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While we didn’t stay at Aulani, the Disney resort in Ko Olina, we decided to drop by one morning to have a look around. Anything Disney-related and we are there with bells on! It ended up being a lovely little outing in itself, and a great way to start our day before heading off for some outlet shopping and meeting a cousin for the first time, who’s stationed in Pearl City with the Navy. If you’ve ever wondered about visiting Aulani Disney Resort without staying there—and without paying those expensive room rates! Here’s what we saw, what we did, and why we’re so happy we went. Visiting Aulani Disney Resort Without Staying There – A Relaxed Morning in Ko Olina First Impressions of Aulani Aulani sits right on the coast in the polished, resort-filled area of Ko Olina. On the drive, we saw impressively manicured gardens, beautiful palm trees and everything you expect when you see Hawaii in the movies. Interestingly, not everywhere in Oahu is like this. But Aluani definitely captures that picture-perfect postcard side of Hawaii. From the moment we arrived, it was clear Disney does things thoughtfully. Because, of course, Disney never disappoints! The entrance is grand in a subtle kind of way, and even as non-guests, we felt very welcome to explore. A Touch of Disney What really stood out to me was how Disney managed to fit right in with the Hawaiian vibe. There was traditional art, carved wood details, and open-air spots letting the sunshine and breeze in. The Disney touches were definitely there, but it all felt natural and subtle. It was laid-back Disney Hawaiian style. Disney Characters We spotted Hawaiian Mickey out and about, greeting guests and posing for photos. Moana too. Exploring the Resort Grounds We walked through the open areas, and we were in awe of the huge pool (pool access is for guests only). There’s a lazy river winding through lush greenery, a splash zone for little ones, and loungers everywhere for hotel guests. Right by the resort is a beautiful lagoon with calm water and soft sand. It almost looked too perfect to be real! Tucked between the pools is Rainbow Reef—a man-made saltwater lagoon filled with tropical fish. We stood there for a while, mesmerised by the colourful fish gliding past and enjoyed the underwater views through a large glass viewing window. It’s like a mini aquarium right in the middle of the resort.  Inside, the lobby is airy and beautiful—wooden beams, high ceilings. Do You Need to Be a Guest to Visit? Nope! You can absolutely visit Aulani Disney Resort without staying there, as long as you’re happy to just wander the public areas. The pools, loungers, and some activities are for resort guests only, but there’s still plenty to see and enjoy.  Final Thoughts It was great to get a little taste of Disney magic in such a beautiful setting. We were already feeling sad that our Disneyland part of the trip was over, so it was nice to get a little Disney fix. But when I found out how much it cost to stay per night, I wondered whether it cost about the same just to go to Disneyland in LA. Holy moley! Standard rooms at Aulani start around $574 USD per night for a standard view, and can go up to $774 USD for an ocean view. At the time of our visit, that worked out to roughly $850 to $1,200 AUD. Yikes! If you’re thinking about visiting Aulani Disney Resort without staying there, it’s definitely possible to enjoy the atmosphere without breaking the bank on those room rates. We had the best time wandering around the grounds, admiring the beautiful design, and soaking up the laid-back feel. I’d recommend a visit for sure—and I’m looking forward to staying a couple of nights… when we win the lottery. Outlet Shopping After visiting Aulani Disney Resort, we headed to a nearby outlet, though I can’t for the life of me remember exactly which one. It had all the big brands—Polo Ralph Lauren, Coach, Tommy Hilfiger, and plenty of other familiar favourites. I ended up buying a dress at Polo Ralph Lauren that was majorly discounted. It gives off serious old money vibes… and I have absolutely nowhere to wear it. But I couldn’t say no because I knew I’d regret it forever! Meeting Our Navy Cousin We planned to meet our cousin after my aunt in LA gave me his number. We met up at a casual chicken and brisket spot, and it was so nice to meet him in person. He’s stationed with the Navy in Pearl City and was super friendly and easy to talk to. Of course, we couldn’t resist asking a few (hundred) curious questions about life in the Navy. It felt pretty cool to meet even more cousins on this trip—looks like we pick up cousins everywhere we go! A Lagoon Swim to End the Day Later in the afternoon, after our cousin catch-up, we headed to the other side of the lagoon—away from the resort—and went for a swim. The water was so calm (perfect for a non-swimmer like me), the sand was soft, and it was paradise! Here’s a top tip if you’re planning a visit to Aulani Disney Resort without staying there: you don’t need to be a resort guest (or pay those wild room rates) to enjoy the lagoons in Ko Olina. They are open to the public, so you can soak up the same sun, swim in the same ocean, and enjoy those postcard-perfect views for free. Thanks for coming along on our little adventure! If you’re ever in Ko Olina, I hope you get to enjoy a bit of this magic too.

