Hanalei Bay

A.K.A. My New Happy Place. We spent most of our time on this beach, which also happens to have been voted the #1 beach in America this year. It's also very close to the spot where they filmed the Bali Ha'i scene in South Pacific. I absolutely fell in love with this beach. This gorgeous spot made me decide that I LOVE the beach! (In the past, I have preferred lounging by the pool--I think it had to do with the sand that itches and get EVERYWHERE. But no more. The beach is where I want to be!) We went to Hanalei just about every day of the trip and even developed a little routine.

We'd begin with a walk (we would start at the life guard station by the volleyball courts and then turned around to walk back when reached the pier):


I just love this shot of my parents :) My dad would carry Tessa on his back. Katie and I would walk behind them. We'd pick out which beach house we would take. (For the record, the gorgeous yellow one halfway down the beach is mine!)


Is there anything better in the world than a walk on the beach with your toes in the sand and the surf washing up over them? I have decided no, there isn't!


After the walk, we'd set up camp. We always built Tessa a little cave. I would read (I finished a total of three books on the trip. It was wonderful!). My parents would toss the football around. Once we even set up a hammock:


Then we'd enjoy the sunshine and the salty sea breeze. It was divine.


My parents' friends even invited us to a bonfire on the beach at Hanalei Bay one evening (unfortunately those pictures didn't turn out very well). Freshly roasted marshmallows made this place even better, trust me! Aside from a terrible incident that happened here on the second day of the trip (involving an iPod and a rogue wave), my experience here was perfect. (I'll save that story for another post someday, but Katie has decided this was the best moment of the vacation.)

Hanalei Bay = Heaven on Earth