Top Ten Hikes of all Time (and some Honorable Mentions)

Over the last week I've had the opportunity to hike at some amazing places in California.  More than once I said to myself, "yep, this makes the top ten."  Which got me thinking, what does my 'top ten' list look like?  So on the long 8 hour drive home from Palm Springs, here's what I came up with.  These are all hikes not 'destinations,' which is why you'll find Lower Antelope Canyon but not Antelope Canyon on the list, as I feel that lower is more of a hike while upper canyon is more of a destination.

Top Ten Hikes

(in no particular order)

• Mist Trail (Yosemite NP)
• Upper Yosemite Falls (Yosemite NP)
• Vernazza to Monterosso al Mare (Cinque Terra, Italy) 
• Narrows (Zion NP)
• Bright Angel Trail (Grand Canyon) 
• Castle Crags (Castella, CA)
• Pipiwai Trail (Maui, HI)
• Murray Canyon and Seven Sisters Falls (Palm Springs, CA)
• Ladder Canyon (Palm Desert, CA)
• Hidden Waterfalls (Montezuma, Costa Rica)

Honorable Mention 

• Angels Landing (Zion NP)
• Hidden Valley (Joshua Tree NP)
• Tahquitz Canyon (Palm Springs, CA)
• Mile 6 Hike (Road to Hana, Maui)
• Lower Antelope Canyon (Page, AZ)
• Kalalau (Hanakapíai) Trail (Kauai, HI)
• Cataract Trail (Marin, CA) 

What's on your list?

Spring Break 2025 - Palm Springs & Joshua Tree

For spring break this year we stayed in California and headed south to the greater LA area.  This was largely driven due to the exorbitant costs of flights to Hawaii and Costa Rica, but I'm really glad everything worked out this way.  

Part 1 - Grand Hyatt Indian Wells

We started the trip with two nights at the Grand Hyatt Indian Wells near Palm Desert.  The place was beautiful and we had a room overlooking the pool area with a king size bed and a L shape pull out sofa.  The kids found the couch comfortable so we didn't even use the pull out.  

The grounds had multiple pools, hot tubs (both adult and family), lazy river, and two large twisting slides.  I also appreciated that we could awake slowly, meander down to the pool area around 8/8:30 and still find plenty of chairs to grab for the day.  (Unlike Cancun or Hawaii where they get snagged up by 7am).  The food at the Hyatt was expensive, however the pool lunches were also quite good, so at least you got what you paid for.  I highly recommend the fish tacos.  For breakfast we ate at the market (not the $40/pp buffet) though we probably could have bought a few things for the room from the grocery store in town (we did this for beer as a $12 beer at the pool was $2 at Ralph's).  For dinner we ate one night at the resort (Carmocha) and one night out at Katsuyama down the road.  I definitely recommend eating out; while the food at the Carmocha was good, we spent about $200 for 3 plates and one drink and left still feeling hungry.  

I'll also note the daily kids activities, like bingo and watermelon eating contest, as well as the evening pool movies.  We also enjoyed walking the grounds, the free bikes, and the game lawn where we had some epic games of giant Jenga. The game lawn also had some foosball and ping pong tables and giant connect four.  

Part 2 - Joshua Tree

After 2 1/2 days at the resort it was time to head to Joshua Tree.  We stayed at an Air BNB called "Desert Julep" with an outdoor hot tub and cowboy pool, wrap around porch, and master loft.  It's also located just outside of the west entrance to Joshua Tree and 2 block from 'downtown'.  

The place was beautiful and we wished we could have spent more than two nights there.  We really enjoyed the evening hot tub soaks while looking up at the night sky and sipping wine.  The photo to the left is from the hot tub. The kids are now at an age where they can come out and relax with us and we had some really lovely conversations.  

Day 1 - Hiking

Of course our main purpose for visiting was to see the park.  So we spent most of our two days there.  The first day we headed to Arch Rock and Heart Rock and actually met up with some friends of Jesse's who were also in the park for Spring Break.  We scrambled around boulders, meandered through valleys and just spent a lot of time enjoying the area.  Pro tip - fresh bread from a market & some salami & baby bell and laughing cow cheese make a great and easy hiking lunch.  

Heart Rock

Wandering Around

Arch Rock

After lunch we parted ways with our friends, who were headed back into town, and drove down to the Cholla Cactus Garden.  While the trail itself was closed, we were able to park on the side of the road and check out the very unique cactus that grow in this area.  From there we headed to Skull Rock where we scrambled around some more and took in the views.  Every time I turned around Jesse was up on some other type of boulder, declaring Joshua Tree the best park he's ever visited.  That evening we headed to town for some shopping at Coyote Corner and pizza.  (The pizza wasn't so great, so nothing to write home about there).  

Day 2 - Hiking and Bouldering

Hidden Valley Hike

The next day we went back into the park, this time via West Entrance which was just down the road from our Air BNB, and started with the Hidden Valley hike.  This is definitely a must do if you're in the park.  It's only about a mile round trip but takes about 1 hour because you'll wind up stopping to explore some side trail or scramble up some boulders.  

From there we headed to Trashcan Rock and did some bouldering.  Well, Max and I bouldered, Jesse and Jeremy took the time to scramble around the rocks.  I'll say a few quick things about bouldering in Joshua Tree.  First, the rocks hurt.  Everything is very sharp as the rock itself is made up of thousands of smaller rocks.  This put a pretty quick cap on the length of time we spent bouldering before our fingers were screaming in pain.  Second, it's beautiful.  It's been years since I'd had the chance to boulder outside and I forgot how much I really enjoyed climbing outdoors.  I also really enjoyed spending time with Max watching him work out the problem.  We did the traverse and then walked around the whole area finding other little problems to work out.  I didn't have a guide book with me, as I knew we'd only be there a short while, so I can't tell you more the exact problems we did.  

Leaving Joshua Tree we knew we hadn't seen everything, but we also know that we will be back someday.  I'm eager to have the energy at night to drive into the park for star gazing or heading to Key Views for sunset. 

