Little Bird Blog

Get Outside We’ve been dragging lately. The summer heat and crowds feel oppressive and it seems we only leave the house for visits to Target (air conditioning) and the library (excellent air conditioning). For the first time in … ever? The kids asked if we could go on an easy hike. They requested something within […]

A Lagoon is Born The Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon sparkles a brilliant turquoise blue from the end of Waikiki Beach. It almost glows in aerial photos and leads those in colder climes to sigh at their screens and fantasize about a tropical getaway. The Hilton invested quite a bit of money into revitalizing this former cesspool […]

Ke Iki Beach, Worthy of a Staycation I was recently at a birthday celebration at Ke Iki Beach Bungalows on the north shore of Oahu. Adults chatted on the lanai with microbrews in hand while our children played in a wild mob below on the beach. “What do you call a group of children?”, a […]

A Magical Waikiki Sunset Town isn’t far. It’s maybe a half hour drive from Kailua, but it feels far. The kids balk and throw their little bodies dramatically on the couch as we pick them up from school with news of our evening beach plans. “Noooo!” they moan exaggeratedly. “We don’t want to go to […]

Just where do Hawaii residents go on vacation? I walked off the plane and was immediately enveloped into a blanket humidity. The air was lightly scented of plumeria. It felt like a welcome home hug. This month I celebrate my 16th year living on Oahu. It was never the plan to stay this long, but […]

A Short Hike with Big Views The Ehukai Pillbox Trail is a picturesque and fairly easy trail got hikes on the North Shore Oahu. Living in Kailua (windward Oahu), we don’t make it to the beautiful north shore nearly enough. However, over the summer months, when the surf is quiet we make an effort to […]

A Walk on the Wild Side Kaena Point is known for its rugged and remote natural beauty, with coastal cliffs, tide pools, and native plant and bird species. Certainly, it’s a far cry from Waikiki with its vibrant palms, loud aloha wear, and bedazzled cocktails, but it’s one of my favorite spots on the island. […]

Sans Souci Beach – a perfect little family beach Waikiki has a lot of excitement to offer, but we always find ourselves drawn to the same little stretch of beach called Sans Souci Beach. It’s a small beach on the outskirts of Waikiki adjacent to the Waikiki Aquarium. In fact, we walked past it many […]

A Beach for Little Adventurers Mila looked at me quizzically as she surveyed the beach. “Why did you take us to a beach with brown water, Mama?” True, the water often has a brown tinge as the rain from Kahana Valley empties into the bay, but it’s perfect for exploring. She quickly forgot about the […]