A Travellerspoint blog

5 Gals take on Historic, Haunted, Holy Charleston

sunny 72 °F

Girls’ trips are a special kind of awesome. Five ladies + three nights + one new city = lots of fun stories and memories. Cheers to eating, drinking, shopping, sightseeing, bonding, meeting new people, and experiencing new things.

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Let’s go!

Travel Day – we are usually on the first flight out in the morning, but since some of us had plans the night before, we opted for a 1 PM departure, which ended up being delayed by two hours. No matter. Airport prosecco cures all. Plus free drinks on the plane for the inconvenience.

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Once we landed, we hailed an Uber, made a quick pit stop at Harris Teeter for snacks and wine, then checked into our awesome rental in the French Quarter to settle in briefly, change and freshen up, and try to make our sunset reservation at Fleet Landing.

I found a true gem of a place in a quaint courtyard (Lodge Alley) nestled between State Street and East Bay Drive, complete with lush foliage, a fountain, and gas lanterns. This townhome was beautifully restored and updated while maintaining its historic charm. It was well stocked and every detail thought of. Plus, it had a private outdoor area and balcony. And the location could not be beat. Walkable to everything. Would absolutely stay here again.

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But back to the matter at hand…making our outdoor sunset reservation. We failed. We got all discombobulated trying to get the lay of the land and ended up going in the wrong direction. No matter, they still seated us, only inside as opposed to outside. The outdoor view is the main reason to visit I've heard. The food was good, but nothing to write home about.

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One of the fab five decided to call it a night while the rest of us headed out to enjoy the best night of vacation - the first night…when the whole trip still stretches out before you. Plus, it was the warmest evening, so we took advantage and hit the rooftop bar at the Vendue, just across the street. Wonderful views.

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We still weren’t ready to call it a night, so we decided to check out the Palmetto as we walked by. Great choice. Swanky bar with delicious espresso martinis.

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The next morning dawned bright and clear, and after coffee and showers, we set off for a bit of sightseeing before our brunch reservation at Poogan’s Porch. First up, a stop at Waterfront Park to see the pineapple fountain, but it was pretty crowded, so we opted to start strolling toward Poogan’s while admiring the architecture along the way. Note - the uneven sidewalks and cobblestone streets may pose a challenge to wedge-wearing klutzes like me.

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We passed a very popular, cute place called Harken, enroute to our destination. Never made it there, but it’s on my list when I return. We arrived to Poogan’s a bit early, so we had a morning beverage at the bar.

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Once we were seated it was hard to decide what to order. Everything sounded so good. And the meal did not disappoint. We sampled honey drizzled biscuits, buttery grits, omelets, fried green tomatoes, a smothered chicken fried pork chop, crispy chicken sandwich, fried potatoes, pimiento cheese with bacon jam…and the piece de resistance, and the favorite cocktail of the trip - the lavender martini.

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We continued our walking tour and stopped at the Pink House - the oldest home in Charleston.

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Then Rainbow Row and King Street shopping.

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Finally, a pit stop at Blind Tiger to enjoy the sunshine.

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This evening was our Ghost Tour, so we headed home to drop off our purchases, change clothes and shoes, and have a snack. Then we made the short walk to Henry’s where the Nightly Spirits Haunted Pub Tour was to begin. We grabbed a drink and waited for our fellow tour-mates to arrive. Once our group of 12 was assembled, we listened to our tour guide, Blaiksley, provide some general haunted history of Charleston and also about Henry’s, which was home to its own spirits.

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Then we set off to see and hear stories about many haunted sites including graveyards, cemeteries, churches, houses, and a “hanging tree.” We learned some really cool and interesting things, but it had been a while since we had partaken, so our friend, Leslie (aka Randi, which is the name she gave for the tour) said loudly in her legit Southern drawl...”when’s the next bar stop?” She apparently voiced the opinion of the collective group, and everyone started chanting “RANDI! RANDI! RANDI!” Blaiksley soon steered us toward the Blind Tiger for some hydration.

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Then more spooky stories and legends before ending at the Griffon Pub, where we hung our dollar bill and consummated our friendship with the majority of the group. One couple we never did see again though…

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Our newfound friend group headed to the Vendue rooftop and then over to Palmetto. We were having so much fun we forgot to have dinner. Shout out to Bronwyn, Brittany, and Katie! Thankfully, we had lots of leftovers and Harris Teeter charcuterie makings in the fridge.

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We woke to another lovely morning. We took our time getting ready then decided to have breakfast at Millers All Day. I had heard great things about this place. So had everyone else apparently, because even on a Monday, the wait was an hour long.

It’s a cute 50’s style diner with delicious food and tasty beverages. Get the prickly pear mimosa.

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After we were sufficiently full, we walked back to Waterfront Park and popped into a couple of cute shops along the way. I vowed to go back to the pineapple yet again at sunset, but that never happened.

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We decided to finish up shopping on King Street by way of the Charleston City Market. We wandered through four blocks of flea market type craft and shopping stands.

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Then we noticed the lovely grounds of the Charleston Place Hotel, so we had to stop. The lobby is gorgeous and smells divine.

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Camelia’s (the fancy, sparkly, pink champagne bar) in the Hotel Bennett was on my list so we headed there next. But it wasn’t open. However, the pretty blue Fiat Lux rooftop bar was. We admired the views and had a cocktail.

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Next up was Ritual. Another rooftop establishment. And thankfully it was now happy hour time. Best thing by far on the menu was the bartender, Jason!

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Then we moved along to Pearlz Oyster Bar. This was one of the two best deals we found during the trip. $3 glasses of champagne during happy hour. Yes, please! And it was good too. On par with the $18 glass I had at Fiat Lux. And the corn fritters were amazing. Somehow, we took no photos here.

Lavender martinis were calling our name, so we headed to Poogan’s Smokehouse (sister restaurant of Poogan’s Porch).

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The BBQ smelled so good, but we had decided on 167 Raw for sushi, so after our drink, we made then walk in the opposite direction. Only to find that it was tiny and booked, even at 9 PM. Everyone was getting hangry and feet were hurting so we took a chance at The Habit which was still serving food, thankfully. We dined on the rooftop even though it was chilly. Lovely spot, and we had it all to ourselves. Smash burgers and tuna poke for all. But not before an app and the highlight of the meal, poutine - crispy fries, pulled pork, savory gravy and cheese curds. The espresso martini here, however, did not live up to expectations.

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After taking our leftovers back to the house, four of us decided dessert was in order. We had been eyeing up Carmela’s across the street since we arrived. The boozy Death by Chocolate shake and the chocolate peanut butter cake hit the spot.

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We ended the night with a rousing game of “Bad Choices” at the dining room table before falling into bed.

Tuesday was departure day, but not until 7:30 PM, so we had a company called BagValet collect our luggage at the house in the morning and deliver it to the airport when we arrived that evening. Wonderful service and company. Highly recommend.

Before we checked out of 46 F State Street, we tidied up, ate some leftovers for breakfast, took the trash out, and set out for the day.

We poked in and out of the shops along either side of the City Market. These were a step above most of the market vendors yet not as bougie as the King Street stores. The scent coming from and the sign saying “free samples” at Byrd’s Famous Cookies beckoned us in. Needless to say, we all bought some of these tasty little delights. Don’t miss it.

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More shopping, fresh praline samples, then lunch. We decided on Port of Call, an adorable little courtyard area with a pineapple stand, food hall, outdoor bar, and colorful tables set amongst majestic trees. Perfect choice. The eatery winner was the “design your own” charcuterie box place. Here we also found the other best deal in Charleston - $9 mimosa carafes all day, every day (Bummed we discovered this place at the end of the trip!) And they were good too - served up by another cute and sweet bartender named Dustin. I asked him to go light on the OJ and he said that’s the only way he makes them. Good man. I’m sure this spot would be even nicer in the evening with all of the twinkling lights that were strung everywhere.

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Side note - each day as we wandered around town, we would get a whiff of unpleasantness which we finally determined was horse urine. So many horse carriage rides in this city. I understand it’s a novelty, but the horses looked miserable, and it made me sad. Not an activity I would ever support. Another side note – I loved how dog friendly Charleston is. There are dogs everywhere, and it was awesome.

Now it was time to hail an Uber to Firefly Distillery. That was a debacle, but finally we were on our way. We arrived just in time for the 2 PM tasting. We sampled vodkas, bourbons, and moonshines. The unanimous favorite was the lemonade vodka, sold only at the distillery. The seasonal moonshines were also very good – caramel, pecan, apple pie.

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Then of course a photo op...

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We ordered some cocktails and enjoyed them on the patio.

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We visited the history room then perused the extensive merch shop. They sure did make some money on us.

