Hawaii #2

Part II Recap

Sunday
As usual, we were up super early and ready to go! It was impossible to sleep in because we really wanted to make the most of our trip and do as much as possible. My parents dropped us off at Diamond Head State Monument so we could hike the trail. This state park is a tuff cone that was created by an explosive eruption of steam and ash over 100,000 years ago. It's pretty incredible, and the view from the top of the 760 foot summit shouldn't be missed by anyone visiting Oahu. The trail is 0.7 of a mile, but it's straight up the crater floor to the lookout. There are also two sets of very steep stairs and a couple of dark tunnels. However, it's an easy hike as far as hikes go, and like I said before, the view makes it totally worth it!

at the bottom of the hike

making our way up

in one of the tunnels on the way up

a set of the steep stairs

Puffin is enjoying the view

Waikiki and Honolulu

Us

the trail up the side of the crater

After the hike, my parents picked us up and we went to check out the famous Bailey's Antiques and Aloha Shirts. This store is crazy! There are so many Hawaiian shirts and antiques that your eyes can't even take it all in! C wanted to buy a shirt for his Dad and this was definitely the place to go.


For lunch, we walked to the nearby Rainbow Drive-In, a place really popular with the locals and it happens to be President Obama's favorite place to get a plate lunch in Hawaii (it was also featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives)!

C's Loco Moco lunch - a local favorite

my bbq short ribs and fries

After lunch, we drove to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (aka Punchbowl) which is known as "Hill of Sacrifice." 35,000 victims of three wars - WWII, Korea, and Vietnam - are buried here. It's a humbling experience and a beautiful burial place for so many of our country's heroes.


Our last stop before going home was one of the greatest finds Hawaii has to offer (in my opinion...ha!). First a little background. My dad has been coming to Hawaii every two years for business since the early 2000's. He has always talked about this dive bar that he and his buddies would go to for cheap drinks. I never thought much of it and had no idea what the name of the place was. When C and I were doing our research, we had a section of our Hawaii-File-O named "Out on the Town" and this little bar called Arnold's had been added there.

Little did we know, dad's favorite dive bar and the bar from our research, were one in the same! It's pretty much impossible not to like this place :)


Whew, Sunday was a pretty busy day! I'm going to stop here and continue the recaps tomorrow. One last picture before I go...a beautiful Hawaiian sunset!