marveling at the sunset. Inna took many beautiful photos.
Two weddings were going on at the same time. We saw the bride and groom at one of the weddings (on the beach near Roy's Beachhouse). It looked like a fun wedding with music from the '70s and '80s (including Abba's "Dancing Queen" and Eric Clapton's "You Look Wonderful Tonight").
For dinner, we decided to try Roy's Beach House, which has an ocean view. Alex selected the Fire Roasted Chicken, while Inna and I chose a couple of rolls: a T&C Roll and a Tempura Roll. We also shared a Nalo Salad.
I ordered a frozen Strawberry Margarita with Patron Tequila for drinks, and Inna tried one of the non-alcoholic Elixir drinks. For dessert, we selected the Pineapple Upside-Down cake.
The dishes were quite well prepared, but nothing that would rival Michelin-rated restaurants. The service was excellent and swift!
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Waking up at 6:30, we showered and ordered breakfast for Alex using room service. Since Alex had a lot of homework (reading Biology and preparing for SATs, in addition to nursing a cold), he stayed in the hotel room while we enjoyed the rest of Oahu. At first, I thought about driving to Diamond Head in South Oahu alone, but I did not want to leave Inna alone.
We drove to Ted's Bakery for breakfast and ordered 2 croissants (ham & cheese) sandwiches and a couple of pastries to eat at Waimea Bay. Inna was eager to arrive at Waimea Bay early to catch the pod of dolphins that frequently visited the site.
After setting up our chairs and umbrella at Waimea Bay beach, Inna and I went for a short swim in the beautiful green-blue waters (before the sun was too hot). Then, a bit later, someone called out that dolphins were spotted, and Inna rushed out with her snorkeling gear (mask & breathing tube) to try to catch the spinner dolphins. Although she swam a mile out, she never got close enough.
While she was chasing dolphins, I continued to read Sophie's Choice by William Styron on my Kindle. It was an engaging book, well-written, and I found it difficult to stop reading.
We spent almost five hours swimming and snorkeling at Waimea Bay and were reluctant to leave. It was such a fantastic beach, and we enjoyed our time there.
At about 2:00 p.m., we decided to drive our Nissan Rogue to Haleiwa, where we decided to eat lunch at the No. 7 Japanese Food Truck. I selected the Super Chirashi, and it was a deliciously prepared treat! Inna's Poke Combo was also quite tasty. The poke was the best food we have eaten on Oahu so far!
After lunch, we stopped by the Island Vintage Coffee to try the famous frozen drinks. Inna ordered the frozen Vintage Kona Mocha and an Acai Bowl. I was not so hungry, so I tried the Matsumoto Shaved Ice. I chose the flavors of Cherry, Green Tea, and Yuzu (Japanese Citrus).
We decided to stop at the Ali Limo Food Truck near Shark's Cove (where we also rented our two shortboards) for dinner.
Ali Limo was selling poke and various fish combos, and we ordered Pupukea Salad with Shrimp, Sesame Salad with Salmon, and Banzai Tacos with Steak.
Both Inna and I liked our salads, but Alex was ambivalent about his Banzai Tacos.
Monday, August 12, 2019
Alex and I woke up early and rode the elevator downstairs to eat a quick breakfast at Turtle Bay's Lobby Lounge. Alex selected a muffin and a hot, black tea croissant, while I selected coffee and an almond-covered croissant.
Inna stayed in the hotel and visited the Turtle Bay Spa while Alex and I drove to Ala Moana Beach Park near Waikiki. The surf was predicted to be 3-4 feet high, and we were eager to surf the waves. Since it was low tide, we had to walk a long way on sharp coral to the part of the bay where waves were breaking. It was unpleasant. I surfed for about 90 minutes and did not catch any respectable rides. The waves were too big for me, and returning to the proper launch location required duck diving through dozens of incoming waves, so progress was slow.
Alex surfed much better and could ride on multiple waves, carving nicely. He had a fantastic time.
At about noon, Alex returned to the Nissan Rogue, changed, and we started our return trip to Turtle Bay Resort, stopping at Shark's Cove to purchase a couple of burgers from the Cove Cafe for Alex, Inna, and me:
Since Alex wanted to study, he stayed in the room while Inna and I decided to visit Laniakea Beach (where Hawaiian Sea Turtles are common), followed by a visit to Shark's Cove.