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Sadly, it was time to call an Uber and start the journey home. We had a memorable and whirlwind long weekend. I would like to return at some point so see and do the things we didn’t have time for this trip - such as trying certain restaurants like High Cotton, touring a plantation, going to Sullivan’s Island, and checking out the Shem Creek Boardwalk - and revisit some favorite spots. But the next low country visit for me will probably be Savannah, GA. So much Southern charm to be discovered.

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Posted by Out_of_Office 15:32 Archived in USA Comments (0)

But Did We Die? Our Escapades in Exuma 😎

High School Graduation Trip 🎓

sunny 88 °F

The Exumas – one of the Bahamas Out Islands chains, consisting of 365 cays, and home to the most magical, translucent turquoise waters. Simply mesmerizing. It had been a while since we laid eyes on it and dove through it, so when we asked Ellie where she wanted to go for her high school graduation trip, she immediately said Exuma. We were originally going to head back to our favorite spot, Staniel Cay, but decided to try something new, a little further south in the chain. Great Exuma.

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The thought of staying on a remote island off a remote island sounded appealing, so I booked a cottage on Stocking Island, only accessible by boat. I had also considered a house on Hooper’s Bay, and in hindsight, should have chosen this option. February Point was another place we looked into, and it would have been great as well. In theory, the cottage (which is part of the Peace & Plenty resort on the mainland), would have been perfect for us, but we ran into some issues.

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And no trip would be complete without some mishaps. Keeps life interesting and makes trips memorable.

Let’s start this story from the week prior to takeoff though. I was breathing a sigh of relief, because during the first half of June, the island received 14 straight days of rain, and flooding was very bad. But low and behold, an early season hurricane was brewing in the Atlantic, Bret. Then an unprecedented second storm formed on its heels, Cindy. Thankfully, one went south of the Bahamas and the other veered Northeast.

June 26 - Travel Day – one of the smoothest to date. We flew from DC to Miami to George Town on American.

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We picked up a beater Corolla from Thompson’s across the street from the airport, and we were on our way. Thankfully, our cottage was ready early so once we checked in at Peace & Plenty, we dragged our luggage down to dock to wait for the boat shuttle. A quick 5 minute ride across Elizabeth Harbor and we were at Stocking Island. By the time we hauled our stuff up the rocky path to our place, we were all drenched in sweat and ready for a dip in the sea.

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The Royal Poinciana Cottage was perched on a hill overlooking the water and beach club. Lovely view. And it was decorated very nicely. But it was definitely rustic. And only had AC in the bedrooms. This is a common setup in the islands, and we are used to it, but boy did that living area heat up. It was sweltering. Even for me, and I like it hot. It lacked the cross breezes which help keep the air circulating. No matter, the bedrooms were cool and the beds were comfy. The water pressure was lacking, but we would make do.

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We donned our suits and headed down to the beach. Two friendly sting rays hang out here and love to glide over your feet. And they enjoy when you feed them scraps from the conch stand. We grabbed some rum punches and the girls got the drink of the day “Exuma Blues.” Ellie and her bestie were excited to be able order cocktails from the bar since the drinking age is 18 in the Bahamas.

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For lunch we tried the conch salad, a burger, and wings. All very good, especially the conch.

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We listened to music and relaxed a bit before Mark and I caught the next boat over to mainland to get some beverages from the market for the room. The girls stayed on the beach. George Town is a small town with a few restaurants and bars, small grocery store, liquor stores, straw market, a couple of shops, a pretty church, a government building, and a gas station. We arrived back at P&P about a half hour before the next boat shuttle was scheduled to depart, so we sat at Doc’s for a drink and chatted it up with some folks. Meeting new people is one of the best parts about traveling.

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Once back at the cottage, we peeked in the girls’ room, and they were both snuggled under the covers fast asleep in their icebox. We did have to wake up at 2:30 am, after all. After they woke, they mentioned that washing hair was a challenge due to lack of water pressure. We had planned to go to The Beacon for dinner (the only restaurant on Stocking Island, aside from Snappy Turtle which would have required a boat) but while it looked very nice, the menu was extremely limited and offered unusual items which we didn’t think the girls would go for. Had it been just us, we would have eaten there. So, we decided to head back over to the mainland and take the car to Splash (on Palm Bay) for a casual meal.

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  • * But did we die? - take 1** As we were still trying to get the lay of the land, we made a wrong turn out of George Town, so, since no cars were coming, Mark decided to do a quick 3-point turn. At point 2, a car came speeding up and almost t-boned us. Cat-like reflexes by both drivers ensured that we did not meet our demise at this time. But boy was I freaked out and shaken up.

Alas, we arrived at Splash. Note - every single restaurant was always out of multiple menu items. It is a remote island and supply deliveries are limited, so this is to be expected. Except for the places that change their menu daily based on what is caught and what they have. These are the best places. We ordered a seafood pizza (conch, shrimp, and lobster – delish), honey garlic wings, and calamari. Nice evening boat ride to get back, then we called it a night. The best feeling is having your whole vacation stretched out ahead of you.

June 27 – first full day on island and Mark’s 55th birthday. We woke early as we always do on vacation to enjoy coffee on the deck and review our plans for the day. Mark and I decided to do a little exploring before the girls woke up. Plan was to take the trail over and across Stocking Island to get to the Atlantic side. Quite the varied trail between sand and palms, rocky terrain, an area that looked like a savannah in Africa, a rainforest with a sunken dock to cross, then a hill with more palms, and finally a view of the ocean. On the way back we noticed the sky starting to darken so we picked up the pace. We got past the rocky part before it started to rain then took off running to take shelter under one of Kahari’s pavilions. It only lasted about 10 minutes then the sun was shining again.

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We took some obligatory photos on the swing then checked out Kahari's beach around the corner. Great snorkeling just off the beach by the buoys.

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Since it was low tide, we walked over to Chat N Chill to see what the fuss was all about. We arrived before they opened which was nice, so we enjoyed the beach and water for a bit. We were informed that the bar would be late in opening because the liquor supply boat hadn’t yet arrived. We contemplated staying for lunch but by the time they got the grills and smokers going and actually opened up, it would be a while, so we decided to head back to the mainland and explore by car.

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I had Santanna’s in my sights. Boy, is that a haul. As is everything, but we got used it. The length of Great and Little Exuma (separated only by a small bridge) is 45 miles. Even if you are only going 20 miles, it seems longer due to the curves, speed limits and all the pot holes. They are no joke. It’s like playing a game of Whack a Mole in reverse.

Totally worth the drive. Great vibe, colorful décor, and stellar views. The girls each got one of their crazy pina coladas. Fun drink, but very messy and melts super quick. For food, Mark and I got jerk chicken, fries, peas and rice, and cole slaw. Delicious. One of my favorite meals of the trip. No pics because we devoured it so fast. The girls each got an order of mango jerk wings. So good. They took a dip while waiting for the food. Lovely beach and gorgeous water.

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Next up was Forbes Hill Beach. I had heard great things, and it did not disappoint. We also ran into a friend I had met on Instagram, who is lucky enough to live there. This was probably my favorite beach on the island. Tied with Pretty Molly. The sand is so soft and fine, just like flour.

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After some limin’, we headed to George Town to catch the water taxi back to Stocking Island so we could get ready for Mark’s birthday dinner at CocoPlum Bistro.

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Girls took their shower first, then it was my turn while Mark went down to the Beach Club to fill our backpack cooler with ice (our cottage didn’t have a freezer either). I turned on the water, and nothing. Not even a trickle. I called the concierge who said they would send someone over. Finally, I got a trickle. I did the best I could (there would be no hair washing today). I also emailed the resort asking if we could be switched to another room as this was an ongoing issue. Indira responded quickly and said that it would not be a quick fix and they could accommodate us at the mainland hotel. If it was just Mark and I, we would have made do, but with four people (two of whom have a lot of hair), we decided to consider moving. They could offer us a 2-bedroom garden view. I told her I’d need to see if first and we would have to discuss. I paid for and wanted an oceanfront view. She called back a few minutes later and said they could offer us two separate waterfront units. Sold.

But the priority now was rushing to make our dinner reservations, so we hurried down to the dock for the 5:30 PM boat. Learning moment. You need to arrive much earlier since that it the busiest boat run because the beach club closes at 5 and everyone is trying to get a ride back. They were already overloaded so we waited for him to come back (thankfully we didn’t have to wait for the next scheduled shuttle at 6:30. He came right back. But we were still cutting it close). We quickly checked out one of the rooms and told the manager that we would plan to move in early the next day as we had a scheduled activity that morning. She suggested we move that night. Ugh. That was going to be a lot of work, but we decided we would rather get it over with and wake up in our new space.