Part 3 - Palm Springs

Aerial Tramway

The last part of our week found us in Palm Springs.  Here we stayed at another AirBNB, which was nice but not noteable enough to call out.  Upon arrival, around 3pm, we dropped our stuff and headed to the Aerial Tramway.  We got lucky as there was no wait and we were able to jump on the very next arriving tram (about every 12-15 min).  I would recommended tickets in advance, however you cannot buy them day of.  The tram is a really cool experience.  It's about 12 minutes up (and back) and the floor rotates about 3 times so no matter where you are standing you get to see all directions.  This also means people aren't trying to push or move around the tram.  The views are spectacular, and not just of the town, but also all the different climates that you pass through on the way to the top.  In fact, it was about 60 degrees at the bottom and snowing at the top!  Yes, snow.  We were the last ones allowed outside to the top observation area before they closed it and we were glad to have our puffies and hats.  It was also beautiful from the top overlooking the town.  After a quick hot chocolate for the kids, we took the tram back down. Once at the bottom we watched a few videos of the history of the tram before heading out.  Overall its about a 1 hour activity but worth it if you're in the area.  

ATV & Tahquitz Canyon

We started our first full day with some ATV riding.  The only place that allows kids to have their own bikes is Off Road Rentals of HW 111.  They do have smaller bikes for kids but Max and Jesse were both old enough and tall enough to use full size adult ATVs and picked up shifting pretty quickly.  After a short safety video we were off tooling around the sand and dunes.  There are several areas to play and drive around.  To say that the kids had fun would be an understatement.  Jesse was a mad man, laughing and screaming with joy the whole time.  They had so much fun that they begged us to go back the next day and even used their own money to pay for the second experience. 

After ATV riding we stopped for a quick lunch back at the house and then headed to Tahquitz Canyon.  To note, last entry is at 3:30 (this time of year) and you must have at least 1 liter of water per adult and 1/2 a liter per child (they check).  After paying the entry fee, we headed onto the trail.  The whole hike is about 2 miles which makes for a nice quick afternoon hike, though it is also mostly exposed.  After about 1 mile of hiking we reached the waterfall and pool at the end of the trail.  The water is snow runoff, so much like Yosemite, it's quite cold.  Still, there were folks venturing into the pool and Max even got himself fully in a few times. While we were hiking back down we were lucky enough to see a group of big horn sheep!  I like to pretend they were mountain goats.  

We ended the evening walking around downtown Palm Springs and grabbing some burgers at Coachella Brewing, sitting outside on the deck by the fire and doing some people watching.  We also swung by some of the sites, including of course, Marilyn Monroe.  And, of course, we ended the night with a dip in the hot tub (which was a common theme of this trip).

Ladder Canyon

The next day we awoke very early and headed down south to Ladder Canyon.  We knew we wanted to be one of the first ones into the slot canyon so we planned to arrive there by 8am.  (We managed 8:15).  I'd got up early enough to make togo breakfast burritos and we swung by the grocery store for a fresh baguette for our lunch.  

*Note, make sure you check the weather before venturing into this canyon.  It is a slot canyon and any little rain in the forcast anywhere in the area can cause a flash flood.  Don't do it.*

The drive south was fine, but the real interesting part comes in the last 5 miles which are over a very bumpy dirt 'road' which is clearly marked as 4x4 only.  Our Nissan Murano made it just fine, but it hadn't rained in weeks and there wasn't any deep sand parts when we went.  The canyon is on BLM land so you're also able to camp there if you'd like.  We saw a few people doing this and I have to imagine that the sky at night is incredible.  I also happen to note that when we ended the hike it was only 78 degrees out and it felt like 90, so those tents were probably toasty during the day.  But, I digress.  As you travel into the canyon area, you'll pass a bathroom (the only one) and have to continue on for another 1-2 miles until you come to the trail sign and the end of the road.  Park here, grab your stuff and head into the canyon.  

I'll note a few things here that were highlights for us, but if you're going to take this hike, I recommend reading this blog.  The hike is about 6 miles round trip (per our GPS) and takes you through an amazing slot canyon, up onto a ridge with breathtaking views, then back down into a larger 'painted' canyon before finishing up the loop back where you started.  Also, I'm a huge fan of hiking in keens, but this is not the hike to do it.  You're hiking through mostly rock and sand, which isn't pleasant in keens.  As the name implies, there are a handful of ladders you'll need to climb and descend to get into and out of the slot canyon.  Though they may feel a bit sketchy, we found they were all fairly stable and the ladders were part of the fun and excitement of the hike.  I'll also note that Max and Jesse both put this hike in their top 5 of all time hikes.

The hike begins by entering the slot canyon about 0.4 miles into the big canyon.  Keep your eyes peeled and you'll see the first ladder off to the left of the main trail.  (there's also the start of many rock arrows leading the way).  This first entrance you can either use the 'up' ladder, scramble the boulders, or use the hidden 'cave ladder' which of course Jesse found and used.  That one was quite the squeeze for Jeremy and I.  Upon entering the canyon you're overtaken by how unique the passage is.  Jeremy and I have been to Antelope Canyon before, but this is just as amazing and was the first time the kids had been in a slot canyon.  We had so much fun following the narrow path and using the ladders to get up and around.  After some time we exited the main slot canyon and entered another slot canyon with lower walls.  From there we were dumped into an open area that required some scramble up to reach the ridge (don't worry, you aren't lost).  

At this point we took the time to enjoy the amazing views, take some photos, and look down upon the canyon we'd just exited.  The ridge hike is just as unique as the slot canyon and part of what makes this whole hike so great.  We also appreciated the winds as the day was warming up (it was still only 10:30) and the sun was starting to bake on us.  

After walking about 2 miles across the ridge (again, watch for the rock arrows), we headed back down a precarious trail into Painted Canyon. 

Painted Canyon

Take one look at the walls of the canyon and you'll understand.  This third part of the trail is a large wash out area and can be done by itself by skipping the slot canyon and just walking straight from the trail head.  We found all types of different rock in the canyon along the hike.  The kids were also excited to come upon two more ladders (and a rope) that lead us into the last parts of Painted Canyon.  

We ended the hike after about 3 hours, who's counting, and about 6 miles total.  When we got back to the car there were about 15 other cars in the parking lot, so we were happy to have started early.