There was a lot of traffic to Laniakea Beach, as many visitors liked photographing Hawaiian Sea Turtles. Eventually, we arrived there, and I set up an umbrella and chairs so that Inna and I could stay in the shade.
Since there were a few surfers out, I decided to try my luck surfing there (the spot is also called Dolores Beach).
A few small swells were coming through, and I was able to catch and ride a few waves. It was much easier than catching waves at Ala Moana.
After about an hour of surfing, I returned to Laniakea Beach. Inna was resting, and she chose to photograph the Hawaiian Sea Turtles. She snapped one of the sea turtles quite closely. Since there was not much else to do, and the beach water was too murky for snorkeling, we decided to drive to Shark's Cove to explore further.
Inna snorkeled around and found many exciting marine life (many species of tropical fish). She said the number of fish and the clarity of seawater reminded her of her time in Bora Bora. It was that good!
After she finished snorkeling, we ate dinner at the North Shore Tacos Food truck. I ordered a Salad with Ahi, while Inna selected the Shrimp Quesadilla. My salad was incredibly delicious!
After dinner, we returned home to watch the sunset and rest by the pool.
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Alex and I woke up early and rode the elevator downstairs to eat a quick breakfast at Turtle Bay's Lobby Lounge. Alex selected a muffin and a croissant with hot black tea, while I selected coffee and a slice of delicious banana bread.
Inna decided to stay in the hotel and enjoy the pool while Alex and I drove to Ala Moana Beach Park. The surf was predicted to be 4-5 feet high. Since it was low tide, we had to walk a long way on sharp coral to the part of the bay where waves were breaking. I surfed for about 90 minutes and did not catch any respectable rides. The waves were too big for me, and returning to the proper launch location required duck diving through dozens of incoming waves, so progress was slow. Alex surfed much better and could ride on multiple waves, carving nicely. He had a fantastic time.
After we finished surfing, Alex and I drove back to Turtle Bay Resort for lunch with Inna. Unfortunately, there was a lot of traffic at Laniakea Beach (Turtle Beach), and it took us longer to return home. Besides, we had to stop at our North Shore Surf Shop to drop off our Firewire Pyzel surfboards. My board was OK, but Alex's Firewire had two new dents (from being hit by another surfer). We had to pay $100 for two ding repairs to Alex's Firewire Pyzel surfboard.
We decided to eat at the resort and try their poolside dining at The Point. I ordered the North Shore Fish Tacos, while Alex and Inna ordered Fresh Island Fish & Chips. The fish entrees were delicious but more expensive (about 2x) than the food trucks we recently frequented.
We rested by the pool, but Alex returned to our hotel room due to a horrible headache. After he swallowed two Tylenol tablets, his condition improved, and he returned downstairs by the pool to join us on our last full day in Oahu. I continued reading Sophie's Choice novel while Inna started re-reading Pride & Prejudice.
At around sunset, we all came out to watch the beautiful sunset and the few remaining surfers on the water.
I recorded a video using my iPhone of one of the surfers:
We showered later (7:00 a.m.) and ate breakfast at Ted's Bakery. Like the day before, we ordered 3 croissants (ham & cheese) sandwiches and a couple of pastries. I also tried the hot Mocha coffee while Inna selected the latte. I noticed numerous pickup trucks with dirt bikes heading past Ted's Bakery. I found a famous Motorcross track nearby - Kahuku Motorcross Track. I wondered how the riders handled Hawaiian heat and humidity.
Since Alex was feeling unwell with his cold (he has a sore throat and runny nose), we drove to Waimea Bay Beach Park, arriving around 8:40 a.m. We spent a few minutes trying to find parking. We eventually found a parking spot and set up our Tommy Bahama umbrella on the beautiful sandy beach. Since it was a windy day, the umbrella kept falling off.
We immediately went for a swim, enjoying the beautiful, refreshingly cool ocean water of the Pacific. First, Inna went for a long swim, followed by a snorkel, where she used the GoPro Hero 4 Silver to record some underwater marine life. After she returned, I followed in her footsteps and snorkeled to one of the farthest rocks. I saw a few school fish but no turtles or other marine life.