But first, dinner. This evening we were heading North to Cocoplum Bistro. We really enjoyed this restaurant. Small, but very cute. And great food. The grads started with a Bahama Mama and Sex on the Beach. This was such a novelty for them to be able to order cocktails. And expensive for us! For our meal, Mark ordered the lobster thermidor and rest of us had poke bowls. Then a banana split for dessert.

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We could see the sky turning pink so after dinner we headed to the beach for some sunset shots. What a gorgeous evening.

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Then reality set in. We made it back to P&P for the 9 PM boat. Once on Stocking, we told the captain we would probably need at least a half hour to pack up and get back to the dock. He told us he would pick us up at 10. You would have thought there was prize money involved as fast as we shoved everything back into suitcases, beach bags, coolers, and a trash bag. Not to mention all of the beer and wine we had just lugged over the day before, that now had to be schlepped back. 15 minutes! We carried as much as we could so we (meaning the girls) only had to make one trip. Down several set of stairs, then bumped along the rocky, hilly path down to the dock. But Mark, the mule, had to go back to get the worst of it while we watched over our stuff. I wish I had a photo. That poor man. He was loaded down like a sherpa and completely soaked with sweat.

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The boat guys helped us get everything on board and then back out again. Then we had an even bigger set of stairs to haul everything up. No matter. We were almost home free (cue the foreshadowing). The cool old bar was buzzing as it was karaoke night, but there would be no fun for us.

I got the keys and the girls scurried off to their room. We were on the second floor, so we had another set of stairs to deal with. I opened the room and was greeted with a blast a warm sticky air. The unit was set to 72 just at the girls was (and their room felt great). Something was not right. And the floor was all wet. Mark surmised that they must have just mopped. Nope. Condensation from all of the humidity was pooling across the entire floor. Mark started to unpack his clothes and re-load the mini fridge. Not me. I sensed another room change. But we had planned to stick it out for the night as it was late. We had to sop up the water though, and I didn’t want to use our two bath towels, so I went back to the lobby and explained the situation. Indira came up and said we absolutely could not stay in that room and we would have to move to the garden room for the night and then they would find us a new room in the morning. Shoot me.

June 28th - the morning dawned bright and clear, and we were excited about our clear kayak adventure in Moriah Cay Harbor. But not before making one more move. As we were moving out, we noticed a brand new AC unit sitting outside of room #2. This would be our 4th move in 2.5 days. Aside from busted patio chair slings which we swapped out, this room would do just fine. And even if it wasn’t fine, we weren’t moving again. I will say the staff here is great (shout out to the awesome Ash!), and this historic hotel has a lot of potential, but they need to step up their game. We completely understand that shit happens, especially on a small island, but something as simple as checking the room before moving us in would have saved a lot of hassle.

After switching rooms, we decided to have breakfast at Copia in the P&P resort (eh), then we made our way to Ferry Bridge to meet up with TT for our kayak launch. What a delightful woman and entrepreneur. After receiving our instructions and map, off we went. Me and Mark in one kayak and Ellie and Emerson in the other. First stop was a place where sea turtles hang out. We just floated and watched them zip around us. We paddled through some mangroves then into a sandbar area where the Lazy River is supposed to be. We weren’t exactly sure where it started or where it went, so we just started exploring a bit. Another family was trying to figure out the same thing. Mark did feel a nice little current for a short time, but then slack tide hit, and it became a “dead asleep” river. Timing is key here. Just before we started paddling out it started to slowly pick up. Another man told us that it’s hit or miss. Some days the current comes whipping around from the ocean and other days it doesn’t. Oh well. It was nice and peaceful. And the Atlantic beach side is gorgeous. As we were winding our way back out the other side of the loop, a big stingray swam right under us. The clear kayaks are very cool.

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TT also made a keychain for Ellie and Em commemorating their graduation. Such a nice touch. And a wonderful memento of the trip.

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Everyone was starving so we decided to hit up Tropic Breeze. Another great lunch spot with amazing views and a beach.

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Then off to check out Tropic of Cancer Beach. I was surprised at the number of people on this beach. And there is now a bar in the little pavilion leading to the beach. Couldn’t even get a photo of the iconic blue line and coordinates. It’s a stunning beach, but a little too busy for me. So, we set off for Pretty Molly Bay. An awesome, calm, secluded beach. Just our speed.

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Dinner tonight was at the Exuma Yacht Club. We were looking forward to no more driving for the day, and listening to some live music. A short walk from P&P, this place has a great vibe. We ordered some cocktails and enjoyed the tunes. Our fave drink here was “Fish Lips” – vodka, strawberry puree, pineapple juice and peach schnapps. Totally making this at home. For eats, we ordered calamari and a variety of their big sushi rolls. Everything was delicious and we all agreed that the calamari was the best we had the entire trip. Ran into Kelly and her daughter again so we chatted for a bit.

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Then a leisurely walk back to enjoy some time on the P&P dock so Mark could have a cigar and an Old Fashioned. The breeze was lovely. Perfect ending to a great day.

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June 29th – Boat day! We walked across the street to pick up our 17’ Whaler from Minn’s to enjoy a day on the water.

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First stop was Man O War Car to relax on the sandbars. Definitely busier than the Staniel Cay/Pipe Creek sand bars, but I guess that’s because that area just has more of them. Or maybe things have changed since last we visited.

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Then we headed to Fowl Cay reef for some snorkeling. And first time trying our new Go Pro. As soon we attached to a mooring ball, a ton of sergeant majors started swimming around the boat. Very healthy coral reef and lots of big fish, plus a big Manta Ray.

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Next up, Sand Dollar beach/Stocking Island sandbar. Very pretty. Storms were popping up all around us but thankfully on this day they missed us completely.

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Time for lunch. We tied up at Snappy Turtle and enjoyed a delicious meal. The cracked conch sandwich was the best we found on island.

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Then we took the short walk over to the Atlantic beach. Beautiful.

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Off to the Beach Club and Spongebob Reef in front of Kahari.

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Starfish Beach and Da Sand Bar was next up.

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A ramschackle but fun bar on a nice beach. The girls left their mark.

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Last stop was Jolly Hall. At least I think was still Jolly Hall. We went to the far end where the palm trees were and dropped anchor. The girls explored a bit while we cooled off in the water.

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  • *But did we die? – take 2** I had just pulled up the anchor and was sitting on the bow as Mark stood up to put the throttle in gear. But as he did, a loop on his shorts somehow hooked onto it, and the boat suddenly revved and took off toward the rocks on shore. The anchor flew back onto me, and I screamed “MMAAAARRRKKKKKKKKKK!!!” – thankfully, his cat-like reflexes once again kicked in and another crisis was averted.

After returning the boat and getting cleaned up, we hopped in the car and headed to Mike’s to pick up a pizza to eat on the beach at sunset. The ladies in there were as sweet as pie, and they invited us to their beer fest in Rolleville Sunday night from 5 PM until dawn!

We walked/slid down the new beach access to Hooper’s. It’s more of a steep wood plank slide with not much for your feet to grip onto. Best to do this with bare sandy feet for some traction. There is a hand rail though. We spread out our towels, poured some wine and dove into our pizzas.

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Then the girls went for a sunset swim.

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Another day in paradise.

June 30 – Debacle day. It started out as a beautiful morning.

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We set out on the long haul to CocoPlum Beach. I knew approximately where the beach access was, but I stopped to ask a local woman who was walking down the street. She said “just ahead, turn at the white can.” We appreciated that advice as the beaches on Great Exuma are not as well marked as those on Little Exuma. We passed a light blue can, but no, we were looking for white. We somehow missed it and asked someone else who had no idea what we were talking about, so we started back. Finally, we saw a white can behind a sign (not a beach sign) and partially covered by a wood enclosure. But it was definitely a white can. This must be it. I was anticipating that this would be a very hairy access road complete with monster potholes and flooding. We were prepared. We started off, and it wasn’t so bad. Until it was. We all stared at the mountainous, crevassed terrain ahead and wondered if it was a good idea to continue. But I knew lots of people do this everyday, so it can’t be that bad. So, we powered on, slow and steady. This beach better be worth it.

  • *But did we die? - take 3 (the car almost did)** I could hear the girls squealing as they were flung around the back seat and then a loud, awful scraping sound, and I was certain that we had ripped the undercarriage of the Corolla completely off. When we finally got on steadier ground, I could see the water below. As we made our way down the hill, I only saw two houses and a private property sign but no parking and no other cars. We ventured a little further and up another adjacent hill and saw a home under construction. So, I walked over and asked one of the workers if this was the right place, and in broken English he said yes, but we still weren’t sure.
  • *But did we die? – take 4** Since this road seemed in much better shape, we decided to look for a better place to park, finding nothing, we came back toward the house and as we were rounding the uphill corner, a black sedan was speeding toward us in reverse. I screamed and told Mark to lay on the horn. He did, and we tried to scoot over but the car kept coming. Then came to a screeching halt right next to us. The guy looked over at us with a big grin and said “I saw you the whole time.” Then he told us we could park on his site. Grateful, we did, and I looked under the car to make sure nothing was amiss. Miraculously, everything was intact. Guess these island cars are used to the abuse.

