Okanagan Lake: A season to soar

August 8, 2014 By

‘Twas an awesome week-long family reunion at Okanagan Lake in British Columbia where we:

Learned to wakeboard

Walked on water

Birthday partied

What else was there left to do? Turns out, plenty! When we weren’t boating, swimming and kayaking, we:

Caught plenty ‘o fish off the docks.


Played a lot of Rook, Scum and inhaled Jane’s delicious cooking (we’re not talking sub-par food, either. We’re talking a menu that included grilled tenderloin, Eggs Benedict, pina colada chicken burgers and smoked pork tacos).


And the woman even hand-delivered Screamers in her “spare” time when she wasn’t busy cooking and teaching everyone to wakeboard and surf.

We also:

Had campfires on the beach,


Spent hours building sand castles…

Mothering from my hammock

Or rather, sand toilets which are so much more practical.

We brought our volleyball net. My brothers and I were all MVPs of our high school teams and what started as our Return to Glory Tournament…
…ended with the one-bounce rule.

There was plenty of time for just hanging and chilling out.

Superhero cousins

Is it just me or does The Pumpkin Man glow orange?

We visited charming Davison Orchard Country Village where the six cousins posed for cheesy family tree photos.

Touched the sky.Toured the beautiful orchards on a “Johnny Popper Apple Train,” sitting in authentic apple bins as we were pulled by an antique John Deere Tractor.

And we bought jams, syrups, fudge, cobbler, fruit and lots of pies from the Country Market.

Aunt Sue and her pies

We had plenty of cousin time and on the last day, I asked cousin Connor (the blonde in the middle) if he had a good vacation.

“I’m glad I don’t have sisters” was his only reply.

Of course, a family reunion isn’t complete without family photos. Do you know those people who color coordinate and micro-manage every last detail of their perfect pictures? We are not those people. We were unshowered. Unmatching. Unclothed.

Grandkids

The menfolk

The “winners” of the unshowered club

And I wouldn’t have them any other way.Thanks to my awesome family for letting us soar with them this summer.

Filed Under: Canada, Family, Family travel, Humor, travel

Calgary: My Home and Native Land

August 1, 2014 By

Bode and I have just returned from a 3,000-mile roadtrip that covered two countries and 8 states–and that’s not including the 4-day jaunt I did out to California for BlogHer while the kids stayed behind with Grandma in Salt Lake City.

Can you say whirlwind?

What made this trip particularly taxing was Jamie usually drives at least one leg of it with me but he flew in and out of Vernon, B.C. to save time so that meant I spent 50+ hours driving with the kids.

Hadley is staying in Utah for another week with Grandma and they’ll all be driving out here next week for Bode’s baptism and then school starts the following week.

Can you say whirlwind? (Sensing a theme here?)

We had a great time in my hometown Calgary and I only wish we could have stayed longer. For six blissful days, we played in the mud pits, played and biked in Fish Creek Provincial Park, terrorized the neighborhood on the golf carts and raided the Bulk Barn’s 4,000 bulk products. My mom was generous and let the kids have at it and she paid for a lot of food.

Me: “I can’t believe we spent almost $100 in candy!”

Cousin Connor: “Is that so wrong?”

For my mom’s birthday, she requested we go to Peter’s Drive-in, an iconic eatery infamous for their shakes.

Hadley, Bode, Jaxson, Connor and Grandma

One of the reasons we go to Calgary in early-July is so we can hit the Calgary Stampede. This ten-day event bills itself as “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth” and features one of the world’s largest rodeos, a parade, midway, stage shows, concerts, agricultural competitions, chuckwagon racing and First Nations exhibitions.

The entire city comes to life. Everyone dresses western, parties and there are literally hundreds of free stampede pancake breakfasts setup in parking lots all over the city (SCORE!) For the third year in a row, my friend Stacey and I volunteered serving dinner at the Stampede Roundup.

My sister-in-law Jane’s family was visiting from Washington so we had to hit the midway and finally quit 11 hours later.
Stampede is alllll about the food. While we opted out of the popular scorpion pizza (ewww!) we ate a lot of tasty fare.
How do you say red velvet mini doughnuts covered in cream cheese in Calgarian?  You say OHHHHH YEAH.

