We decided we wanted to kick off our Hawaiian Vacation with a nice ocean front/view breakfast, so we headed back to the Hilton Hawaiian Village to check out the Rainbow Lanai Restaurant that we saw the night before.
The Hilton is just amazing. Everything was open-aired. The pictures below are of their registration/check in area.
We made our way to the restaurant, but the restaurant was actually a buffet and was over $30 per person and we were not that hungry, so we decided to walk along the boardwalk of Waikiki Beach and see if we stumbled upon somewhere else to eat.
Because it was so early in the morning (and a Monday), the beach was pretty empty. The lighting was also amazing, so we pulled over to let Lauren stick her feet in the sand for the first time and to take some pictures too.
She was not so sure she liked the sand in her sandals at first, and she was a little unsure about the sand moving under her feet when she walked.
See, the beach was empty. (Looking back towards the Hilton Hawaiian Viallge)
Lauren liked digging her toes in the sand.
We ended up walking all the way down to the Sheraton Waikiki (where I stayed the last time I was in Hawaii) to have breakfast there. Unfortunately, the restaurant we ate at every day we were there was also a high priced buffet now, so we opted to grab some breakfast to go at Ingredients at the Sheraton. I had the breakfast plate of eggs, hashbrowns, bacon, sausage and a croissant and Justin had a chicken club sandwich that he LOVED! Lauren had Cheerios and a banana. We ate our breakfast on some lounge chairs next to the pool and right on the beach. It was amazing and just what we wanted.
Soon the birds realized that there was a potential feast brewing near the baby, so they started flying in. Lauren was not so sure she liked the uninvited guests hopping all around her and under her lounger.
Just as we were finishing up our breakfast a pool attendant came over and asked us to move to the "family pool". Apparently, there was a new pool, and the one we were at was for adults only now. Back when I stayed there in 2002, there was only the one pool. So we gathered up our things and headed over to check out the family pool there in case we ever came back to Waikiki and wanted to stay there. It was beautiful with water slides and rocks.
About that time, Lauren required a diaper change, but none of the restrooms had a changing table, so we went up to the conference area (it was deserted) and did a change on the floor in a sort of hidden area. After her change, Lauren wanted to run around and be silly, so that is just what she did. After that, we headed out of the Sheraton towards the International Marketplace. Right out side of the Sheraton is the famous pink Royal Hawaiian Hotel (and creator of the very first Mai Tai).
When Lauren was not wearing her lei, it proudly rode on the hood of her stroller.
Our next stop was across the street from the Hyatt Regency. The famous Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Statue in Kuhio Beach Park (the most popular beach in Waikiki).
By this time, it was 10am and time for Lauren's nap so we headed back to the hotel to put her down. She rode the whole way back to the hotel with her legs out like this. It was so cute.
We tried and tried to get her to relax, but she was having none of it. She wanted to go-go-go, so finally we threw in the towel and gave in. We packed up and headed to the nearby WalMart to get some groceries and sand toys for Lauren. Lauren fell asleep while we were shopping and stayed asleep when we transferred her to the car. Instead of waking her, we decided to just drive along the coast to the Windward side of the island and see what we came across, after a quick pit stop at the hotel to put the perishables in the refrigerator.
I did a lot of research before we left, so I knew there was a blow hole and some really beautiful and unspoiled beaches in the area and we set out to find them. We drove past the Diamond Head Lighthouse and about 10 more miles down the road was the Halona Blowhole Lookout, so we pulled in to the parking lot and got out to check it out. It was really cool. We left our good video camera and Nikon camera at the hotel because we were just going to WalMart and then Justin forgot to grab the camera while he was inside, so all of these pictures are from Justin's cell phone and they just to not do the views any justice.
The blowhole "blowing". It was so beautiful. I am glad we stopped there.
About 6 more miles down the road was the city of Waimanalo. We spotted a McDonald's so we pulled in to get something to eat...and continued driving. (We took our food to go) But before we could leave, I had to get a picture of the sign hanging in the window. Yes, SPAM is served in Hawaiian McDonalds.
We continued driving, and maybe a quarter of a mile past the McDonalds I spotted this sign, and just knew that was the beach I had read about online, but it was too late to turn.
Justin was not so hot on the idea of going back to check out a beach, but I pulled in to the air force base to turn around and head back to the beach. Let me tell you, I am so glad I did! The sand was beautiful and soft, the beach was EMPTY and the waves were calm and the water was warm. Lauren had the time of her life. It was so surreal just being at such an empty, yet gorgeous beach.
Lauren was still having a bit of trouble walking on the sand.
At one point, Justin built sand up around Lauren's legs and she thought it was the funniest thing ever! She had so much fun playing "Don't mess up my house (sand castle)" too.
It was starting to get late and we wanted to make it back to Waikiki before it got dark so we packed up and headed out, but not before we took a picture with our feet in the sand, ocean in the background.
The view of Waimanalo Bay State Recreation Area from the parking lot as we were leaving.
How cute is she with her "hollywoods" on in the car?
We got back to our hotel room with plenty of day light left. We were going to call it a night and just hang out in the room, but looking out the windows just made me want to get outside and explore some more, so after some coaxing, I got Justin to agree to go out again. He would have been perfectly content sitting on the bed hanging out with Lauren the rest of the night.
We walked back over to the Hilton Hawaiian Village and stopped at the Tapa Bar for a Virgin (to share with Lauren) Strawberry Daiquiri to go and then headed to the beach to watch the sun set. Lauren LOVED it and did not want to share with Daddy. Mommy drank most of it and saved the last bit for Lauren...because I knew she would drink the whole thing if she could and not give it back and well, she did not need THAT much sugar before bed. 
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