A family break in paradise

If you've been craving the sand and surf, this article may or may not be for you. On June 22, I woke my three-year-old traveling companion, Gracie, at 3:00 a.m. We said goodbye to my husband for the next eight days and began a twenty-hour journey that landed us in paradise. In Kihei, Hawaii, to be exact, just in time to beat the hottest week I have ever heard of in my more than 20 years of living in Waitsburg.

After boarding the early-morning flight out of Walla Walla, Gracie and I had a seven-and-a-half-hour layover in Seattle before the flight to Hawaii. The wait between flights was long, but the kiddo offered minimal sassing and not a single complaint during our journey. We sat next to a man we had met just a few moments before boarding, traveling with his wife and kids. The only time he spoke to me was to ask if Gracie was still 'out' before adjusting his neck pillow and falling back asleep.

Once we landed, we were welcomed by the smiling faces of the open-air airport employees. It didn't take long for Gracie to spot my parents, who had already been on the island for a week. Our bags were quickly loaded in the car, and within an hour, I was sitting on the beaches of Maui, swimming with sea turtles and watching my first tropical sunset.

One of the most fun drives we took was the road to Hana. Hana is a small town on the other side of Maui from where we were staying, which my parents often referred to as the 'hippie town.' Organic fruit stands with an honor-system self-pay jar were on almost every turn, which speaks volumes on the island's agriculture, as there are 620 curves and nearly 60 bridges along the way.

Sometimes the drive takes two hours, sometimes it takes over four, depending on traffic and how many stops you make along the way. There is a bamboo forest, assorted waterfalls, and other viewpoints that make the trip an all-day adventure.

Once in town, I picked up great coffee, pineapple-lime hot sauce, and local honey at Hana Farms. I even enjoyed a fresh hibiscus soda while I waited for my items to be bagged up. Everything for sale at the shop was grown and produced on the farm.

We did just about everything you could think of while in Hawaii for a lazy getaway. Gracie learned how to boogie board (back in Washington, she was very disappointed that she couldn't board on the lake over this last weekend), and she tried her hand at body surfing. We did all sorts of shopping, hit up some great eateries: If you're willing to brave the sun and eat in your car, Tin Roof is the place to go for show-stopping Hawaiian flavor.

One of my favorite moments happened while I was taking my morning swim. I overheard a local woman tell her grandson, "I was there for the protests. I lost two of my best friends on the trip." She was pointing to Kaho'olawe; an island left uninhabitable after the U.S. Military used it for bombing practice from 1941 to 1990. In 1976, members of Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana (PKO) began a series of island occupations in an effort to halt the bombing. The U.S. Navy transferred control of the island to the State of Hawaii in 1994, and efforts were started to clear the island of unexploded munitions and reestablish the watershed. Today, the island can only be used for Hawaiian cultural, spiritual, and subsistence purposes.

I did not catch her name, but I had a 20-minute history lesson that left me feeling just about every emotion in the book.

Gracie held out as long as she could, but by day 6, she was tired. We left my dad at the condo and headed out to the Maui Ocean Center in Wailuku for an indoor, relaxing activity. There are no words to describe how impressive this aquarium is. From the 52-foot-long underwater tunnel with a showboating stingray, tons of sharks, and a massive grouper, to the turtle nursery, where they hatch and raise sea turtles before releasing them into the ocean. My favorite part was the Humpbacks of Hawaii Exhibit & Sphere. This unique sphere attraction debuted a couple of years ago. It is 58 feet in diameter; the length of female humpback whales from tip to tail. The 3D immersive presentation allows the audience to experience just how giant these gentle creatures are. There was a ton of whale information as you entered the sphere, and if you looked down at the floor, you'd see that you were following the migration paths, starting with the summer months spent in Alaska and ending with the winter months in Hawaii.

While I could go on and on about all the things we did, I do have to take a moment and describe the change in how locals treated us after they learned I once lived in Southeast Alaska. From whales to 'island time,' those living in Sitka share a lot with Hawaiian islanders. Whether from a shopkeeper, a server at a restaurant, or the group of surfers on the beach, I instantly went from tourist to neighbor; all I had to say was "907" (Sitka's area code).

We spent eight days on Maui, and I am already counting down the days until I go back. It did not hurt that at home, temperatures were hitting as high as 115.