I wish we could have stayed in Calgary for a month but our next stop was Vernon, British Columbia. Located in the heart of the Okanagan Valley, this bread basket of Western Canada has hundreds of orchards, fruit stands and glorious lakes. I drove it for the first time in years last summer and I had not realized we needed to go through infamous Banff National Park to get there. This year, I resolved to make at least one detour to glacially-fed Moraine Lake nestled in the Valley of Ten Peaks.

Since we had a long drive, my only intention was to hop out, take a few pictures with the kids and be on our way.

Like that is going to happen in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

“We have to hike up the Rock Pile,” Hadley insisted, pointing to the popular interpretive trail leading up, up, up.

And how those views were worth it.

My new favorite picture

An hour later, we dragged ourselves away, vowing to spend some quality time in this stupendous place next summer.

Gotta tell you, sometimes I miss the Motherland so much it hurts.

Filed Under: Canada, Family travel, Humor, travel

Camp Magic, my zipline freakout and why Bode is never getting married

June 26, 2014 By

My husband Jamie and I have been parents for 10 years and we have never been alone together at our home for more than one night since having kids. So it was a shock for me when we dropped them off for week-long Camp Chief Ouray at YMCA of the Rockies located between Grand Lake and Winter Park.

But not for Jamie. As we were walking away from my daughter’s cabin, we followed the procession of parents to their cars.  “Do you know what all these parents have in common?” he observed. “They’re all smiling.”

And so were the kids. While Jamie and I reconnected with nightly dates, Hadley and Bode had the time of their lives at Colorado’s longest-running overnight camp for boys and girls ages 7-17 where they stayed in rustic cabins as they did archery, camp crafts, swam, rode horses, canoed, hiked, raided the kitchen, camped under the stars one night, gorged on s’mores, had regular devotionals, skits, campfire songs and so much more.

My adventures were only beginning.

CLICK TO KEEP READING


Filed Under: Humor, travel

Go Hawaii: Yes, Please!

June 5, 2014 By

A few weeks ago, the Hawaii Convention and Visitor’s Bureau contacted me and asked for permission to republish my blog post on Maui’s upcountry on their official site, So Much More Hawaii.

Read it here.

Do you think it would seem desperate if I offered to sell everything, move to Hawaii and write for them full-time?

I’m kidding but only sort of.

Filed Under: Family travel, travel

A birthday to remember at The Broadmoor

May 29, 2014 By

If you have done something two years in a row, does that make it a tradition? If so, I’d like to officially declare staying at The Broadmoor our annual Memorial Day/Hadley birthday tradition!

We can all dream, right?

Sure, the weather didn’t cooperate but we still had a fabulous time at this iconic AAA Five-Diamond Resort in Colorado Springs. I mean, how could you not? The gourmet food is divine at The Broadmoor’s elegant restaurants. When we dined at La Taverne on our first day, they brought Hadley a birthday treat.

“But it’s not even my birthday yet,” she weakly protested.
“Yes, but it is your birthday weekend!” our waitress responded.


She never looked back.

Whoopie Pie celebration while bowling at PLAY

“Mom, my goal is to get to Round 10 of the brunch because I’m 10 years old today.”
“You’ll be sick.”
“I know.”

Birthday brunch

Side note: she made it.

Dissection of a birthday girl: cute green dress from Aunt Lisa, cowboy boots for horse camp from Mom, volleyball from Dad, new purse and wallet from the family and some classic books from Aunt Sue.

And nothing says brotherly love like Bode who constructed a birthday “H” for Hadley on Minecraft.

The weekend was non-stop fun. There was Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and hiking Cheyenne Canyon. Then, we were the very first group to participate in The Broadmoor’s new summertime activity, Laser Tag, on the croquet lawn. Uncle Chris joined us for our vacation and the man will become legend in Broadmoor Laser Tag circles because, as one admiring tween stated, “That guy has to be a professional hunter.” Translation: he “killed” us all every time.

I was unsure how laser tag would work outdoors but we were outfitted with paint-balls guns that had CO2 canisters or battery-operated guns for the littles.

Laser tag with Uncle Chris


Is it just me or does Hadley look a little bit too comfortable with that gun?

Everyone had a blast except Jamie who had to leave early when an old pumpkin injury started bleeding.

I wish I was joking.

The pool was, as always, glorious!