So we parked, gathered up all our crap, walked down to the beach between two houses and then walked until I found a suitable spot. It was pretty enough but didn’t seem quite right. Mark and I took a walk further down the beach and noticed some people seemingly standing in the middle of the sea. They were at CocoPlum, we were not. My family was not too happy with me for making them pack up again so soon, but oh well. As we headed South, we slowed down at the blue trashcan and upon closer inspection the words Cocoplum were written. Arghhh. I hope that woman got a good laugh!! After having been on the road from hell, the correct access was tame in comparison. There were some deep potholes and flooded out areas but nothing crazy. Finally, we made it. And just as we did, the dark clouds rolled in. And the tide was coming in, Sigh. We took a nice walk on the sandbars but would have to return another time to see this beach in its full glory.

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Time for lunch at Big D’s Conch Spot. What a cute and colorful place. But as soon as we arrived, the skies opened up, so we found a table under cover, ordered lunch and chatted it up with Big D himself. What a great guy. Unfortunately, the food was just okay. The conch at Snappy Turtle was much better. But it’s more about the experience.

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On the way back to the hotel, we decided to stop at Smitty’s for some snacks and drinks. Highly recommend Smitty's...much better selection than in town.

  • *But did we die? – take 5 (It felt like I did)** In my haste to get out of the car in the rain, I slammed my thumb in the door. Holy Mary Mother of God did that hurt. I inspected my smashed appendage, certain half of it was chopped off, then sat in the car alone until I could compose myself. One activity I looked forward to each day after that was sticking a needle into my thumb to release blood and pressure.

Since it was still raining, we did some shopping at Sandpiper and the Straw Market.

We didn’t have any dinner plans this evening, so we decided to try Shirley’s. I had heard nothing but good things. The meal started out fine, but it soon became apparent that our waitress was high as a kite. The girls and I had finished our dinners and Mark hadn’t even gotten his yet. When he asked her about it, she said “I totally forgot about it, what did you order again?”. No matter. His food finally came out. Then she started dropping drinks. We asked for the check, and when she brought it out, she waved it above her head asking everyone in the dining room whose check it was, finally handing it the couple who had just sat down. We took it from them, paid the bill and wished them good luck.

Then some chill time at P&P.

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July 1 – Turtles! But first, we grabbed breakfast at Splash on the way to Hooper’s Bay. Very good. And they have happy hour from 8 am – 9 am. No, we did not partake. Thankfully, we arrived early to the beach, so not many people were there. As we as we walked into the water, an adorable little guy swam up to us. Ellie was giddy with joy. We swam with three turtles and had the best time.

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We relaxed on the beach for a bit then went to pick up some subs from Sugar Scoops.

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Then back to Forbes Hill Beach on Little Exuma. This ranks up there as one of my favorite beaches, along with Shoal Bay East on Anguilla, Salomon Bay Beach on St. John (sadly, Irma wiped this one out), Crescent Beach on Compass Cay, and Valley Trunk on Virgin Gorda. We swam, floated, relaxed, read, and ate our subs with toes in the sand.

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Dinner this evening was at Blu and was Ellie’s official graduation dinner. It was the most upscale restaurant we went to. The service was great, and ambiance and view were lovely. It overlooks Man O War Cay. It was expensive though, and portions were pretty small. We were excited for the cinnamon guava bread budding some friends we had met told us about. But it wasn’t on the menu this evening. Wonderful experience overall.

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Once we got back to P&P, we got a drink in the historic Flagler Room, then played the janky ring toss game and chatted with Trace and Lauren, from Alabama. They were headed home in the morning, but we had one more full day to go.

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July 2 – We were smitten with the beaches on Little Exuma, so we headed back to Pretty Molly Bay in the morning. And we saw TT!

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Once our stomachs started rumbling, we made our way to Rusty Anchor in February Point. I wanted to check this area out anyway. It's a beautiful, colorful villa resort. Bonus, you can keep a boat here. And as I said before, I'd definitely consider staying here next time. Or on Little Exuma. May as well stay close to those spots you find yourself at most. Very tasty lunch – Mahi tacos, tuna poke, and a burger for Mark since they were out of cracked conch.

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Plan was then to catch the boat over to Stocking Island to spend some time at Chat n Chill. But a storm rolled through, so we had to wait it out until it passed. That water is still beautiful and electric blue even when it's storming.

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We were warned about going to C&C on a Sunday, but we did anyway. It was hopping. I preferred the vibe there during the week, but there was some great acoustic music, so we listened to that and played with the stingrays for a while before walking back to the Beach Club for one last drink. The Beach Club is fun, but 1-2 afternoons was enough for us. Between the music choices and some of the clientele, it seemed they were going for more of a Miami feel. We preferred the pristine, laid-back beaches.

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We really wanted to go to the Exuma Yacht Club for dinner again, but they, along with a number of places, were closed on Sundays. So we went back to Splash in hopes of more seafood pizza and calamari. The menu this evening was extremely limited, but we made do. Then headed inside to get away from the bugs and sit at the bar swings.

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The girls took one final swim, then it was time to head back and start packing. Boo.

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July 3 – We had a noon flight, so in the morning, we finished packing, Mark gassed up the car and got the sand out, and we did a little last minute shopping. We gave Copia one more shot for breakfast, and it was very good this time. Super breakfast sandwiches.

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A little history about the Peace & Plenty - Lord Denys Rolle, a British loyalist, seeking to flee Florida after its cession to Spain in 1783, set sail from Savannah, Georgia for Great Exuma on board an English trading ship, Peace and Plenty.

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Uneventful travel day home (except for my explosive sand). I always take water bottles filled with sand home from the islands. This time it was from Forbes Hill Beach since it’s so perfect. It got flagged in Charlotte while going through security. TSA tested it multiple times, then called over two explosives experts who deemed it explosive since it contained chlorides and could be detonated. Hoping this was just a fluke. Ellie’s sand from Hooper’s Bay made it through with no issue.

All in all, it was a great trip. We will be back one day, but have other new places to see, and favorite islands to revisit first.

Until next time!

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General thoughts, observations, and tips:

• Pot holes are a serious issue, especially around George Town and on the beach access roads. Drive slowly and with caution.
• More places took credit cards than I was expecting, but still a good idea to have a lot of cash because the machines do go down regularly.
• The locals are extremely friendly and welcoming. They make the experience great.
• Tips were included in all meal checks.
• This is a day drinking island. There is not much night life if you are looking for that.
• Sun is extremely strong. Bring more sunscreen than you think you will need.
• Bring a Yeti or similar type cup, as ice melts super quick and drinks get watered down. We used our backpack cooler every day.
• I used tap water to make my coffee some mornings and had no issues. Mark only used bottled.
• Great Exuma was busier than I was expecting, relatively speaking.
• Be flexible and patient - island time is a real thing. What's your hurry?
• Don't turn at the white trashcan.

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Posted by Out_of_Office 17:47 Archived in Bahamas Tagged bahamas exuma greatexuma littleexuma Comments (5)

Magnificent Maui Adventure

Summer Vacation in Paradise

sunny 87 °F

As East Coasters and Caribbean Lovers, Hawaii was never too high on our travel list...mainly due to the long flights, and because we are suckers for blinding white sand and gin clear Windex water. But when I stumbled across a great fare to Maui over the winter, I jumped on it. We were looking for a new adventure, and this was it. I’m calling it an adventure because we packed so much in that it could barely be called a vacation!

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I am an avid planner, so it was exciting to research a new spot. Due to all of the advance reservations required for restaurants and activities, and our short timeline (6 nights), I laid out a very detailed itinerary, and it ended up working out well.

On this trip was me, my husband, and our 17 year old daughter. We left BWI airport Wednesday morning, August 10th, had a two hour layover in Dallas, and touched down in Maui at 2:45 PM local time. We flew American and it was the most pleasant flight experience we have had to date. Thankfully no delays or cancellations (as has become the norm), our plane from DFW to OGG was nice and modern, and the crew was great. Best part is they actually gave us real food and free wine! Plus blankets and pillows. The perks of long distance hauls I guess.

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Kahului airport is a nice small size with a Polynesian look. After retrieving our one checked bag (we carried on three as well), we headed to the parking lot to claim our rental car. I reserved a vehicle from Go Rent A Car Maui. The customer service was great, the pick up and drop off system was great, the car itself, not so much. I knew I was getting an older model sedan, but our Camry was a beater. Literally. And the AC barely worked, among other issues. But it transported us all over the island, and that was all that mattered. So if you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on a rental, and are okay with a dented up car that sounds rough, has no Bluetooth, and may have no AC, this is the way to go.

