Coming down to it now. This is the post I’d recommend to friends if they didn’t want to read the last 29 days. 😛

Favourites

Best Restaurant

Banzai Sushi in Hale’iwa is our favourite restaurant, hands down. When we had a child-free evening and could go anywhere, this is where we went.

For me, Konos is a close second. It’s so easy – you walk in, order some food and they give you pork. I love it.

For Miranda, the Red Barn Farnstand is her runner-up. The food was excellent, and we think it would only get better if they had more than just breakfast available when we went.

Best Place to Stay

Hale’iwa Surf Apartments. We’d stayed there before and decided to go back, and weren’t disappointed. The units are a decent (but not perfect) layout, and their proximity to a great protected reef and also to the Hale’iwa town, makes them perfect.

Best For-Pay Activity

Uncle Bobs Picnic Sail was really great. The boat was nice, we had a good shady spot. The sandbar is a fun site to practice snorkeling and enjoy standing in the middle of the ocean. And I hadn’t realized their snorkel spot would be so great – I hadn’t seen coral like that in Hawai’i before! Overall, an awesome activity.

Best Hike

Kealia Trail. We didn’t hike as much as I thought we would, but this was a fun hike that wasn’t overly difficult, with great views.

Best Free Activity

For me, Sharks Cove snorkeling is the best. The nearby tide pool is a fun snorkel even in high surf, and the cove itself is just amazing to dive under and look at when the surf is calm. With North Shore Tacos just across the street, this place is a great spot with food nearby.

Miranda really enjoyed Kuilima Beach, near the Turtle Bay Resort. Likely for similar reasons – it was a nice and protected swim spot she could float around in, food was available (at a cost) and it felt very safe with a lot of people around.

Favourite Animal

For Miranda, the turtle she saw during Uncle Bobs Picnic Sail. Apparently she had just convinced herself to put her face into the water when a dark shape appeared out of the darkness beside her. She startled and then realized it was a turtle! At that moment, she knew why I love turtles – it was just the two of them, flying in the water.

For me, the many boxfish around the island. They’re my new second favourite fish, they’re just so adorable and black and white!

Favourite Cat

The black one at Hale’iwa Surf. He owns the place. Ruthie and I were walking back from the beach when he intercepted us and demanded pets. He wouldn’t take no for an answer, and rubbed against our legs for more.

Best Drive

For Miranda, the drive from Hale’iwa to Dillingham Airport. She likes the mountain range, that the road is straight and the views of the beach.

For me, from Hale’iwa to Mililani and back. I like that I know how to navigate it. And that it’s this weird road that turns from a state highway into a local road and then into a county highway.

Best Beach

For Miranda, the Chocolate Surf Break behind the Surf’n’Sea in Hale’iwa is her favourite beach. She likes that it’s nice and sandy and not to wavey, making it perfect for hanging out with Ava.

For me, it’s got to be Three Tables. The beach is really easy and sandy, it has good depth to swim, just the right number of people, and the snorkeling is fantastic.

Best Dollar Spent

We bought a used high chair early on, for Ava for $25, which was well used. She joined me while I was making dinner a couple times.

I also bought a book called Twinkle, Twinkle, Small Hoku, which is a book which could be read to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. I sang it to Ava after night after we bought it!

Best Item Brought

My snorkel fins and mask and snorkel were used just about every day. I’m so happy I brought them and got so much use! I swam every single day we were there, and most of them used this equipment!

Miranda’s Apple TV brought her a lot of joy while waiting for Ava to wake up from her naps. It was small and easy to bring and very useful!