We spent almost five hours swimming and snorkeling at Waimea Bay and were reluctant to leave. It was such a fantastic beach. Many boats were dropping anchor at Waimea Bay, and many paddleboarders were out. Also, a Hobycat catamaran started sailing later in the day.
After 5 hours at Waimea Bay, it was time for us to eat lunch. We drove our Nissan Rogue to Haleiwa, where we decided to eat lunch at the No. 7 Japanese Food Truck. I selected the Spicy Poke, and it was a delicious treat! Inna's Poke Combo was also quite tasty. The poke was the best food we have eaten on Oahu so far!
After lunch, we stopped by the Island Vintage Coffee to try the famous frozen drinks. Inna and I ordered the frozen Vintage Kona Mocha. The frozen coffee drink was delicious!
We stopped at Ted's Bakery to pick up the famous Chocolate Haupia Cream pie. We ate it on Sunday (the next day) with hot green tea, which was delicious.
When we returned to our Turtle Bay Resort, the Inn and I spent time swimming in the ocean and marveling at the sunset. Inna took many beautiful photos.
Two weddings were going on at the same time. We saw the bride and groom at one of the weddings (on the beach near Roy's Beachhouse). It looked like a fun wedding with music from the '70s and '80s (including Abba's "Dancing Queen" and Eric Clapton's "You Look Wonderful Tonight").
For dinner, we decided to try Roy's Beach House, which has an ocean view. Alex selected the Fire Roasted Chicken, while Inna and I chose a couple of rolls: a T&C Roll and a Tempura Roll. We also shared a Nalo Salad.
I ordered a frozen Strawberry Margarita with Patron Tequila for drinks, and Inna tried one of the non-alcoholic Elixir drinks. For dessert, we selected the Pineapple Upside-Down cake.
The dishes were quite well prepared, but nothing that would rival Michelin-rated restaurants. The service was excellent and swift!
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Waking up at 6:30, we showered and ordered breakfast for Alex using room service. Since Alex had a lot of homework (reading Biology and preparing for SATs, in addition to nursing a cold), he stayed in the hotel room while we enjoyed the rest of Oahu. At first, I thought about driving to Diamond Head in South Oahu alone, but I did not want to leave Inna alone.
We drove to Ted's Bakery for breakfast and ordered 2 croissants (ham & cheese) sandwiches and a couple of pastries to eat at Waimea Bay. Inna was eager to arrive at Waimea Bay early to catch the pod of dolphins that frequently visited the site.
After setting up our chairs and umbrella at Waimea Bay beach, Inna and I went for a short swim in the beautiful green-blue waters (before the sun was too hot). Then, a bit later, someone called out that dolphins were spotted, and Inna rushed out with her snorkeling gear (mask & breathing tube) to try to catch the spinner dolphins. Although she swam a mile out, she never got close enough.
While she was chasing dolphins, I continued to read Sophie's Choice by William Styron on my Kindle. It was an engaging book, well-written, and I found it difficult to stop reading.
We spent almost five hours swimming and snorkeling at Waimea Bay and were reluctant to leave. It was such a fantastic beach, and we enjoyed our time there.
At about 2:00 p.m., we decided to drive our Nissan Rogue to Haleiwa, where we decided to eat lunch at the No. 7 Japanese Food Truck. I selected the Super Chirashi, and it was a deliciously prepared treat! Inna's Poke Combo was also quite tasty. The poke was the best food we have eaten on Oahu so far!
After lunch, we stopped by the Island Vintage Coffee to try the famous frozen drinks. Inna ordered the frozen Vintage Kona Mocha and an Acai Bowl. I was not so hungry, so I tried the Matsumoto Shaved Ice. I chose the flavors of Cherry, Green Tea, and Yuzu (Japanese Citrus).
We decided to stop at the Ali Limo Food Truck near Shark's Cove (where we also rented our two shortboards) for dinner.
Ali Limo was selling poke and various fish combos, and we ordered Pupukea Salad with Shrimp, Sesame Salad with Salmon, and Banzai Tacos with Steak.
Both Inna and I liked our salads, but Alex was ambivalent about his Banzai Tacos.