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Soon we were on our way to Aston Ka’anapali Shores. I do all of my own research, planning, and booking, but since our friends own a vacation rental company on Maui, I deferred to them after narrowing down the area in which I wanted to stay. In addition to finding a condo that suited our needs, they were also a wealth of information before and during our stay. For personalized service, a large inventory, and good prices, contact Lisa and Glen at MauiHoliday.com.

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Before leaving the area, we hit up Walmart for snacks and beverages. This is the best option if you want to stock your room and not overpay at the stores in the tourist areas. Also close by were Target and Costco.

Since it was dinner time and we were tired, we ended up grabbing a cocktail and appetizer at the hotel restaurant. The grounds at this resort are beautiful, tropical, and lush. It also has two nice pools (which we never used) and two hot tubs. Then our daughter decided to take a sunset swim in the Pacific. Such a treat having the sunset on the ocean side. We sat on the balcony for a bit then hit the hay as we had a super early wake-up call the next morning.

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Thursday was our visit to Haleakala to watch sunrise above the clouds, overlooking the volcano crater, at 10,000+ feet. Amazing experience. Our alarms chirped at 2:30 AM and we were on the road by 3:00 AM. It’s a long trek from the West side, and then slow and hairy as you wind up the volcano. You must have advance reservations to enter the National Park. We arrived around 4:45 AM, parked and then walked to the edge of the crater to claim a spot by the railing. Then we waited. Sunrise was not until 6:05 AM (of course the sky started getting pretty and colorful just after 5:00 AM). Boy was it chilly. Mid 40s or so. But what a treat the view was. Other-wordly. After the sun rose, we drove another half mile to the summit, but I think the view was better from where we were.

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The ride back down was fun because we could now appreciate all of the views which were shrouded in darkness as we ascended. We also saw four Nene birds (the Hawaiian state bird and one of the rarest creatures on earth, I've read). Mark almost took out two which were in the road, before I screamed at him to stop. They do blend in and looked like small boulders on first glance.

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When we arrived back to the West side, we stopped at a roadside market for a Maui Gold pineapple and dragon fruit. The road leading into Lahaina is very pretty with the tree canopies. We stopped at Baya Bowls for breakfast. So good.

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After we ditched our cold weather clothes and donned our swimsuits, we headed to Kaheliki Beach Park in Ka’anapali. Nice facilities, pretty swaying palms, and a wide beach. It took some getting used to the brown sand, but the water color was lovely.

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When we got hungry, we decided to try to get into Monkeypod in Whaler’s Village (open air, upscale shopping center on the beach). The parking in the one and only garage is a challenge though. After a short 20 minute wait (Mark took advantage and got a new pair of OluKai flip flops from the store across the way), we were seated at a great table with a view of the ocean. First order of business was a Mai Tai. It did not disappoint. Though the drink prices gave me sticker shock (was higher at other restaurants though). Food was delicious...best fish sandwich award. Mark got the kalua pork, pineapple, and jalapeno pizza which was tasty and unique. Ellie ended up getting a poke bowl from another place in the Village. And it took no time at all for us to start throwing a shaka in lieu of a wave or a thumbs up. Sometimes the bird came out though!

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After our bellies were sufficiently satiated, we stopped by the Sheraton so Ellie could jump off Black Rock. It was packed and the water was rough, but she was determined. And she did it. We decided to come back earlier another day, before it got too crowded and before the winds picked up. We never did because we found a better spot.

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Speaking of wind, we had perfect weather, and it was the same every day, so you knew what to expect. Sunny, relatively calm, and light winds in the morning. There were always clouds hovering over the mountain and volcanoes but rarely did they encroach further. We had a couple of super brief, very light showers during our entire stay (now Hana is a whole other ball of wax which I will discuss later on). In the afternoon, the trade winds always picked up. And each evening we were treated to a lovely sunset and then very pleasant temperatures. Day time temps were in the mid to upper 80s and it cooled off nicely at night. And the humidity wasn’t super high. Can’t complain at all!

Before cleaning up for dinner, we spent a little time on our beach, then I had Ellie hop in the pool for a photo op.

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This evening were headed back to Whaler’s Village (and that delightful garage) for dinner at Leilani’s. Since we arrived a bit early for our reservation, we poked in a few shops (spritzed Mark with some divine Louis Vuitton cologne) then watched the sunset through the palms and tiki torches. Quintessential Hawaii.

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We had a lovely table with a wonderful view. The food was good, not great. But the ambience made up for it.

Friday we headed North to Honolua Bay, Kapalua, and Napili. Goal was to first snorkel at Honolua. But we had a bit of a hard time finding the trail head initially so we ended up at Slaughterhouse Beach first, which is a very nice spot.

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Finally made it to Honolua...the forest leading to the beach is magical.

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The shoreline itself is all rocks and boulders. It was quite crowded. The snorkeling looked to be wonderful. Unfortunately, due to a snorkel equipment malfunction, we never got to see firsthand. We will be back another time.

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Next up was finding the fun Aloha sign that I was told was on the Ritz property in Kapalua. Not one employee knew where it was it was. We eventually located it at Fleming Beach Park adjacent to the Ritz. This was a very nice beach as well. We almost ate at the pricey but pretty Burger Shack (pictured) but opted to stick with my original plan of lunch at the Gazebo in Napili.

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The line was long but we persevered. It’s a small but cute place with a great location. Food was fine but didn’t live up to the hype. After lunch we explored the ironshore and then walked over to Napili Bay for some beach time. At the South end, there are apparently a lot of turtles..and we heard an employee hollering at people to stay 10 feet away from them. Happy to see that they take this very seriously. The beach isn’t super wide, but gets bigger at the North end which is where we camped out. It was pretty crowded (also high tide), but I really liked this beach and bay. Water was a pretty turquoise color and it was calm. Though there was a strong undertow. We met a local man and his awesome dog Sam who apparently spends hours each day digging for and eating crabs, and fetching his frisbee in the ocean. Living his best life for sure!

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Big fan of the Napili area (I had contemplated staying here this trip) and will likely stay here next time. It’s small, less touristy, great vibe, very close to Kapalua, and just a few minutes from Ka'anapali.

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Our resort was in North Ka'anapali so we had to drive into town anyway. I also considered staying at Ka'anapali Beach Hotel which would have have been good for walkabilty, but we were glad we had a full condo.

We ran out of time to do the Kapalua Coastal Trail and find the cliffs to jump from, but would squeeze that in at the end of the trip.

Dinner this evening was a Fleetwoods in Lahaina. There is a large free lot off of Prison Street which we took advantage of a couple of times.

We wandered up Front street peeking in shops as we made our way to the restaurant. As the name might suggest, it is owned by Mick Fleetwood. Lots of cool Fleetwood Mac and other rock and roll memorabilia. We had a seat on the rooftop with a nice view of the ocean. The service and food were outstanding, especially the lobster tacos and Hawaiian swordfish with citrus buerre blanc sauce. It was our best meal of the trip. Silly me thinking that Leliani’s was pricey. But it was worth it. Mark's pink martini is called "More Than A Feeling." Very tasty.

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We had hoped to do some shopping after dinner but everything closes so early. We made do with a Dole Whip with fresh pineapple.

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Another early morning was ahead, so after a stroll through the gardens and down to the beach, we were off to bed.

Saturday was Road to Hana! We pulled out of Ka'anapali at 6 AM and made the trek to Paia to start the journey. We had downloaded the Gypsy app so we would have a personal tour guide indicating the best stops, when to pull off, where to park, and providing a wealth of information and history. The RTH is 64 miles long and has about 650 tight turns and 59 one lane bridges. So it’s a slow go. Then you have to do it in reverse to get back. Plus we went about 10-15 miles further to see the Seven Sacred Pools (more on that later). First stop was at Ho'okipa Beach to see the turtles.

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Twin Falls was our favorite stop (mile 2). A nice hike through the rainforest and over streams led to a beautiful fall and pool. The air smelled like the Avatar Flight of Passage ride in Disney, amazing and fresh….and the rainforest looked like Pandora. The water in the pool beneath the waterfall smelled like watermelon.

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There is also a smaller fall closer to the beginning of the hike. But keep going.

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Next, we were going to stop at the Garden of Eden but there was a line of cars so we decided to do it on the return trip (that never transpired since we arrived back after it had closed).

The Arboretum trail was filled with wild tropical plants and a forest filled with painted Eucalyptus trees.

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We were getting hungry so we made at stop at picturesque Ke’anae for some of Aunt Sandy’s banana bread. And smoothies and (huge) chili dogs. Delish. The banana bread lives up to the hype. Ours came out hot from the oven. So good. We bought an extra loaf to have for breakfast. Highly recommend doing this.