Hadley playing the “you have to go down the slide because it’s my birthday” card with Uncle Chris

The highlight of our lives (not really exaggerating) is a poolside cabana but remember that uncooperative weather?  We weren’t able to spend very much time at the pool but still toughed it out.

If you can call anything at The Broadmoor “tough.”

We drowned our inclement-weather sorrows in a lot of food by trying their new Italian Ristorante and Bar Del Lago. With delicious family-style portions, we started with a selection of antipasti and finally stopped two hours later with Bombolini (fried pastries) and Cannoli.
Jamie is not smiling because this was taken near the end of the meal and he was literally too full to try.

Of course, we always pose for family pictures by Cheyenne Lake.


Roast s’mores.

Order room service for breakfast.

And relish every single moment at The Broadmoor as if it is our last.

Room with a view

Happy birthday, Hadley!

Filed Under: birthday, Bode, Colorado, Family travel, Foodie, Hadley, Humor, travel Tagged With: , ,

Colorado Springs: Fat Giraffes and a Cheyenne Canyon hike all my own

May 28, 2014 By

The Broadmoor is a AAA Five-diamond resort that has all the makings of a perfect family vacation with gourmet food, superb service, breathtaking grounds, a fun pool and waterslide and so much more. But during our visit over Memorial Day weekend, the weather did not only fail to cooperate, it was downright irascible (think clouds, heavy rain and hail in the afternoons/evening) and we had to alter our activities.

So, instead of lazily lounging poolside the entire time, we actually left the resort to explore Colorado Springs.

Which isn’t a bad thing.

We hopped on the resort’s complimentary shuttle and headed to nearby Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. As the United States’ only mountain-side zoo, this translates into some steep walking to see the 550 animals but who am I to complain about hiking with views like this?

Their new Encounter Africa exhibit is top-notch and I love that the exhibits at this zoo are really experiential. From the Budgie Buddies Exhibit where you can purchase seed to feed the birds….

…to their famous giraffe exhibit where you can actually feed them and yep, their tongues are kind of creepy.

Side note: The giraffes have gone “green.” The last time we were at the zoo, we fed them crackers but it turned out they were getting too fat so now the zoo sells lettuce.

On Memorial Day, we hopped on The Broadmoor’s complimentary shuttle to Starsmore Discovery Center at the mouth of Cheyenne Canyon.  I regularly hike this area (remember my recent adventures with the bear and the gun-toting Tennessean?) and it is truly one of my favorites. Denver has a lot of great urban hikes but nothing even compares to the Columbine Trail.

I was completely alone at dawn (a rarity on a holiday weekend) and convinced  the family they needed to return with me later that morning to explore. The kids enjoyed the Starsmore Discovery Center’s interesting dioramas, hands-on nature exhibits and programs and I was fascinated by the flood relief efforts (much of the area was badly damaged).

There are three trailheads (lower, mid and upper) that are accessible from the main road up Cheyenne Canyon. Lower Columbine Trail is perfect for families as it moderately winds along North Cheyenne Creek in a red rock evergreen wonderland.

I spy Hadley scaling a precipitous mountain

Hadley won’t go near a rock-climbing wall (I hate them, too) but if there is a rock wall to be free-climbed, she is there. Because really, who needs safety precautions like harnesses and ropes?

Apparently not Hadley. Above is a picture of her mid-climb. A few minutes later, I made her turn back because, though she was doing a great job shimmying up the steep wall, I foresaw big trouble trying to get down.

Basically, I was just trying to save my own hide. And assure she made it to her 11th birthday.

Stay tuned tomorrow for all our fun 10th birthday festivities at The Broadmoor!

 

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Hadley, Humor, travel

Adventures summiting the highest dune in North America

May 22, 2014 By

Visiting the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve has been on my bucket list but if I’m being honest, it’s closer to the bottom for two reasons.

1) It is located in the middle of nowhere 4 hours southwest of Denver.
2) If you will recall, I hate sand.

So, how exactly does a sand-adverse gal fall in love with a sandbox-on-steroids that is approximately 30 square miles while chaperoning 20 squirrelly fourth graders?

Simply stated: This delicate and complex dune system is breathtakingly wild, remote and awe-inspiring. The 150,000-acre dunes rise 750 feet from the floor of the San Luis Valley on the western base of the snow-capped Sangre de Cristo Range. I’ve never explored anything quite like it.

