While we spent the majority of our time on Oahu at the lovely Aulani in Ko’Olina, we couldn’t pass up the chance to see more of the island.
It was our first visit to Oahu and we absolutely loved it—especially the diversity of experiences it offered. You could no doubt pass an entire week around Waikiki alone, though we left it for another time. Instead, we took one daytrip to the east side of the island to go snorkeling at Hanuma Bay and see a bit of that coastline, and then spent three nights in an apartment near Sunset Beach on the North Shore.
This August, we were lucky enough to be treated to a family vacation in Hawaii. Aron’s parents took the four of us as well as his sister, her husband, and their two children to the Aulani—a spectacular Disney resort on Oahu—for a celebration. Suffice to say, it was an incredible gift, so it’s impossible to feel anything but fortunate when I think back on it.
In total we spent just over a week on Oahu—five nights at the Aulani and three in an AirBnB on the North Shore of the island. (I’ll post a travelogue about that portion of the trip soon—hopefully tomorrow!) But I’ve gotten lots of questions about the Aulani.
I participated very little in the planning for the first portion of our stay—such a luxury—so I’m not the best source for advice on booking a stay, but here are some highlights and a few tips I gleaned for anyone lucky enough to be headed to Ko’Olina.
What do you think about the concept of seasonal “bucket lists”? I saw a lot of them over the summer, and I was wondering how often that list—staring you down—turned stressful more than inspirational. Do you make one?
In an article on “bucket lists” (in truth, a slightly different concept), “Psychologist Linda Blair … says chasing big experiences is worthwhile if you enjoy the whole process. ‘Saving up the money, planning it with friends, and then the moment as well. I’m all for that,’ she says. ‘But if you’re constantly living in the future, ignoring what’s going on right now because you’re shooting for goals, which happen so quickly that they’re over, and then you have to chase another one, you’re not really living.'”
And I do sometimes wonder what happens when one doesn’t check something off a list—does that lead to tunnel vision? A lack of spontaneity? One upmanship? Or the worst: Regret?
All that being said, it may surprise you but I find myself leaning favorably toward them.
One thing that seemed particularly special about living back east was the celebration that happened when the season changed—spring in particular—as the shift was so dramatic. But here the seasons are so subtle that I find myself wanting to work a bit harder to really savor them. I started making a list of things I’d like to do this fall—we can call it a could-do list rather than a must-do list, if that helps. So far it includes:
