Malibu Wine Hikes - Best Hike in Los Angeles, California

Malibu Wine Hikes Trail and Saddle Rock Wine!

Malibu Wine Hikes - The best thing to do outside in LA!

Address: 32111 MULHOLLAND HWY. MALIBU, CA 90265

Malibu Wines is a wonderful place to go for an outing with friends in LA. We hiked, saw some animals, savored rosé pops, got some wine to go, had some laughs - it was a perfect way to spend the day outside and socially distant. You may remember my Malibu Wines Safari post or the Malibu Wines Tasting Room in West Hills, but this time we tried a new experience, Malibu Wine Hikes!

Malibu Wine Hikes Trail

Our Wine Hike Experience

I went with 7 of my girlfriends, who I hadn’t seen since the beginning of the year! We wore masks (took them off for pictures) and kept our distance, it was so nice to see them in person and not on a screen!

We checked in and waited in the shade for our guide, Joe! He was nice, entertaining, and knew so much about the vineyard and grounds. Since we’re all concerned about the spread he took photos of us throughout the hike and sent them to us in a dropbox at the end of the day. This was above and beyond our expectations.

Strike a pose in the Santa Monica Mountains

Typically the hike starts with Rosé pops, but ours weren’t frozen enough, so they gave them to us at the end.

We toured around the grounds on a 2-mile loop, the trail wasn’t too steep. It took us about 3 hours, but we weren’t in any rush, just enjoying the sunshine and company. There were water stations at the beginning of the hike and about halfway through. You can bring your own reusable bottle or purchase one of theirs.

Joe would point out the crops that were growing in the gardens, and said we could try the berries (SNACKKKS).

Berries on the hike!

White Sage growing

There are even Chumash Native Cave paintings on the property and if you’re lucky, you might even find one of their spearheads!

Chumash Native Cave Paintings

The Woolsey fire in November 2018 took out the tasting room and a lot of the vegetation on the grounds. Luckily the animals were ok and from our hike, many of the crops came back and a lot of the vineyard survived! 2020 hasn’t been easy for anyone, but their safety protocols and open-air tours make it easier for people to be together and still do fun things! We saw zebras, water buffalo, and other animals!

Malibu Wines Zebras

After we were done touring around, we returned back to the entrance where we had our rosé pops and chose our bottle of wine to take to go. I like their rosé but went with the Merlot, which is a nice red with notes of spice and pepper. These weren’t full bottles but enough for 2 large glasses of wine!

Saddlerock wines

---

Booking Your Hike Reservation

The grounds are not open to any to walk around, you must be on a tour or attend an event. Book your ticket and reserve your spot on malibuwinehikes.com. We booked 3 weeks in advance to get our desired date and time.

WINE HIKE - The open hike is a 2 mile loop hike where you get to explore the vineyards of Saddlerock Ranch, organic gardens, Chumash Native American cave paintings, and more! Guests will receive wine to-go when the hike concludes. $49/person

4x4 VINEYARD TOUR - There is also a vineyard tour that you ride in a 4x4 for an adventure tour around the Saddlerock Ranch Vineyards. Guests will explore the vineyards and natural areas on the property. Includes snacks, beverages and wine to-go! $375/Vehicle (each vehicle holds 1-5 people).

Saddle Rock Ranch Sign

Arrival and Parking

There is a huge dirt and gravel parking lot with plenty of parking spots. There are also nice trailer bathrooms in the parking lot too, better than a port-a-potty, but it’s not the Four Seasons or anything.

Don’t drink and drive!

---

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

---

Other great LA posts:

A Day with Elephants at Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Elephant Nature Park

Everything you need to know before heading to Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand

ELEPHANT NATURE PARK - 1 Ratmakka Road, Phra Sing, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand

My favorite day in Thailand was New Year’s Eve because not only did we see the sky light up with lanterns at midnight, but we also spent the day with elephants! I had only waited about a year for this day! When we booked our trip to Thailand, the elephant sanctuary was high on my list. I did a ton of research trying to find the best one and an ethical one; all roads lead to Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai! Let me breakdown things you should know…

What is a day at Elephant Nature Park like?

The day goes by so fast and you can expect to feed, pet, and bathe elephants! Elephants have prickly little hairs when you pet them! There was a lot of walking so wear comfy shoes. We’d walk to different areas and meet all the elephants. Our guide knew each elephant’s name, age, and story (Meet the herd). They had elephants ranging from 2 to 100 years old!

Here’s a video commemorating our day (don’t forget to follow us on YouTube):

How much is it and how do you get to the Elephant Nature Park?

There are quite a few options to spend the day with the elephants, but we opted for the single-day ticket which was 2,500฿ per adult (children prices are half off at the moment - Sept 2020). We paid a deposit of 2,000฿ and had a balance of 3,000฿ upon arrival. That said, it was about $80 per person - which included transfers, lunch, and an amazing day with the elephants! Book far in advance to make sure you get a spot! You can even volunteer or spend the night at a great rate.

Pick-up and drop-off were included with the price of our ticket. They have a very nice vehicle complete with leather seats and air conditioning! Definitely better than sitting in the back of a tuk-tuk or truck! They picked us up promptly at 8:30a from our hotel in Chiang Mai (see our review Hotel De Chai The Colonial) and it’s about an hour's drive from there. We made a stop at 7-Eleven for coffee, some breakfast items, and a bathroom then proceeded to the park!

What to wear to an elephant sanctuary

What should you wear and pack for the Elephant Nature Park?

We wore loose workout clothes to keep cool since it was pretty humid and there’s a lot of walking around. We brought a backpack and only packed things we needed for the day. There aren’t lockers or anything, so I wouldn’t bring anything too valuable.

Here’s what you should bring to the elephant park:

• Hat

• Sunscreen

• Bug repellant

• Comfortable shoes and socks

• Sunglasses

• Water and snacks - the sanctuary had water and lunch but we packed them to keep hydrated

• Camera(s) - we took our Sony A7, GoPro, and iPhones (there was wifi but it wasn’t great)

• Tip money for guide(s) - our guide took tons of pictures and videos of us. Tipping is important in Thai society and they will be grateful whether it is 20 baht or 200! We gave 500 baht from each of us.

• Admission fee - check your email for the balance you owe

• Money (Thai baht) for souvenirs

If you’re going to bathe the elephants (water is about knee height) bring the following:

• Towel

• Flipflops

• Wear anything you don’t mind getting a little wet (see the video above on how I got splashed!)

• Back-up clothes - Just in case!

Elephant roaming in the jungle

Are there real ethical elephant sanctuaries in Thailand?

Many ask if is it ethical to go to elephant parks or sanctuaries in Thailand? Here’s the thing, the elephants at Elephant Nature Park have either been injured or were orphans that didn’t have a chance in the wild. This is a rescue and sanctuary to keep them safe.

It is unethical to ride an elephant and that is not offered at Elephant Nature Park. Most of the elephants roam free on the grounds and there is a TON of room for them to feel like they aren’t in a small zoo pen. However, some are in closer quarters if they are dangerous to other elephants or people as they acclimate to the sanctuary.

Elephants treated well at ethical elephant sanctuary

Are the elephants treated well in Thailand?

Yes, the elephants are treated VERY well at Elephant Nature Park. They roam free all day across acres of land, have access to a stream, are well fed, and are safe from predators.

You can also find plenty of cats, dogs, buffalo, and many other rescued species at the park!

Is it worth seeing the elephants?

OF COURSE IT’S WORTH VISITING THE ELEPHANTS IN THAILAND! Elephants are so important to Thai culture, you have to visit these majestic creatures!

---

Please note this is not a sponsored post and based on my own personal experience, all thoughts are my own.

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

MORE THAILAND BLOG POSTS:

Best Travel Gifts for Mom (or maybe even yourself)

Lake Tahoe with my Mom!

Great Travel Gifts for Moms of ALL Ages (or almost any woman!)

Looking for a great gift for mom for that special occasion, Mother’s Day, Birthday, or even Christmas? Check out some great travel gifts that every mom will love with great prices and a great selection. Shop online with Amazon and get Prime delivery in 2 days if you’re in a pinch looking for that last-minute gift! Here are some inspiring gifts for traveling Moms, women, and ladies of all ages!

Check out my favorite gift idea - a roller hairbrush that stores jewelry or other valuables!

I made an Amazon shop that has everything below listed in one place! Check out Travel Gift Ideas for Mom

---

Comfy, Light, Travel Dresses - WITH POCKETS

No matter where she’s going, Mom will probably need a dress for a nice dinner or just to explore! Pockets are ALWAYS a plus to any woman - Mom or not!

Travel Jewelry and Box

Let Mom travel worry-free with some beautiful cubic zirconia jewelry so she can still look fancy, but not worry about losing Grandma’s coveted earrings. Pack a jewelry box to prevent necklaces tangling. I like the one below so can pack a bangle bracelet. Make sure she packs it in her carry on!

Carry-on Luggage, Travel Bags and Purses

Make it a breeze for Mom to travel and get around. I like bags that neatly tuck on one another so I don’t have to lug too many things on my shoulder. A small crossbody purse is great to keep your wallet phone and passport secure at all times. Last, I don’t know if this is completely necessary, but a cupholder and USB charger on your bag can come in handy while waiting around for the plane at the airport!

Flight Comfort Necessities

Airports and flights can be taxing and exhausting, make sure Mom has everything she needs to get comfy and have a smooth flight. Style her in a cozy sweater and get a neck pillow for a snooze on the plane. Keep her hydrated with a collapsible/reusable water bottle and get a flex flap so she can watch her shows on a phone or tablet.

Nifty Travel Security Gadgets

If there isn’t a safe in the hotel, here are some great hidden security compartments to stash your things! Who would have thought that a roller brush could have something inside?! Also, the master lock safe is good to lock onto a pool chair so Mom can hop in the pool and leave her phone, camera, keys safe and secure!

Toiletry Travel Essentials and Bags

It’s so hard to travel without your daily essentials! Moms tend to acquire more toiletries as they get older with more eye creams, hair products, etc. Make sure Mom is covered with a 17 piece set to suit any toiletry need along with a bag that can unfold and hang on a hook in the hotel bathroom which is great when there is little counter space available. Dry shampoo saves me from looking haggard after a long flight (or a bad hair day)! I tried so many different products but if I leave Living Proof Dry Shampoo in for 3-5 mins, my greasy dirty hair looks full and clean!

Travel Friendly Electronics

Whether Mom is tech savvy or not, she’ll probably need some electronics for her trip! I love the Mophie external recharchable battery. I can typically recharge my iPhone or iPad twice on one full charge from the Mophie. A Kindle or iPad would be helpful to read her favorite book or she can save her favorite TV show! Also, here are some headphone suggestions that won’t mess up her hair.

Fun in the Sun

Mom deserves some beach or pool time! Have her lounge in style with a fun sun hat or cute flowy coverup!

Travel Essentials for New Moms

New Moms aren’t used to traveling with an extra little person! Give them some help with multipurpose items like a stroller that folds into a carrier, or a bag with lots of compartments and pockets. Some even have changing stations and bassinets built-in! GENIUS!

I made an Amazon shop that has everything above listed in one place! Check out Travel Gift Ideas for Mom

---

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

MORE POSTS:

Ice Cream Review: Rori’s Artisanal Creamery - Great Ice Cream in Los Angeles, CA

Rori’s Artisanal Creamery - Century City

Rori’s Artisanal Creamery - Fantastic Los Angeles Local Ice Cream

• Locations: Santa Monica, Century City, Long Beach (and up the coast)

• Website: rorisartisanalcreamery.com

• Pricing: Get a split scoop in a bowl for your best value. The cones are really good too.

• Dietary Restrictions: Vegan ice cream options available

• Take-out: Pints are available and you can find them in select grocery stores. See their website for more!

---

Rori’s Artisanal Creamery Ice Cream Cone

LA Ice Cream Natives

Rori’s originates here in California, freshly scooped from Carpinteria! Owner, Rori Trovato, makes all the ice cream, cookies, cones, and candy recipes, and try some of her great flavors like Biscoff, Black Pepper Pistachio, Fresh Mint Patty, Malted Milk English Toffee, Nutella, Peanut Butter Candy Swirl - mix a unique flavor with a classic flavor for the best combo!

Rori’s Ice Cream Menu

Rori’s Ice Cream Menu

Get shakes, floats, homemade cookies, brownies, What the Fudge bars and pints to go here too! They even cater parties, but you have to invite me if you hire them! ;-)

Rori Trovato makes all the ice cream, cookies, cones, and candy recipes! She finely crafted each flavor to organic perfection. Rori used to supply the lavender and lemon from her garden but has since sourced it from local organic farms.

Straus Family Creamery Organic cream, milk and eggs create a delightfully creamy texture to their unique flavors including Honey Almond Crunch, Fresh Mint Patty, Malted Milk English Toffee, you can't go wrong with any of these choices.

"The best cream for your coffee is ice cream!!" I'm adopting this as my new motto. Need a pick me up? Try an affogoto (coffee/espresso with ice cream)! Also, love that they have candy and cookies - SO MANY SWEETS!

Rori has even made ice cream for your dog to enjoy! Organic yogurt, bananas, and peanut butter will leave your four-legged friend happy too!

Not near a scoop shop? That’s okay! Local supermarkets like Erewhon are selling Rori’s ice cream by the pint!

You MUST try the Wildberry Chocolate Crisp and Malted Milk ball

GET FREE ICE CREAM ON YOUR BIRTHDAY

Join their birthday club! CLICK HERE - see the bottom of the page for email signup. They also make ice cream cakes to make your special occasion even more special! AND they have Taco Tuesday... ICE CREAM TACOS! WHAT! Anyone wanna try these with me?! Also, they sell ice cream by the pint if a scoop isn't enough! ;-)

Rori’s Ice Cream Locations

Rori's has more locations along the California coastline, including Montecito, Santa Barbara, and Santa Monica. Visit the factory near Santa Barbara next time you’re in town!

---

Please note this is not a sponsored post and based on my own personal experience, all thoughts are my own.

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

Need another scoop? Try these:

How to Spend a Weekend Wine Tasting in Temecula, California (with map)

Temecula Wine Tasting is the best!

Best wineries and where to go in Temecula, California - with map!

My sister and I had a wedding to attend in Temecula and decided to make the most of it. Since it is only a few hours away from Los Angeles, we decided to drive up on a Saturday morning and come back on Sunday. We went to 4 wineries across the 2 days and here's how it went down..

My sweet sister kindly picked up some Starbucks and swooped me up along the way, leaving LA with enough time to drive to Temecula (approx 2 hours without traffic) to make it to our wine tour!

Here is a Temecula winery map made with the Wanderlog Travel Planner, so you can follow along, add to your Google maps account, or create your own personal map! Wanderlog allows you to create great maps and guides for any vacation! 

Map courtesy of Wanderlog travel planner

ENTRANCE TO OLD TOWN TEMECULA

A little after 9a, we arrived at our hotel, the Extended Stay America (see review below), checked-in and called for our Uber to take us to the Stampede where we were to meet our tour, Grapeline Wine Tours Temecula, and get our taste on. 

Temecula Antique Shop

We entered through the Old Town, which the downtown area, that looked like an old miners town with wood-planked sidewalks and old tanks of all sorts, with antique shops galore! Super charming!

---

Grapeline Wine Tours - Best Wine Tour in Temecula!

OUR WINE TOUR ITINERARY FOR THE DAY.

We booked a half-day wine tour for $95 which included tasting flights at 3 wineries, vineyard tour, cheese pairing, and a driver for the day. We reserved our spots about a month prior and emailed them directly, requesting the vineyards we were interested in.

The tour picked around 10a and was scheduled to drop us off at 2p just in time to get ready for the wedding we were attending at 5p. We were greeted by Robert, our guide, and he told us that we would be visiting all the wineries we requested and we had a great selection. He handed us a detailed itinerary and a discount card that basically gave 10-20% off all bottle purchases! He also told us the cheesiest, most amazing jokes to keep us entertained.

---

South Coast Winery

STROLLING THROUGH SOUTH COAST WINERY, TEMECULA

We traveled about 10 minutes to our first stop, South Coast Winery.

The grounds were so beautiful, full of flowers and Instagrammable photo ops. The inside was different with animals everywhere. We went in for our tasting and we were the first and only ones there, but it was also 10:30am. Pamela helped us out, and she was very generous with her pours. She even volunteered to take a picture of us... and we got a selfie of her as well! Didn't even know she was taking it!

The most notable wines we enjoyed were:

1. Extra Dry Sparkling - Yummy Champagne taste

2. Boulder Red 2.0 - Closest to a petite Sirah

3. Wild Horse Peak Temporale - Earthy with a pepper taste

South Coast Wine Tasting Room

Robert kept us on schedule (even though we wandered off to take pictures) and got us back on the bus to take us to our next stop, Falkner Winery.

---

Falkner Winery

Gorgeous Temecula Views from Falkner

Falkner had beautiful views from the top of the hill of Temecula Valley. We really wanted to come here because of the name to say things like Falk you and Falk off. Robert said no one had ever made those jokes before. We didn't believe him!

We went down into the cellar where we had the wine tasting along with a cheese and fruit pairing. Our fave was the Amante Super Tuscan which was similar to Sangiovese. I wasn't sure if I liked the Risque Riesling, or if I just liked the bottle and name... either way it wasn't bad! 

We were kinda disappointed we were in this dark room and the day was so beautiful. I was just excited that they let us keep the glass! FREE SOUVENIRS! 

Falkner Winery Free Glasses

---

Europa Village Winery

THIS WAY TO EUROPA VILLAGE WINERY!

Our last stop was Europa Village Winery which was under construction but you couldn't really tell at first glance (especially after 2 other tastings). 

EUROPA VILLAGE WINERY - OUTSIDE TASTING BAR AND SEATING

EUROPA VILLAGE WINE TASTING PASSPORT AND COUPON

We were handed a tasting passport that they would stamp after each tasting (sometimes they forgot) and had a large selection of wines. Our favorite Europa wine was the Vendetta, which was a fruity yet rich red. We decided to buy a couple bottles and upon purchasing, we decided to become a member! 

---

We were dropped back off at the Stampede in the old town area and picked up a pizza to eat at our hotel to get ready and go to our friend's wedding. We proceeded to eat our Shakey's pepperoni pizza and popped a bottle of Vendetta.

Old Town Temecula Restaurants

The next day we got ready (slowly) and sought out a good brunch spot. Our options seemed limited via Yelp so we decided we would drive through Old Town until we found a place we liked. 1909 was the happening spot, we put our name down for a 40-minute wait while we looked around for another restaurant before we ate each other out of starvation. Luckily it didn't come to that and right next door was Public House, which had a shaded patio and no wait! I had the eggs benedict with bacon (pork belly) and a coffee since we weren't ready for mimosas yet.

---

Briar Rose Winery

Briar Rose Winery House - Straight out of a Disney movie

Before heading back to LA, there was one more spot we HAD to check out, Briar Rose Winery. It was like a Disneyland vineyard, with a cottage and princess statues. 

The gardens were filled with statues that were very Disney like. We were convinced that Snow White or Cinderella were going to come out and break into song at any moment! It didn’t happen, probably for the best!

We didn't make a reservation so our only option was to buy a bottle or glass of wine to walk around. I got a glass of the White Zin which I hadn't seen white zin at any other vineyard (or ever) - it was refreshing and pink! 

Briar Rose Wine Tasting Room

Finally, it was time to head home to beat traffic. I took one last look at the rolling hills covered in grapevines. BUT, before we left, we needed ice cream! So we stopped at Creamistry for some Liquid Nitrogen ice cream and then got on the freeway.

VINES AND KATE SPADE ICE CREAM UMBRELLAS

---

Where we stayed: Extended Stay America - Temecula Hotels - Wine Country

27622 Jefferson Avenue, Temecula, CA 92590

I would never stay here again. We booked through Expedia which apparently means you are automatically signed up for a smoking room. The lady at the front desk said it doesn't smell THAT bad. She at least let us check it out before we took it. The hallway smelled terrible but the room wasn't too bad. It had new hardwood floors and was relatively clean. The view was of the parking lot and the freeway, which you could hear the cars rushing down the 15. The clientele was interesting as people hung out and smoked blunts in the parking lot. We were worried our car wasn't going to be there the next day. Luckily, we spent just one night and had enough wine to make it bearable. I’d recommend staying at an Airbnb or some of the vineyards have fancy rooms available!

---

If you have ever been to Temecula, let us know about your favorite places! We'll be back soon - I have to pick up wine at Europa Village for my wine club! A hot air balloon ride over Temecula is on my list, which my friend highly recommended! Please note this is not a sponsored post and based on my own personal experience, all thoughts are my own.

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

Wine Tasting in Temecula

---

Need another glass? Try these posts:

HOW TO SPEND 4 DAYS ON YOUR MAUI VACATION - COMPLETE ITINERARY WITH MAP

Kaanapali Beach - Black Rock

Updated: January 12, 2026

What to do for 4 days in Maui, Hawaii - FULL ITINERARY AND MAP

Maui is our absolute favorite place in the world! We got engaged, then married there a year later. Now, we return EVERY year to celebrate our anniversary and relive our favorite memories.

This itinerary is part of our Ultimate Maui Travel Guide, where we cover hotels, food, activities, and travel tips.

Hawaii is calling and I must go sign in our apt!

Do as our sign in our apartment says, "Hawaii is calling and I must go!" We got this sign at Sand People in Maui, my favorite shop!

There are so many different things to do in Maui, but here is our favorite itinerary! Whether this is your first trip to Maui, or tenth, we hope you love our suggestions.

This post may contain affiliate links of services that we love! If you book anything through these links, we get a commission at no cost to you! Help support the blog by saving and using these links.

Before you go, check out everything you need to pack for Hawaii here: Packing Checklist for Hawaii - includes a helpful list of items you can buy straight from Amazon!

Here is a map made with the Wanderlog Travel Planner, so you can follow along, add to your Google maps account, or create your own personal map! Wanderlog allows you to create great maps and guides for any vacation!

Map courtesy of Wanderlog travel planner

---

This detailed 4-day Maui itinerary is perfect for first-time visitors who want to see the highlights without feeling rushed.

DAY 1

FLIGHT & CAR RENTAL

Front Street - Lahaina

We take the 8:30a American flight from LAX and the airport to fly into Maui is known as OGG. It's about 5 hours to get there and with the time difference, we arrive at the hotel around noon and have almost a whole day to do something fun on the island.

It's hard to get around the island without a car. We always rent a Jeep through Costco Travel to save money and get the best car to tour the island. We love the ones with the removable roof!

Don't have a Costco membership? That's ok, Booking.com also has great deals on car rentals or you can get a fairly decent rate on an airport transfer (if you don’t want to drive)!

What does Maui mean? Fun fact: This name belongs to a trickster god in Polynesian mythology!

RELATED POST: How much does it cost to go to Maui? - Itinerary, budget, and more!

Maui Rainbows are everywhere!

BEST MAUI RESORT HOTELS

We like to stick the Kaanapali stretch of hotels mainly because there is a lot to do and you can walk (or swim) everywhere. We love the Sheraton Maui Resort, which is located at the end of the Ka’anapali hotel stretch, against the black rock. We ALWAYS find THE BEST rates through Booking.com. See deals of up to 50% off! You can save a bunch of money if you book a bundle flight+room+rental car! If you are looking for a place to stay with more people, they even have offers for apartments and houses you can rent, just like AirBnB or VRBO!

Before you go, check out everything you need to pack for Hawaii here: Packing Checklist for Hawaii

Sheraton Maui Resort Pool - Lagoon

Check out our entry for more on the Sheraton:  Hotel Review: Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa

Check-in is normally 3p, so we try and check-in to see if our room is ready early, and if not we head to get lunch at one the pool bars (Cliff Dive Bar or Mai Tai Bar) and a Mai Tai! YUM!

Usually, our room is ready right after lunch, giving us time to move in and get ready for our first adventure. 

AFTERNOON: SNORKELING

The best part about the end of the Kaanapali beach is the Black Rock, in front of the Sheraton Resort. Where it might seem like a hideous black lava rock, under the sea you can find gorgeous coral, tons of fish, and usually see a turtle or two. We’ve even seen a few octopuses but you have to look hard for them! Also, try a different spin on snorkeling and take sailing and snorkel trip to Honolua! Their catamaran is a BEAUTY!

Snorkeling in Maui - Turtle sighting

Another great spot is Kapalua Bay. Even though the clarity isn't as great as around Black Rock, there are still plenty of fish to see. On one of our swims, we saw 6 turtles! We parked in a free beach parking lot (or there is street parking) next to Merriman's, and walked through the tunnel near the valet for beach access.

RELATED POST: See more in our 5 Best Snorkel Spots in Maui

Kapalua Bay

 Don’t forget to pack a hat!

Hello Sunshine floppy hat

on Amazon.com

EVENING: DINNER AT MAUI BREW CO BREWPUB

NEW Location: 2525 Kaanapali Pkwy, Lahaina, HI 96761

Note: the Maui Brewing Company Kahana Gateway Shopping Center location permanently closed in 2025.

This is a perfect place for good brews and bar food especially if you are coming back from a swim in Kapalua! The Maui onion dip and buffalo chicken wings are our favorite items on the menu! They put all of their beers on menu chalkboards in the restaurant and switch them out occasionally. You can also purchase beers there and take them home! We had them package up a few cans of beers we couldn’t buy on the mainland - all beers made it home just fine in our checked bag. There are also TV's throughout the restaurant if you are looking to root for your favorite sports team.

Fun fact: Did you know Maui Brew Co is independently owned? Garrett Marrero is a Poway native and the owner and found of the Maui Brewing Company, with local production on Maui itself! You can even tour the brewery for $20 in Kehei.

RELATED POST: Want more dinner options? Check out our post for our Top 10 Restaurants in Maui, Hawaii

---

DAY 2

ROAD TO HANA - FULL DAY TRIP

We’ve done the Road to Hana a few times since there are so many different things to do and see along the way. Some of our favorite stops include:

1. Black Sand Beach 

2. Lava Tubes 

3. Red Sand Beach 

4. Coconut Glen's ice cream

5. Haleakala National Park (2 hours - if you do the long hike)

Don’t want to drive the windy roads? I don’t blame you! Book a seat with this Road to Hana Tour as recommended by a local!

Pro Tip: Check out our complete guide with a map of our favorite stops: Guide to the Road to Hana

Don't forget to stop to try some of Coconut Glen's homemade ice cream! They serve organic, vegan, dairy free ice cream, using coconuts from the jungles of Maui. Don't let "organic, vegan, dairy free ice cream" scare you. TRUST ME, you won’t regret it.

See my full review here: Coconut Glen's Homemade Ice Cream

Mai Tai at Mama’s Fish House

EVENING: MAMA'S FISH HOUSE

799 Poho Pl, Paia, HI 96779

On our way back from the road to Hana adventure, we stopped at Mama's Fish House for dinner. Make sure you make a reservation in advance, we used Opentable. Parking is valet only. 

I'm not a fish person particularly, but I did try some of our friends Mahi Mahi dish and it was the best fish I’ve ever had. I enjoyed their short rib and a couple of Mai Tai's (love that it's served in a tiki glass)!

---

DAY 3

MORNING: SCUBA DIVING

Since we are scuba certified, we love to go diving at different locations in Maui. 

We loved the company, Extended Horizons in Lahaina, they go to the best spots and have amazing diving instructors. The dive site, Cathedral II, was one of my favorite dives! We went through a lava tube which was basically a cave with holes in the back, creating a fun place to explore! Check out the weird-looking slipper lobsters we found on the dive in our video! Some other great spots include Molokini Crater, the Carthaginian shipwreck, and Olowalu Reef, also known as turtle reef!

Extended Horizons trips depart from Lahaina, which is very convenient for staying on Kaanapali beach!  Whale season runs from November to May, which you can often see the humpback whales breach above water and you can often hear them while diving underwater.

They lost their shop and their boat in the Lahaina fire but still offer dives!

Want to set sail but not scuba? You can always rent a boat from our friends at Get My Boat, which is like Airbnb for boats!

Related Post: BEST SCUBA DIVE SITES IN MAUI

AFTERNOON: MASSAGES

We book our massages at the hotel typically the day we check-in, and look forward to them every day. 

We love getting our annual couples massage at the resort, especially after a few scuba dives or doing a trip to Hana. We usually get a basic full body massage for 50 mins, but this last time we went for the 80 mins and it was worth every penny. The rooms are patio like with natural sunlight peaking from the top, complete with soothing Hawaiian tunes. Ahhh.. relaxing just thinking about it. 

POOL SIDE

Grab your flip flops! We like to bring a book, a magazine, cards, or scroll through Instagram by the pool. This is where I started my research to start a travel blog! I may have ordered a few drinks to think it was a GREAT idea!

Havianas Slim Flip Flops

Various colors and prints available on Amazon.com

Before you go, check out everything you need to pack for Hawaii here: Packing Checklist for Hawaii

EVENING: SHOPPING & DINNER

We walked down to Whaler's Village for some shopping and grab dinner at the Barefoot Bar. 

The Barefoot Bar is more casual ($$) serving burgers, fish and chips, pizza. The fun part about the bar, your feet are in the sand. Usually, they have live music and entertainment. 

I love their Mai Tai's which are served in tiki glasses topped with the umbrella! Presentation is everything to me. You MUST try the Hula pie! It’s vanilla or macadamia nut ice cream with an Oreo crumble pie crust, with whipped cream and fudge on top! OR try their enormous brownie ice cream sandwich. It’s a hard choice… just get both!

Need more options? There is also the Monkeypod Kitchen Restaurant in Whaler's Village that opened from the owners of Merriman's. We’ve literally tried everything on the menu and can’t recommend it enough - don’t skip out on the chicken wings or the mai tai with the honey foam! Check out our full review for more on Monkeypod: Restaurant Review: Monkeypod Restaurant

---

DAY 4

MORNING: HALEAKALA SUNRISE

Sunrise at Haleakala

Parking: Haleakala Summit Parking, Kula, HI 96790 - You MUST make a reservation in advance as parking is limited! Reservations can be secured two months in advance and up until 6pm the day before your visit. See more information and tips on visiting Haleakala here: HALEAKALA CRATER

We got up at 2am and hit the road by 3am to drive about 2 hours to the top of Haleakala Summit. Check the sunrise times and try to arrive about an hour beforehand for a spot in the lot.

It gets pretty chilly at almost 10,000 feet. I wore layers including exercise clothes with sweatpants and sweatshirt on top. Bring snacks and water (and coffee) too!

If you don't want to drive (the roads are very windy up and down the mountain at very early hours), take this guided tour with Roberts Hawaii where they will pick up, take you to the top, feed you 2 meals, and bring you back. You can rest easy and even take a nap!

Since the sunrise viewing in atop of a mountain, there are many spots to watch the sunrise from and not a bad view. As the sky starts to change cameras come out, and the sun rises through the clouds. It's one of the best sunrises I've ever seen in my life. Fun Fact: Josh proposed to me here!

Mauimosas at Kula Lodge

BREAKFAST @ KULA LODGE

15200 Haleakala Hwy, Kula, HI 96790

On the way down from Haleakala, we stopped at Kula Lodge for spectacular views, a delicious breakfast (eggs benedict was my fave), and a Maui-mosa - they use pineapple instead of orange juice.

AFTERNOON: NAP AND POOL-TIME

By the time we got back to the hotel, it was time for a nap and relaxation. We took a quick nap, then went to hang out by the pool and snorkel in the ocean.

Black Rock Jumpers

EVENING: DINNER AT MERRIMAN'S KAPALUA

Address: 1 Bay Club Pl, Lahaina, HI 96761

We made a reservation about a month in advance to make sure we could get there for some cocktails and sunset. 

This fine-dining restaurant ($$$$) is the perfect spot in west Maui for sunset drinks and dinner. Located right on the water, you’ll overlook the waters of Kapalua Bay. Their cocktails are superb, made with fresh ingredients. The farm to table menu has a variety of Hawaiian fish and my favorite is the chimichurri savory steak.

Don’t forget about ordering some dessert! I enjoyed their homemade ice cream and cones (of course).  It's about a 15 min drive from the Kaanapali resorts.

Wwoof, what a trip. But how amazing did it look?! :) Let us know what you think or if you have any suggestions in the comments below!

We ALWAYS find THE BEST rates through Booking.com. See deals of up to 50% off! You can save a bunch of money if you book a bundle flight+room+rental car! They even have apartments, lodges, and houses you can rent, just like AirBnB or VRBO! By booking through this link, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you! PLEASE support our blog and bookmark this link!

---

Don’t forget some of our favorite packing essentials:

---

Like this post? Share this post with your friends and family on your favorite social media platform using the share button below and pin one of these to your favorite Pinterest board:

---

Here are some other posts we have about Maui:

ASR Search Engine

Top 9 Reasons why you MUST add Bora Bora to your Bucketlist!

9 Reasons to Visit Bora Bora on your Honeymoon or in your Lifetime!

We went to Bora Bora in French Polynesia to bookend our honeymoon and it was worth every penny and mile it took to get us there! I was surprised our occupied our days were when I was expecting to not do anything! Check out what to expect with our 9 reasons below:

Overwater Bungalows InterContinental Bora Bora

1. Overwater Bungalows 

We stayed at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort Thalasso Spa and WOW, just being able to walk out into the water from your own porch is a dream. Its location has the best view of the center island, where the sun will set right behind the mountain.

Overwater Bungalow Sunset Bora Bora

In the guest room, there is a glass coffee table that lets you look down at the water below. We loved watching fish swim under our room! The bed faces a floor to ceiling window that makes you feel like you're just floating in the aqua lagoon. It’s literally heaven on Earth!

---

2. Infinity Pool with a Perfect View

This infinity pool is just gorgeous and the InterContinental Thalasso has the PERFECT view of the mountain! I don't think I need to add anything else here. Maybe a drink...

Infinity Pool InterContinental Bora Bora

---

3. Stingray Feedings

I was apprehensive about feeding stingrays at first but as long as you have their food, they are like little puppies that brush up against you begging for food. 

Feeding Sting Rays in Bora Bora

The man with the bucket came out blowing a shell like a horn, getting the stingrays ready for a feeding!

Warning, watch out for the seagulls. They are food stealers.

---

4. Book a relaxing Massage at the Bora Bora InterContinental Thalasso Spa

The Bora Bora InterContinental Thalasso spa is top-notch! They even have a room where you can watch the fish through the hole in the table while getting a massage. How peaceful is that?

---

5. Scuba Dive in Bora Bora 

The colors are beautiful deep below the surface, with thousands of fish along the gorgeous colorful coral reef. We even saw a 7 foot lemon shark swim through.

Scuba Dive in Bora Bora

---

6. Rent Jet Skis and tour around the Island

The jet ski tour was my favorite activity! We went around the entire island, and our guide showed us how to break open a coconut on the shore with our bare hands! It was delicious!

Jet ski in Bora Bora

---

7. Rent Paddle boards, Kayaks, and Other Activities 

Paddleboards and kayaks were provided by the hotel (InterContinental Bora Bora) at no extra cost. Just ask the pool boy for permission and float your cares away in the lagoon. 

For a price, you can also go on a rainforest tour, ATV safari, or even go parasailing!

---

8. RELAX, You’re literally in paradise!

There's not a lot of pressure to do anything but hang out in your swimsuit for 24 hours. That's actually what we did for 4 days. 

---

9. Fruity Drinks & Ice cream by the pool 

Brownie sundaes are always acceptable, even at the pool. Other food and many drinks can also be indulged poolside. Much like Hawaii or any tropical destination, they have all the fruity poolside drinks you can think of. Delicious and refreshing!

---

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

---

More to do in French Polynesia:

Hobbiton really exists and I want to live there! See the movie set in New Zealand!

Hobbiton really exists and I want to live there! See why you must visit this movie set in New Zealand!

We work in television, so being on set is something we're used to, but the Lord of the Rings HOBBITON movie set was awesome! I read the first Lord of the Rings books in high school and have seen a couple of the movies but I wouldn't call myself an expert or super fan by any means. This place was so picturesque and perfect, I enjoyed it way more than I thought I was going to!

Hobbiton, New Zealand

How to Get to Hobbiton from Auckland

We were staying in Auckland and booked our tour through Viator.

Click here for the Small-Group Tour: The Lord of the Rings Hobbiton Movie Set Tour from Auckland

It's around $220 USD but includes:

• Transportation to and from Hobbiton

• Tour of the Shire

• Lunch at the Dragon Inn

•  A cider, ale or ginger beer inside the Green Dragon Inn

• $10 Voucher for the Giftshop

It's an 8-hour tour which starts bright and early with a pickup from your hotel around 7am. We stopped at a coffee shop along the way for a little snack and stretch since it was a 2.5 hour bus ride. Sounds like a long ride, but the sites along the way were picturesque and gorgeous. The ride also allowed us to catch up on a little sleep! 

Welcome to Hobbiton

Arriving at Hobbiton

When searching New Zealand for the perfect location, Jackson sought out for a tall tree near a lake that could live up to the "Party Tree" as described in the books. The perfect location for the Shire was finally found in Matamata on a working sheep farm in the heart of Waikato.

Hobbiton Map - Movie Set Tour

Sheep Farm - Hobbiton

Apparently the location scout for the movie landed his helicopter and went up to the Alexander house to inquire about using the land in an upcoming movie. Mr. Alexander's reaction was the best, he told the scout that the rugby was on, and he should come back later. He did. 

To get to bag end, you must drive through the 1250 acre sheep farm owned by the Alexander family to make it up to the world’s biggest outdoor movie set. 

Fun fact: with over 13,500 sheep on the farm, not one of them was shown in the film. Director, writer and producer, Peter Jackson, preferred the look of Suffolk sheep with dark faces and legs, which were brought in for filming.

Read more about Small-Group Tour: The Lord of the Rings Hobbiton Movie Set Tour from Auckland - Auckland | Viator at: Small Group Hobbiton Movie Set Tour

The Shire was built twice since it was torn down after the Lord of the Rings trilogy wrapped, then rebuilt for the Hobbit movies. The set covers 12 acres, featuring 44 hobbit holes.

Hobbit Holes!

Hobbit Holes

We started venturing into the Shire, seeing all the hobbit holes including Bilbo Baggins’s house. Between 30 and 200 plants surround each hobbit hole, employing seven to eight gardeners to maintain the beautiful agricultural grounds.

Bilbo Baggins Hobbit Hole

The holes are based on different sizes to feed to the illusion of their actual size. The holes used by actors playing hobbits were built at a 90 percent scale, while the holes used by Gandalf were built at a 60 percent scale to make him look much larger.  

Most of the scenes filmed inside the holes were on a set, leaving the Hobbit holes as facades but there are some you can walk into. The inside is only about 5 feet, but still, fun to walk in!

Visiting Hobbit Holes at 60% scale

Hobbit holes ay 90% scale and a 5 foot inside

Click here for the Small-Group Tour: The Lord of the Rings Hobbiton Movie Set Tour from Auckland

This hobbit hole was my favorite! Just look at how pretty it is! We spent a lot of time here! 

My favorite hobbit hole with pretty flowers!

Hobbiton was allowed to stay in New Zealand as long as they kept the grounds just as it looked in the movie.

Hobbiton Party Tree

The Party Tree

The "Party Tree" can be found on the top of the hill of Hobbiton above Bilbo's house. This 70-80 meter tall oak tree's color is greener than most because it is made of fiberglass and hand painted silk leaves that were individually wired on to each branch. 

The Pond at Hobbiton

The Pond

While shooting the movies, the frogs in the pond were too noisy affecting dialogue among the characters and causing an inability to hear each other. Peter Jackson actually paid someone to move ALL of the frogs relocating them to a different pond on the sheep farm. They were put back after production wrapped.

The Green Dragon

The Green Dragon

The Green Dragon was a later edition to the farm in 2012. Southfarthing beverages can be found exclusively at the Green Dragon Inn: an apple cider, non-alcoholic ginger beer and two ales, all brewed at the Good George Brewery in Hamilton. They are served at the bar in the Green Dragon Inn. Our tour came with one, but we bought another round.

Totally worth checking out! Click here for the Small-Group Tour: The Lord of the Rings Hobbiton Movie Set Tour from Auckland

---

Please note this is not a sponsored post and based on my own personal experience, all thoughts are my own.

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

The latest and greatest on the blog:

Ice Cream Review: Halo Top Scoop Shop in Los Angeles, CA - Best soft serve!

Halo Top Scoop Shop

• LA Location: The Grove, 189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036 - all other locations have been permanently closed! :(

• Website: https://www.halotopscoopshop.com/ 

• Pricing: Generous soft-serve portion for a great price - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

• Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  (4/5 for their soft-serve but 3/5 for their ice cream)

• Take-out: Take-out only - enjoy on the grass near the fountain!

• Dietary Restrictions: Dairy Free Options Available and Guilt-Free Options!

Hot pink ice cream cone with Halo Top’s Peaches and Cream Soft Serve!

I love ice cream but I hate dieting! I was thrilled when I discovered Halo Top at my local Ralphs, finally, a low-calorie ice cream that is delicious! I love everything about this brand, their marketing, flavors, and was so excited to hear the news that an ice cream scoop shop was opening near me! 

2020 UPDATE: A lot of the scoop shop locations have closed but The Grove is open with the same options as my visit to Century City! The Grove location is right in front of Nordstroms where Haagen Dazs used to be. It’s best to grab a soft serve cone and enjoy it near the fountain!

Don’t forget to check out our complete list of Best Ice Cream Scoop Shops in Los Angeles

Halo Top Scoop Shop - Century City - PERMANENTLY CLOSED

Halo Top Scoop Shop Menu Flavors

If I buy the pint, I’ll want to eat the whole thing! Here you can get not only your favorite pint flavors but also incredible soft serve options! Since I can get a pint anytime at my local Ralphs, I wanted to try something different so I went for the soft serve. I tried all three soft serve options - Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, and Peaches & Cream. All were tasty, but the peaches and cream flavor was perfect for the warm summer day!

There were so many different options from 4 different kinds of cones to ice cream sandwiches and ICE CREAM TACOS! Also, the cones came in the best colors - pink and a bluish turquoise!

Halo Top Scoop Shop Menu

Halo Top Ice Cream Scoop Shop

Halo Top Scoop Shop Menu

It was also chock full of topping options to add to your delectable treats.

Toppings bar at Halo Top

I was debating on what my base should be, and when I heard they had pink ice cream cones, I knew it was a must (and it matched my nails!). 

YUM! If you get the chance, grab a cone or a taco and always add sprinkles on top! 

---

Please note this is not a sponsored post and based on my own personal experience, all thoughts are my own.

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

---

MORE LOS ANGELES POSTS:

Giapo - Best Ice Cream (and fanciest) in Auckland, New Zealand

Ice Cream Review: Giapo Haute Ice Cream

• Location: 12 Gore St, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand

• Website: Giapo Ice Cream

• Pricing: Generous portion that is hand-crafted with fancy edible embellishments ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars for that

• Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 creamy for gelato)

• Dietary Restrictions: Halal, vegan, kosher, and gluten-free options available

• Take-out/Pickup: Pickup and local delivery service available - Download their app in the Apple app store or Google Play!

Giapo Ice Cream in Auckland, New Zealand

We stopped in Auckland, New Zealand while on our honeymoon and found the best ice cream shop with the fanciest treats I've ever seen.

Giapo is for the people who are ready to see ice cream as a platform for freedom and art. Giapo is for anyone who dares to strive for more.

Gianpaolo Grazioli (Giapo) and his wife Annarosa Petrucci just want to make the best ice cream in the world, from the bottom of the world. Their story is so cute, they met in high school in Southern Italy and are now making big strides in the ice cream industry. Italian culinary tastemaker website, Dissapore, named Giapo one of the top 10 gelaterias in the WORLD.

Giapo looks at ice cream as art and is a great innovator! Even the entrance was gorgeous and inviting. 

Giapo Ice Cream Shop

Our ice cream designer was a hoot! So much personality and helped us figure out if we wanted hokey pokey or chocolate evolution. Everyone was so nice and you could tell that they loved their job!

Sassy Ice Cream Scooper! Loved her!

Giapo Ice Cream Menu

I loved the creative names of the flavors, though it made it hard to order because I had no idea what was in "Kiss Kiss." These one-of-a-kind flavors included the classics, and there's always an Aotearoa Garden seasonal special.

Giapo Ice Cream Menu

Giapo Squid Ice Cream Cone - @giapokitchen Instagram

During these new times, they have posted their menu online and you can order through the app, then easily pick up your order in front of the store!

The colossal squid cone is one of their most famous ice cream cone designs, but they have many other beautiful creations. See their Instagram @giapokitchen for more.

Giapo Ice Cream Menu 2020

All toppings are handcrafted in the shop. Luxuriously appointed cones and chocolate cups that make the Giapo ice cream spectacular for both eyes and taste buds. Just look at the exquisite gold hazelnuts in the first picture!

Ice cream artists scooping and designing away!

If we were staying longer in NZ, I would have loved to take their Ice Cream Masterclass, where you can prep, make, and create your own luxurious concoction. There’s even a kitchen tour, which I would have also loved!

Giapo New Zealand Ice Cream

For bookings see more info here giapo.com or contact them via email giapo@giapo.com or whatsapp us here.

I'm in love with this place! I wish New Zealand wasn't so far from California! Please open a shop here, Giapo! 

---

Please note this is not a sponsored post and based on my own personal experience, all thoughts are my own.

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

More ice cream related posts:

Terrifying Shark Scuba Dive at Stuart's Cove - Nassau, Bahamas | Video Included!

SHARKS?! ARE YOU CRAZY? Yup. It sounded like a good idea when we signed up, well maybe not a GOOD idea, but sounded like fun. Stuart’s Cove is famous for their Shark Dives and they offer a variety of different dives. I had been to the Bahamas before and had admired the sharks in the tanks at the Atlantis resort, but never thought I’d be inches from them!

*SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FULL VIDEO!*

Reef Shark Dive - Bahamas

SHARK DIVE ADVENTURE IN THE BAHAMAS

We went with the Shark Adventure Two-Tank Dive and there was NO CAGE! Stuart Cove’s Shark Adventure takes you deep down to get up close and personal with the Caribbean Reef sharks. We were staying at the Atlantis Resort, which they arranged for pickup as part of the dive package.

See all Stuart Cove dive packages including shark feeding, shark awareness, shark shooting (video), reef dives, and Snuba! Our scuba dive with the sharks in the Bahamas cost $182 for a 2-tank dive, all equipment, and shuttle to the dive shop and back to the hotel! Not a bad deal!

Once we arrived at the dive shop, we suited up and headed for the boat. There were many briefings on how this dive was going to work and that you need to stay calm so the sharks stay calm. The sharks really don’t want to eat you, but if you move your arm real quick they might think it’s a fish. Soooo basically I just didn’t move for 30-40 minutes.

We did a regular free swim dive first to get comfortable seeing sharks but not getting too close. There were a few sunken barges that were cool to check out and could see the sharks from a safe distance.

I don’t see any sharks behind me…

Then it was time for the Shark Dive! The briefing included clear instructions that we would all come down and head to the “Arena” where we would be placed in pairs, creating a semi-circle for the Divemaster to put on his greatest show. We were told to either sit on our knees or lay on your belly. There was a bit of a current, so it was harder to balance on my knees and I ended up slowly moving down to my belly.

The bait box and my new friend

Once you enter the Arena, the Divemaster brings out the bait box and feeds them like pets! Sharks would swim by almost knocking you over with their fins! There were more sharks than I had anticipated but it was pretty cool!

The sharks are so large and scary looking but there was one that looked like he was smiling. Although I think a hook ripped the side of his mouth, so let’s go with smiling. It was terrifying and amazing; I’m so glad we have it on video so we don’t have to do it again (but I highly recommend the experience😉)!

HAPPY SHARK WEEK EVERYONE!

This is my smiling shark friend! Doesn’t he look happy to see me?!

Now for our Shark Dive video!

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel!

---

Please note this is not a sponsored post and based on my own personal experience, all thoughts are my own.

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

Shark Dive Bahamas

Shark Dive Bahamas

The latest and greatest on the blog:

Active Search Results (ASR) is an independent Internet Search Engine using a proprietary page ranking technology with Millions of popular Web sites indexed.

Do You NEED Travel Insurance?

For the crazy and unprecedented events of 2020, travel insurance might be more important now more than ever for future trips! Make sure you’re protected for delays, illness, lost luggage, and even natural disasters—the best travel insurance can soften the impact of unforeseen events.

How do you get travel insurance? How does travel insurance work? How much does travel insurance cost? ALL great questions that can be answered in this ultimate Travel Insurance Guide from Consumer’s Advocate.

PRO TIP: We typically book travel on our credit cards that offer travel insurance, just make sure you read the fine print!

You never know who’s watching you. Look out for pickpockets! ;-)

5 Interesting Facts About Travel Insurance

1. Buzzkills - Standard in most travel insurance policies is a drug and alcohol exclusion that won’t payout if you’re intoxicated. So… don’t get hurt after that mai tai in the fun tiki glass with the tiny umbrella.

2. How much does travel insurance cost? It depends on what type of coverage you end up getting. Typically costs range about 4-10% of the trip price. However, premium coverage or Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) policies can be a bit more expensive. But if you can cancel a $3000 trip for $100, isn’t that worth it?

3. Event Cancellations - Allows for the cancellation of the trip if the specific reason for the trip--an event such as a concert or festival--is canceled.

4. Medical Coverage - If you are injured on your trip, some policies will fly a relative to take care of you or even emergency transport to your hospital of choice around the world. However, if you are being adventurous, check out extreme sports (bull riding, cave diving, and mixed martial arts) in the Explorer Plan vs Standard Plan activities (kite surfing, ice hockey) coverage here.

5. Loopholes--as they’re commonly understood--do not exist in insurance policies. While coverage can be denied for a number of reasons (drug or excessive alcohol use, for instance), those reasons are clearly laid out in the policy contract. 

Zip-lining in Maui, Hawaii

5 Different Types of Travel Insurance Coverage

1. Basic cancellation coverage: Covers you for pre-paid, non-refundable expenses under a fixed set of circumstances outlined in your policy. ​​​​​​ You can make a claim when have to cancel a trip due to:

   • A health emergency or illness, for example. Depending on the policy you choose, you may also be able to make a claim

   • If you’re laid off from work or you’re called for jury duty (depending on the policy chosen).

   • If your travel provider has to cancel your trip due to a natural disaster in the destination city.

2. Trip delay insurance: You’ll be reimbursed for any expenses you incur as a result of your trip being delayed

   • Usually included with cancellation coverage.

   • Meals, hotel charges, and taxi fees are among the expenses covered.

   • Short departure delays are not covered; policies set a minimum number of hours for covered delays.

3. Trip interruption coverage: protects you in the event you have to return home due to an emergency once you’ve already started your trip.

   • It will likely pay for the cost of getting you home and getting you back to your destination once you’re able to travel again. 

4. Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR): Offers the fullest coverage but may only make sense for you if your calendar is subject to change at a moment’s notice. 

5. Specialized Event Coverage: covers special events for most cancellations (i.e. outdoor game gets rained out)
   
   Have high-value items (phone, laptop, camera, etc.)? Make sure your items are within the limits of your policy; and if not, consider increasing your policy coverage! 

So do you NEED travel insurance? Probably a good idea if you’re planning in 2020!

---

Please note this is not a sponsored post and based on my own personal experience, all thoughts are my own.

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

Do You NEED Travel Insurance?

Check out the latest and greatest:

PACKING SECRETS: What to pack and what to leave at home when wine tasting in Napa!

PACKING ESSENTIALS for wine tasting in Napa Valley in Northern California plus FREE packing checklist!

We go to Napa about once a year, so I’m sharing my packing secrets with you! Layering is very important as mornings and evenings tend to be cooler in Northern California no matter what season it is! Here are year-round suggestions for what to pack for Napa!

Related Post: Planning a trip to Napa? Start with our Napa Valley Travel Guide for hotel, restaurant, winery recommendations and more! Don’t miss: How to Spend a Weekend in Napa - Complete Itinerary

Download our FREE Napa packing list!

Since I love to organize things, I sorted my list by category so it is foolproof not to leave something behind. Granted Napa does have shops and anything can be bought there, but I’d rather save my money to come back!

Want a FREE printable/downloadable pretty travel checklist with everything in this post? Click here: Packing Essentials for Napa or shop directly from our Amazon list with outfit ideas and budget-friendly accessories!

Click the image to shop Great Dress Options for Napa that Won’t break the bank!

CLOTHING TO PACK FOR A WEEKEND IN NAPA

1. Dresses - I love wearing short dresses around the wineries and to maxi dresses to dinner. During Winter, I pack cute sweaters for the day and maybe a dress for a fancy dinner.

2. Stay Warm - For mornings and cooler nights bring a sweater or three. During Winter, it can get to 50 degrees during the day and even cooler at night; so I’d pack a cute coat!

3. Workout Clothes - If you need to sweat it out! Some great scenery to run around Napa or hit the hotel gym.

4. Sneakers - great to have if you’re walking around or going on adventures

5. Plane Outfit - I love a good oversized top and leggings.

6. Basics - Socks, Underwear, Bras, Sports Bras, PAJAMAS!

7. Small Purse - to hold an ID, Credit card, cash, phone, lipstick, gum and maybe a car key

8. Accessories/Jewelry - Earrings, Necklace, Bracelet, Watch

9. Bubble wrap or a travel wine bag - If you think you will be purchasing some wine, bring some bubble wrap or something to put wine in and then pack the wine in the middle of your suitcase on your way home with your clothes protecting the bottles. You’ll have to check the bag if you’re flying with wine. Pro TIp: If you sign up for a wine club at the winery, you can add your favorite wines you sampled that day and have them ship with your first order.

What not to pack: DON’T OVERPACK! Plan your outfits ahead of time and see what you can mix and match or get away with packing just 1 extra pair of shoes! Everything should fit in a carry-on. Don’t pack a wine opener with a small blade for the foil - I speak from experience.

WINE TASTING DAY ESSENTIALS

1. Comfortable Footwear - Summer is warm with a breeze, Fall and Spring can go either way, Winter can be cold and rainy. No matter when you go, cute and comfortable shoes are always a great idea.

2. Sunglasses - Sojo Sunglasses on Amazon are budget-friendly, great quality, and trendy!

3. Camera - Napa Valley is picturesque, take it all in and take a photo!

4. Compact Travel Umbrella - Northern California is often rainy! Check the weather in Napa before you go!

5. Water Bottle - Stay hydrated! Collapsable bottles are great!

6. Snacks - We like to have granola bars, gummi bears, and M&M’s on hand for the car, in the room, or just to enjoy with some wine!

7. Cute tote or purse - You’ll need something to hold the above. If you have a designated driver, bring a small purse, and leave some things in the car!

What not to pack: Don’t bring your make-up bag, tons of lotions, or heavy things in your bag. Your day will typically consist of walking around or standing, don’t put too many things in your purse.

Want a FREE printable/downloadable list with everything in this post? Click here: Packing Essentials for Napa or shop directly from our Amazon list with outfit ideas and budget-friendly accessories!

TOILETRIES FOR NAPA

1. Basics - Shampoo, Conditioner, Shower Gel (if you prefer your own, most hotels have these)

2. Deodorant - Might be considered a basic, but something you really don’t want to forget!

3. Sunblock - We like to walk the vineyards or sit on a patio, protect your skin!

4. First Aid - I pack a few bandaids, Neosporin, aspirin… just in case (so much wine)!

5. Manicure Set - Manicure scissors (small TSA friendly ones), Nail clipper, tweezers, small nail file

6. Makeup! - I forgot my makeup bag once. It wasn’t pretty.

7. Hairbrush and Comb

8. Hairspray/Gel

9. Hair ties and Bobby pins - Never know when the wind will pick up and no one likes hair in their wine.

10. Curling Iron or Flat Iron - Get Instagram ready!

11. Feminine Products

ELECTRONICS FOR NAPA

1. GoPro - Get those driving shots with a camera mount on your car!

2. Camera - We love our DSLR for a higher quality shot

3. iPad - load it up with shows for the plane before you go and refresh the apps the day before you leave as some downloads won’t work after 24 hours.

4. Mobile Phone - I mean I can’t go 10 minutes without mine.

5. Headphones - don’t forget the little jack for Apple devices

6. External battery - keep your electronics charged!

7. Cables - don’t forget your charging cables

See more plane tips here: Flying in 2019: Tips and Trick for the Airport and Airplane 

Want a FREE printable/downloadable checklist with everything in this post? Click here: Packing Essentials for Napa or shop directly from our Amazon list with outfit ideas and budget-friendly accessories!

CARRY-ON LUGGAGE RECOMMENDATION

Would you believe me if I said I fit everything on my list for a 4-5 day trip in a carry-on and personal bag? We have the best carry-on that is spacious and seriously compacts all of our clothes - Travel Pro. Most pilots and plane attendants carry this Travel Pro model as well. Although I love the ease of steering with 4 wheels, having 2 wheels you get an extra couple of inches!

Travelpro Crew 11 - Softside Expandable Rollaboard Upright Luggage, Black, Carry-On 22-Inch

Find the best rate to visit paradise by booking your room through Booking.com Not only will you find the best rate out there but by clicking this link and booking a night, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you! PLEASE support our blog and bookmark this link! :-) Thanks! 

---

Napa Packing List for a Wine Tasing Weekend

$0.00

Packing checklist for Napa, California. Things you’ll need for a weekend in Napa any season of the year. Style and outfits for Napa Valley wineries. What to pack for Napa and free downloadable pack checklist.

Purchase

Want a FREE printable/downloadable list with everything in this post? Click here: Packing Essentials Checklist for Napa or shop directly from our Amazon list with outfit ideas and budget-friendly accessories!

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

Packing Essentials for Wine Tasting in Napa Valley, California

More Napa Valley related posts:

Ice Cream Scoop Shop Review: Little Damage and the little black cone | Downtown Los Angeles

Ice Cream Scoop Shop Review: Little Damage

• Location: Downtown LA - 700 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

• Website: littledamage.com

• Pricing: Generous soft-serve portion for a great price (one free topping included -⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars for that)

• Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 creamy soft-serve)

• Dietary Restrictions: Vegan option always available

• Take-out: Local delivery service available

I had been wanting to visit Little Damage for a long time and always saw on social media how the line went out the door and wrapped around the corner. I waited until winter to finally check it out and it was definitely worth the hype!

Little Damage counter and menu with a list of their flavors!

ABOUT LITTLE DAMAGE

Little Damage is known for its devilish, black charcoal waffle cone. It gives a unique look against contrasting colorful soft serve or bright sprinkles. Flavors often rotate as they make their ice cream in small batches with local ingredients from organic dairy farms and zero preservatives.

Little Damage Ice Cream Quote - “I licked it, so it’s mine!”

LITTLE DAMAGE ICE CREAM QUOTES

The shop is small but has cute neon signs with fun sayings like:

“I licked it, so it’s mine”

“Cute but psycho, but cute”

“I like love you”

Are you singing the “Cute but Psycho” song too?

Little Damage neon sign quote - Cute but psycho, but cute

HOW IT TO ORDER AT LITTLE DAMAGE

I mean it’s not complicated but here we go: there are a handful of flavors listed on the wall, pick one of those plus a free topping from the selection of topping jars on the counter!

Kiki n Cream was blue! Tasty with crumbled Oreos on top!

LITTLE DAMAGE IS SOCIAL MEDIA FRIENDLY

This place is an Instagram dream! So many great spots for social media pics from neon signs to spots on the side walk out in front! They even have a FREE photo booth in the back to entice you to take pics with your ice cream and post to social media!

Cute outline for Instagram pictures of gothic ice cream in front of Little Damage

In conclusion (because that’s how you end a good blog post, right?) if I’m in DTLA, I’d stop here again for a gothic black ice cream cone!

---

Please note this is not a sponsored post and based on my own personal experience, all thoughts are my own.

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

Ice Cream Review: Little Damage Ice Cream DTLA

More Ice Cream Related Posts:

6 Most Instagrammable, Pretty, Colorful Ice Cream Shops in Los Angeles, California

6 Best Instagram Ice Cream Spots in LA

You know I love ice cream… especially pretty ice cream pictures! You can go to places like Black Tap and get crazy Freak Shakes for $15 or you can go to a local ice cream shop and get something just as tasty and Instagram worthy! Los Angeles has tons of Instagram Ice Cream shops, you just have to know where to look. Influencers, tourists, Angelinos - here is our list for your next perfect social media ice cream pictures!

Related Post: BEST ICE CREAM SCOOP SHOPS IN LOS ANGELES (Rated, ranked, and map included)

After’s Ice Cream in Venice

Afters Ice Cream

Locations: All over LA (this photo was taken at the Venice Beach location)

Afters Ice Cream has tons of tasty flavors and some are bright in color! Cookie Monster ice cream is blue and tastes amazing, but caution, it will temporarily leave your mouth blue! Totally worth it though. The Venice location is nice with a picture-perfect beach background, however, keep in mind ice cream can melt pretty fast!

They also have witty sayings like, “ruining diets everywhere.”

See more photos in our full review: AFTERS ICE CREAM REVIEW

---

Little Damage Ice Cream - Downtown LA

Little Damage

Location: Downtown LA - 700 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

This devilish, black, charcoal waffle cone gives a unique look against contrasting colorful soft serve or bright sprinkles. Flavors often rotate as they make their ice cream in small batches with local ingredients from organic dairy farms and zero preservatives.

See our full review here: LITTLE DAMAGE ICE CREAM REVIEW

---

Milk Bar LA

Milk Bar

Location: 7150 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Shopping in Melrose? Momofuku’s Milk Bar is open in Los Angeles and people are flocking from all over for these tasty treats! Cookies, cakes, and soft serve will leave you happy and full! 

Lots of hot pink colors here! Outside there is a cake painted on the side of the building that is a full story high! See it in our full review: MILK BAR REVIEW

---

Sloan’s Ice Cream Shop

Sloan’s Ice Cream

Locations: Santa Monica and Woodland Hills

These pretty pink stores are vibrant and can be seen a mile away! Inside, you’ll find walls with sprinkles and lollipops with fancy chandeliers hanging. Sloan’s also has amazing ice cream flavors and serves up generous portions!

---

Bumsan Organic Milk Bar

Bumsan Organic Milk Bar

Location: Koreatown - 534 S Western Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90020

Ok, don’t these pretty ice cream cones just scream Instagram ME!? The colors, toppings, and fancy swirl give these classy cones an edge. Bumsan serves premium 100% organic soft-serve ice cream from the leading organic dairy producer in Korea.

---

SomiSomi Ah-Boong Fish Shaped Waffle Cone with Ice Cream

SomiSomi Soft Serve and Taiyaki

Locations: Santa Monica, Glendale, Little Tokyo, Koreatown and more!

SomiSomi serves a very special Korean dessert known as “Ah-Boong,” which is a fish-shaped waffle cone with your choice of filling and topped with soft serve.

Flavors include: Milk, Matcha, Ube, Black Sesame and more.

Filling stuffed inside the taiyaki cone include: Custard, Nutella, Red Bean, Cream Cheese and Taro.

Don’t forget a topping like Oreo crumbs, Strawberry, macaron, Graham crackers, Fruity Pebbles, or rainbow sprinkles (always my fave)!

---

Please note this is not a sponsored post and based on my own personal experience, all thoughts are my own.

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

6 Most Instagrammable, Pretty, Colorful Ice Cream Shops in Los Angeles, California

More ice cream posts please!

10 FUN things you must do in Wailea - Maui, Hawaii

Top Ten Things to do and See in Wailea, Hawaii

First or sixth trip to Hawaii? Doesn’t matter, check out these fun things to do in Wailea! It’s a pretty coastal drive if you’re staying in Lahaina or a great place to stay for a few nights! We stayed at the Grand Wailea and fell in love with Wailea!

Not sure which area is right for you? Our Ultimate Maui Travel Guide compares Kaanapali, Wailea, and other regions.

Here’s a list of what to do in Wailea, Maui:

1. Go for a Hike in Wailea

   Wailea hikes are the best way to start the day! At the end of Makena Road just past Wailea, there is a trail to hike around old lava fields. We were lucky enough to find a Hawaiian Monk Seal that had just given birth days prior and was on the shore with her pup. We took the Haopili Trail to Hanomanioa Light where at the end of the trail is one of those natural pools that you often see influencers float in on Instagram. If you’re lucky, you’ll come across some black mountain goats along the way!

Hike to the natural pools in Wailea

2. Find a Secret Beach in Wailea

Maybe it’s not such a secret if I’m telling you. Again, At the end of Makena Road just past Wailea, if you’re not in the mood to hike (see #1), there are little beach coves that only fit a few people so you can jump in the water, do yoga, read a book, have a picnic lunch, or take a nap! It’s a private beach all to yourself! Pro Tip: Claim your spot early.

Secret Beaches in Wailea

3. Enjoy a day by the beach!

Beach chairs are provided by most hotels, you just have to get there early to nab one. We stayed at the Grand Wailea and would grab a few chairs around 8am to be in the front row.

4. Snorkel around Turtle Town

Wailea has some great spots for snorkeling, but you have to check out Turtle Town. Turtle Town is where the turtles come to have the cleaner fish pick off the algae and other parasites living on their backs! We also saw quite a few turtles right near our hotel (Grand Wailea).

Related posts: Best Snorkel Spots in Maui and Best Scuba Spots in Maui

Snorkel around Turtle Town in Wailea

5. Visit the Turtles in Wailea

Right off the back of a Makena Landing parking lot (5083 Makena Alanui, Kihei, HI 96753), you’ll often find turtles resting in the sand/rocks. Don’t disturb them, but admire them from the trees! Also, there were tons of chickens chasing each other in the parking lot.

Resting Turtles in Wailea

6. Go Shopping in Wailea!

I always love shopping! The Shops at Wailea have everything you need from high-end stores like Louis Vuitton to the ABC Store! Lappert’s ice cream can be found here and you’ll smell the fresh waffle cones wafting in the air when you get close! Soha Living has the cutest coastal decor, which makes great souvenirs! The Island Gourmet Markets is the best Wailea grocery store and their coffee shop brews a delicious coconut macadamia nut latte!