Palm Springs

We spent the rest of the day ATV riding, again, and hanging out at the house.  For dinner we went back to Clandestino for the second night.  The food is great, drinks are great, and the weather was perfect for this outdoor restaurant.  

Indian Canyon

On our last day we spent the morning hiking in Indian Canyon before driving home.  The hike through Murray Canyon and Seven Sisters Falls is incredible. Pictures don't just do it justice. It makes my top 10 hikes of all time and is about 4 miles round trip. This hike through desert canyon quickly drops into a palm spring oasis with a flowing snow fed stream between canyon rock.  Simply stunning.  The trail itself ducks in and out of the palm oasis and across the stream several times, ending in a small pool and mini waterfall.  Overall the trail is easy to follow and only has a few challenging spots where you'll have to watch your footing.  We spent some time here having lunch and relaxing before heading back down the canyon.  

Indian Canyon

After Murray Canyon we drove up the road further to the trading post and the West Fork Waterfall area.  This is a short downhill jaunt off the parking area and another great way to see an oasis if you aren't up for the Murray Canyon hike.  

Before heading out of town we stopped at the The Sandwhich Spot for lunch (highly recommend).

And with that we wrapped up a great week off and an unexpectedly fantastic week in Palm Springs area.

Oggie Boogie Bash - Disneyland 2022

This is Halloween... this is Halloween. Pumpkins scream in the dead of night.

This is...Oggie Boogie Bash 2022, Disneyland style!

Back in June, we asked Max what he wanted for his birthday.  Instead of a party, he asked to go to Disneyland.  For various factors, we traded that out for two days at a hill country resort in Texas.  But the idea of going to Disneyland never left my mind and when the Oggie Boogie Bash tickets went on sale, I knew we should take this opportunity to visit Disneyland and check out the Halloween party.  After all, we'd done two Christmas parties, so seemed to reason we had to check out Halloween one year.  (Tip, I booked tickets the day they went on sale, and I'm glad I did!  They sold out very quickly this year.)

We opted to fly from the Bay Area and carried on booster seats (to use in the Uber) and 2 carry on luggages.  We packed a backpack for the parks and a spare folding bag (which we used) to carry home any gifts and souvenirs.  Instead of staying on property we stayed at the Camelot Inn and Suites just across the street.  This made for easy walking each day, provided a pool for afternoon swims (btw the pool is only 3 1/2 feet deep but was fine enough for the kids), and was right next to Panera and McDonalds for early morning breakfast.

The best part?  We totally surprised the kids!  We told them we were picking them up early from school (8:30) for flu shots, but instead drove to the airport!  Wasn't until we were parking the car in the Park and Fly that Max started to figure things out.  On the bus we told them that instead of flu shots we thought maybe we'd go to Disneyland instead!  I wish I'd taken a video.  They were so stoked.

After ubering from the airport, we let the kids take a quick dip in the pool and headed to Downtown Disney for a late lunch before heading into California Adventure for Oggie Boogie Bash at 3pm (party was from 6-11 but ticket came with early entry at 3).  Note that at Disneyland the two parks are literally steps away from each other and downtown Disney.

Oggie Boogie Halloween Bash

First, it was HOT.  Like 90-95 all weekend.  I'm so glad I opted for the simple costumes of Incredibles T-shirts + eye masks (not shown).  It meant we could be comfortable and not committed to long sleeve costumes.  The park was still open to the public from about 3-6 but we were able to get on some rides like Guardians of the Galaxy (formerly Tower of Terror), Soarin, and Philharmagic without much issue.  Jesse, who is terrified of Tower of Terror, reluctantly agreed to go on Guardians of the Galaxy.  I'd rate the change from T-of-T to G-of-G about a 7 out of 10.  Max and Jeremy enjoyed it much more (by evidence of them riding it a total of 4 times on this trip), but I felt the story line of the new G-of-G version of this ride was lacking.  Either way, it's still a fun drop ride that's worth riding at least once.  Jesse was terrified, and after coming off crying, we wound up leaving the gift shop with a new Groot stuffy that he carried around all weekend. Soarin was great as usual.  

Once the sun went down, the party started up.  We spent most of the party on the 'non-pier' side of the park.  We first had to hit up the trick or treat spots.  First, these give out a TON of candy.   Like 5 stops per 'treat spot' and there are like 7-8 treat spots throughout the park.  Each stop within a 'treat spot' gives you a handful of candy.  Needless to say, the tiny bag they give you at the entrance fills up VERY quickly.  We quickly filled each bag then the backpack.  No wonder why people bring those cloth reusable bags with them to the party.  Also, this is quality candy here.  We're talking snickers, M&M's, skittles, and the occasional snack pack.  We did get grapes once, which was appreciated.  The best part?  Each 'treat spot' features a special villain.  Maleficent was my favorite, but we also saw Oggie Boogie, Ernesto (Coco), Cruella D'Ville and Clarabell, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck dressed as the Sanderson Sisters (we didn't wait in the photo line), plus a few others.  

After a few trick-or-treat spots, we found a spot for the Halloween parade.  A bit slow to start, but they pulled out all the villans.  Jafar, Queen of Hearts, Ursela, 3 ghosts from Haunted Mansion, Mickey and Minnie dressed up, as well as much more.  I also loved the sound track.  I grabbed "This is Halloween" already but I'll have to download a few more off the Mickey's Monster Bash ablum.

Finally we headed to some rides.  Spiderman Web Slingers is super fun, the Villains Grove walkthrough was great and very well done (haunted woods style).  Around 10:00 Jesse was done, so him and I took a slow walk back home, stopping for some churros, while Jeremy and Max hit up some more runs of G-of-G and I think even another Web Slingers.

Overall it was a great night and we had a lot of fun.  We will be back for this event sometime in our near-ish future.