Monday, August 12, 2019
Alex and I woke up early and rode the elevator downstairs to eat a quick breakfast at Turtle Bay's Lobby Lounge. Alex selected a muffin and a hot, black tea croissant, while I selected coffee and an almond-covered croissant.
Inna stayed in the hotel and visited the Turtle Bay Spa while Alex and I drove to Ala Moana Beach Park near Waikiki. The surf was predicted to be 3-4 feet high, and we were eager to surf the waves. Since it was low tide, we had to walk a long way on sharp coral to the part of the bay where waves were breaking. It was unpleasant. I surfed for about 90 minutes and did not catch any respectable rides. The waves were too big for me, and returning to the proper launch location required duck diving through dozens of incoming waves, so progress was slow.
Alex surfed much better and could ride on multiple waves, carving nicely. He had a fantastic time.
At about noon, Alex returned to the Nissan Rogue, changed, and we started our return trip to Turtle Bay Resort, stopping at Shark's Cove to purchase a couple of burgers from the Cove Cafe for Alex, Inna, and me:
- 2 Classic Burgers (one for Alex and one for Inna)
- 1 Frenchman Burger (with mushrooms) for Boris
- 1 Strawberry Milkshake for Alex
- 2 Fries to share
Since Alex wanted to study, he stayed in the room while Inna and I decided to visit Laniakea Beach (where Hawaiian Sea Turtles are common), followed by a visit to Shark's Cove.
There was a lot of traffic to Laniakea Beach, as many visitors liked photographing Hawaiian Sea Turtles. Eventually, we arrived there, and I set up an umbrella and chairs so that Inna and I could stay in the shade.
Since there were a few surfers out, I decided to try my luck surfing there (the spot is also called Dolores Beach).
A few small swells were coming through, and I was able to catch and ride a few waves. It was much easier than catching waves at Ala Moana.
After about an hour of surfing, I returned to Laniakea Beach. Inna was resting, and she chose to photograph the Hawaiian Sea Turtles. She snapped one of the sea turtles quite closely. Since there was not much else to do, and the beach water was too murky for snorkeling, we decided to drive to Shark's Cove to explore further.
Inna snorkeled around and found many exciting marine life (many species of tropical fish). She said the number of fish and the clarity of seawater reminded her of her time in Bora Bora. It was that good!
After she finished snorkeling, we ate dinner at the North Shore Tacos Food truck. I ordered a Salad with Ahi, while Inna selected the Shrimp Quesadilla. My salad was incredibly delicious!
After dinner, we returned home to watch the sunset and rest by the pool.
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Alex and I woke up early and rode the elevator downstairs to eat a quick breakfast at Turtle Bay's Lobby Lounge. Alex selected a muffin and a croissant with hot black tea, while I selected coffee and a slice of delicious banana bread.
Inna decided to stay in the hotel and enjoy the pool while Alex and I drove to Ala Moana Beach Park. The surf was predicted to be 4-5 feet high. Since it was low tide, we had to walk a long way on sharp coral to the part of the bay where waves were breaking. I surfed for about 90 minutes and did not catch any respectable rides. The waves were too big for me, and returning to the proper launch location required duck diving through dozens of incoming waves, so progress was slow. Alex surfed much better and could ride on multiple waves, carving nicely. He had a fantastic time.
After we finished surfing, Alex and I drove back to Turtle Bay Resort for lunch with Inna. Unfortunately, there was a lot of traffic at Laniakea Beach (Turtle Beach), and it took us longer to return home. Besides, we had to stop at our North Shore Surf Shop to drop off our Firewire Pyzel surfboards. My board was OK, but Alex's Firewire had two new dents (from being hit by another surfer). We had to pay $100 for two ding repairs to Alex's Firewire Pyzel surfboard.
We decided to eat at the resort and try their poolside dining at The Point. I ordered the North Shore Fish Tacos, while Alex and Inna ordered Fresh Island Fish & Chips. The fish entrees were delicious but more expensive (about 2x) than the food trucks we recently frequented.
We rested by the pool, but Alex returned to our hotel room due to a horrible headache. After he swallowed two Tylenol tablets, his condition improved, and he returned downstairs by the pool to join us on our last full day in Oahu. I continued reading Sophie's Choice novel while Inna started re-reading Pride & Prejudice.
At around sunset, we all came out to watch the beautiful sunset and the few remaining surfers on the water.