Hadley’s class spent the morning at the park’s Visitor Center watching a 20-minute movie about the formation of the dunes and then testing out the interactive exhibits like the video microscope, rock/mineral table and lightning tube.

Following lunch, we began our adventure with the intention to climb to the top of High Dune, the tallest in North America. Prior to reaching the dunes, we needed to cross Medano Creek. The length and time that Medano Creek flows depends on the amount of winter snowmelt.  Typically, the creek starts to flow in late March or April, with peak flow in late May but in drought years it dries up much earlier. The water was only a few inches at its deepest but judging from the beach party, I could have sworn we landed in California.

Our creek traverse to the dunes. My favorite picture of the trip

The kids had the time of their lives running, jumping, rolling and flipping in their sandy playground. I was exhausted just watching them (sounding like the old woman that I am).

Jump! (Hadley in blue)

I’ve hiked in numerous circumstances–paved, dirt, shale, boulder fields but never steep and deep sand.  For every two steps we took, we sank and slid back one.

That’s a nice way of saying some people thought they were going to die.

But not Hadley. She went barefoot (not recommended in the summer because the sand gets hot) and I’m telling you that girl of mine was a beast climbing those peaks. She completely blew the other girls (and me) away and after an hour, she was the second person to arrive at the first peak just after J.D., the class athlete.

Steeeeep.

 

Steeeeep Part 2

“She’s like a gazelle,” observed Hadley’s teacher Mrs. Price who, at 7 months pregnant, was quite impressive herself.

First kids to the first ridge–Hadley, J.D., Noel and Terran

Most of the kids from the class made it to that first ridge.

The wind was howling, sand was whipping and we were about to turn back when we had a momentary reprieve from the conditions–just long enough for a handful of the crazies to keep hiking another half-hour and summit High Dune, the tallest in North America.

High Dune Summit Group with Mrs. Price

Dunes for miles

My favorite part of the day was watching Hadley kick butt. My second favorite was going down. On our ascent, we never hiked straight up but instead took indirect zig-zag routes along the ridge lines. Our descent was a straight shot down steep slopes and I’ll be darned if it didn’t feel like I was a kid again as I barreled down a powder playground.

I got a kick out of how competitive the kids were. After we separated from the main group to climb High Dune I surged ahead, knowing full well the kids would be passing me up on the steeps. I overheard J.D. telling everyone, “OK, if Hadley’s mom is first, she won’t count. Does everyone agree?”

NO, I DID NOT.

For the record, I came in fourth.

Not that I was counting.

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Hadley, Humor, travel Tagged With: , ,

Chaperoning at the Great Sand Dunes (but not the gators)

May 21, 2014 By

First, there was Mesa Verde National Park.

Then, there was Spring Kite Farm.

Last week, I chaperoned my third camping trip for Hadley’s class, this time to Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve.

Just look at these views from our campground at San Luis State Park.

There is a lot that goes into pulling off a camping trip with 20 kids. Hadley’s teacher and the chaperones have it down to a science–from our meal planning to pillaging the basement of the school’s Great Hall that is chock full of camping gear (how cool is that?) But something you can’t pre-plan is exactly what we got: snow. And a lot of it. Hadley’s teacher wisely pushed the trip back a day but temperatures were still below freezing at night, causing some parents to panic.

I posted this rant on Facebook: “I totally get that we want our kids to have a smooth-sailing life but when did we become so overprotective that we shelter them from reaching beyond their comfort zones? If it’s too cold, too hot, too dirty, too contentious, or just too hard, we pamper them and bow out citing they can’t handle it. Some of my kids’ shining moments have been when they work through their struggles and realize they CAN do that which they never dreamed possible. ‘Hard’ can be life’s greatest teacher.”

Last summer when Hadley went to overnight camp, she refused to take the warm sleeping bag I told her to and froze her butt off the night they had to sleep under the stars–cried all night. Of course, as a mom I felt horribly for her but my gosh if she didn’t learn invaluable lessons from it and is such a rock star with preparing for the cold now. She was among the hardiest campers in her class.

What I’m saying: suck it up, parents, and don’t be afraid to let your kids tough it out.

The Gators

Another way to toughen them up? Take them to the Colorado Gators Reptile Park and let them hold a real-life alligator.