It felt so good to land in Hawaii, and we were so excited to get right into the warm island vibe. But we were also very aware that this was the last leg of our amazing trip. So there was a real mix of emotions when I spotted that Aloha sign at the airport—I knew we were getting closer to the end of a journey I didn’t want to end! This recap covers our first two days in Oahu, January 2025—from watching college football at a sports bar to visiting the Dole Plantation. Thanks so much for stopping by! Oahu January 2025 – Sports Bar and Dole Plantation We arrived at our hotel just as the Presidential inauguration was happening live on the screens in the foyer. Yikes, what a way to start our week in Oahu, haha! Sports Bar Experience: College Football Playoff Once we checked in, we dropped our bags in our rooms. Then we ran back out again because the College Football Playoff National Championship was on at 3:00 PM. Our cousin S is a huge Ohio State supporter, so there was no way we were missing that. Go Buckeyes! We planned to watch the game at Ala Moana Center, about 40 minutes from our hotel in Kapolei. Cousin S could seriously drive in the Grand Prix—he weaved through traffic like a champ and got us there in no time. I may or may not have had my eyes closed a few times. 😅 And just like that, I was living my dream: watching a college football game in a proper American sports bar—with burgers, beer, and my family. Oh yeah! Then, of course, the shops started calling. Once I realised football games go on for hours, I happily cut my dream short for a little retail therapy. Half of our group stayed back at Buffalo Wild Wings, and the rest of us wandered off to explore Ala Moana Center. The shopping centre is so beautiful! But it felt really different from what I remembered back in 2000 when I visited with my mum. The place has had some major renovations since then, and for a moment, I thought the koi fish were gone. But nope—they were still there. Phew! We went in and out of heaps of shops and bought a couple of things. Then made our way back to the rest of our group once the game finished. Good news—Ohio State won! For dinner that night, we had Boston Pizza, finally satisfying a craving my cousin J and I had been carrying around for 25 years. It was worth the wait! Dole Plantation The next morning, we traded in the excitement of the afternoon before for a more relaxed day with a visit to the Dole Plantation. It was a sunny day in Oahu, perfect for exploring one of the island’s most iconic spots. We wandered through the gardens, learned a bit about the history of Hawaii’s pineapple industry, and treated ourselves to some Dole Whip. We checked out the Koi fish and bought some food to feed them. And that wraps up our first two days in Hawaii! Next up, I’ll be sharing our visit to Waikiki, a peek at Aulani–A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, and a fun meetup with another cousin. Hope you’ll join me for that one!

Hey friends! I’m popping in with a bonus Tuesday post to share a quick recap of our drive from the Grand Canyon to Las Vegas—and how we made the most of just four hours in the city. We left the Grand Canyon around 8 a.m. (thank goodness for time-stamped photos, or the whole trip would’ve felt like a dream—or a blur). We jumped into our van, and it was freezing—just 7ºC. How do I know this? Because I took a screenshot of the weather app, and I’m so glad I did. It’s fun to look back at these details. I also took a photo of a water bottle I left in the van. I remember it was liquid, but when I held it, the water turned into ice, just like a magic trick! One second, I was holding water, and the next, I was holding a bottle of ice. My brain nearly split in two! We drove along the gorgeous, never-ending highway, with a landscape that looked so different from anything I’ve seen back home—until it was time to stop for a bathroom break and a leg stretch. We pulled over in a place called Kingman, Arizona, and got a glimpse of a real American diner. I could hear people saying ‘ya’ll’ and ‘howdy.’ Haha! I loved it!! Here I am, checking myself out in the mirror and noticing my eyebags! I was way too excited to sleep on this trip—I’d stay up late, scrolling through my photos, and then get up early to start the day. No time for sleep on a trip of a lifetime! I’ll never forget Kingman because I had the best coffee to go with the most delicious doughnut ever! I remember I had the Boston Kreme. Now, I’m not a big fan of chocolate doughnuts, and I don’t love cream. But this doughnut completely changed my mind. That said, I wanted to experience the same WOW doughnut moment when I got home—and nope, it just wasn’t the same. Sadly, Australian doughnuts just can’t compare. We got to Las Vegas around midday, and since it was too early to check into the hotel, we parked the van in a car park and hit the streets of Vegas! We had actually passed through Las Vegas at night on our way from Death Valley, right at the start of our road trip. It was so cool to see it lit up at night, and now we were going to have a closer look on foot. I can’t even begin to describe Las Vegas—it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen, and it’s huge! The streets just seem to go on forever, and Sydney felt so tiny in comparison. We must have walked for about four hours, and still, we only scratched the surface. I guess Elvis’s song captures everything I saw and felt perfectly—bright lights, city gonna set my soul on fire! Vegas was buzzing, flashing, and completely over-the-top in the most amazing way. We saw so many of the big-name places I’d only ever heard about in movies—Bellagio, Caesars Palace, and The Venetian, where they actually have real gondolas inside the casino! One of my favourites was watching the Bellagio Fountains. It was so beautiful watching the water display set to Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect”. I got emotional and started tearing up. It really was a moment I’ll never forget. I think it was around 4 pm when we checked into our hotel and had a rest after our big walk. In the evening, we went to Popeyes for dinner before calling it a night. We had to be up bright and early for our 6 a.m. flight to Hawaii!

