TRIP #4 – ALOHA CALIFORNIA
arthisto June 3rd, 2010
Royal Hawaiian Gardens
ALOHA CALIFORNIA
OCTOBER 15 – 22, 2011 ~ 8 DAYS ~ GROUP SIZE: 6
PRICE PER PERSON: $3,175.00
Just back from 5 gorgeous days of research and development in Honolulu. Based on my findings below, AHA will offer an itinerary called “Aloha California” October 15-22, 2011. It will consist of 3 days in beautiful San Francisco and 4 days in Hawaii. More details on this MEW itinerary below FINDINGS.
FINDINGS:
For me, the key to Waikiki is simple, it is all about the genteel pink oasis called The Royal Hawaiian. We approached the hotel along the very glitzy Kalakaua Avenue lined on both sides like Rodeo Drive. With Coach, Fendi, Cartier, Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, Tommy Bahama and more, all in attendance. Carefully, our car turned right and ambled down a long driveway, leaving the shopping center far behind us. The first thing I noticed, after the gorgeous pink stucco facade, was the quiet! Then the orchid leis put around our necks.
The hotel has recently undergone a huge refurbish and I was so fearful that it’s old word charm and peace would somehow have been sold to the highest bidder. Not so, not so. The gorgeous sweeping gardens still wrap around the low slung hotel with its spacious open verandas that insist you sit down, unwind and let the warm Trade Winds lull you.
ITINERARY:
Chinatown Dragon, San Francisco
Day 1 through 3 will be spent in and around San Francisco. The colorful streets of its huge Chinatown, to beautiful Union Square, a boat ride and guided tour of the haunting Alcatraz, and a walk through the enormous and majestic Redwood trees in the Muir Woods. We will drive across the famous Golden Gate and down the “crookedest street in the world”, Lombard Street, and finish up at the Tonga Room at the Fairmont Hotel, which is really fun!
Day 4 we will catch our morning flights to gorgeous Hawaii. Arriving at he Royal Hawaiian about lunch time, we will check into our rooms and start to really unwind. The balance of this day is for laying around and enjoying the huge gardens.
Days 5 through 7 will be mostly pure relaxation either on the beach and in the warm water waves, around the pool, in the spa, or shopping. One of these three days will include a trip to the world famous Polynesian Cultural Center for a day wandering among the various villages of the Polynesian peoples. Characteristic foods, native music and dance abound. This is my little injection of art and history into this itinerary, and it is fascinating.
Day 8 – Flights home from Hawaii.
If this sounds lovely to you, start thinking about Aloha California with AHA, October 15 – 22, 2011.
Fragrant Plumaria, Hawaii