Through My Cooked Lens

A Mommy and Daddy only adventure

For our first full day in Hawaii, we started with a very early Lyft ride to the pick-up spot for our Turo rental. The experience was a bit stressful—the neighborhood seemed potentially sketchy, and then the Turo app decided to have a meltdown. Turo Go wasn’t cooperating, leaving us stranded until we could reach support. About 15 minutes later, we were finally on the road. I’ll admit, I was a little bummed because we’d woken up ridiculously early to catch the sunrise on the Lanikai Pillbox hike for some epic views and photos. Luckily, we weren’t too far behind schedule and still caught a breathtaking sunrise.

At the base of the mountain, I felt a little uncertain. There were ominous signs warning about the hike’s difficulty. Our pre-trip research hadn’t mentioned anything about it being challenging, but not far into the trail, ropes tied to trees hinted at the slippery slopes ahead. It wasn’t an “easy” hike, but it wasn’t a lung-busting trek either—just a mix of sketchy footing and a steady incline. This isn’t one of those manicured, paved trails, so if you’re expecting that, stay home! Good footwear and water are must-haves (which I didn’t have because I left my water bottle in Mississippi, of course). Still, I give the hike a solid 9/10. It was probably my favorite of the trip!

After finishing the hike, we treated ourselves to breakfast at a pretty cool restaurant nearby. I didn’t realize it was famous until we got there—apparently, Guy Fieri had featured it on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. The food was fantastic, and despite how busy it was, the service was fast and efficient. You order outside before being seated, so by the time your table is ready, your food is either waiting for you or not far behind. We both went for omelets—the perfect post-hike protein boost—because we had more adventures ahead!

Our next stop was the Makapu’u Lookout. Let me tell you, the views were phenomenal. A full 10/10 for scenery! It’s one of those pull-over-and-soak-it-in spots, requiring zero effort but delivering maximum reward. From there, we moved on to the Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail. During my trip planning, I’d created a personal itinerary using Google Maps (highly recommend this method), marking cool spots along the way. Several of those spots were on this trail, but I hadn’t realized the trail itself was a fully paved path with switchbacks up the mountain. The spots I was excited about turned out to be unmaintained, at-your-own-risk side trails off the main path. Already feeling a bit fatigued, we decided to skip these “side quests” to preserve our energy—and, frankly, our lives. The main trail itself gets an 8/10 for ease. It’s literally a paved road, though the incline and blazing sun can make it a bit challenging. As for the views and reward vs. effort (considering we skipped the tide pool side quests), I’d give it a measly 1/10. If you’re chasing jaw-dropping vistas or an actual hiking experience, this isn’t the trail for you. You can get the same view from the lookout up the road with far less effort. At the trail’s base, there’s a flat path leading to the beach from the parking lot. If I could redo the day, I’d choose that instead! The one highlight of this hike? Spotting a mongoose. Sure, they’re invasive nuisances in Hawaii, but I’d never seen one before, so it was a small win.

Next up, we stopped for lunch at Pieology on our way inland to tackle the Manoa Falls Trail.

The Manoa Falls trail was nicely maintained and had gorgeous views (not ocean views) but some amazing foliage and mountain vistas. I loved it! I’d give it a 7/10, though, because while the waterfall was pretty, you can’t get in the water due to the risk of parasites. Also, I only saw two birds, which made me a little sad. The lack of aviary companions might have been due to the time of day or the other people on the trail, so I won’t hold it against them.

After this trail, we were pretty beat. We returned our Turo, went back to the hotel, showered, and walked down to Waikiki Beach in front of our hotel. There, we treated ourselves to a Dole Whip and watched the sunset—an absolute dream! We wrapped up the day with dinner ordered from Uber Eats.

Overall, this was my second favorite day in Hawaii. I got to soak in some beautiful nature, enjoy delicious food, and end it with a relaxing beachside sunset. What more could you ask for?