I recorded a video using my iPhone of one of the surfers:
Inna made a dinner reservation using OpenTable at the Pa'akai Restaurant for dinner. The restaurant is very beautifully decorated but also costly. I ordered the Pumpkin Ravioli, Inna ordered the Seared Sea Scallops, and Alex tried the Cedar-roasted Bay Salmon.
We really enjoyed our dinner at Pa'akai, but it was pretty expensive!
Wednesday, AugustAugust 14
In the morning, we woke up early and started packing our clothes. After packing, we rode the elevator downstairs to breakfast at Turtle Bay's Lobby Lounge.
Alex selected a muffin and a croissant with hot black tea, while I selected coffee and a slice of delicious banana bread. Inna also ate a pastry with her foamy latte.
After breakfast, we decided to enjoy the last few hours of Oahu's North Shore on the beach at Turtle Bay. Inna and I went for a quick swim, followed by a snorkel. Snorkeling gear was free for one hour at our hotel.
Since I saw several waves in the distance, I thought about renting a couple of longboards from the on-premises surf shop - the Hans Hedemann Surf School. Unfortunately, even though the shop had multiple boards, it refused to rent them because a lesson on the water was already in progress! Alex and I were very disappointed to hear that news since we had to return to Honolulu for a flight to San Jose at 11:30 a.m. We could not wait until 10:45 to rent boards.
We decided to enjoy the few remaining hours by staying at the pool and watching the other beginner surfers on the water.
At about 10:30 a.m., we returned to our room to shower and pack our belongings. After we checked out at 11:00 a.m., we drove to Honolulu airport, first stopping to get gas at Nex Gas Station and dropping off our car at Alamo.
When we arrived at the airport, we quickly printed our boarding passes and decided to eat lunch at California Pizza Kitchen. Alex selected his usual Margherita pizza. We also purchased a milkshake for Alex and a small cup of ice cream from Coldstone Creamery to share.
Although our flight was delayed 35 minutes, we departed Honolulu at about 3:00 p.m. HST, landing in San Jose at about 11:20 p.m. PST.
While the flight was uneventful primarily, Alex developed a severe headache (due to his congestion) and vomited on the plane. He had to change his clothes and do a lot of cleaning but felt slightly better.
We took UberX home and returned quickly to bed.
We really enjoyed our dinner at Pa'akai, but it was pretty expensive!
Wednesday, AugustAugust 14
In the morning, we woke up early and started packing our clothes. After packing, we rode the elevator downstairs to breakfast at Turtle Bay's Lobby Lounge.
Alex selected a muffin and a croissant with hot black tea, while I selected coffee and a slice of delicious banana bread. Inna also ate a pastry with her foamy latte.
After breakfast, we decided to enjoy the last few hours of Oahu's North Shore on the beach at Turtle Bay. Inna and I went for a quick swim, followed by a snorkel. Snorkeling gear was free for one hour at our hotel.
Since I saw several waves in the distance, I thought about renting a couple of longboards from the on-premises surf shop - the Hans Hedemann Surf School. Unfortunately, even though the shop had multiple boards, it refused to rent them because a lesson on the water was already in progress! Alex and I were very disappointed to hear that news since we had to return to Honolulu for a flight to San Jose at 11:30 a.m. We could not wait until 10:45 to rent boards.
We decided to enjoy the few remaining hours by staying at the pool and watching the other beginner surfers on the water.
At about 10:30 a.m., we returned to our room to shower and pack our belongings. After we checked out at 11:00 a.m., we drove to Honolulu airport, first stopping to get gas at Nex Gas Station and dropping off our car at Alamo.
When we arrived at the airport, we quickly printed our boarding passes and decided to eat lunch at California Pizza Kitchen. Alex selected his usual Margherita pizza. We also purchased a milkshake for Alex and a small cup of ice cream from Coldstone Creamery to share.
Although our flight was delayed 35 minutes, we departed Honolulu at about 3:00 p.m. HST, landing in San Jose at about 11:20 p.m. PST.
While the flight was uneventful primarily, Alex developed a severe headache (due to his congestion) and vomited on the plane. He had to change his clothes and do a lot of cleaning but felt slightly better.
We took UberX home and returned quickly to bed.
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