Day Two- The North Shore

Read about the our first day in Hawaii!

Day two started out like day one, watching the sun rise over Diamond Head.  Then we had breakfast at The Reef Bar and Grill at the hotel.  This used to be The Shorebird, but is now operated by the hotel.  It has to be some of the best restaurant real estate in Waikiki.  

So pretty.

Chicken biscuit and gravy. So good.

After breakfast we thought we would hike up Diamond Head.  But we arrived at 9am and there was no parking anywhere.  Since we didn't want to walk 2 miles to the trail before hiking up, we decided to go with Plan B and head to the North Shore.  

The drive was about 45 minutes, but it was worth it!  The North Shore in the winter has some of the biggest waves I've ever seen.  When you think about people surfing in a pipeline wave, that the North Shore in the winter.  We saw a few pipeline waves but there was no one out surfing where we were.

We didn't let them go in the water here because the waves and current are strong.

We didn't get a picture that did the waves justice.

Little man, so proud of the hole he dug.

It was pretty windy, which made it chilly.

For lunch there is only one choice in the North Shore area, Giovani's Shrimp Truck!  

So much garlic, so much goodness.

Bellies full, it was time for dessert.  Time to stop at the Dole Plantation for the world famous, Dole Whip!  We also took the train tour of the plantation and ran through the World's Largest Maze (which is, of course, shaped like a pineapple.  One thing I found interesting is that Mr. Dole wasn't the first, or biggest pineapple grower.  But he was the first to can his pineapple, making it easier to sell in the mainland US, and that's why when you think pineapple, you think Dole.  

On the train for the tour. It was freezing!

Leading the way through the pineapple maze.

You got a card with all these blank boxes. Each station had a stencil for you to trace to show you had found the station.

All this touristing, and we were still back at the hotel by 3:30! You can get a lot in when you start before the sun rises.  The kids were full of energy (how?) so we spent the evening at the Outrigger Reef pool.  For dinner we ordered some appetizers from the pool bar and let the kids swim and eat as their leisure.  Actually, it was pretty windy and we all wanted to go up to bed around 7pm.  

And that was Day 2!

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