Park Days - Disneyland

We somehow made it close to park opening the next day.  It's worth noting that at Disneyland parks you cannot make Genie+ plans at 7am like at Disney World.  Instead you can only make them once you've entered the park, even if you purchase it ahead of time.  Turns out this wasn't as much of an issue as at Disney World, but good to know.  As soon as we clocked in, I got Genie + and Rise of the Resistance tickets ($$ and $$).  Turns out the park was full but not crazy on Friday, still I was glad to have Genie + and not have to really wait in lines.   Given the short waits in the morning, we hit up Space Mountain and Astro Orbiter first and saved the Space Mountain lightening lane for later in the day.  (note, you only get one lightening lane per ride per day with Genie +, so use it wisely.  If you reserve it, just to see the wait is only 10 minutes, go ahead and cancel that pass, so you can use it later in the day).  

One of the cool things about Disneyland is how small it is.  This means getting from one side of the park to the other really isn't a big deal at all.  Maybe from Star Wars land to Space Mountain but that's about as far as you'd have to go.  I also really appreciated how different the rides were from Disney World, even for the same ride.  Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean and even Runaway Train are all really different.  Also the French Quarter exists at Disneyland but not at Disney World, so that was fun to walk through. 

We by mid morning we were in Star Wars land for Smuggler Run and Rise of the Resistance (via paid

Lightening Lane).  We also got some 'blue milk' slushes from a stand nearby.  Max loved these.  Also at this time I also learned that you could join walk up lists for restaurants even if you don't have a reservation.  I was able to get on the walkup list for Oga's Cantina and what started as 30 minutes quickly dropped to 15.  I am so glad we stopped by.  Sure, it was 11:30am, but this place is well done.  They have a variety of alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic and a few small bar snacks, but the atmosphere is very well done.  We stayed for a drink and snacks, about 25 minutes.  

By the afternoon temperatures were rising above 90 so we grabbed some ice cream, tried to hit a ride (it had technical problems and closed while we were in line) and then heading back to the pool to cool down.  The short 10 min walk made this possible and really reinvigorated us for the rest of the night. 

(Note, after 2 1/2 days it really seems to me that the Disneyland rides break down a LOT more than DisneyWorld.  At least they give you a lightening lane to return anytime.  Still, I saw numerous rides break down with folks on the ride at very unfortunate locations for who knows how long.)

When we re-entered the park around 5 and we got to see a bunch of characters dressed in halloween costume, which was fun.  Especially seeing villains who aren't normally out.  We also saw a cute little covered car and a horse drawn trolley.   I'd assumed you had to pay extra for those or be a 'special guest' but turns out anyone can take them from the entrance to the castle.  Jesse was really interested in taking the trolley and I'm so glad we did.  Usually I would always walk down Main Street but after initially walking by I thought, yea, you know what, we should do that and Jesse's so excited, why not.  It was so cool!  Top moment of the trip for me.

That night we made it till around 10pm.  Some highlights were Haunted Mansion (I actually enjoyed the Nightmare Before Christmas theme), Big Thunder Railroad, Smugglers Run, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage (which is not at Disney World and is equal parts long and interesting) and Autotopia (which is a common car driving ride but always puts me in a happy mood).  We didn't have dining reservations (and couldn't get any for Blue Bayou) so we opted for the Plaza Inn.  Wasn't too bad for a quick meal.  

After an evening of rides we went back to watch the Halloween fireworks at 9:10 (for a 9:30 show) and it was packed already.  We found a not-so-great spot halfway back and we really should have moved further back for a better (but smaller) view.  The show was good but I could tell that it would have been better with better viewing location.  Something I would have to keep in mind for the next night.  Of note, there are three shows nightly and most nights you have to choose.  Halloween Fireworks (more on these later), Fantasmic, and World of Color.  The first two are at Disneyland with the third being at California Adventure.  

Park Days - California Adventure + Disneyland

The next day we started off with a 'late' breakfast at Goofy's kitchen.  Its pretty rare for me not to make park opening, but this was always planned to be a relaxing weekend.  If we didn't get to a ride, we didn't get to it.  Also, my anxiety about doing everything was eased by Disneyland being smaller parks, plus having the Genie + both days.  We had breakfast at 8:20 and we were in the park around 10, which was 2 hours after opening.  The breakfast was good (if not a bit $$) but I really enjoy the dancing, characters, and food choices at Goofy's Kitchen.  It's no Boma (Disney World) and I hear Storytellers is good too, but we enjoy Goofy's.

We spent about 3/4 of the day at California Adventure before heading back over to Disneyland with our park hopper pass.  We also echo'd the day before with an afternoon trip to the pool and this time added in a 30 minute siesta for all of us.  With the 95 degree heat, this was definitely a necessity.  It also allowed us to have enough energy to stay up till park closing (we got home at nearly 1am).

Some highlights from California Adventure: Incredicoaster (I seriously forgot how cool this roller coaster is, but I won't give it away), Grizzly Run, Ferris Wheel, and Toy Story Mania.  Max, of course, did G-of-G one more time with his lightening lane, while I took Jesse on Toy Story Mania.  We also rode Radiator Springs Racers (extra $ for lightening lane).  This Cars ride is really well done, as is the entire cars land.  I recommend entering from the Pier side by Cocina Cucamonga and Pacific Wharf Distribution Co.  It's like you are literally walking into Radiator Springs.

I think I had more enjoyment this trip to California Adventure than I did 7 years ago.  Maybe there is more to do, or maybe I just took in more, but it's a solid park with enough to do for a solid day, especially if you don't get Genie + and you have to wait longer.  We wound up on Incredicoaster 3 times, after which I had to sit out for a while trying to regain my equilibrium.  For dinner we did a mobile order from Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill.  The QuesaBirria and Al Pastor tacos are really good and there is pacific Wharf Distribution Co right next door.  Helpful tip - order at like 4pm.  You can choose your pickup window and you won't have to wait an hour.  It is about 20 minutes once you check in but the mobile order windows tend to fill up 1-2 hrs in advance.

After our last ride, and snapping some photos around the park (free with Genie +) we headed back over to Disneyland.  We arrived around 8pm and saw the crowds already gathering for the fireworks.  If you recall, our spot for fireworks last night was sub-par.  My original plan was to watch Fantasmic, but something in my head told me to make the tradeoff and try to see the Halloween fireworks again.  Somehow, I found a spot right by the front of the castle.  Everyone was sitting with just enough room between people I could find a small two spot with a second two spot right by it.  As it got closer to fireworks time, people wrapped up their blankets and there was plenty of room.  Max and Jesse stood behind a stroller, second row to the ropes and Jeremy and I were behind some shorter people with basically an unobstructed view.  