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Our next stop, and another favorite, was a swimming hole (the Gypsy app narrator will tell you when you get close) with ledges to jump off into the cool water. Some local boys were also jumping off the bridge. Ellie wanted to do it but we said no to this one. So she leapt from a different spot.

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There are so many views and vistas of ocean, mountains, valleys, foliage, and flowers. We stopped at quite a few waterfalls and overlooks along the drive (Three Bears, shown first, was my favorite...if just the right amount of rain, the three falls are separate)

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The weather on this side of the island is a mixed bag because of the mountain. Sun and clouds alternated, and every hour or so we would get a quick rain shower. We even caught a fleeting rainbow.

The Nahiku marketplace had fresh coconuts so we made a stop there. The meat smoking on the grill smelled wonderful and we were wishing we hadn’t eaten that Chili dog. Ellie got her chilled coconut, opened by a great guy named Morgan. The water was sweet, refreshing and delicious. And when she was finished, he cracked it open and fashioned a spoon out of the husk. Unlike many of the coconuts which had meat you had to bite into, Morgan said Ellie got a good one which had softer insides, almost like a coconut cream or pudding. It wasn’t sweet, but it was fresh tasting.

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Back on the road…we stopped at a couple of beaches near Hana for a quick look but wanted to keep going to make it to the Pools of Oheo (aka the Seven Scared Pools). In hindsight, I wish would have skipped this. The best views were as you drove over the bridge. There was a trail to the base where you cold see a couple of the pools and the black sand beach, but you couldn’t access any of them. We were getting tired but decided to hike to the first waterfall on the Pipiwai trail in hopes of getting a better glimpse of the pools. Nope. And you couldn’t even see the fall either. Apparently the second fall was grand but we were beat so we cut our losses and headed back to the car for the long ride home.

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Word of advice, always stay vigilant when crossing the bridges and rounding the turns and switchbacks. Some people fly by without yielding to anyone.

Our plan was to hit up the food truck park near our resort for dinner but by the time we got to Paia we were all starving so we parked and planned to stop in the first place that looked good. That was Café Mambo and it was a great choice. It was still happy hour too, yay! The drinks and the food were great (Ahi tuna fajitas and BLT), and reasonably priced. Get the Mambo fries if you go. You’re welcome.

But first, a stop at the surfboard fence.

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We took a quick stroll through the cute little town, then made our way back to the condo.
After more than 12 hours of strenuous driving and hiking, we were all beat. Mark took a shower and flopped on the bed and that was it for him. Ellie and I enjoyed the jacuzzi for a little while before calling it a night.

Sunday Funday – on the agenda today was surf lessons and a sunset sail. But first, coffee, OJ, pineapple, and banana bread on the balcony.

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Ellie and Mark both had a great two hour session with Lahaina Surf Shack. Shout out to Big Foot for being an awesome instructor. Ellie is excited to use her new skills in Ocean City, MD on the surfboard she got for her birthday.

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They both had a blast despite the sore ribs.

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We tried again for the food tucks but they were closed at lunchtime so we headed back to Foodland Farms in Lahaina for poke, which we ate on the balcony along with some cheese and crackers and a glass of rose (kombucha for El). Excellent poke, and many varieties.

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We had a little bit of time to enjoy the beach before heading back to our favorite garage to park for our sunset cruise with Sea Maui.

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As we were waiting for the cat to arrive, we snapped a few photos and then hid from the light rain shower which was blown our way from the mountain clouds by the wind. But as soon as it arrived, it was gone.

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We claimed a spot on the benches by the railing. We enjoyed a beautiful ride along the coastline of the island while listening to music, sipping cocktails from the open bar (Panty Droppers and Mai Tais), and chatting with fellow passengers. They also offered a buffet appetizer spread.

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The two hour cruise flew by and soon we were back on shore, just in time for the best part of the sunset, the colorful afterglow.

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The food truck park was hopping so we stopped in to get some calamari. Most calamari on island consists of large strips/fingers not rings and tentacles like we are used to. So far we hadn’t found any to be fabulous, but that would change on our last day.

Another super early morning ahead so after our balcony ritual, it was off to dreamland. Thankfully we had a really comfy bed in our condo.

Monday we rose in the dark to get ready for our portrait session on Baby Beach.

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This was primarily for Ellie’s senior pictures, but since we were all there and had never had professional photos taken, we did some family shots too. It was a most gorgeous morning in a perfect setting. Victoria Faith captured some wonderful shots.

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We came back and walked to our beach for a little while, then hopped in the beater to head back up to Paia for some shopping before our lunch reservation at the iconic Mama’s Fish House.

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Such a pretty setting. And I was prepared for the prices, but they still made me gasp a little. The service and food was wonderful…we had a couple of cocktails, a few appetizers and the Black Pearl dessert.

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After the meal, we were handed wonderful, warm almond sented towels to pat off with. And a piece of mango dark chocolate. It was a nice experience and I‘m glad we tried it once. They have really cute tee shirts too which I had to purchase. And not that I expected to find them at Mama's, but we could not find one coozie on the entire island (unless it was the cheesy, generic airport gift shop variety). Lots of untapped potential right there.

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Now it was time to head upcountry to the Ocean Vodka Farm and Distillery. What a peaceful spot overlooking the island. Much to my delight, I found a gigantic vodka bottle to pose next to.

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We did a 45 minute educational tour/talk/tasting. It was very informative and fun. Highly recommend. Not only does Sea Spirits make vodka, but also rum and gin. And the spirits are produced only on this small farm and distillery.

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Back to the condo for a short break (and sadly to start packing) before dinner at Kimo's in Lahaina and then a little shopping. This was our last night and Ellie was in tears. She did not want to leave.

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But our flight was not until 8 PM so we intended to make the most of our final day in paradise. Up early to head back to Kapalua to find the cliffs for jumping. Located off the Kapalua Coastal Trail an in front of the Montage resort, this spot was far superior to Black Rock. More and better jumping options, a prettier setting, and calm, clear water. And side note, the air in the vicinity of this resort smells like cinnamon. Delightful.

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Both Ellie and Mark did many jumps while I was on photo duty.

We also spotted a large sea turtle gliding through the water from our perch on the cliff. It was very cool. When we return, I want to snorkel here. And definitely spend more time than we had on this day.

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Because we were so close, we headed back to Fleming Beach for a short time before we had to collect our bags and check out. And a nice attendant offered to take our photo. But not before taking a selfie!

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Since we had seen the rest of the island, we figured we may as well check out Wailea and Kihei. We first stopped at Elua Beach Park which was nice but the water was churned up making it murky, and it was crowded, so we went a little further down to walk through the Grand Wailea where “Just Go With It” was filmed. It’s a very pretty resort. The whole area is nice but more of a “resort row” and not really our scene.

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For a late lunch we took the recommendation of a friend and dined at Cafe O’Lei in Kihei. Very unassuming spot in a strip mall. But prices were fair, food was very good (huge portions too), and we had a great cocktail called the Kula Rose - made from bourbon, lemon, rosemary simple syrup, and a malbec float. Definitely making this at home (I already make rosemary syrup so this will be an easy adaptation). And it was here that we found the best calamari. Great seasoning and cooked to perfection. The macadamia nut crusted chicken breast sandwich on homemade foccacia was a hit as well.

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After we waddled out of here, we had one last stop before making our way to the airport. Ululani’s Shave Ice. There was a line, but glad we waited. This one was blue hawaii, passionfruit, and guava, with a snow cap. Delish. This is definitely the best place for shave ice due to the powdery consistency of the ice, and the topping options. There are multiple locations throughout the island.

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We got to the airport early, as recommended, but lines were short thankfully. Once on the flight, I asked for a pillow and blanket since there were none on the seats like there was on the way over. It was even more important for this flight since we were flying overnight. The flight attendant looked at me like I had 5 heads and reminded me that I was in coach, not first class. And that someone made a mistake on the flight over. At least we had our travel pillows. We all had a horrible, fitful, uncomfortable semi-sleep, draped across each other and changing positions very 15 minutes (at least I was). It was worth it though!

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Many have asked how Hawaii compares to the Caribbean. First, I will say that I like Maui more than I was expecting to. It’s a very diverse island with a variety of landscapes, elevations, towns, beaches, and foliage. So much culture. And most people are very friendly and welcoming. The downsides of course are the distance (for us at least), crowds, and high prices. The Pacific is a beautiful deep blue color and we found some nice turquoise water at some of the beaches. We loved Maui, but our favorite Caribbean and Bahamian islands will always hold the top spot for me.

We will definitely return to this island at some point, and also to Kauai.