Let’s take a trip to the Grand Canyon, shall we? Thanks so much for joining me as I share our visit to the Grand Canyon, the incredible Desert View Watchtower, and the magical night we spent stargazing under the clearest sky ever. It was yet another one of those goosebump moments I’ll never forget! Here we are back in the van again. I felt very attached to our van, which took us on all these wonderful adventures. It was like our little home on wheels—always ready for the next part of our road trip, packed with snacks, music, and fun. Such beautiful scenery and the endless road that stretched forever. We took a quick bathroom break at a spot that had snacks, drinks, Navajo souvenirs, and a small museum. Minimal snow but maximum fun! The younger cousins made the most of every pitstop, launching into snowball fights with whatever tiny patches they could scrape together. I think there would be more snow in a snow globe than at this spot! Haha. What better way to thaw out afterwards than with some hot chocolate and whipped cream? Soon after, we arrived at the highlight of the day… The Grand Canyon and Desert View Watchtower The Grand Canyon The next photo on my camera roll has us at the South Rim of the Canyon. I remember walking up to the lookout and just being hit by how massive the Grand Canyon actually is. I mean, I knew it would be big, but I didn’t expect it to be that big and that deep. Now I feel a bit awful admitting this (and yes, I even Googled to see if anyone else felt the same), but I remember feeling a little underwhelmed at first. And I felt so guilty even thinking that! But it’s just… It’s so vast that when you’re standing at the lookouts, you kind of lose the finer details. For once, it wasn’t that my phone camera didn’t do the views justice—this time, it was my eyes! The Grand Canyon is spectacular—there’s no doubt about that. But because of its sheer size, you don’t get that instant scenic hit like you do at a place like Bryce Canyon. So I think what I felt wasn’t so much a wow moment. Instead, it was more of a quiet, intense sense of awe. Like… how is it even possible for something this massive and beautiful to be carved completely by nature? I felt very, very small. The Desert View Watchtower Next up, we made our way to the Desert View Watchtower. It was built in 1932 and designed to resemble an ancient Pueblo watchtower. The climb up was definitely worth it (all those stairs!) Because the views of the Canyon from the top are amazing, and again, you can see just how massive the Canyon is from another angle. Seriously, the Grand Canyon seems to go on forever, no matter where you are. Here are some photos I took from inside the Desert View Watch Tower. The Desert View Watchtower is more than just another lookout point. The inside is spectacular, filled with beautiful murals painted by Hopi artists. It was such an awesome place to visit, and I really felt honoured to be in a place with so much history and meaning. The Grand Canyon Visitor Center After the Desert View Watchtower, we spent some time at the Visitor Centre on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. It was another fantastic stop, packed with so much interesting information. We got lucky and caught the hourly showing of We Are Grand Canyon. The film gives a glimpse into the culture and stories of the 11 tribal communities who’ve called this place home for thousands of years, and I was really moved by it. I found the film on YouTube and linked it here in case you want to watch it—it was a real highlight of our visit. It helped me wrap up what I was feeling about the Grand Canyon. It’s not just about the views—how could my eyes possibly take in all the details of such a huge, immense, and spectacular wonder? The film showed me the canyon through the eyes of the people and generations who have lived and experienced it. It’s more than just the views—it’s an incredible sense of wonder that’s hard to put into words. After the most amazing day visiting the Grand Canyon and the Desert View Watchtower, we headed back to the hotel. Even though we’d had such a full day of sightseeing, we still weren’t ready to call it quits. So, some of us went for a stroll around Grand Canyon Village and ended up stopping inside a beautiful hotel (I can’t remember the name). But I do remember that it was decorated with mounted animal heads. Now that was something I had only ever seen in movies! Inside the hotel found a bar and enjoyed the smoothest glass of red wine I have ever tasted while we chatted about our day and all the incredible things we had seen. It was such a cosy moment that’s embedded in my memory forever. We went back to our hotel, where we were staying, grabbed the rest of our gang, and went to dinner at a pizza-pasta place. Star Gazing Then it was time to go and see some stars. We drove to one of the nearby carparks—don’t ask me which one, I just remember how freezing it was even though I was wearing all the layers! But it was so worth it to see the most spectacular pitch-black sky lit up with millions of stars. My cousins S and M really impressed me with all their knowledge of constellations and star names, while all I could think was, “Oooooh, so pretty!” These next four photos were taken by my cousin J. She’s an amazing photographer, and I have no idea how she captured all these incredible shots. I got the latest iPhone 16,