Simply put, the show was INCREDIBLE.  Like 'Wishes' good, for those who remember that fireworks show.  I am 200% glad we came back a second night.  Disney really stepped up their game.

We wrapped up our last night with some more Haunted Mansion, Smugglers Run, and a final ride on Pirates of the Caribbean for Jesse.  We never did make it on teacups or Peter Pan, but I was satisfied.  

It was a great relaxing weekend and though it was a short trip, I appreciated how easy it was.  We aren't at annual pass level yet... but maybe sometime soon.

Maui 2022

Aloha from Maui!

This spring break brought us back to the island of Maui and the town of Kihei. 5 days of beach, sun, and crashing waves. We stayed in a condo from Vacasa Hawaii rentals via Air BNB at the Kihei Ali Kai, condo D204. It was perfect. The condo was recently updated and had a great lanai for watching sunsets and dining, and was stocked with beach chairs and an umbrella. The company was also superb at answering questions and providing a sweet welcome gift. The condo is also located right up from Kamaole Beach I and the Dolphin Plaza with 3 cafes, gelato, a fish and chips place and just down from the Cinnamon Bun store.

We spent many days on the beach for hours on end; body boarding, building epic sand castles, snorkeling, and lounging in the sun. Each day we’d build a large castle and moat near the ocean and wait for high tide to wash it away. The kids loved body boarding and we even snagged a new board at the local Safeway that was more adult size so Jeremy and I could have some fun. (Note the waves at Kamaole Beach I aren’t huge but great fun for kids)

Many days Jeremy walked to Maui Fish n’ Chips for lunch and brought it back to the beach. The resident turtle we saw on our last trip was still there making its rounds and we even saw two more. Poor Jesse didn’t even see the massive turtle swim under him and came down right on top of it! I think it scared Jesse more than anything, as the turtle didn’t really seem to care or notice and the waves of the ocean meant he only lightly touched it. Each day after the beach it was back to the condo for some pool and hot tub time. By 6pm we were washed up and ready for dinner.

Side note - packing for Hawaii is not light. 2 life jackets, 4 sets of snorkel gear, sand toys, body boards, beach blanket, sand towels, beach toys (football, balls), inflatable tubes and battery pump, car seats, oh and clothes. Also to note, at the airport I snagged a small tote that proved very useful to carry a few books and notepads to dinner each night.

Excursions

We took a few excursions while on the island as well. First was whale watching. We went with Ultimate Whale Watching out of Lahaina. The boat is a combo of seats and raft. I let Jeremy take the boys up to the front while I hung in the back. Mostly to stay under cover from the sun and secondly so I didn’t drop my phone overboard. It was the end of whale season, so we knew the sightings would be fewer. We started off seeing a few whales floating at the surface and a few tails as they dove under. About an hour in we got really lucky and we saw a baby, mother, and escort (a male whale but not the father). The baby was quite lively and put on a great show! Our guides were also very knowledgeable and we learned a lot about the whales and sea life. Overall the trip was excellent and I would use this company if we went again.

After whale watching we grabbed a quick bite to eat at Down The Hatch and headed back to the pier for a second adventure… a submarine tour! Jesse has been asking for months to ride in a submarine and somehow I found Atlantis Submarine in Maui. We opted to give this to him as an early birthday present and told him the week before that he’d be getting said early gift while we were in Maui. He was so excited trying to figure out the surprise. We dropped a few hints during the week, it wasn’t a toy, you couldn’t hold it, you could only take home the memories, etc, but we never told him and instead let him figured it out. He was beside himself with excitement when he realized what we were doing. To get to the sub you take a boat to the dive site, then watch the sub emerge and swap passengers and crew.  

Every person gets a seat and window and then you dive, dive, dive! 135 feet to the bottom. The driver (? are they called drivers ?) was really good and always circled around each reef for both sides to see. He also circled around so everyone could see when we spotted an eel or baby shark! After passing two reefs, we headed to a sunken ship. The company bought the ship for $1 and sunk it to make a reef for fish. It was sooo cool! Then we landed on the bottom of the ocean! Given the crew knew it was an early gift for Jesse, they sang him Happy Birthday while we were resting on the ocean floor! How am I ever going to top this! After about 45-60 minutes we rose again, switched crew and passengers and then watched the sub dive back down. Overall an amazing experience and well worth the money.

Later in the week we left the pool a bit early and headed sound past Wailea to the lava fields. Here we walked around a bit and watched the sun set (sort of). It was cool to show the kids hardened lava and the lava flow from so many years ago. They actually found it pretty cool.

We started off our last day up early watching breakfast and renting stand up paddle boards from Aunt Annie’s. We got two boards and paddles around Kamaole Beach 1 and 2 for about and hour. The kids sat on the front (one on each) and we did the paddling. Max was able to stand up and do some paddling as well. It was nice to be out early in the calm waters.

Our final excursion of the trip was surf lessons! I actually hadn’t given it much thought until we arrived, and I’m glad I did. A quick Yelp search found me Maui Wave Riders just down the street by Kalama Beach, a popular spot for new surfers. I called and got a 10am slot for the end of the week (take note to book early). I booked two private lessons which meant they each had an instructor. I had called to book and I’m so glad Monica had recommended doing it this way. She also recommended a 9 or 10am lesson vs later in the day when the waves were rougher. Next time we may do semi-private 2:1 but for the first time out this was the way to go. Reuben and Kekoa were great with the kids. They started with a dry land lesson for 5 minutes then headed off. The shop gave them everything they needed and let us borrow water shoes too, as I got into the water to take photos. After a few falls the kids were up in no time! They did so great for their first time out! After 2 hours they were exhausted and happy. Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a bit of adventure! They even got to borrow the boards for the rest of the day, so after lunch at Paia Fish Market we borrowed them again and went back out ourselves. Let’s just say we quickly understood why mornings are the popular surf time. The afternoon wasn’t quite as smooth and the cross winds had us aborting after about 20 minutes.

We ended the trip watching sunset at Kalama Beach park (which is a pretty cool park btw) and dinner at Ami Ami. Throughout the week we ate dinner at Ami Ami twice (blackened Mahi Mahi was delicious), Miso Phat Sushi twice, and Ohana Grill (live music). We really enjoyed Shauna McCoy playing at Ohana Grill. (Though next time I’d buy some supplies and plan to cook in the room a few nights, to help with costs and add some variety)

Thanks for the great trip Maui! Hope to be back soon!

Disney World 2021

Hello Travel!  Hello Disney!

A year after a COVID forced trip postponement, we finally made it to Disney World!

Per tradition, we visited the week after Thanksgiving.  I find this is one of the best times of year to visit.  The crowds are in the lull between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the festivities are in full swing, and the weather is perfect.  As an added bonus, my parents (aka Grandma and Papa) were able to join us.

Trip itinerary:

Day 1 - 5: Art of Animation

Day 6 - 10: Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jambo House

Travel Days: 1 & 10 (Sat & Mon)

Magic Kingdom - 2 days, Epcot - 2 days, Animal Kingdom - 1 day, Hollywood Studios - 1 day, Pool/Resort - 2 1/2 days

Art of Animation

We started the trip at Art of Animation resort and used, the now ended, Disney Magic Express to get there.  This was our second stay at this resort, but to help with the high hotel cost of a longer stay, I booked a 'standard' Little Mermaid room vs. one of the family suites we'd stayed in before (about $150/night difference).  Much to my great surprise, Disney gifted us with a little magic and gave us a free upgrade to a Cars suite!  What a great way to start the trip.  Unfortunately this left my parents on one side of the resort, and us the other.  A little more magic, and they were able to secure a suite upgrade at a significantly reduced rate.  Score!  Thank you to the staff at A of A for these wonderful surprises.  

(Side note: A while back I realized that longer trips at Disney mean more $ spent on hotels, which make those high end hotel stays very expensive.  By splitting the trip, I still get to stay at a fancy hotel for half the trip, while balancing that price point with a moderate hotel the first half.  Disney also makes this super easy by transferring your luggage for you.  A simple am drop off, visit the park, return to your new hotel at night, and poof, bags are already there.  Just make sure you get on the correct bus that night!)

Back to the story... Unfortunately the sweet suite surprise mentioned above (see what I did there), was negatively balanced by the experiences we had using the new skyliner to get from the resort to both Hollywood Studios and Epcot.  The skyliner was installed a few years back and takes the place of the buses to these two parks from Art of Animation, Pop Century, Rivera, and Caribbean Beach.  If you're staying at CB you're probably fine, as that's the central hub for all gondola lines, meaning each park is only one 5 minute ride away.  However, if you're staying at A of A or Pop C, you're sharing the skyliner with hundreds of guests, causing a massive line backup each morning and you have to disembark at CB and reload to your desired park.  This means double the lines.  Somehow this wasn't an issue at night, but each morning we used the skyliner the line was awful.  Between the 'normal' line and the handicapped line, the system was clearly overwhelmed and that was on a 'moderate' week.  I can't imagine how awful this is during peak season.  So much so that I'm now having to write A of A off my resort list.  I'd rather go back to Port Orleans than deal with that skyliner mess ever again. 

Day 1

The first day and half we stayed at the resort, went swimming, and did a bit of Disney Springs shopping with T-Rex for dinner.  I also made an awesome realization on day 2 that if I got an Apple Airtag for my mom, who doesn't have a phone, she could roam the parks at her will while the 5 of us rode rides and we could pretty easily find her when we got done.  (Note the words "pretty easily" cause a woman in a scooter can move faster than an Airtag can update). Thanks to $9 Apple same day courier service, I was able to obtain one and it gave her so much more freedom throughout the trip.

Day 3 - 1st Park Day

Our first park day was that Monday at Magic Kingdom.  We went for the Genie+ perk ($15/pp/day) for 5 of us, and my mom had the disability pass for her.  (Note the disability pass included all of us, but only when she could ride, which at Magic Kingdom, was about 1/4 of the rides... turns out MK is very much not handicapped accessible).  I would describe the crowd levels as 'full' but not packed the week after Thanksgiving, so we were able to get on all the rides we wanted with the Genie+ app without ever really waiting in line.  

Genie +

Side note for a short Genie+ explanation (note Genie+ is NOT Genie planning, which is a different thing).  This is basically a paid Fastpass that isn't preplanned multiple days out.  There is a great blog set here and here and here and here that describe what you need to know about Genie+.  It's a bit confusing but after the first morning, I got the hang of it.  

A few points.  First, purchase this at 6:45am the day of; as your first reservation can be done at 7am and really, it takes about 2 minutes to buy thanks to Disney owning your bank account.  Pull down on the app right at 7am to refresh and make your first selection.  Note that Genie+ does not cover certain rides at some parks (Space Mountain, 7 Dwarfs Mine Train, Rise of Resistance and a few others)  These are noted by LL meaning Lightening Lane meaning 'give us more money'.  So don't waste time trying to get these right yet. Purchase these after you've made your first Genie+ selection if you're so inclined.  Both go on sale at 7am, but it's better to first get your Genie+ selection then go get your paid LL if you're gonna do that.  Only exception here is the virtual que for Ratatouille, do this right at 7am otherwise you'll have to try again at 1pm. 

After your first ride selection you can make a second Genie+ ride selection either (1) after you've passed the second check in (aka old fastpass) entrance on your current selection or (2) 120 minutes has passed since you made a selection - starting 2 hours after park opening.  This is much easier with examples.  For this, assume the park opens at 8am.  

Example 1 - You made your first selection at 7am for Peter Pan and the return window was for 8:30am - 9:30am.  If you are prompt, and check in at Peter Pan right at 8:30am, you pass the second "check in" at 8:32 am, you can immediately make another Genie+ selection.

Example 2 - You made your first selection at 7am for Peter Pan and the return window was for 3:30pm - 4:30pm.  Given the park opens at 8am, you can make your next Genie + selection at 10am (having then two active ride reservations at once - this is called 'stacking').  Presuming, you forgot and made your second selection at 10:37am, your subsequent selection could be at 12:37am or after you've fully clicked onto either of your two active reservations.  

Basically just remember this.  Either 2 hours after last ride reservation is booked (not checked in) or after you've fully checked in to a ride a Genie+ ride, you should be going in to make another reservation.  Most rides have two 'check in' points to prevent line jumpers.

Magic Kingdom Con't

Back to our day.  We arrived at the park around 8:15am for rope drop at 8:30.  It was one of those days that the park opened 30 minutes early to those staying at a Disney Resort, so we were able to scan in and get in line for rope drop at Tomorrow Land.  A few short minutes later and we were in line for Space Mountain with only about 20 folks in front of us.  Given Space Mountain isn't on Genie+ (and I didn't want to pay $7/pp for LL ticket) it made sense to go here first.  Jesse (6) was pretty nervous but after the first ride he was hooked.  While we were on the ride, my parents were at guest services getting the disability pass.  Note, the pass isn't for those with minor mobility issues, it's truly for those who can't walk at all or have other disabilities making regular line que's impossible.  We met up with them and continued our day, mostly making use of the Genie + as described above.  In addition to having a packed day of rides, we also saw a few mini parades (2-3 floats), and an appearance by Stitch!  Stitch was one of the only characters we saw the whole trip which was quite amazing considering he's Jesse's favorite.  How lucky!  Jesse was beside himself with excitement.  While at the park we also used mobile ordering for all lunch orders, which made it much more pleasant.  

That night for dinner we ate at Jungle Skipper Canteen.  After many many trips to Disney, I'd never eaten here, and I gotta say, I've been missing out.  The dinner was really good and the beer and wine selection was also very good.  We had such a good time at dinner we opted to relax and give up seeing the fireworks and castle show to enjoy our dinner a bit longer.

Of note, we bought the popcorn bucket here and carried it the rest of the trip.  $2 refills can't be beat and make a quick, cheap snack.

Hollywood Studios

Day 3 was spent at Hollywood Studios.  It was our only day at this park so we got here right around opening to hit up the rides we wanted.  Given it's generally a much smaller park, we basically did everything we wanted in a single day with time to spare.  Again, I got Genie+ for 5 of us and used some of the advanced methods described by the blogs above to ensure we got tickets for Slinky Dog Dash.  It's a pretty fun ride, but nothing I'd stand in line for hours for.  (Also probably explains why we didn't do 7 Dwarf's Mine Train at all on this trip).  

Given my husband is a Star Wars fan, we spent considerable time in Star Wars land.  As much as I'm not into the movies, the land is really well done.  We didn't eat here, but next time I'll try hard to get reservations.  We also got to see Chewbacca and ride Millenium Falcon and Rise of the Resistance.  Honestly, both were fun, but unless you're really into roll play, I was much more enthralled with Ratatouille in Epcot.  We did manage to get mom on Rise of the Resistance but it came with a high level

of drama and unplanned excitement.  It involved a lot of maneuvering, me jumping across the seats to help, and mom almost landing on the floor instead of in the car.  For a relatively new ride it's completely unacceptable that Disney made this one so difficult for any handicapped person to use.  Come on Disney.  I'm so proud of my mom for riding, but she won't be doing that again.  PS - that thing on Max's shoulder is called a porg; he named his Hickey.  It talks and is magnetically attached (with a pretty weak magnet).  He got it at the creature stall.  Things we didn't do: $100 custom remote controlled droid (make reservations) and $212 custom built light saber (which somehow used to only cost like $45).

The highlight ride for Max was Tower of Terror, which he rode several times, and Jesse loved Millenium Falcon which he did twice with Jeremy and Papa.  I think the best ride in Toy Story Land is actually the Toy Story ride which is a series simulated 3D games each lasting 30-45 seconds.  

That evening we stayed for the illuminated show on the Chinese Theatre, but it wasn't much to write home about, which is generally what I'd remembered from 3 years ago. 

Point to note - getting to Hollywood Studios from A of A involved the gondola, long lines, and huge headache.  See above for why I won't be staying here again.

Epcot

I woke early to make sure I was on the app and ready for the Ratatouille virtual que right at 7am.  I pulled down hard on the app to refresh the screen and quickly clicked the button to join the que.  We got group 32.  I had no idea what that meant until later in the morning when the app told me that my estimated arrival time was 12:50pm.  This changed throughout the day and I just kept watching it.  Once your group is 'called' you have an hour to get over to the ride in France (FYI, you are NOT notified via text, so better keep checking the app).  Also, heads up, it's not in Italy, which for some reason I thought it was.  BTW - this is an amazing ride and I almost paid for a LL to do it a second time.  (You can only ride via LL $$ or virtual que) It's on my top 5 attractions throughout all of Disney World. Between the immersive nature, the larger than life scenes and the technology, I was blown away.  The cars themselves are very impressive, between the way they move and the feeling that you are floating on frictionless surface.  It was one of two times during this trip when I questioned my career choices.  After I'm done with medical, I may need to go work as an Imagineer.  

Given we were going to Epcot twice, which was largely driven by my ability to only reserve Le Cellier for dinner the last day of our trip, we opted not to get Genie +.  The only ride we didn't get to do was Test Track and it wasn't worth the $15/pp for me.  

Our first day at Epcot we bought the kids Olaf's Scavenger Hunt which involved them finding small Olaf statues throughout each country and collecting a prize at the end.  For $10/pp it kept them entertained and I would have done it even without the prize.  Unfortunately, the prize they were told about was a lanyard, but the stores were sold out and they only got this small silly pouch thing.  Which basically meant that mom (aka, me) had to get them lanyards so they weren't so disappointed.  This of course then lead to purchase of a few pins throughout the trip.  At least they are now hanging from their wall that they can see every day.

Dinners at Epcot were at Tutto Italia and Le Cellier.  Note, dining reservations can be made at 4am EST 60 days before your trip.  Also, you can check throughout your trip using the Disney dining app and you'll probably get lucky to find something, though it may not be your first choice.

Animal Kingdom 

When planning this trip, I only planned a single day at Animal Kingdom park.  In retrospect, I really

forgot how much I like this park.  I think it's grown on me over the years.  I'm not sure there's enough for 2 full days, but we definitely had a great time and I could see 1 1/2 days.  We didn't get the Genie+ perk for this park either, but that's likely cause Mom could ride most of the rides and so we used her disability (DAS) pass.  The only ride we really had to wait for was Everest (she couldn't ride) and at most it was 25 minutes.  

Some of my favorites are the Kilimanjaro Safaris (best in the am or later evening), Expedition Everest, Lion King show at Harambe Theater, Pandora Flight of Passage, and Dinosaur.  The Lion King show is outstanding and was the second time this trip that I thought to myself that I may have to quit my job to become an Imagineer.  What a great job to bring joy to millions of people.  I highly recommend making time for this show.  This was also our first time on Pandora Flight of Passage and more props are due to Mom who managed to embrace this ride and see it through.  The ride 'car' is more of a seat you mount bike style that locks you in with a very tight back rest.  It was another difficult one for her to mount, and the ride has a significant motion component.  I had more trouble than I thought I would with the 3D image, but the family seemed to really enjoy it.  I personally enjoyed it, but preferred Soarin' at Epcot.  Something about my eyes being able to focus on the image.  

For lunch we did mobile ordering and ate at Satu'li Canteen.  Wow.  I was blown away how delicious this food was.  Highly recommend this place for lunch or dinner.  Between the 6 of us we had the chicken, beef, and shrimp and they were all very well done.  Jeremy had the tofu salad and he loved it.

Also, if you're here with little kids, or just need a break, check out the Bone Yard in dinosaur land.  

Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jambo House

After several days at Art of Animation (A of A) we headed over to Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jambo House.  In one word, this place is GORGEOUS, especially at Christmas.  The lobby is simply stunning, pictures don't do it justice.  Like a multi tier wood lodge, it's cosy and warm with a giant Christmas tree in the center.  We spent several nights sitting on the couches with a night cap and having lovely conversation.  Thought we didn't splurge on the safari view (after all a 'normal' room was already expensive), the rooms were huge and spacious and it turns out we had a partial view of the safari anyway.  We also had a view of the pool/hot tub area and flamingos.  The pool itself is a nice size with a single slide that's fun enough to entertain young ones but really doesn't hold a candle to the beach club slide.  I'm told at Kidani Village the pool has two slides, but, after visiting that side, we realize the lobby area is much smaller and it's more villa/timeshare.  

The first night we arrived we got there just in time to use the night vision goggle setup to view the savanna.  We only happen to see one animal but it was a cool experience.  We also took advantage of the hot tub, of course.

Given the need for some relaxing time after 5 long park days, we spent the whole next day at the resort. 

We got up for breakfast at Boma, which was so delicious that I was able to score a second breakfast reservation for the next day.  This tops my best breakfast buffet list and is a must-do if you're in the area.  The rest of the day we hung at the pool, played at the arcade, became cartoons (see aside) and checked out some of the activities in the kids club.  For dinner we cleaned up and walked over to Kidani Village for dinner at Sanna.  This restaurant features African cooking with Indian flavors and was a nice change from traditional Disney fare.  Though it's good, I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here.  Boma, yes.  Ah, I'm still thinking of that brunch.

Very Merry After Hours Christmas "Party"

Aside from the park and resort days, we opted to splurge for the Very Merry Christmas Hours while the grandparents headed back to the resort for the night.  This is similar, yet different, from the Very Merry Christmas Party of earlier years.  First, it starts at 8pm (with 7pm entry) and not at 7pm (with a 4pm entry).  Basically this means that you get 5 hours for what you used to get 6+ for.  The park essentially closed at 8pm to all who didn't have a Christmas Hours wristband (including rides and stores).  Given the party is more ride focused than in previous years (which was more entertainment focused) it was probably good that my parents didn't make the splurge.

First, the parade.  The nighttime Christmas parade was a bit shorter this year, but this time had some new floats and came with the addition of immersive smells.  As each float came by you could smell the theme of that float.  For example, Clarabell's cooking float smelled like chocolate chip cookies, and one float smelled like peppermint, another like pine.  This was a nice touch that made it magical.  In fact, the first time we saw the parade from a side view walking from one attraction to the next.  I was impressed enough that we took time out of rides to watch it again but from a premium viewing spot at midnight. 

Throughout the night they had free ice cream, popcorn, soda and water.  They also had cookie and hot chocolate stands.  All of which was met with great excitement from two little boys until they realized there was only so much they could reasonably consume without getting sick.  

The big highlight of the night is that the attendance is greatly limited and given the tickets cost a small fortune, the lines for the rides are basically non-existent.  First, we hit up Space Mountain three times in a row, maybe more, and Astro Orbiter, which at 9pm was getting quite chilly.  Coming off the ride we found ourselves in the middle of a Stitch dance party complete with snow and a really fun DJ!  I could have spent hours here just listening to the music and dancing the night away.  Jesse and Max were in their element.

After some ice cream and dancing we made our way over to Magic Carpets, multiple trips down Big Thunder Railroad, Splash Mountain (where mom took the brunt of the water spray) and other Disney classics.  We watched the fireworks from the ride on Splash Mountain which was pretty cool.  I managed to hang on to my phone and not loose it on the Big Thunder Railroad this year. 

As the night came to a close, we finished up on people mover.  In my opinion this is a highly underrated ride; something about the calming movement and views of the park make it a classic.  We ended at 1am carrying two sleeping boys and watching the Christmas stage show at Cinderella's castle.  A few more cookies on the way out and we made it home around 2:15am.  

Back soon?

Each time I visit Disney I learn something new and find magic I hadn't experienced before.  I found spending two extra days at the resorts was the perfect balance to the craziness of the parks and having enough relax time that you don't feel you have to 'do it all' in one day.  I learned that Disney Springs (once named Downtown Disney) is now a bustle of high end shops packed together so tightly you can barely walk. I found a new favorite hotel in Animal Kingdom Jambo House and three new restaurants to add on my go-to list: Boma, Jungle Skipper Canteen, and Satu'li Canteen.  

I'm so glad we were able to get away after a long year of work and quarantine and very grateful that my parents were able to join us.

Until next time... 

Merry Christmas.