Mahalo, Maui! Until next time…

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Posted by Out_of_Office 18:31 Archived in USA Tagged waterfalls turtles mai maui pinapple coconut hawaii banana tai bread hana shaka Comments (0)

Spring Break Fiesta in Siesta

April 18-21, 2022

sunny 85 °F

It seemed like it was over before it even got started. But it was sure was sweet.

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My daughter has never gotten more than two days off for Spring Break (and those days are always Good Friday and Easter Monday). That coupled with the fact that Spring Break means crowds and high prices, we’ve never gone away for it. But this year she had over a week off, it was in late April (after most other schools had come and gone), and it dawned on me how short the time was getting with my girl who is almost a senior in high school.

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But where to go. That was easy…Siesta Key. We took our first trip last summer, as a family, since the Caribbean COVID restrictions were still high. Even though we visited during a very bad red tide, we still became smitten with this spot. It’s cute, well-manicured, and everything is so close. No need for a car or even a bike, but biking is a lot of fun on this island.

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It quickly became a girls trip…Ellie and her bestie, and I rounded up my partners in crime (aka my long time BFF and my super fun SIL, and aka Ellie’s godmother and aunt, respectively).

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We adored the Tropical Breeze neighborhood so my goal was to find a place in there. And I did. A nice little Airbnb duplex right along Avenida Navarra. Half a block to the beach and half a block to the Village.

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I won’t bore you with our travel issues as that seems to be the norm these days.

I had booked the awesome Marcia with Here4You SRQ to fetch us from the airport again. We arrived before check in time so we dumped our stuff, and while the girls headed to beach, the old ladies made our way to the Hub for a beverage and some lunch. Great location, nice set-up, but we had the world’s worst waitress. We could have easily downed three margaritas a piece and a full lunch but after ordering one drink and the sad chips and guac/salsa/queso sampler, she was never to be seen again.

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So we bailed, hit the market, and made our way back to the house (very small house which was still being cleaned). We hung out in the nice little tropical patio area until we could get in, change freshen up, and go back out. The girls came back as well to clean up and join us. They started complaining about a slight sunburn so we advised that they apply sunscreen tomorrow.

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We walked to the west end of the village to Old Salty Dog. It’s a quaint, rustic place with great seafood. And an awesome server, Amy. Al and I snagged the best deal of the trip here. Happy hour wine (good stuff too), for $3.25 a glass, and Shel had a fun blue drink. I was liking this no driving thing! We ordered the calamari for an app (Ellie’s obsession), then the girls had Caesar salads, and we had blackened mahi, and a mango mahi wrap.

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Then we stopped into Gilligan’s for a drink while E&E got some gelato and wandered back to the beach. We all met back at the house to relax on the patio and then watch a movie. Early mornings call for early nights.

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We woke to blue skies, bright sun, warm temps, low humidity, and breezy conditions. Before hitting the sand, we hit up coffee mojo. Very popular, very cool place (that Ellie had scouted out last trip).

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Also last trip, we had found a perfect secluded spot at beach access 2 (to the right of Patriot’s Pier) with a backdrop of craggy rocks and swaying palms. Sadly, even at low tide, our secret spot was barely accessible. The sea giveth, and the sea taketh away. Maybe next time it will be back. So we had to make do on the main beach area. It wasn’t as bad s expected. Actually it was really nice. Water was a bit rough due to the wind, but it was clear and pretty. And the sand…anyone who knows, knows. It’s pure white and soft like powdered sugar.

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We chatted, waded, swam, listened to music, sunned ourselves, and most importantly – people-watched. No better place for this. And we had a front row seat. There were runners, walkers, couples, families, cute boys (for the girls, not the old ladies), and attention seeking Castaway wannabes with spears and frisbees. You just never know. The teens had sparingly applied sunscreen today. Not enough.

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By noon our tummies were grumbling so we decided to walk to Daiquiri Deck for lunch and, well, daiquiris. Solid meal.

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Back to the beach for a bit, then time to get gussied up for dinner. We planned to eat at the Cottage this evening (they have excellent calamari with an olive tapenade side).

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The wait was quite long, so we shopped while the girls sat on a bench and nursed their sunburns and hunger.

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Eventually we were seated in the courtyard and had a nice meal while listening to the sounds of the one-man band.

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We got chilly though as that front had ushered in cool nighttime temps. We stopped at the house after dinner for some warmer clothes then headed back out for gelato from Made in Rome. Got some fudge from the Fudge Factory. So so good. Then we hit up Gilligan's, which turned out to one of our favorite spots.

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The next day dawned bright and clear again. Last time we had missed Bonjour Cafe so that was to happen this morning. We had a delightful French breakfast along with grapefruit grenadine mimosas. Why can’t every Wednesday start like this??

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Back to the beach where the wind had kicked up even more. The girls sunburns were more than they could bear so they huddled under an umbrella until the wind wouldn’t allow it, and then under their towels. Finally Ellie emerged slathered in sunscreen. Em did not want any parts of the sun this day. Lesson learned about white winter skin meeting strong Florida sun. But would they do it again? Of course they would.

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Everyone was craving pizza today so we got a few pies from Ripfire. Very pleasantly surprised. We enjoyed them on our patio then got ready to meet up with Shel’s cousin who lived in Sarasota.

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So while the girls shopped, we happy hour-ed at the Daquiri Deck. They soon joined us at a table for two and enjoyed some calamari and fruity beverages of their own.

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Then we enjoyed dinner at SKOB while listening to the live entertainment.

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I met up with E&E on the beach to see the sunset. Such a treat being able to watch it with toes in the sand since we live on the East coast of Maryland so we have beach sunrises. And it was low tide so the all of the sand bars were out. Unfortunately we had high tide midday so didn’t really get to enjoy them when the sun was out.

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We all did a little shopping then decided to grab a drink at The Hub. Denied. It was 9:45 and last call was over. Everything was closed or closing except for Siesta Key Oyster Bar so there we went. Tried to find the dollar we had stapled up last time but it was gone. Apparently we had put it in a no-dollar zone. We’d be back tomorrow to put up a new one. We decided to call it a night and head back to house to play a game. We had forgotten playing cards so we decided on Heads Up using our phones. What a riot. So entertaining. Then we begrudgingly hit the hay.

We had a late flight out on Thursday (why didn’t we stay longer?!?) so the girls went back to the beach for a couple of hours while we packed up. We met up with them for a leisurely lunch at Gilligan’s. By far the best bargain on the island are the massive nachos. Two of us shared this and we made a pretty good dent but did not finish it.

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More walking and shopping, stapled our dollar at SKOB, one last drink on the new outside patio at MVP, then back to retrieve our bags and wait for Marcia to whisk us back to SRQ.

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If you are in need of an easy and fun getaway, Siesta certainly fits the bill.

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So long, Siesta…

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Posted by Out_of_Office 19:13 Archived in USA Comments (0)

50th Birthday Bash in Paradise, Take 2

April 6-11, 2022

sunny 83 °F

'Somewhere in the sand, cold one in our hand..."

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Back in 2019, my bestie and I made plans to spend our 50th birthdays in St. John, USVI (just as we had done for our 40th - and a few other trips before and in between), but alas, soon after booking, COVID struck. Of course we figured it would be long gone by April 2021, but in February of that year with restrictions still high, we opted to postpone until 2022. It had to be over by then, right?! This trip was happening regardless as it had been way too long since I’d seen clear water. So it became the 51st Birthday Bash.

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On April 6, five couples set out for some fun in the sun. As with every trip, there is a mishap or two (or three or four), and the first began as soon as we arrived at BWI. Our plane had a battery issue and maintenance was trying to fix it. After an hour, the airline started sending us messages encouraging us to book hotels in Charlotte for the night since we would likely miss our connection. That sure put a damper on things. But by the grace of God and some fancy footwork, we made it by the skin of our teeth.

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Once at STT, we got our temperatures taken, travel portal codes scanned, and then hung out at the tiny airport bar waiting for the last of our group to arrive. That was our first experience with a number of not so nice folks we encountered that week. Maybe it was because it was still busy high season or maybe people were still cranky about COVID, but we felt less than welcome on several occasions. We finally got a cab to Red Hook and secured seats upstairs on the ferry. We were very excited to finally take our masks off. Nope. Required outside too. Thankfully we got to ditch them in St. John.

After retrieving our bags, we bumped them along the uneven roads of Cruz Bay to our two condos at Grande Bay.

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Quick change, then it was off to the Beach Bar. But not without a stop at the Drink happy hour along the way. Highly recommend the spicy paloma.

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At the BB, we really started to unwind and enjoyed some appetizers (the cheese balls are amazing) and mahi sandwiches, washed down with painkillers and frozen mojitos. Again, the demeanor of certain servers was very unwelcoming. Others were great. Different vibe though since it changed ownership. A lot of our experiences we couldn’t help to compare with great times from the past.

