Round Top Drive

My favorite part about living in Hawaii is the view from where I live. I am tremendously blessed to have the spectacular ‘perch’ that I do looking over Diamondhead, Waikiki, Honolulu, and past the airport to Ko’olina. If you are looking to see such a spectacular view of Southern Oahu, drive up Round Top Drive to Pu’u Ualaka’a State Park for sunset. You will find a large grassy area to share a picnic or lay back and watch the clouds roll by. Or you can stand up a bit higher at the lookout and identify all the places and roads you have been while in Honolulu. If hiking is more your style, there are plenty of trails up on this scenic route as well. Or, perhaps, you will just enjoy the curly queues and hairpins of the the Tantalus-Round Top Drive loop. No matter what you do, it is a refreshing reprieve from the busy scene in Waikiki!

Hawaii’s flora is immediately captivating. From the sweet-smelling plumeria tucked behind the ears of women in the airport, to the wild orchids that grow in Volcanoes National Park and the resplendent ipu kula (cup of gold) flower found along trails and driveways, the islands bloom. Nowhere is it more appropriate to “stop and smell the flowers” than on Kauai, “The Garden Isle.” At Princeville Botanical Gardens visitors can enjoy delightful fragrances and tastes as they sample chocolate, honey, and fruit from the gardens—all while learning that flowers are far more than a few pretty petals, but are useful for dining, health, and wellness.

If you are looking for an interesting activity where you can literally eat the fruits of your labor in Hawaii, take a trip to a park, or hike a trail through a tropical forest. You have to look hard for it (the “low hanging” and easily spotted fruit is the first to go), but there is an abundance of edibles hanging from trees. Lychee (as shown in this photo) are one of my favorites, but fruit pickers can also find lilikoi, mangoes, avocados, papaya, some citrus, and several other treats. If this appeals to you, find out what fruit is in season and set your sights in the tree branches.