Note: this challenge does not apply to parents because we need to survive long enough to take care of our tough children.

The gator park was a short distance from the sand dunes but felt like a world away.  This 80-acre ramshackle farm has become an educational sanctuary for overgrown alligators and other reptiles like large pythons, tortoises, iguanas and other exotic animals like peacocks and ostriches. It was a stinky facility but downright fascinating to watch Elvis, a Godzilla-of-an-alligator, gobble a huge hunk of beef like it was a mosquito.

There were plenty of mid-size gators as well. In the middle of them was a comment box for people to submit their complaints. Gotta love gator humor.

Side note: For just $100, you can take alligator wrestling lessons. It’s like they were totally reading my mind.

The Drama

I love chaperoning Hadley’s class camping trips because I see a completely different side of her when she’s in her element with all her friends.

Campfire reading

Piggy back rides with her friend London

Let me tell you, navigating fourth grade is tricky. She has always been equally comfortable hanging out with boys and girls.

But now, the innuendos are starting. She spent some time hanging out with a boy we’ll call Harry. They were having a lot of fun but then another girl (whom we’ll call Andrea) jealously watched the two of them. When they separated, Andrea approached Harry and with a forced casualness asked, “So, do you like Hadley?”

Poor Harry was taken aback and muttered something like “no, we’re just friends” but already the wheels are turning for the clueless boys as the more-mature girls are already jockeying for position.

It’s only going to get better from here, folks.

 Tomorrow: stay tuned for our adventures summittng the tallest dune in North America!

 

 

 

Filed Under: Family travel, Hadley, Humor, travel

Our beloved ward family in Maui

May 6, 2014 By

Upcountry view from the church grounds

I regularly fall in love with destinations but Maui was different–it felt like we belonged. Two months later, I’m still moderately obsessed with buying a second home on the Valley Isle (P.S. Our dream home is still on the market. Why have you not bought it so we can come visit?)

I was reminded just how small the world really is and how connected we all are.  We’d only been in Maui a few days when we attended the Pukalani Ward in the upcountry. Shortly after I won the trip to Maui, I started researching activities. I also took to Instagram for real photos from locals and somehow happened upon an LDS mom Malia. I was inspired by her self-sustained country lifestyle, gorgeous photography and the way she captures the simple beauties in life.

We corresponded a few times and she casually mentioned that her ward was the best on Maui. As the trip drew closer, I Googled it and was pleased to see it was in what is known as Maui’s “upcountry” and its location made a lot of sense. We would drive an hour to get there from Napili, go to church 9 a.m.-noon, lunch at Kula Lodge and take a Sunday drive to Haleakala Crater. I also loved it was off-the-beaten path because I wanted my kids to have a more authentic Hawaiian church experiences vs. being in a ward near the beach that was constantly overrun by tourists.

Since Malia and I had only corresponded a few times, I didn’t want to appear like a stalker who just shows up at someone’s ward so I was undecided whether I should approach her. During the whole meeting, her beautiful 8-year-old daughter kept smiling at me, later saying, “I just felt like I knew you.”

That’s how this entire ward felt for me. Here’s the great thing about being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Literally anywhere you go in the world, you have a ward family. Of course, every congregation has varying degrees of closeness but I’ve never experienced anything like the Pukalani Ward. Call it the “Aloha” spirit but I call it the most loving, welcoming group of people I’ve ever met.

Sacrament meeting was lovely and there were plenty of Hawaiian touches such as the ward choir and leadership who wore Kukui Nut Leis. As soon as the first meeting was over, I looked up and there was Malia. “Are you?…” And I assured her I was. (She recognized my hair–shocker). We hugged and I was grateful she didn’t make me feel like it was weird that I was there. We dropped the kids off in Primary, went back to hear Malia’s great lesson where we talked about the state of the world and she called upon me to share some insights. Her husband, not knowing us from Adam, came over a few minutes into the lesson and whispered to us, “Are you Bode’s parents? He’s a really cool kid.” Again, such unsolicited kindness.

It was their ward conference so the final meeting was taught by the stake leadership. We waited…and waited before the person teaching mentioned they were waiting for the pianist to show up. “Do we have anyone else who can play?”  Jamie glanced at me. I shrugged. I wasn’t about to volunteer in a ward that wasn’t my own but Doug, a hilarious podiatrist we had met, called out, “Sister Johnson can play,” and then a few people chimed in supporting him and before I knew it, I was getting volunteered to perform a song I’d never played in my life in a ward that was not my own.

