The view from our "lanai" - every room has an ocean view! Snorkeling Sunset on a dinner cruise Cruising Kauai in a comfy copter! The "Grand Canyon of the Pacific" on Kauai An evening view from the hotel At Kailua beach on the eastern side of Oahu

When we got married in 1991, we never held a reception. We promised ourselves (and curious friends and relatives) that we'd do something, someday. We talked about throwing a party for our first Anniversary, then our fifth Anniversary, but those came and went without any festivities. For our 10th Anniversary, we actually proposed a budget and agonized about what kind of event to host - the food, the location, activities, entertainment, etc. After much indecision, we decided instead to take that money and run - to Hawaii! We've been to the islands before, and chose to stay on Oahu, since there would be plenty to keep us busy for our 5 days (we also initially planned to visit Maui.) Rather than stay near touristy Honolulu, we stayed at the Hilton Turtle Bay Resort on the north shore and right on the beach. It was sufficiently isolated with the nearest civilization about 15 minutes away. Honolulu was about an hour away, and we traveled there and points inbetween almost every day. With detailed maps and only a few major highways on Oahu, it was easy to get around. We saw amazing beaches, 20-25ft waves (and surfers thereupon,) lush forests, quaint little towns, quaint medium-sized towns, and of course Waikiki and Honolulu. The snorkeling was great, with warm, clear water and colorful and friendly fish; once they saw we had baggies of food, they were all over us! Shopping was abundant, and both of us found clothing, CDs, and local crafts. For our anniversary evening, we took a dinner cruise out of Honolulu. A few days later, we flew to nearby Kauai and took a helicopter tour around the island. Much of the island is very lush and green, with the exception of a series of deep, barren gorges known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Kauai has been used to film over 50 movies and TV shows, most notably scenes from Jurassic Park, South Pacific, and the island beach scenes from Gilligan's Island. Best of all, for the whole vacation, the weather was perfect: 80 during the day, 70 at night! We managed to avoid fast-food temptations altogether, but found an Asian buffet that was cheap, yummy and fast. We also enjoyed great buffets and meals at the hotel. The food was good and generally inexpensive, even at the hotel. There was papaya and pineapple everywhere, and it was MUCH sweeter than anything we'd had at home. The trip was not only a great getaway and a wonderful 10th Anniversary present to ourselves, but it also wasn't very expensive. We booked a package through American Airlines, and recommend them highly!   Jon & Leslie   (visit our London vacation page!)