7. Pineapple Wine Tasting

There is a vineyard on Maui and it’s not far from Wailea! Have a taste of Maui Wine’s famous pineapple wines, exclusive small production estate wines, and sparkling wines.

FUN FACT: The King’s Cottage was originally built in the 1870s to welcome King Kalākaua himself, the last reigning king of Hawai’i. He would come to ‘Ulupalakua to enjoy a little royal vacation time with lavish dinners, dancing, champagne, and celebration. Maui wine continues that celebration today, this time inviting all of you! Complimentary guided tours of the historic estate, production area, and wine cellar.

8. Golf in Wailea

Josh loves to golf and there is a fantastic course (Wailea Golf Club) with gorgeous views in Wailea. The Wailea Gold Course is not only gorgeous but one of the top 100 courses in America!

Wailea Golf Club

9. Restaurants in Wailea

Do some fine dining - you’re on vacation! Monkeypod Kitchen is a MUST, their mai tais are my favorite on the island (food is fantastic too)! We also really liked Lineage (Top Chef, Sheldon Simeon’s restaurant), conveniently located in The Shops at Wailea shopping center.

10. Spa Day in Wailea

You’re at the beach in Hawaii, RELAX! Go for a nice massage and then grab a drink by the pool. Many of the resorts have spas, don’t be afraid to try them. This is the ultimate vacation life!

Grand Wailea Luau - Best in Wailea

BONUS TIP: Don’t miss the Grand Wailea Luau!

If you walk along the pathway at night, you’ll hear the drums and luau music play. You can kinda see what’s happening on the luau stage as you stroll by, but you should experience the show along with a traditional Hawaiian dinner! The Marriott Wailea luau puts on a good show too. Get a great price on luau tickets with Activity Authority!

Maui is part of ListForAll.com’s TOP 25 TROPICAL VACATIONS and I think these are some good reasons for Maui to make that list!

---

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

Things to do in Wailea - Maui, Hawaii

All MAUI POSTS HERE or the latest and greatest:

Best Scuba Dive Sites in Maui, Hawaii - Reviews and video included!

I’ve always loved swimming and have a love for marine creatures. Maybe it was watching the Little Mermaid hundreds of times when I was little! I was so happy when Josh wanted to get scuba certified so we could explore what is really under the sea. 5 years later and with over 35 dives all over the world, we can’t get enough! We go scuba diving every time we visit Maui, and have discovered some great dive sites. We’ve also encountered some great dive shops which make it easy for us to just show up and they bring the gear! We usually bring our own fins and masks so we can also snorkel around the hotel - See BEST SNORKEL SPOTS IN MAUI if you’re interested in snorkeling!

Let’s get into the reviews and don’t miss our video of these sites at the end!

For a complete breakdown of where to eat, stay, and what to do, see our Maui Travel Guide.

Lanai’s First Cathedral

Best Dive Sites in Maui

Maui Reef Fish Guide

The great part about Maui is that you can hop on a boat and get to a great dive site anywhere from 20-45 mins. Some hotels and dive shops will do beach dives where you can walk right into the water and start exploring right off the shore! When traveling to sites by boat, we typically stay on Kaanapali Beach and prefer to depart from Lahaina, but if you stay in Wailea there is another marina that is nearby.

Click HERE to check dive conditions in Maui for the day before you head out. If the visibility is poor and the current is strong, the dive is not pleasant. It’s often warm enough that we can just wear a rash guard and not need a wet suit!

Molokini Dive Sites

Molokini is a small inactive volcano visible from the south end of Maui. There are relatively shallow areas to snorkel as well as deeper areas to dive down to. Here are some great Molokini Snorkel Charters.

Molokini Crater was once used as a practice area for bombing in World War II! Learn more about the crater history and check out their really cool infographic HERE!

On our first trip with Lahaina Divers, we went to dive sites known as Aquarium and Reef’s End. We disembarked from Lahaina and it took us about 45 mins to get there. There were many vibrant colors of coral and fish, including angelfish, butterflyfish, Moorish idol (black and yellow banded fish), Hawaiian Whitespotted Toby, White Spotted Pufferfish, Barred Filefish (‘O’ili), Parrotfish, and a spotted eel. We even saw reef sharks and a barracuda - catch it at the end of the Molokini section of our video below!

On our second trip, we decided to check out the Backwall and had two dives with Maui Diamond Sea Sports. We were staying in Wailea and took off from Maalea Harbor (behind the Aquarium) which took around 25 minutes to get there. Once we jumped in, the water was so clear and so blue! We caught a white-spotted eagle ray swim by, a spotted eel, and many beautiful fish including white-spotted puffer and spotted butterflyfish - both native to the area.

Molokini Backwall - Spotted Eagle Ray

Lanai Dive Sites

From Kaanapali Beach and Lahaina, you look directly across to the island, Lanai, which looks like it is so close! With a quick 20-30 min ride from Lahaina Harbor, there are quite a few dive sites to explore at the south tip of Lanai.

My favorite site is the First Cathedral. Crafted from a lava tube, once you swim through a tunnel there is a large area, about 2 stories high with holes in the back that look like stained glass of a cathedral and a rock in the middle that is known as the alter. Within the “cave,” you will often find lobsters on the sidewalls and pufferfish swimming around.

Wash Rock is also a great site that has gorgeous coral formations and a lava tunnel called the ‘Tunnel of Love.‘ Within the tunnel, we found a sponge crab, as well as sculptured and regal slipper lobsters. Look out for giant moray eels and tiny nudibranch, they’re both in this ecosystem! See all of this in our video below!

Wash Rock - Regal Slipper Lobster

The Secret Cove dive site was buzzing with tons of fish when we visited! Plenty of long nose butterflyfish, yellow are typical, but the all-black long nose butterflyfish are native to the area. We swam around the cove and through it!

Lahaina and Kaanapali Dive Sites

Carthaginian II Shipwreck is a great site to explore! There is a long history to the ship, it was originally built in 1920 in Germany and after a few rebuilds over the years, it was eventually named the Carthaginian and was even featured in the 1966 movie, Hawaii. After filming, Carthaginian was purchased by the non-profit "Lahaina Restoration Foundation" (LRF) and in 1967 was flipped to a whaling ship museum and tourist attraction. However, Carthaginian was destroyed after it ran aground on the Lahaina Reef on Easter Sunday 1973. A replica was made of the Carthaginian from the ship, Komet. After installing 15 short tons (14 t) of cement and steel ballast to balance the rigging, it was renamed Carthaginian II and restored over several years. In 1980, the ship was opened again as a floating whaling museum. However, the addition of ballast allowed moisture to seep into the inside of the steel hull, which rusted to a point where it nearly split in half. As it was too expensive to keep it afloat, the LRF decided to sink it and make it a tourist attraction. On December 13, 2005, the boat was towed and sunk to create an artificial reef in the water at a depth of approximately 97 feet (30 m), 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) off the coast near Puamana Beach Park. 

When we dove the Carthaginian, we saw an undulated moray eel under the ship, a small white tip reef shark lurking around, butterflyfish, endemic cleaner wrasse, yellow fingeat fish, and Spongebob attached to the side of the ship.

Carthaginian II Shipwreck

We love to stay at the Sheraton Maui beach resort and we’ve heard the night dive is pretty great on Black Rock. We have yet to do it, but we did a night shore dive at the site, Airport Beach, and saw bioluminescence glow at the bottom! Once we went shore diving during the day, Airport had a pretty Hawaiian coral reef, an abundance of fish, and a few eels that we encountered.

Olowalu

Just south of Lahaina is Olowalu and a long stretch of beach. Just off the shore is a great dive site Olowalu Reef, also known as turtle reef, where turtles often come in to have their shells cleaned by other fish. Rumor has it that there is a rare manta ray cleaning station and a blacktip reef shark nursery, but we didn’t see them. We did see a turtle swimming around and precious corals that were very vibrant with plenty of tropical fish to see.

Olowalu Reef Turtle

Best Dive Charters and Shops in Maui

Great dive shops and companies make it easy to just show up to the boat and they provide all of the dive gear along with great dive guides: Extended Horizons, Lahaina Divers, and Maui Diamond Sea Sports.

We’ve had the most dives with Extended Horizons, and we even got our advanced certification on one of our trips! We love their crews and guides! The guides would group us into small groups with those at a similar caliber that can keep up with each other. There are usually 2-3 groups with 3 pairs in each group. Water is provided and a light snack between and after dives. At the end of each trip, they put everything we need for our dive book on a board so we can easily remember and document our dives! If you’re looking for a dive school to get your certification, contact Extended Horizons or click here for more!

Lahaina Divers and Maui Diamond Sea Sports are very similar to Extended Horizons, but their boats are a little bigger and usually have more people. They also provide gear, water, snacks, and have great dive guides.

Extended Horizons always makes it easy to remember our dives!

Whale Watching in Maui

If you dive between November and May, you have a chance of seeing or hearing the blue whales as they migrate past Hawaii. Usually, you can see them spout water then after a few minutes if you’re lucky you can catch them breach or a glimpse of their tail come up and out of the water! If you listen to the beginning of our video below, you can actually hear them in Molokini! We didn’t see them underwater, but they did come up and breach the water a few times when we were on the boat! Book your whale watching tour with one of these tours on Activity Authority - recommended by a local!

---

BEST SCUBA DIVE SITES IN MAUI VIDEO

Most of the dive sites and tropical creatures mentioned above can be found in this video:

Scuba Diving Packing Essentials for Maui Divers

Don’t forget to pack the following for your dive:

1. Sunscreen

2. Towel (we take the pool towels from the hotel)

3. GoPro or underwater camera - with batteries

4. Sunglasses

5. Fins

6. Mask - I love the Cressi Pano 3, finally a mask I can see out of and it doesn’t leak for a fairly inexpensive price

7. PADI or dive certification card

8. Dive book

9. Tote to hold all of these things!

---

Please note, this is not a sponsored post, and based on my own personal experience, all thoughts are my own.

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

See all Hawaii Posts, or the latest and greatest:

Ice Cream for a Cause from an Ice Cream Doctor

I think I found my dream job, I want to be an Ice Cream Doctor when I grow up! Dr. Maya Warren, known as “The Ice Cream Doctor,” and Mona Lipson have teamed up, using ice cream to make a difference in the world! Also, check out how the heck you can become an ice cream scientist as well as myths about ice cream and healthy eating. An ice cream diet is life!

Ice Cream for Change

Ice Cream for Change

Ice Cream for Change is a platform created by Dr. Maya Warren, also known as “The Ice Cream Doctor” and the face of ice cream, as well as Mona B. Lipson, AKA Miss Mona Makes Ice Cream, to bring together ice cream lovers and makers advocating for social change and civic action. From dismantling racial injustice to fighting climate change, their goal is to use the power of ice cream (it really does have a special way of bringing people together) as a force for good by helping to raise money and awareness for organizations that are driving solutions and making a real-world impact across the globe.

Learn more by visiting www.icecreamforchange.org

Dr. Maya Warren on HOW does someone become an ice cream scientist?

• Anyone can become an ice cream scientist through passion and being determined enough to do it. You can go to college for the pedigree of knowledge in food science or chemistry. 

