2023 Hawaii Trip - Day 5

Hello and welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday.  On Thursdays, I share something on my mind and invite you to link up and do the same.  Today I'm once again thinking about our wonderful vacation to Hawaii and sharing Day 5.

By Day 5 we had fallen into a routine of getting up fairly early and taking a walk.  The above picture is what we would see and every day we stopped to take in the sheer beauty of it.  One day we even saw a couple seals sunning themselves and another day we saw sea turtles.  Ian and Kayla were fortunate to see whales playing in the ocean one morning!  We were sorry to miss that.

When the walk was over and we were back on the grounds of Aulani, we'd swing by Wailana Coffee Bar for a caffeinated treat.  This is a lifestyle I could definitely get used to!

Day 5 was the Wednesday of our trip and a day we had scheduled to be a total relaxation day.  We spent our time going from the lounge chair to the hot tub to the ocean, then back to the lounge chair.  What a great day!

Wednesday night we had reservations at Mina's Fish House at the Four Seasons Hotel.  The Four Seasons is right next door to Aulani and is a very walkable distance from Aulani.  Around sunset, we made our way to the restaurant.  I have to share the description from their website ~

Inspired by the traditional fish houses of the Islands, MINA’s Fish House combines the flavors and ingredients of the Hawaii with the culinary expertise of Michelin-starred Chef Michael Mina in a beautiful open-air, oceanfront setting.

MINA’s Fish House re-imagines Hawaiian fish house theme by combining the seafood bounty direct from pristinely clear waters of the Pacific. Dine on inventive, craveable seafood dishes, such as our signature Hawaiian seafood tower, Kona cold lobster and coconut bisque, or Hawaiian abalone spaghetti. Allow our signature fish sommeliers, Ryan Houser and Saui Matagiese, to guide you on your journey – you haven’t lived until you have experienced a fish paired perfectly with your palette by our expert duo who have, quite literally, spent their whole lives honing their craft just for you. Ryan and Saui work with local fishermen and connect guests with the daily catch and best menu options.

Aged with a warm patina throughout, the restaurant seamlessly connects the inside with the outside. We gracefully plateau from the interior bar and dining room space down multiple exterior decks, ending with beachside “feet in the sand” dining options to deliver the perfect epic aloha as only MINA can.

I'm not kidding when I say that this dinner was the best dining experience I've ever had in my life!  The atmosphere, food, and service were all impeccable.  Live music played in the background while we looked out over the ocean under a sky of stars.  Being there with my husband, son, and daughter-in-law was the cherry on top!  

After dinner, we meandered back to our resort with full bellies and smiles on our faces.   It wasn't lost on me how very blessed we were to be there and able to experience this together.

Now it's your turn.  What are you thinking about today?  Link up and share!

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