Kualoa Ranch photographer | A perfect ten

A special visit to Kualoa Ranch

Felicia contacted me with visions of lush green mountains and a rocky, wild beach for her Hawaii family photo session. They were celebrating their 10th anniversary and wanted to go all out. I scoured the island for the perfect spot before landing at the most beautiful valley of all – the majestic Kaaawa Valley at Kualoa Ranch. Access was questionable as they were filming Jurassic World at the time and wanted to keep the sets very secretive. Also there was some concern over explosions. It only made me want to get into the valley more! I fretted as the date grew near, but we finally received the okay. We could enter the valley with a guided escort. But where to start?

An epic valley

If you haven’t been into the valley, I highly recommend it. You can view it on horseback, ATV, adventure bus or even by zipline. Even better, sign up for a race – Makahiki Challenge, Xterra, and Spartan all take place in the valley. A stunning backdrop for your pain. It can be hard to distinguish between tourist fluff (ahem, I’m looking at your Dole Plantation) and something actually worth visiting. This is the good stuff.

With dirt and dust flying we bumped our way over the rough road to the back of the valley for a combination ocean/mountain view. The kids were a bit apprehensive to start, but quickly began to run and play. They didn’t want to leave, but we had one stop left. As the clouds rolled in, we scooted back down the valley and wound our way to an empty Laie Beach Park to end a beautiful day.

Do you have a special trip to Oahu planned?

Let’s explore a beautiful part of the island for a morning of fun, family adventure. Find out more about my family photography sessions here.