Visit Arizona: Horseshoe Bend

Sunset at Horseshoe Bend

While in Page, Arizona, do not miss visiting Horseshoe Bend. The Instagram famous landmark is a part of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The 270 degree horseshoe-shaped bend was created by the Colorado River and is roughly 1,000 feet deep. 

The lookout point is easily accessible by way of the paved trail. It is approximately 3/4 of a mile from the parking lot so be sure to account for that when visiting at sunset or sunrise. Most of the rim is exposed so be very careful!

There is no admission fee, but the parking fee is $10 per vehicle. Horseshoe Bend is definitely one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.

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Visit San Francisco: 16th Avenue Tiled Steps

While looking for scenic things to do in San Francisco with my daughter, I came across the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps.  I was instantly attracted to the beautiful mosaic tiled steps and knew my daughter would love it too.  Plus we would get some exercise!  

The steps are located in the Golden Gate Heights neighborhood on Moraga Street, between 15th and 16th Avenue.  The steps, completed in 2005, are the result of a neighborhood collaboration to create a sea to stars mosaic flowing up the 163 step stairway.  It is absolutely gorgeous and a quick climb to the top gives you a fine view of the city!  You’ll have to find street parking, but be aware of car thefts and do not leave any valuables in the car. 

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Road to Hana with Awapuhi Adventures

Mahalo to Awapuhi Adventures for providing us with a media rate.  All gratuities were paid on our own.  All opinions are entirely my own. 

The Road to Hana has been on my bucket list for a while now mostly because I was worried that I would get car sick during the curvy 52 mile drive from Kahului to Hana.  I had heard many not-good stories of the narrow and twisty road that passes over 59 bridges – the majority of them one lane wide.  But talk of the lush tropical rainforest, incredible waterfalls, yummy banana bread, and beautiful beaches kept me intrigued. 

Ultimately, I decided the best way to enjoy the Road to Hana would be to find a tour company and let someone else do the driving.  But after doing some research and reading many customer reviews, it sounded like most of the sightseeing was from the bus.  That was not for me.  I wanted to be able to do some hiking and take my time exploring the many scenic points along the way.

By chance, I came upon Awapuhi Adventures on Trip Advisor and immediately knew this was the way I wanted to see the Road to Hana.  Review after review, guests raved about their experiences.  What makes Awapuhi Adventures unique is that they customize a private adventure specifically to your interests and fitness level.  If you want a leisurely general sight-seeing tour, they can do it.  If you’re more adventurous and are interested in hiking and swimming, they can also do it.  If you want to go looking for hidden waterfalls and jump off cliffs, you do not need to look elsewhere because they do it.  

Since we were only on Maui for the day, our guide Matt picked us up from the airport and we were off on our adventure!  We didn’t need to bring our own water because he had water bottles ready in the van which I thought was super convenient.  He also provided hand wipes, towels, ponchos, umbrellas, hiking poles, and a full picnic lunch.  After he gave some history of the area, he asked us what we wanted to see.  I told him we were up for anything, but wanted to do some hiking, see some waterfalls, and eat the best banana bread on the Road to Hana.   Over the course of ten hours, we did all that and much more!      

Stopped for a short hike in a bamboo forest.

It was nice to get out of the car and enjoy the fresh air.  I loved how quiet and peaceful it was.

The hike led to a gushing waterfall!



I am amazed by black sand beaches so Awapuhi Adventures made sure we stopped at Honomanu Bay.


This black sand beach also had green sand!  

There are so many great banana bread stands along the Road to Hana, but I hear Aunty Sandy's is the best so I had to have it!  Absolutely delicious and still warm when we ate it! 

I loved the amount of hiking we got in this day!  Another short hike to see these beautiful waterfalls.  It started to rain, but Awapuhi Adventures had umbrellas ready for us! 

There's no way we would have done this on our own.  Glad Awapuhi Adventures showed us the way through a lava tube and provided us with flashlights too!  They think of everything so you don't have to.

There are so many waterfalls that are visible from Hana Highway and our guide knew just when they were coming up!

One of the many one-lane bridges.

Awapuhi Adventures knows all the places to go.  We stopped for delicious homemade dairy free coconut ice cream! 

This black sand beach at Wai'anapanapa State Park was crowded, but the views were well worth it!

