photo by amandaemmes.com

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I went to Maui for Thanksgiving this year. I am so grateful to have partnered with Alaska Air again, this time to celebrate a Decade of Aloha with them. This past October, Alaska celebrated 10 years of flying to Hawaii. They offer a direct flight to Maui out of Sacramento, which makes traveling that much easier. From home to the gate, it took us less than an hour!

Being in Hawaii over Thanksgiving was a beautifully different experience. We joked about not having a traditional dinner about five minutes before we approached Leoda’s on the highway. I saw the word “pies” and said we had to stop. The recommended pie was the chocolate caramel macadamia nut, but we noticed they had a Thanksgiving special featuring traditional items for dinner. We snagged two-to-go and ate them at the hotel, on our private patio overlooking the ocean. Yeah. Beautifully different, indeed. 🙂

We were only there three days but managed to relax, explore and eat. Here’s how we spent our time in Maui.

Places we Visited and Things We Did

• We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Maui in Ka’anapali and it is AMAZING. I would go back in a heartbeat. They have a luau, Tour of the Stars stargazing, amazing wildlife on site and a day spa.
• Speaking of the spa, we had massages at the Kamaha’o Marilyn Monroe Spa. It was nice to unwind. You have access to all of the amenities and I couldn’t get enough of the steam room.
• If you’re staying in Ka’anapali, you’ll want to walk down to Whalers Village. Hula Grill has the best food and cocktails. The service was impeccable!
• Eating at Da Kitchen was a highlight. It’s Hawaiian fusion. The fried Spam musubi is a must have!
• Maui Brewing Co. cannot be missed. The big brewery is in Kihei, but we visited one of their pubs and while a different experience, we had a good time and the beer was ace!
• I did a sunrise shoot at Haycraft Park with Amanda Emmes! We met on Instagram and she is a sweetheart. We had a lot of fun.
• Speaking of my photo shoot, I ordered a Haku to wear at my photo shoot (Amanda’s suggestion). If you plan on taking any family pictures or portraits, I so encourage you to order one! Look up florists in the area you’re staying at.
• No trip to Maui is complete without a visit to Paia to visit Mama’s Fish House. It came recommended by a lot of friends and did not disappoint.
• After Mama’s, we hung out in Paia, walked around, shopped and enjoyed some shaved ice.
• Nothing. No, seriously. There were days that we did nothing but drive around and take in the sights and count the rainbows in the sky.

One of the pretty corners of the Hyatt Ka’anapali

Fried Spam Musubi from Da Kitchen

Got me some shaved ice!

Perusing in Paia

What we can’t wait to do next time

• Sail Maui: the night we planned to go was an incredibly windy evening. Sadly, we weren’t able to but it is on the list next time!
• The Road to Hana: It is an adventure that we chose not to take on a short visit to the Island, but next time we’ll stay longer so we can do it!
• Ziplining: I ziplined in Cabo, but didn’t in Maui! 🙁
• More eating: We got a lot of recommendations for food, but you can only eat so many times in the day! Kihei Caffe was recommended by many, so we gotta do that next time.

You have no idea how hard the wind was blowing. It knocked me over!

Mai Tai at Mama’s

When we go back to Hawaii, we’re absolutely flying with Alaska. From the personal service to entertainment options and being served Mai Tai’s as soon as we reached Hawaiian waters, the experience couldn’t have been smoother. As you plan your travel, remember that Alaska Airlines flies to 118 destinations across the U.S., Canada, Cuba, Costa Rica, and Mexico and Alaska Vacations can make everything that much easier. Book your hotel and excursions in one place! 🙂

Can’t wait to return!

The BIGGEST thank you to Alaska Airlines for another memorable trip!

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Disclaimer: This post is in partnership with Alaska Airlines. My trip was sponsored by the brand in exchange for blog posts and social media shares. Thank you for supporting the brands that support the blog!