Weddingbee Blog

I practically floated off the plane when we touched down in Oahu (because I was so excited, NOT because of my white wine/flying meds combo ). I had fantasized about coming to Hawaii since I was a little girl and to finally be there, and feel the warm breeze and smell the clean air, was (literally) a dream come true.

Our first stop on the way to our resort was the rental car office. We’d taken the advice of friends who had visited Hawaii before us, and arranged to have a car for the week. And I’m SO glad we did! Having that a car made our island experience so much more laid back and awesome. Not having to rely on resort shuttles or cabs the whole week was definitely worth the price!

Sparkler Oahu Tip #1: Rent a car! And if you want a Jeep, reserve early!

We didn’t end up with the Jeep Wrangler we were hoping for because EVERYONE visiting Hawaii wants a Jeep Wrangler. So make sure you specifically ask for one and reserve it early if that’s your top pick. Sparks and I were perfectly happy with the car we ended up with though… hey, we were in Hawaii!!!

Sparks in our sweet ride

The drive to the resort was absolutely breathtaking. Again, I just couldn’t believe where we were! But when we pulled up to the hotel, my mouth just fell open.

We spent our week in Oahu at the brand spankin’ new Aulani Resort by Disney (thanks to an unbelievably generous wedding gift from Mom Sparkler, who is a Vacation Club member). It was absolutely gorgeous.

The view from our room

View from the beach

Paradise…

Yep.. gettin’ right to it!

Part of the pools

The resort is located in a part of Oahu called Ko Olina, away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, and on a private lagoon. Sparks and I spent most of our first day exploring the grounds, drinking pricey cocktails (like WAY pricey… yikes!) and trying to adjust to the time change.

Sparkler Oahu Tip #2: Consider a resort away from Honolulu/Waikiki

Can you spot the Sparkler?

Sparks up a tree!

I can barely remember what we did that night. I was exhausted by 6PM! I think we ordered room service and passed out. Romantic!

The next day we were back to our normal selves, and really able to enjoy the beach. We also made a run to Target to stock our fridge with food and beer.

Sparkler Oahu Tip #3: Hawaii is expensive… on the resorts.

If you’re planning a Hawaiian honeymoon, you’ve probably had more than one person tell you, “Oh, it’s SOOOOOO expensive down there!” Well I’m here to tell you that those people are wrong. Kind of. Yes, the resort food, drinks, and activities are unbelievably expensive (I’m talking $24 for pancakes. PANCAKES). But places like Target aren’t. Sparks and I were able to fill our fridge with food, beer, and bottled water for the same price we would have paid in Chicago. We saved a lot of money by eating most breakfasts and lunches in our room, and saving our money for dinner. I’m not saying Hawaii is cheap… I’m just saying there are ways to make it less expensive.

In Review…

Enterprise Honolulu Airport: Very easy… no lines, friendly staff, and plenty of vehicles. When they saw our disappointment in finding out all the Wranglers were reserved, the girl helping us hooked us up with a Jeep Liberty. Not too bad!

The Resort (Aulani by Disney): The resort was absolutely incredible. We stayed there a week and a half after they opened, and you would have thought they’d been around for 20 years. Everything was running smoothly and the staff was excellent. They were actually preparing for a grand-opening being broadcast on Good Morning America while we were there, and the only annoying part of our stay was that they were building a stage on part of the beach (tractors, etc… NOT romantic). The food on the resort was wonderful! We especially loved their contemporary restaurant ’AMA-‘AMA. But the pork sandwiches at Aulani’s pool-side cantina were just as delicious! There’s a shopping center located directly across from the resort which offers some less expensive options (we loved Just Tacos!) and a convenience store (go to Target instead!). If anyone is planning their honeymoon and staying at the Aulani, feel free to message me! I could talk about the resort for days!

Ko Olina: Sparks and I loved being in Ko Olina. It’s only about 20 minutes from Waikiki and Honolulu, but after spending a day amidst the crowds downtown, it was nice to retreat to our quiet resort.

Coming Up: Our Oahu Favorites