Granite Cliff Studio

My wife and I wed nearly a year ago. Her parents were wed 43 years ago. Both couples spent their honeymoon in Hawaii. It seems appropriate we all meet and hangout in Poipu for a nice long labor day weekend.

My wife and I spent an amazing 2 weeks on the Garden Isle last year. It was full of adventure, hiking and Napoli Coast excursions. This trip will be for family time and relaxation.

As always, the in-laws welcomed us at the Lihue Airport. They are always so happy to see us and it really sets the tone for a good time. This was our first time visiting since the Kimo and Hattie moved to the Garden Isle. They welcomed us into their spacious condo right in the heart of Poipu.

Since it was a short trip we had to maximize our leisure time. James and I made plans for 36 holes of golf for the next day and went and hit balls at Kiahuna. We had a special dinner at the Beach House our first night as well. (see Food with Family post).

The next day both couples set out on their journeys. The ladies hitting up all the wonderful small towns with cute shops. My Wahine set out on a mission for a blueberry muffin, because I mistakenly ate the last one a couple weeks ago from Stillwell’s in Wailuku. Well a stop at another Kauai staple fixed that craving. The Right Slice in Kalaheo cures all that ails us when it comes to baked goods.

The boys set out to conquer Poipu Bay Golf Course, former home to the Grand Slam of Golf. Delayed slightly because of the Kauai Marathon, we were a little rushed to the tee box with no warm up. This course definitely was beautiful with mountain and ocean views. An abundance of Nenes, Coots and Egrets line the fairways and ponds put us right on the cover of a National Audubon Society magazine. Using Kimo’s clubs, I managed to only lose a couple balls off the tee on the front nine. Otherwise, I played really well and shot a 38 on the back nine.

Next, we ventured back to Kiahuna and had a quick bite at Paco’s Tacos, loaded the cart with Modelos and set out on another 18. Kiahuna was another great track. The layout brought back memories of my childhood rounds at Western Lakes in Pewaukee, WI. A challenging creek meanders it’s way through the back nine. Played surprisingly well here and was only a few shots over par. The greens held every ball which was a nice change from the sloping bermuda greens of Kapalua.

After a long day in the sun, a nice night in with pizza and hot tub, was just what the doctor ordered.

Our next golf adventure, might have been my favorite. We stumbled upon Puakea in Lihue. Once recognized for being a top 10 best nine hole course in the U.S., it truly was a gem. There was an addition of 9 more holes in 2003 to make it 18 holes. This course was laid out through jungle, tall grass and a recent residential development. Some areas on the course had you feeling like you had just stepped foot in Jurassic Park.