Hawaii June 2026: PART TWO
Happy Thursday, my friends! I’m so excited to share part two of our Hawaii trip with you today! If you didn’t read PART ONE, you can do so right here!
DAY THREE:
On our third day in Hawaii, we finally started to settle into island life. We slept in a little, were beginning to adjust to the time difference, and couldn’t wait to explore even more of Oahu.
Just look at our view! We couldn’t get enough of it! Truly a dream!
We headed down to the cafรฉ at the Ritz-Carlton and picked up some of the same delicious breakfast items we had enjoyed the day before. After breakfast, we wandered around the beautiful resort for a little while, taking in the stunning views before making our way to our lei-making class.
After our lei-making class, the girls had a quick dip in the pool, then joined the cutest hula lesson! Their hula teacher was absolutely wonderful. Not only did she teach the girls the beautiful movements of hula, but she also shared the history, traditions, and meaning behind the dance. I learned so much and fell even more in love with Hawaiian culture.
To this day, the girls still love listening to the song they learned during class and will randomly start doing their hula moves around the house. It ended up being one of our favorite experiences of the trip, and I never expected we would enjoy it as much as we did!
The Ritz-Carlton Oahu, Turtle Bay, had so many fun activities for kids! Looking back, I wish we had stayed one more night so we could have experienced even more of everything the resort had to offer. But it was time to pack up and head off on our next Hawaiian adventure!
After saying goodbye to the North Shore, we were off to Kualoa Ranch! We were so excited for the scenic drive and couldn’t wait to explore one of Oahu’s most iconic destinations.
Kualoa Ranch has been the filming location for countless movies and TV shows, including LOST, Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, Jumanji, and 50 First Dates. As huge LOST fans, we were especially excited to see so many of the famous filming locations in person. It ended up being one of the most memorable experiences of our entire trip!
On the way there, I couldn’t stop sending my sister videos and pictures of the drive! It was breathtaking!
Even the parking lot backdrop was stunning! lol!
We arrived a little early, which gave us plenty of time to check in and explore the ranch before our tour. Everywhere we looked was absolutely breathtaking. The lush green mountains, towering trees, and dramatic landscapes were even more beautiful in person.
When it came time for our tour we boarded the bus thing. We were so excited for what we were about to see! We had no idea just how beautiful it would be!
I was so happy I watched 50 First Dates on the plane! It was so fun to see a filming location on the tour!
You guys, I seriously could not take enough pictures of this ranch! Every time I turned my head, there was another breathtaking view. I had the John Williams Jurassic Park score playing in my head the entire time!
The tour lasted just under two hours, and every single minute was worth it. The pictures don’t do it justice! We stopped at so many iconic filming locations, and our guide shared fun behind-the-scenes stories along the way. We loved the experience so much that we all agreed we’d book the tour again the next time we visit Oahu!
After our time at Kualoa Ranch, we made our way toward Honolulu, stopping at a few scenic spots along the drive. One of our favorite stops was this incredible lookout point! It was so windy and rainy that we didn’t get to stay very long, but the views were absolutely breathtaking. Even with the wild weather, it was definitely worth the stop!
Our final stop of the day was the iconic Royal Hawaiian Hotel! We spent the next two nights here and absolutely loved the beautiful grounds. I will say, our room wasn’t the most updated, and it was definitely an adjustment after staying at the Ritz-Carlton. But by the end of our stay, we had completely fallen in love with this historic pink hotel and all of its charm.
Just look at the view from our balcony overlooking Waikiki Beach! It was such a fun place to wake up each morning. And can we talk about the pool? It may have been one of the smallest pools on Waikiki Beach, but it was also one of the cutest! I loved all of the signature pink details, and despite its size, we ended up spending so much time there. It was the perfect place to relax after a day of exploring.
That evening, we enjoyed dinner at the hotel before heading out to the beach to catch a glimpse of the luau taking place just behind the resort. It was such a special way to end the day. We played in the sand, listened to the stories and music of Hawaii drifting through the evening air, and even danced along on the beach. It was one of those simple moments that ended up becoming one of our favorite memories of the trip.
DAY FOUR:
The next day was completely dedicated to enjoying Waikiki Beach! We started our morning with breakfast at the Royal Hawaiian, where we finally got to try their famous Pink Palace Pancakes. Of course, we also ordered more delicious aรงaรญ bowls because when you’re in Hawaii, you really can’t have too many!
After breakfast, we grabbed our beach bags and headed straight for the sand, ready to soak up one of the most iconic beaches in the world.
I was so thankful we rented beach chairs right on Waikiki Beach. It was so nice to have a cozy spot to come back to whenever we wanted to relax between swimming and playing in the ocean. We also had the best time on the boogie boards! The waves in Hawaii are truly like no other, and we couldn’t get enough of them.
When lunchtime rolled around, we ordered a bunch of different dishes to share, and everything was absolutely delicious! I always love ordering several things for the table so we can try a little bit of everything. It made for such a fun and relaxing beach lunch before heading back out to enjoy the rest of the afternoon.
That night, we wanted to explore Waikiki’s shopping district.
We loved shopping around the downtown area. It was so nice!
We stopped for dinner at Maui Brewing Company.
It was such an incredible two days on Oahu, and I would relive every minute if I could! We made so many wonderful memories and fell even more in love with Hawaii.
I’ll be sharing the final part of our Hawaii adventure here on the blog next week as we head to the Aulani! Thank you so much for following along with our family’s trip. I can’t wait to share the rest of our favorite memories with you. Aloha, friends!
-Holley
