Best Vacation Ever!!!

[longboard55]

Waikiki ideas
The Catamaran sailings are really nice, day sails are a lot less boozey this is a great deal https://www.groupon.com/deals/maita...i*v2_g*0_g*61149007_k*newshoppers_m*Tour-Boat

Outrigger canoe rides are a lot of fun and cheap alohabeachservices.com

Dining, Dukes is good and the Shorebird is oceanfront cook your own

Lots of free stuff. Hula show at the Dukes mound at 6pm. Check the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center activities. The Hula lesson is very popular and gets a lot of regulars, they also have good free shows

 

[KristieGriggs]

Those are absolutely stunning. And how cute that you and your hubby each have an adorable mini-me

Where and what time of day were those taken? I might have to look her up!!

Thank you!!!
I think we started our session around 6:15ish. And the location was Yokohama Bay. It was about a 45 min drive north of Aulani. But totally worth the drive. We were going to ask her to shoot us at Aulani, but I really wanted more mountains in the background. So she suggested this location.

 

[jenlos]

Wow - your pictures are AMAZING!!!! I will definitely be calling that photographer!!!

Thank you so much for all of the great advice...we are so excited!!!!

 

[herc1997]

Wow your photos are fantastic. We used Robert Hamilton. He did our vowel renewal at the private cove near Aulani and then took us on a island tour. The photos at Lanikai were fantastic. I think we may try your photographer next time. My kids HATE to pose so she would be wonderful. Been trying to attach photos but every photo says there is a problem with upload.

 

[wfgamble]

Kristie, I'm in the process of making an appointment with Kim for our November trip after seeing your shots! Where did you get your leis for your shoot? Were they from Aulani and still fresh?

Thanks so much!

 

[KristieGriggs]

Kristie, I'm in the process of making an appointment with Kim for our November trip after seeing your shots! Where did you get your leis for your shoot? Were they from Aulani and still fresh?

Thanks so much!

Great! Our leis were from Aulani. We did our session the evening we checked in, so they were still fresh. But I did see another couple while we were there just ask if they could have fresh ones for their session one evening and they were just given one. However if that doesn't work, I did see that at Target, next to the dollar section, they did sell the exact same leis in a cooler there. (Like a drink cooler.) They were $6 each.
But if you keep your lei from Aulani in the fridge, it may still look good the next night. Just some options.
I'm a photographer too, and photographed a few clients while I was there. I thought this was a cute idea too that this family did. They got these necklaces from the paradise cove luau next to Aulani. I'll try to attach a pic.

 

[wfgamble]

Thank you so much for your response with all of the details! I love those other necklaces too and that is a great picture!!!

 

[alohamom]

Oh I love how naturally happy that family looks, you must be a people person Kristie because those people are literally shining with aloha. Beautiful job...

 

[KristieGriggs]

Oh I love how naturally happy that family looks, you must be a people person Kristie because those people are literally shining with aloha. Beautiful job...

Oh that is so kind of you. Yes, they were a happy family. It's so fun to capture families making memories. I miss Hawaii so much! Can't wait to plan another trip one day.

 

[Brancaneve]

ur first morning on Oahu we snorkeled at Hanauma Bay. So happy we did that first thing in the morning. We only stayed a couple hours and the parking lot was full when we left. Next we stopped at Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail. Very kid friendly and the views were amazing. Then we stopped at Lanikai Beach and snorkeled some more before heading back to Waikiki. We had dinner at Duke's that nigh

Glad you had an awesome trip! Did you snorkel on your own or did you use a tour company/guide?

 

[KristieGriggs]

Glad you had an awesome trip! Did you snorkel on your own or did you use a tour company/guide?

We snorkeled on our own. My husband asked the guy at the rental counter where he recommended we snorkel to see the most fish. He told us to go all the way to the left. We did. And we saw so many. It was so amazing. I do recommend life jackets for kids though. Ours were hanging on to us when they got tired since they couldn't touch the bottom. Or even a noodle would be good. I think I remember people carrying those around, so I'm sure they are allowed.