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We listened to the live music for a while then some of us (aka the person writing this) went back to the condo while others ventured elsewhere. I needed to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the next day’s adventures.

The morning dawned bright and clear, and after grabbing some coffee and breakfast sandwiches from Cruz Bay Landing, the drivers headed to C&C Car Rental to pick up our Jeeps. They were a little beat up and all the warning lights were on in one, but they served us well.

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We picked up the rest of the crew, got snacks, beer, spiked coffee drinks (these became an addiction for some), and Love City hard seltzers from Dolphin Market then hit North Shore Deli to pick up beach sandwiches. This place is a favorite, aways packed, but always efficient.

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And now it was time to head to Cinnamon Bay. Aside from two of the five couples, this visit to the Rock was a first, so I made sure to stop at Trunk Bay overlook so we could ooh, ahh and snap photos. That view never gets old, and this was a spectacular day to see it. But before that, we had to grind up the awesome switchbacks. One of my favorite things about STJ. We had an early morning shower so the shaded, steep, winding roads were still wet. The Jeeps squealed as we zig zagged back and forth up the hill.

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Once on the beach, everyone set up, explored, waded into the water, and just soaked up the first day of vacation. I was so happy to finally see clear turquoise water again. The plan (well my plan) was to hit two beaches, but by the time everyone had settled in, had their lunch, a couple of beers, and were floating happily in the Caribbean Sea, no one was anxious to pack up and start over. So I went with the flow and was glad I did. We had such an enjoyable day on the sand and in the sea.

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And what made it even better was were the pink mermaid tail floats that all of the ladies in the group had lugged from home (thanks C!). It was totally worth it. They were so fun.

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Finally we packed it in to get back, shower, change, and make our way to Longboard to put our name in for a couple of tables. But alas we got sidetracked at Drink, as we did almost every night. Once we made it over to add our names, the wait was almost 2 hours. No matter, we decided to hang out at Woody’s...another favorite establishment that has changed with the times and with new owners. Not gonna lie, we were a bit disappointed, but we ordered shark bites (still great), some drinks, and settled into the tables outside and made some new friends.

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Our dinner text came in earlier than expected so we rounded the corner and enjoyed some calamari, poke bowls, Sunsplash cocktails and prosecco. Not sure what the men folk had as we separated into boys and girls tables this night. Love Longboard.

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We also cleaned them out of a lot of merch. Coozies and hats were scarce at many places so when we found them, we purchased.
As we ambled home, Drink called out to us, so we stopped in for a beverage.

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Good morning, St. John. Another nice day, and we had places to be. But not before our CBL breakfast on the balcony.  Today was our boat trip on Salt Deck. Sadly, Jost was out this trip due to the strict vaccination and testing requirements. But we had a great time. On the way to Coral Bay, I finally saw my donkeys and screeched at the hubs to stop. But there cars piling up behind us. Island time, people!

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Our captain this day was Landry and he was awesome. During our four hour excursion, he shared much island history with us and first-hand Irma stories. Our first stop was to check out Hurricane Hole, do some snorkeling, and make use of the slide off the back of the boat. It was a rough ride out but the protected coves were great.

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Then we cruised over to Lime Out to claim our Lilly pad before the lunch crowds came. Lime Out is a floating taco boat. You have to swim to it and then you either sit in a floating Lilly pad or on an underwater bar stool. They send out your food and drinks on floating bar mats. The tuna tacos were seriously tasty. After we loaded up on merch, we filled our dry bags and swam back to the Salt Deck.

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We had spied a cool surfboard shot ski so we took turns with the adult mango lemonade on the boat. Then we enjoyed an Irie pop (locally made ice pops filled with kiwi and other fruits). Last order of business before our time was up was a leisurely cruise. Then back to the dock where we (of course) purchased Salt Deck sundries.

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No trip to Coral Bay is complete without a stop at Skinny Legs. As made the short walk over, we encountered a group of goats who greeted us with what sounded like “heeeyyyy.” Which we all promptly parroted back. We scored a large picnic table in the back yard area in between the palms and amongst the chickens and roosters. Our server was a delightfully no nonsense woman named Mary who jokingly insulted us while making us feel welcome. That’s a rare trait. We enjoyed coconut swizzles and big juicy burgers topped with slabs of blue cheese (or pepper jack).

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Then it was time to pile into the beaters and make our way back to Cruz Bay. Windows down, tunes up, plenty of laughs. Life was good.

Tonight was our official 50th (plus 1) birthday dinner at 18 64. After we showered and cleaned up, we walked over to Mongoose Junction (speaking of which, this was my first trip seeing these cute creatures...a couple of them darted across the road as we were driving back from the beach). We had some time to spare so we hit up the new and improved Tap Room (first time we had seen it since both the fire and the hurricane). Looks great. Rum & Root Beer for the win. We hit up the shop, then it was time for our much anticipated meal. It did not disappoint. Everyone was very friendly and the service was great. We were seated at a nice big table along the back stone wall. Private, yet not separate. After dinner half the group peeled off for a nightcap while the other half hit the hay.

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Saturday was another beautiful day. After our morning ritual of CBL coffee and breakfast sandwiches, then hitting up the deli for beach food, we headed off to Maho Bay.

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Maho is a great place for protected calm waters, and turtle sightings. But it was the most crowded that we visited. Or at least it seemed that way due to the fact that it is a narrow stretch of sand. We sunned, floated, snorkeled with sea turtles. We would have had some cool shots of the turtles surfacing for air, but the underwater camera malfunctioned. As expected, beach gravity took over so this was our only stop for the day. We quickly perused Maho Crossroads…a cute yet touristy little set up across from the beach.

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This night I was excited to see the Wheeland Brothers at the Windmill Bar. We decided to take a taxi so we piled into an open air vehicle and headed up the mountain. We had some drinks and apps and enjoyed the spectacular views. The food was nothing to write home about but it was fine because it was all about the atmosphere.

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We have met the Nate and Travis before at their shows in Delaware, but this was a much cooler experience. For those who aren’t familiar, they consider their music to be “beach rock reggae.” After listening to some songs and admiring the sunset, everyone decided some real food was in order.

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We had no set plan for this evening so after we got back to town we ended up at High Tide. This is always a nice spot for lunch or a cocktail, but the dinner was very underwhelming as was the service. Couldn’t even tell you what I had. We had wanted to stop into the Beach Bar but every night thus far, hard rock/heavy metal was blasting. So we opted not to go. Sure do miss the island-y tunes we remembered. At this point, we realized that another mishap had occurred. Somewhere between Windmill and the condo, One of the guy's expensive, engraved silver money clip was lost. No bills just the clip, but it was a hard one to swallow.

Sunday – last full day. Had to make it count. The beach du jour was Trunk Bay. And it did not disappoint. I had forgotten how lovely this beach is. Sky was clear, winds were light, water was calm. So much eye candy to behold. Softest sand and clearest water we encountered during the trip.

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We had a fabulous day. Aside from the fact that one of the guys got torn up pretty badly when a boat wake slammed him into the rocks while snorkeling around the island. Nothing that a painkiller from the quaint little bar couldn't fix. Such a nice bartender as well.

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I really did not want to leave this beach. Four of us remained after the others headed back. So hard to tear ourselves away.

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After a super quick shower, we met up with the others at Woody's and then Drink.

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Tonight I had wanted to try Lovango Rum Bar for the pizza. Just upstairs from Drink. How convenient. Pizza was great. I really enjoyed this place and hope it lasts. Before we could make it far, my husband, and one of his partners in crime had found themselves an espresso martini at the bar. We stayed up as late as we could in order to stretch out our last night.

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Monday morning we didn't have time for much except to pack, return the Jeeps, and do a little last minute shopping. Our plan was to take the 11 AM ferry and grab lunch at Duffy's Love Shack. But that plan was thwarted when we received a message from American again recommending that we book a hotel room in Charlotte for the night. Our flight was being diverted to St. Croix which would cause us to miss our connection back to Baltimore. Apparently St. Thomas was out of jet fuel. So figuring out that mess took precedence (thanks B!). We did manage to get on another flight and make it home late that night (after first visiting New York). Stressful travel day again. Which also happened to be my birthday. Good thing we had had our fair share of fun the previous four days because this day definitely was not.

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All in all, we had a great, and much needed, vacation. I’m ready to go back though because there is so much we didn’t get to fit in, including a hike down to Salomon (which has always been my favorite) to see it post-Irma. Speaking of the hurricane, the island looks fabulous considering the merciless beating it took not that long ago. Until next time, STJ!

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"So I lift up a toast to the St. John coast..."

Posted by Out_of_Office 16:31 Archived in US Virgin Islands Comments (0)

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