Let’s just say it was memorable.

After the meeting, we dashed out to collect the kids and Malia came after us. “A few families are getting together at a potluck later today and we’d love to invite you,” she generously offered. How could we turn down that kind of opportunity? Doug later told us he was going to invite us as well but we had slipped out before he could catch us.

Jamie, the kids and I lunched at the gorgeous Kula Lodge and spent a memorable afternoon driving to the top of 10,023-foot Haleakala.

We were to meet Malia and company at the beautiful Pulehu LDS Chapel.  Although the chapel is not an official church historical site (and is no longer used for anything except for informal gatherings and firesides), it is the oldest LDS church building still standing in Hawaii and one of the first permanent structures completed by the church in Hawaii.

Pulehu LDS Chapel

A lava rock wall surrounds the grounds now and there is a stone monument with a marker that reads: “ERECTED BY THE LDS HAWAIIAN MISSION IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH IN HAWAII. NEAR THIS SPOT THE FIRST BAPTISM (PALE) WAS PERFORMED AND THE FIRST BRANCH OF THE CHURCH ORGANIZED IN 1851 BY GEORGE Q. CANNON AND JAMES KEELER.”

We spent the evening on the chapel’s verdant grounds and it was magic. Malia and her gracious family. Julia with her adorable little boy who is trying to get her novel published. Doug the podiatrist who had us in stitches the whole night. Not literal ones. Though he said plantar-fasciitis people like me keep him in business.

Free backrubs with Hadley’s new besties

Tag at twilight

The kids raced and played on the lawn with their new friends into the golden hour while the adults gathered in the chapel. The get together was intended to introduce everyone to the fiance of one of their dear friends who will be moving to the Mainland. While she played the violin, Kevin played the guitar and we sang hymns in that little chapel–beautiful, reverberating songs of praise, solidarity, love and beauty in a carnival of sound.

Photo: Malia. Just look at that sky out the window

Photo: Malia

As darkness intruded upon our night, we sang “God Be With You ‘Til We Meet Again” before filing out of that blessed chapel. Malia pulled me aside. “Kevin wants to serenade your family with a Hawaiian farewell song.”

Because really, doesn’t everyone get serenaded all the time? The shaky video I shot.

I have saved his song on my iPhone and whenever I’m feeling sad, I listen to it and remember that enchanted evening. As we reluctantly walked back to our car, Bode pointed up. “Mom, look at the stars.” Black velvet draped the heavens as a million stars’ ribbons of light pin-pricked the sky.

Serenaded by moonlight. Photo: Malia

Malia and I kept in touch for the duration of our vacation and on the final night, we were invited back to Doug and his wife Kristen’s for a farewell dinner with many of the same wonderful people. Their upcountry home has gorgeous views on the 16th fairway (and they actually rent out the other side for just just $129/night).

Fairway tag in Maui’s upcountry

Hadley and Kalena

The kids had a blast playing with their friends all night long as we watched the sun set into the ocean.

I regularly fall in love with destinations  but this trip was different: we truly fell in love with the people.

How grateful I am for experiencing a little slice of Maui heaven.

Filed Under: Family, LDS, travel Tagged With:

Family Travel: 4 family-friendly resorts on Maui

May 2, 2014 By

A room with our favorite view at Napili Kai

One of the advantages of winning a trip to Maui was staying at four resorts. It was also the disadvantage. But despite being on-the-go every two nights, our nomadic lifestyle gave us the opportunity to visit various parts of the island and discover what properties worked best for us.

Each was family-friendly but that was where the similarities stopped. Napili Kai Beach Resort was the most budget-friendly and had our favorite views. All of the accommodations at the Honua Kai Resort & Spa are luxury suites overlooking the world-famous North Kaanapali Beach. Travaasa’s experiential resort in remote Hana was dripping with beauty, relaxation and on-site activities. The Fairmont Kea Lani’s only all-suite and villa luxury oceanfront resort on the white sands of Wailea’s Polo Beach looked like it had been plucked out of a scene from Arabian Nights.

It was the best of four worlds. CLICK TO KEEP READING

Filed Under: Family travel, travel Tagged With:
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