As the saying goes, last day, best day! We started off our final hours in paradise with breakfast at Makahiki – The Bounty of the Islands, which is Aulani's character breakfast. Here we met Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Chip, and Dale. We had one of the first timeslots of the day, so it was relatively empty in the restaurant. The meal was a three-course prix fixe menu which included malasadas, fresh fruit, and an entrée. I, of course, selected the Mickey and Minnie Belgian Waff

Today started off with Avery going to Urgent Care as he was having incredible ear pain. While he went to seek care with his parents, I made the most of my morning at the resort. I got myself an açai bowl for breakfast from Ulu Cafe and enjoyed it while lounging on a chair with a stunning view of the ocean. Of course, I was worried about my fiancé, but too many people traveling with him would have been a crowd and it was our last full day in paradise. When he came back, he inf

Today was our redo day at Kualoa Ranch from our mishap on Tuesday. Our adventure began with the Ocean Voyage Tour. We sailed Hawaiian waters, spotted marine wildlife, and visited an 800-year-old fishpond. Unfortunately, the catamaran that we were supposed to sail on was inoperable, so the backup plan was to split the tour group in half. For the first half of the tour, half of the group stayed on the beach and the other half went out to sea then the groups switched as the boat

Today Avery and I went with his parents on a bus tour to Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor is a lagoon harbor best known as the site of the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack that led the United States to enter World War II. The Imperial Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack with 353 aircrafts from six carriers, targeting the U.S. Pacific Fleet and nearby airfields. The attack sank or damaged multiple battleships, destroyed 188 U.S. aircraft, and caused over 2,400 American deaths.

Today was my first day as a fiancée, and our first mishap of the trip. Today we had a booked UTV Tour at Kualoa Ranch that we accidentally missed due to a misunderstanding about the arrival time. Kualoa Ranch is a 4,000-acre Private Nature Reserve as well as a working cattle ranch with more than 600 head of cattle, 120 horses, and 200 sheep. The reserve terrain varies from waonahele, dense Hawaiian rainforest, to waokanaka, broad open valleys. It has been the site for over 70

Today was our first day exploring the beautiful island of O'ahu. We kick started the day by hiking Diamond Head. Diamond Head is a volcanic tuff cone and is known by Hawaiians as Lēʻahi. It is Hawaii’s most recognized landmark known for its historic hiking trail, stunning coastal views, and military history. Diamond Head State Monument encompasses over 475 acres, including the interior and outer slopes of the crater. This was my second time hiking this trail and it is challe

Today was our first full day in paradise and we spent it in luxury. Well… We started our day off by shopping at the infamous Aloha Stadium Swap Meet & Marketplace which may not be luxurious, but we all found some unique treasures. This is Hawaii’s largest open-air market where the locals shop for the best deals in town. There are over 400 vendors, crafters, and artists from all over the world! Admission is cash only, $2 per person for ages 12 and older. Admission is reduced

Today was the beginning of a trip of a lifetime! I was traveling with my boyfriend and his family to Hawaii. We specifically were traveling to The Island of O’ahu. I am fortunate enough to have visited this Hawaiian Island and Maui before with my family and I was ecstatic to go back! It had been several years since my last visit, and we had a new itinerary to explore. Avery, my boyfriend, and I were up at 3 AM to prepare ourselves for our early 7 AM flight from PHL to PHX the

As always, the saying stands last day, best day. Today Alexa and I made the most out of our last hours left on the west coast. Hannah, her husband Shane, Alexa, and I visited two wineries in Temecula with the time that we had left. We first visited Oak Mountain Winery which is home to Southern California's only mined wine caves and offers over 30 award winning wines. If wine isn't your vibe, don't worry because this winery has a speakeasy distillery as well. During our time h

Hannah, Alexa, and I went into our short reunion not planning on going to Disneyland as we were just there six months ago. However, we were only fooling ourselves because of course we were going to go to Disney together. Disney is our friendship origin story, and it holds a special place in each of our hearts. En route to Disneyland, we stopped to grab breakfast at Black Bear Diner. I ordered the Breakfast Burrito which I have been dreaming about since my last visit a few yea

It has been six months too long since I have last seen the west coast. I headed over to the Philadelphia airport right after work on Wednesday, April 22 to catch my flight to San Diego, California. I was heading back west to attend my cousin's wedding and to visit my dear friend Hannah. My time at PHL went smoothly, I dropped my luggage off and went through security quickly. Unfortunately, the lounge I intended to visit preflight was filled and I grabbed a bite to eat at Jack

This was another whirlwind of a trip; two days at Disneyland, two days focused on getting one of my best friends married, and one day, today, to wrap it all up. We started our morning off by slowly peeling our exhausted bodies out of bed and down to the dining area for one last cooked meal from our chef. Our house mom prepared eggs, fruit, sausage, and toast for us which was delicious. Everything that our house mom did was extremely appreciated and the whole experience at th

Today was Hannah and Shane’s big day! The villa group ate a delicious breakfast (bacon, eggs, fruit, hashbrowns, and toast) prepared by our chef, then the girls gathered all of their necessities (hair tools, makeup, shoes, dress, etc.) and were driven to the venue's bridal suite. Our getting ready morning was fun and relaxed as we helped each other with hair and makeup. We had lunch prepared for us (croissant sandwiches) along with some snacks that we brought (hummus/pesto pl

After months of planning and preparing, the wedding weekend was finally here! All of Hannah and Shane’s (along with countless others) hard work lead up to the next 48 hours. We packed up our belongings from Hannah and Shane’s home and then headed over to the wedding venue for the rehearsal run through. The wedding was to be held at Los Willows Wedding Estate in Fallbrook, California. The venue was beautiful with an outdoor garden ceremony space, lake, and large indoor and ou

Today was our second full day in California and we were in for a magical time! We were slightly behind with our rope drop enthusiasm to Disneyland Park, but we made up for our sleepy morning in no time. At Disneyland Park we were once again ride focused and used our purchased Lightning Lane Passes to get us back on track. Throughout our day we accomplished the following attractions: Alice in Wonderland, Autopia, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Disneyland Railroad, Haunted Mans

Today was our first full day in California and we were in for an adventure! Avery and I woke up and got ready to rope drop, or close enough to rope drop, Disneyland’s California Adventure. We stayed at the Hampton Inn-Los Angeles Orange County Cypress, CA, which was a quick and easy drive to the parks. At DCA we were ride focused and used our purchased Lightning Lane Passes to give us an advantage on the day. Throughout our day we accomplished the following attractions: The

Today started out like any other Tuesday, I woke up, got myself ready, and went to work. However, I only went to work for a few hours as this was a special Tuesday. Today was the beginning of Avery, my boyfriend, and I’s California adventure. As previously featured on my blog, this was not my first time in Cali, however, it was Avery’s. After my short workday concluded, I went home, gathered up my luggage, and headed to the Philadelphia International Airport with Avery. We di

Rome might not have been built in a day, but Greece was built in a morning… Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again! Hannah’s bridal shower was...

This morning and into the early afternoon were slow and peaceful, filled with blue water and sunshine. The bachelorette party went to...

As promised, today was our wine tour with Temecula Cable Car Wine Tours. This was my third time on the tour, and I have enjoyed it every...