Wanderboomer

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K is for Key West

On Photo Friday, I can think of 5 good reasons to add Key West to my travel bucket list:

1) Visit Hemingway’s Home.

Hemingway'sHouseKeyWestgraham99flickr (450 x 338)

Photo courtesy of graham99 – flickr

2) Play with the six-toed cats at Hemingway’s Home and Museum.

Photo courtesy of Joe Flood – flickr

3) Head for the beach.

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Photo courtesy of jdeeringdavis – flickr

4) Gaze at the sunsets.

KeyWestSunsetSergeMelkiflickr (450 x 338)

Photo courtesy of Sergei Melki  – flickr

5) Enjoy the dining scene.

KeyWestTheConchRepublicCarlLenderFlickr (450 x 300)

Photo courtesy of Carl lender – flickr

Check out more fun Friday photos at Delicious Baby.

What would you most like to see and do in Key West, wanderboomers?

 

 

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Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa

With so many choices available in Waikiki Beach, how’s a wanderboomer to choose where best to stay? Fortunately, I had the chance to try out the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa for a couple of days on a recent vacation. Here’s why the resort ranks high on my list for solo and family travelers:

Location, Location, Location

The resort lies at the southernmost end of Kalakaua Avenue, the main road through Waikiki.  Kuhio Beach Park is right across the street, for easy beach and ocean access, with Diamond Head and the Honolulu Zoo close by. Even the Waikiki Sand Restoration Project, well underway during this visit, couldn’t diminish the pleasure of having the beach just footsteps away, since most of the beach still remained accessible.

The good news is that the restoration is now complete!

Ocean View

Guests can book a room in one of two towers at the resort: the beautifully renovated oceanfront Kealohilani Tower with its own private balconies or the older Paoakalani Tower. Can you guess which one gets my vote?

Bright, tropical colors and cozy down comforters inside sheeted duvets define the look and feel of rooms in the Kealohilani Tower. Having reading lights mounted into the headboards is a welcome touch, along with outlets and connecting jacks for electronic devices.

Cultural Connections & Activities

So much of why I love to travel is wrapped around learning about and experiencing different cultures. The Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort rests on land that was once the summer palace of Hawaii’s last reigning monarch, Queen Liliuokalani. To honor her legacy, the resort renamed the twin towers, together translated as “heavenly fragrance,” to represent her two homes.

Lucky VIP guests can book the Queen Liliuokalani suite, thoughtfully designed to include her love of flowers and music composition.

In a further nod to the Queen’s musical background, nightly entertainment at the resort presents authentic Hawaiian music. What a treat to sit in the warm open-air of Moana Terrace overlooking Waikiki Beach, listening to music masters George Kuo, Martin Pahinui (slack key guitar) & Aaron Mahi (bass)!

And if watching hula dancers is on your must-do-in-Hawaii list, you’ll be happy to know that performances are presented throughout the day in the resort’s enormous main lobby.

Active wanderboomers  can also take advantage of the Surf Package offered by the on-site Pro Surf School Hawaii, owned and operated by professional surfer Kai Sallas. For $244./night, guests can stay in a deluxe room with balcony, and receive a two-hour lesson with professional surfers and a two-day surfboard rental. Classes are offered at all levels in how to surf, stand up paddle and bodyboard.

Amenities

With 1,310 guest rooms, 5 dining facilities, plus Seattle’s Best Coffee House, two outdoor pools and whirlpool, a free 24-hour state-of-the-art fitness center and a spa salon, is it any wonder that staying at the resort feels like living in a small village? Oh – and don’t forget over 55,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space and a Business Center (if you must work while you’re here), plus a host of places to shop throughout the property, including the always popular ABC Store.

Hawaiian Hospitality

Maybe it’s because the ever-present sun and timeless, natural island beauty bring out the best in people. Whatever the reason, the spirit of warm hospitality runs deep in Hawaii. From the fragrant floral leis presented to visitors at airport arrivals to the heartfelt expression of “Aloha” in greetings and partings, Hawaiian hospitality is legendary. A little bit of kindness extended by chef Chuck and server Janice in the Kuhio Grill, for example, went a long way in making this WanderBoomer a happy camper.

* Special thanks to the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa for hosting a portion of my stay.

There’s still time to enter our special Travel Writing Contest, Wanderboomers! Win a 5-night stay (and fantastic extras) on Hawaii Island at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. For details, click here:

http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/2012/hawaii-island-travel-writing-contest-announced

But hurry – entries must be submitted by September 14, 2012 11:59 p.m. PST!

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Favorite Northwest Getaway: Iron Springs Resort

“Just make it easy.” That’s how Doug True summed up his family’s goal for tackling the restoration of Iron Springs Resort in Copalis Beach, WA. “Make it easy for guests to be comfortable, relax and enjoy their stay.”

Doug’s wife Janet adds: “It’s about the memories. We wanted to preserve a place that has meant so much to generations of families, like our own.”

I’d been intrigued by the resort since the ’70’s. College roommates had described a rust-tinted stream from iron ore deposits that ran through the property . . .

a string of cabins set like individual tree houses on cliffs above the Washington coastline . . .

a vast ocean shore where clam diggers crouch over the sand to scoop up that night’s dinner . . .

a site of spectacular Fall and Winter storms . . .

But by the time my own family had paid a visit in 2002, the resort’s rustic appeal had worn thin. The cabins and grounds needed a major intervention. Unable to maintain the deteriorating estate, owner Olive Little‘s daughters later put the site up for sale.

When the property lingered on the market, Doug and Janet knew they had to act – either that, or risk losing the cherished retreat where they had shared so many summers and special occasions.

With the help of family members, Bill and Ruth True, the two couples purchased the resort and set about accomplishing their goals. Over several long, thoughtful conversations, the families grappled with the question of how best to preserve the history while bringing the resort into the 21st century.

“Should we bring in wi-fi or not? What about TV? Do we want to install a playground?”

In the end, wi-fi and TV made the grade, the playground did not. Site manager, Dustin True, explains: “When I was growing up here, I just felt that the ocean and hiking trails were my playground. ”

We hadn’t returned since our first visit, so when family aquaintance,  Bill True, invited us to take a look at the renovation, we couldn’t resist.

Wow – what a stunning transformation! Walking into the cabin felt like coming home to my best self. Gone were the shabby carpets and furnishings, replaced by hardwood floors, cushy beds with down comforters,

and plush, swivel chairs upholstered from vintage Pendleton and East Hudson Bay blankets.

The simple, timeless touches of Robert Emil Arnesen‘s interior design create a peaceful, restorative retreat. Using reclaimed materials from the property seamlessly blends the past and present. Fallen spruce trees are repurposed as dining tables and knotted benches. Original wood siding is used in side tables and wall accents.

Beyond the structural enhancements and cozy furnishings, the devotion to small details in each of the 25 cabins is evident – a 500-piece puzzle depicting a scene from the property on the dining table, functioning

bedside reading lights (thank you!), superb wi-fi access, a flat-screen TV, a leather-bound guestbook for sharing memories of your stay, a wood-burning stove, fully-equipped kitchen – even doggy dishes to welcome faithful canine companions.

The main office doubles as the resort’s General Store which packs an impressive inventory of goods, including food, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, desserts (always a plus), an extensive lending library of books and DVDs, games and beach toys – everything except dog rentals.

Though co-owner Ruth True had advised me before our visit: “Bringing a dog here is almost a requirement,” we came without one. But Dustin graciously offered the loan of his dog Ali if we wanted.

What more could we ask of our time away? Privacy and community, beautiful surroundings indoors and out, and a treasured companion at our heels for the asking. The best . . .

What’s your favorite family getaway, Wanderboomers? Tell us why it’s so special to you.

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I’m in a Hawaiian Island State of Mind

Aloha, wanderboomers! Can’t you just hear the rustle of the wind, feel the warm tropical breezes, smell the salt-water air when you look at this palm tree photo? Yeah, me, too. There’s something about summer that makes me long for easy island living.

Oh, the windmills of my mind . . . I can look at this photo, close my eyes, and zap! I’m back on the beach in Hawaii, with not a care in the world, just enjoying the sun, the warmth and those lazy, crazy days of perpetual summer.

Are you with me? In case you, too, have a hankering to hit the beach in Hawaii, how about entering our very special travel writing contest? All you have to do is write a non-fiction travel story that takes place anywhere in the state of Hawaii or is about Hawaii. Make sure it fits into 1 of the 3 categories: Earth, Sea or Sky and submit it no later than September 14, 2012 11:59 p.m. PST.

Did I mention that the winner receives a 5-night stay (and fantastic extras) on Hawaii Island at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa (value: $3,282)? Each of the 3 best-in-category winners will receive a pair of La Paz Sandals from KEEN Footwear (value $60 – $70). For more information click on the link:

http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/2012/hawaii-island-travel-writing-contest-announced

Why not give it a try? Surf’s up! and the water’s warm ~

What about you, Wanderboomers? Share your favorite Hawaiian memories with us here – and enter our Hawaiian travel writing contest!

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You Know It’s Going to Be a Great Day When . . .

.  .  . your day starts out like this.

There’s a reason the word “Hawaiian” is most often followed by the word “paradise.” I took this early morning shot from our ninth floor room of the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. After a flight delay that got us into Honolulu close to midnight, we woke to the sounds of waves breaking on the shore below and birds tweeting “Aloha” from our balcony.

Time to rise and greet the day!

Can’t get enough rainbows? Be sure and check out my other two posts, Chasing Rainbows and March 17th: A Day for Rainbows.

What memorable morning wake-ups have you had in your travels, Wanderboomers?

Hello fellow wanderboomers! I’m a Seattle-based travel journalist, specializing in fun travel adventures for the young at heart. My articles have been featured in Hemispheres, AAA Highroads Magazine and Northwest Travel & Life Magazine where I'm a frequent contributor. When this Wanderboomer isn’t traveling, I help global executives polish their personal and professional brand for long-term results.
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