The travel blog for couples - Written by Melanie Waldman
It’s always summer in Hawaii…or so we like to tell ourselves, once autumn takes hold.
One of my favorite versions of Hawaii, the northeast coast of the Big Island, has lush and frondy jungles, windswept coves, freakishly enormous flowers, tumbling waterfalls — and the comfortable elegance of the Palms Cliff House Inn.
Holding a gun for the first time at Lana'i Pine Sporting Clays
I was initially, shall we say, wary of our trip to Hawaii’s only clay shooting range, Lānaʻi Pine Sporting Clays, on the island of Lānaʻi. I’d always envisioned living a long, full life without ever shooting a gun, but Adam was game to bust a cap in something.
And so, in a spirit of sharing and pretend violence, off we went to hit our targets.
Shipman House Bed and Breakfast Inn, Hilo, Hawai'i
When we saw the Shipman House Bed and Breakfast Inn rising tall, proud and Victorian at the top of a long, manicured driveway, I said aloud:
“Oh, wow. This must have been the finest house in Hilo, back in the day.”
But actually, it’s still the finest house on Hawai’i's Big Island — even now.
The foyer/sitting room at Lana'i City's laid-back Hotel Lana'i
In all fairness, the Hotel Lānaʻi is the only hotel in downtown Lana’i. Happily, though, it’s a friendly, laid-back place to stay.
On the island of Lānaʻi, when you’re looking to immerse yourself in small-town Hawaiian life (and not spend a king’s ransom on your lodgings), this here — along with its lovely, delicious Lānaʻi City Grille – is your home away from home.
On Lana'i, the stables and pines of the Lodge at Koele
On my recent trip to Lānaʻi, I was amazed by the differences between the two big-ticket resorts on this tiny Hawaiian island.
Just a 20-minute drive from each other, the Four Seasons Resort Lānaʻi, The Lodge at Koele and the Four Seasons Resort, Lānaʻi at Manele Bay are like separate worlds — albeit each with frondy gardens, romantic diversions and sexy cocktails. Offering dreamy-grey skies and ranch land on one side of the island and rocky cliffs overlooking the Pacific on the other, I can’t imagine a trip to Lānaʻi without a stay at both.
If a big ol’ porch, an orchid greenhouse, a stable full of horses and elegant afternoon tea are your idea of vacation, though — allow me to introduce Koele.