The state park also has fresh water caves, a natural stone arch, sea stacks, and blow holes.

Here's Matt, Awapuhi Adventure's lead guide, preparing us a very delicious lunch complete with fresh pineapple and chocolate macadamia nuts!

How awesome is our lunch view?

We made it to Hana!  This was one of my favorite spots on the entire tour.  The red sand beach was breathtaking.

Kaihalulu beach has a protected cove that is perfect for swimming.

The many gorgeous waterfalls along the Road to Hana make the highway one of the most scenic in the world.  

After exploring Hana town, we made our way towards upcountry Maui.  Hello, gorgeous mountain views!

Our final stop of the tour was at Maui Wine.  The perfect ending to an amazing day filled with adventure.  We enjoyed our wines as we reflected on our fun day. 

A beautiful rainbow greeted us on the drive back to Kahului. 

As you can see it was full day for us and by the end, Gem and I were pretty tired and definitely thankful someone else was driving.  For us, this was the best way to see the Road to Hana.  If you are thinking of using a tour company or not, I highly recommend using Awapuhi Adventures.  I think it is especially convenient for families.  Chances are, you may only do the Road to Hana once so do it the right way and remove the stress of driving and navigating so you can relax and enjoy quality time as a family.  Awapuhi Adventures offers other tours as well:  Halfway to Hana, West Maui Adventure, Custom Maui Hiking, and Maui Farm tours.

Thank you again to Awapuhi Adventures for making this bucket list item so memorable!       

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Visit New York: Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises

I love going on tours.  Whether it's a walking tour, a cruise, or even a bus tour, I find that tours are a great way to explore a city, and learn all about it too!

While in New York, we went on a Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise.

Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises has been offering sightseeing cruises to over 60 million passengers for over 70 years.  They offer a variety of cruises, allowing guests amazing views of New York City.

The morning of the cruise, we went to the Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises ticket office to exchange our New York CityPASS tickets for the Landmarks Cruise (several cruise options available).  We arrived just before opening at 9am, exchanged our tickets, and we were told to return at 11:45am for our 12:30pm cruise.

We actually returned at 11:30am in case there was a long line already forming, and there was one, but for a different cruise, yet people didn't know it was for a different cruise.

The boarding process was pretty chaotic.  People kept lining up in a line that they were not supposed to be in (perhaps an employee should hold up huge signs to let guests know which tour is currently boarding).  Fortunately, there were a few very friendly and patient employees directing people where to go.

Finally, we were able to form a line for our cruise.  After a security bag check and an obligatory photo op, we made it on board, and we were eager to see all of the landmarks of New York City.

It was an overcast day, and it was pretty chilly on the top deck of the boat, but we still had spectacular views of the city.

The narrator onboard pointed out the different landmarks, and told tidbits of information about the city and its history.  As we cruised down the Hudson River, we were told the story of the infamous plane crash that took place in that very river (a Circle Light Sightseeing Cruises ship actually responded to the accident!).

We learned about the different features of the One World Trade Center, what types of activities are offered at Chelsea Piers, the challenges of building the Lincoln Tunnel, and how the Woolworth Building was once the tallest building in the world!

We saw the Empire State Building, got a glimpse of the Trinity Church, and went past Battery Park.  We saw hundreds of buildings in a myriad of sizes, colors, and designs.

We even saw and learned about several popular spots in New Jersey.

We cruised under several bridges while on the East River - the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, and the Williamsburg Bridge.

Seeing Manhattan Island's skyline from the water was spectacular, and cruising under the bridges was so neat, but one of the biggest highlights was seeing the Statue of Liberty.

It was thrilling to see this beacon of hope!

The 1.5-hour Landmarks Tour was very interesting and informative.  Guests can also download the Circle Line Skyline Navigator App to enhance their cruise experience.

We sat on the left side (port side) as recommended by an employee, but there really is no bad side, and you are allowed to walk around to take photos (just be courteous to other guests and don't block their way for a long time).  The lower deck has huge windows for great photo ops as well.

Onboard there are restrooms, a bar, a cafe, and a gift shop.

Circle Line's Landmarks Cruise was a fantastic way to see so many of New York's icons!


Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
Pier 83, W 42nd St

New York, NY 10036
(212) 563-3200

Mahalo to CityPASS for the New York CityPASSes!  Gratuity was paid on our own.

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