I'm in love with Hanalei

Just over a year ago, DH and I decided to go to Kauai for vacation. We'd been once before, when the boys were still in elementary school. We never got around to the north side on that trip, so we decided to go there this time.



The north side gets a considerable amount of rain and is lush, green and tropical. There is Princeville, and just a tiny bit farther along the road is Hanalei. The road from Princeville drops down into a valley, and crosses a one lane bridge and poof! A different world.

Town is maybe two blocks long, and a block from the beach. Sure, its touristy, but once you cross that one lane bridge, there are no more mega resorts, or traffic signals. (I'm sure there can be plenty of traffic, but it wasn't bad in November.)  And guess what? Hanalei has a yarn shop! Hanalei Strings is part yarn shop and part musical instrument shop. They carry beautiful colorways, which I'd love to share, but all my cell phone photos came out blurry.

First view of Hanalei Bay. Do they do this for all the tourists?

There are more one lane bridges, if you continue past Hanalei. A car will take you as far as Haena State Park, where the road ends and the trail along the Na Pali coast begins.

On the road to Haena St. Park. Good eats at Sushi Girl!

For this drought stricken Southern California gal, the days were a soothing mix of rain, sun, trade winds, and walks along the beach.  And no freeways.  I'm sure more visits to Hanalei are in my future.