 

[Go Big Blue]

I love reading about all you done! Sounds awesome! Quick question would you had been satisfied or happy just staying at Turtle Bay the entire time? Or did going to Aulani make it even more speacial. I hope you get what i'm asking. A reason why i am asking is i'm huge Disney fan, my husband could care less, he has fun going to the parks but he is not bothered if he ever goes again. Me i go everytime i can and take my DS. He has made many comments about if i go all the way to Hawaii the last thing i want is Disney. We are just in beginning stages of planning and i'm in the process of trying to explain the Disney Service. When i say at the beginning i haven't even picked a dates nor have a priced anything reccently. I did price out Turtle Bay vs Aulauni last year and seemed like i got a much better deal at Turtle Bay. But i don't want to settle, this will be a big vacation for us and don't want to regret things. I hope this explains what i'm asking. Thanks so much!

 

[KristieGriggs]

I love reading about all you done! Sounds awesome! Quick question would you had been satisfied or happy just staying at Turtle Bay the entire time? Or did going to Aulani make it even more speacial. I hope you get what i'm asking. A reason why i am asking is i'm huge Disney fan, my husband could care less, he has fun going to the parks but he is not bothered if he ever goes again. Me i go everytime i can and take my DS. He has made many comments about if i go all the way to Hawaii the last thing i want is Disney. We are just in beginning stages of planning and i'm in the process of trying to explain the Disney Service. When i say at the beginning i haven't even picked a dates nor have a priced anything reccently. I did price out Turtle Bay vs Aulauni last year and seemed like i got a much better deal at Turtle Bay. But i don't want to settle, this will be a big vacation for us and don't want to regret things. I hope this explains what i'm asking. Thanks so much!

I think it depends on how much time you plan to be on the island. We loved Turtle Bay and wished we had more than just one night there. But that was before getting to Aulani. Even though Turtle Bay was lovely, and we got a great price on a room there too, it would be a totally different experience. We loved the North Shore, but 2-3 days up there is plenty. Aulani however is just amazing! And we are not big Disney fans. We live an hour from WDW and haven't been in years! So I get where your husband is coming from. But Disney knows how to do travel...the experience at Aulani blew us away! The room. The service. It was all wonderful. I'm glad we stayed there after Turtle Bay, or I would have probably been disappointed with anything else. Maybe you could split the trip up and just do a few nights at Aulani to keep the price down.
So yes, to answer your question, going to Aulani made it much more special. (It doesn't scream Disney...it's just a much better experience.) Even my husband said it was worth it. It was a big vacation for us too, so I'm very happy we were able to stay at Aulani! Hope that helps! Feel free to ask any other questions.

 

[Go Big Blue]

This is all great stuff! THanks so much for getting back to me! This is awesome and just puts my mind at ease.

I think it depends on how much time you plan to be on the island. We loved Turtle Bay and wished we had more than just one night there. But that was before getting to Aulani. Even though Turtle Bay was lovely, and we got a great price on a room there too, it would be a totally different experience. We loved the North Shore, but 2-3 days up there is plenty. Aulani however is just amazing! And we are not big Disney fans. We live an hour from WDW and haven't been in years! So I get where your husband is coming from. But Disney knows how to do travel...the experience at Aulani blew us away! The room. The service. It was all wonderful. I'm glad we stayed there after Turtle Bay, or I would have probably been disappointed with anything else. Maybe you could split the trip up and just do a few nights at Aulani to keep the price down.
So yes, to answer your question, going to Aulani made it much more special. (It doesn't scream Disney...it's just a much better experience.) Even my husband said it was worth it. It was a big vacation for us too, so I'm very happy we were able to stay at Aulani! Hope that helps! Feel free to ask any other questions.

 

[distravel]

Oh, and we just got our photos back from our session in Oahu. I'll see if I can post one. I loved how they turned out! We used Kim Ebert Photography. I HIGHLY recommend doing that while you are there. Her prices were awesome and she was great with our family.[/QUOTE]


Thanks for recommending Kim Ebert Photography and Yokohama Bay. We just received our photos from our trip to Aulani 2 weeks ago and the photos came out great. She answered all our emails promptly and made us all feel very comfortable during the shoot. She makes wonderful suggestions and happily went along with any suggestions we had also.

 

[jerseygirlmk]

Thank you so much for all of the wonderful advice!may I ask where Kim Ebert does her photo shoots? I would love to use her as well! Was she close to Aulani?

 

[distravel]

I believe Kim Ebert will do the photo shoot anywhere on the island of Oahu. I chose Yokohama bay based on the photos posted by Kristie Griggs. Yokohama Bay is located approximately 45 minutes north of Aulani so you would need a car to get there.