By Melissa Elise Randall, Editor
Garden Island, indeed.
Kauai is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen (and I've looked at about a zillion pictures of Adam Driver, so I'm an expert on all things good lookin'.)
It's lush, it's green, and there's something that makes you go, "Oh, wow, look at that," about every five seconds. It's one of my new favorite places, and I can't wait to go back.
Hawaii is something special, not only for the astonishing scenery and nature, but the entire vibe. It's a Neverland for adults, a place where you can escape the terrible responsibilities that come with too much work, too much stress, and not enough magic.
And if you know where to go, you can navigate your way through Kauai within a week (and you won't break the bank.)
Find A (Safe) Private Beach
A private, secluded beach in Hawaii. It's the dream, right? Me and my fantasy husband, Adam Driver, always go to a private beach on our excursions to Hawaii. But here's the thing: there's a risk in going to private or secluded beaches.
If you're not careful, you can easily find yourself on a beach with a lot of rocks and not enough room to actually swim. You can find yourself in a spot with dangerous waves or a strong current, and easily find yourself in a lot of trouble.
On this particular beach, near Princeville, Claire and I didn't swim because of all of the jagged rocks in the water. We laid and took pictures, like this beaut of my bikini bod and my scruffy armpit. Hawt.
Find A Public Beach
There are so many awesome public beaches in Hawaii. As you could have guessed, during peak beach hours, they're pretty full. One of the beaches we went to, Hanalei Beach, was crowded as well. However, after walking aimlessly down the shore for about 20 minutes, I found a stretch of beach with almost no one.
And it was magnificent. If I was a character in The Five People You Meet In Heaven, this would be my heaven. Perfectly blue sky, small lagoons, and no one in sight. I listened to The Avett Brothers, watched some surfers, and felt pretty happy.
Of course, if this was actually my heaven, Adam Driver (aka pookie) would be there with calorie-free pink Snowballs. It was so lovely, I took zero selfies (well, unless you count one I sent to my sister flipping her the bird, pristine beach in background.)
Take that, Erica.
Go For A Morning Run
Or walk. Or jog. I don't care. Just go outside when the sun is rising. It's serene and peaceful. I took this blurry picture when I went for a run one morning. It wasn't too hot or cool out, I was doing a decent pace, and I had just found out that Beto O'Rourke was running for Prez, so everything in my life felt pretty perfect.
(Yes, I am this insufferable in real life, too.)
Find This Smoothie Stand
Some things in life are just amazing, such as this smoothie stand Claire and I randomly stopped at. There were a ton of picnic benches and places to sit outside. There was also a rooster that I thought wanted to be my friend, but didn't.
Go Here For Breakfast
One morning, Claire and I were in search of some grub, and stumbled across this little gem. It's in an area with a lot of other shops and places to eat, so blink, and you'll miss it. The food was pretty simple, but good. And if you sit on the porch, you can enjoy the views.
Below is a photo of me pretending to be relaxed, but really just super anxious that the waitress is never going to bring my coffee, ever. I also like this picture of Claire on Snapchat (probably.)
Also worth noting that breakfast in Hawaii comes with a side of rice, which I love, because rice is probably one of my favorite things to eat with an egg.
Hike With A Local
We hiked with Kit, a former co-worker of Claire's. You cannot hike with Kit, but I recommend finding a local guide through Airbnb Experiences (or hiring a local tour company) to accompany you on a hike. Our hike was about 4 miles and absolutely perfect.
At one point, we ended up on this pristine little beach. We took our shoes off and went in the water. A family passed by and one of the kids, a young girl, looked at us eagerly, and then at her shoes, with a twinkle in her eyes.
"Get away from the water," her Dad snapped. They kept walking.
In my mind, they turned the corner and the girl ran into the water screaming, "Viva La Revolucion!"
Visit Waimea Canyon State Park
It's a drive, but worth it. Waimea Canyon State Park is up a mountain and offers sweeping views that in my opinion, rival every Grand Canyon screensaver.
They sell fruit and drinks in the parking lot, so bring cash!
Don't Go To A Tiki Bar And Meet Cute Guys
FYI, the taxis on Kauai stop running around 11 AM. So unless you plan ahead, you can forget meeting some local, Adam Driver-eque man who shares your love of birds and brown butter rice krispy treats. The lesson here: go out early.
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