• You don’t need to get a PhD. You can get a master’s and have the same distinction, but if you “want to make a solid connection with ice cream to be an ice cream scientist” getting the PhD is one way to go. You’ll never forget all the little details and the impact every single ingredient has on a product in ice cream. 

• A lot of becoming an ice cream scientist is following your passion to become an ice cream scientist. Work hard. 

• Work smarter, not harder, and do what you need to do to get to the next level.

• Know what you want to do with your degree. If you want to be an expert and consult people, so they call on you to fill certain issues, the PhD helps elevate you. 

• The road to get a PhD is very different for different people. I would highly recommend people follow what their passion is and figure out what they want to do with your degree. 

• Know what the PhD behind your name means. When I go to countries and speak, that degree comes with more respect. Getting this degree is just something I did. I never wanted to go back to school, and now I don’t need to!

Dr. Maya Warren on the biggest myths about Ice Cream and healthy eating?

(proof that ice cream is good for you! 😉 Huzzah!)

1. Not everything on the shelf is ice cream - in the US, Ice cream has to be 10% or more milk fat. So we have all these non-dairy products, which in the science world, we call frozen errated desserts. The word ice cream isn’t on these containers when you look closely at them

2. Frozen errated desserts - you can make these desserts with any kind of milk. If you don’t want to use cow's milk, you don’t have to, but the fats that are in other dairy products are different from cow fat, so the texture will be different. Depending on what the animals eat, this will change the taste of the milk, making the ice cream taste different too.

3. Dairy replacers - coconut fat is better than others because it behaves similarly to milk fat. It gives a good texture.

4. All ice cream at room temperature melts - that has to do with the microstructure of the product. Even if it doesn’t look like it it’s melting, it is. Just at a slower rate because of the ingredients inside of it

5. Sugar substitutes - Not all ice creams are made the same. They don’t all have the same amount of sugar. If you’re diabetic, going with something with a sugar substitute may be better, but it can mess with your digestive system.

6. The big word ingredients aren’t always bad - These ingredients help for many different reasons. One being so it doesn’t melt right away. Other ingredients explain why freezer burn happens in some ice cream, but not all.

7. You don’t have to have a machine to make ice cream! You can control what you put in homemade ice cream. If you want to use alternative sweeteners, you can! You can put real fruit in with some agave or honey, maybe even water. The fruit might be sweet enough to put inside without a lot of sugar! In order to freeze your ice cream though, you do need some sort of sweetener. Otherwise, you’ll end up with something that’s too solid. One way I like to think about it is this: If you live in a cold state, they use salt to melt the snow. For ice cream, you use sugar so it can melt.

National Ice Cream Day 2020

This year, Ice Cream for Change brought the ice cream community together including scoop shops, ice cream companies, and home ice cream makers to help raise funds for organizations leading the fight to help dismantle structural and systemic racism. I saw so many scoop shops including some of my favorites such as MILK, Smitten Ice Cream, Coolhaus, all offering to donate to organizations such NAACP, Center for Healing Racism, Showing Up For Racial Justice, and others advocating for social change & civic action.

What’s next?!

Follow Dr. Maya Warren on Instagram and join her on Ice Cream Sundays for some ice cream fun and great recipes to enjoy with the family! Stayed tuned for more from her!

---

More Ice Cream posts here:

Ice Cream Scoop Shop Review: Supercool Creamery | Los Angeles, CA

Supercool Creamery

SUPERCOOL CREAMERY

• Location: 4469 Sunset Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027

• Website: supercoolcreamery.com

• Pricing: Hearty scoop and show make it worth the price!

• Dietary Restrictions: Dairy-free Options Available

• Take-out: Local delivery service available

NOTE: They are TEMPORARILY CLOSED! I’m spreading the word so you can come back when they reopen!

With a name like SuperCool, I wasn’t sure what to expect! I was pleasantly surprised when we walked in and the ice cream artists were dressed like performers and put on quite a show!

SUPERCOOL ICE CREAM MENU AND FLAVORS

STEP RIGHT UP! The best ice cream can be found within! With the magic of liquid nitrogen (which is -320 degrees), the cream base I chose, turned into ice cream before my eyes. They call it nitro-artisan ice cream made by hand - yeah, that’s accurate! They have great flavor options such as Key lime with dark rum, Coconut Chocolate Chip, Coffee Toffee, and Berry Sorbet (dairy-free). You can always get a float or a shake if you’re in the mood! It took me a while to figure out what I wanted, but I ended up with Coffee Toffee!

Supercool Menu - so many great flavors!

Here is a little video from my adventure:

THE ICE CREAM MAGICIAN

Once I had my selection, the ice cream magician went to work. Ok, I don’t know if that’s what they actually call themselves, but go with it… He was so animated and funny, it was definitely an experience and not just going into Baskin Robbins for a scoop. Even shops like Creamistry or Smitten will use a mixer of some sort, but Supercool does it by hand!

SUPERCOOL CREAMERY LOCATION AND CATERING

Located in Silver Lake, they are right next to the Vista Theater. I noticed the ice cream sign, otherwise, I would have thought it was part of the theater! They also cater events and parties which would probably be really fun as the ice cream magicians are so enthusiastic! They’ll even spike their ice cream for events, so keep that in mind for your next party! I know I will!

Ta DA!

Supercool is a win in my book! Check them out when you can!

---

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

How to Spend 3 Relaxing Days in Moorea - Complete Itinerary

What to do for 3 Days in Moorea, French Polynesia - Complete Itinerary

On our Honeymoon, we stopped in French Polynesia on our way back to the States. We were ready for some relaxation after going nonstop for over a week in Australia & New Zealand. We spent 3 nights in Moorea in an overwater bungalow and it was fabulous! Here’s everything you need to know about Moorea!

---

How to get to Moorea

Getting to Moorea requires a few transfers. We booked our Moorea portion through Tahiti Legends, who booked everything including our transfers from airports and hotels (we booked our own flights). We stayed at the Sofitel Moorea, in an overwater bungalow, which is something everyone must do in their lifetime! We flew via Air Tahiti Nui in business class (from New Zealand) using our miles, which was a comfortable flight with big seats and great amenities. Air Tahiti flies from Paris to LA to Tahiti to New Zealand and back. We didn’t go to Paris on this trip!

We had to stay in Tahiti overnight because our flight got in so late from New Zealand, there wasn't an option to get to Moorea after 8pm. We used our points to stay at the InterContinental. This was the view from an “average” room:

InterContinental Tahiti Room with Garden Views

---

Day 1

Morning in Tahiti

We had a car pick us up bright and early from the InterContinental in Tahiti to take us to the ferry. Driving around in the daylight unmasked the island and certain areas were definitely not paradise.

Aboard the Ferry from Tahiti to Moorea

We boarded the ferry around 8 am and the ride was about 20 minutes to Moorea. On the other side, a car picked us up (previously arranged) and took us about 10 minutes down the road to our hotel, the Sofitel Moorea.

We were too early for check-in when we arrived in Moorea, so we wandered around the resort to get our bearings. We walked over to the spa to check it out and made reservations for a couples massage for the late afternoon.

Entrance to our Overwater Bungalow Room

After about an hour, our room was available and we were so excited to check out our overwater bungalow. The room was spectacular and unlike any hotel we had ever stayed in!

Sofitel Moorea Overwater Bungalow Bed

The room felt like a suite. Walking in, you first notice the giant windows leading out to the water, then the high ceilings making the room feel enormous and spacious. The bed was perfectly placed in the middle of the room facing the water with a fantastic view. It had mosquito netting to which Josh said, "It's like a fort!"

Once you step in front of the bed, there is a part of the floor that has a glass square, where you could see the fish swimming under the bungalow. 

Floor to see fish under our room!

 Afternoon - Swim and Snorkel

Although we REALLY wanted to, you can't really jump off the deck of the bungalow, since it's pretty shallow and there is a lot of coral below. BUT you can go for a swim and there is a ton of marine life to see if you snorkel.

Just a small fish in a big pond

After a leisurely snorkel, we decided to switch it up and go over to the main pool to do more swimming (more like wading) and grab a bite to eat at the bar-restaurant. 

Fish in Moorea in front of our Overwater Bungalow

In the late afternoon, we had our couples massage appointment. The spa room was huge, complete with a shower and bathtub. We only signed up for a massage but realized we could have spent an entire day at the spa. The massage was soothing and relaxing. After being in the sun all day, there was a slight burn to which aloe vera was offered. I was soothed and comforted, I could have laid face down on that table for the rest of the evening. 

---

Day 2

 

WAKING UP IN MOOREA!

Sunrise in Moorea - View from Sofitel Moorea

Here's how to properly wake up in Moorea:

 Not a bad way to start the day! Am I right?! From the Sofitel Moorea, we could see sunrises but the us would set on the other side of the island.

 

Morning - Drive around the Island of Moorea

We rented a little 2 seater buggy through Moorea Fun Roadster, which was like a small go-kart that went faster than you would expect, zooming around the island in about 4 hours. The road was bumpy at parts, but overall it was a blast! Since the island is so small it was nice to take the time to experience it on our own, checking out all there is to do!

See our post all about our buggy ride here: How to Rent a Buggy in Moorea

Afternoon in Moorea

After returning from our island tour, we were ready for some relaxation. We jumped in the water from our patio, and cooled off. 

Patio stairs to the water

We spent the rest of the day on the patio of our deck playing cards with some fun drinks!

Pro tip: Buy alcohol at duty-free store at the airport and mixers if available. On our buggy ride, we stopped and bought concentrate (which we thought was juice) at the grocery store on Moorea. The concentrate was an ok way to go since you can get TONS of drinks out of it, but they get old after awhile.

Once we got too hot, we'd jump in the water, swim around, and come right back to our card game. I don't think I changed out of my swimsuit that day.

Sofitel Moorea - Overwater Bungalows

Once we needed a break from the cards, we decided to feed the fish under our bungalow which was great entertainment for at LEAST 20 minutes.

Evening in Moorea

We grabbed dinner at the bar restaurant and took it back to our room so we could do some star gazing. Since it is so quiet and so dark, there were thousands of stars to see. I don't think I've seen that many before in my life!

Stargazing in Moorea

On average, we seemed to go to bed when the sun went down (around 9-10 pm) and woke up as soon as it came back up (around 6:30-7 am). We weren't on any time zone in particular as we had been bouncing around so many places the previous week (we were in Australia and New Zealand).

---

Day 3

Morning in Moorea

We got up early to catch the sunrise! Since we didn’t get many sunsets here, it was nice to catch the sun coming up!

Sunrise in Moorea - Sofitel Moorea

We might have gone back to bed and then got up just in time to catch the end of breakfast at the main restaurant. The food was delicious, they offered a large spread of almost anything you could think of - eggs, omelets, french toast, pancakes, juices, coffee... and the view wasn't half bad. The only problem was the birds would try to snatch your food if you looked the other way! 

Breakfast at the Sofitel Moorea

Afternoon

We packed up and checked out. Although we weren't hanging our heads quite yet, it was time to head to our next destination, Bora Bora!

---

Don’t forget to pack some of our favorite things:

---

If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

---

More Moorea and French Polynesia: