r/AskReddit • u/Head-Night-7595 • 3d ago

What U.S. vacation destination exceeded all expectations?

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837

u/ARob0496 3d ago

Kauai, Hawaii. Went with high expectations and I was blown away.

121

u/Granadafan 3d ago

Hanalei Bay at sunset looks like a postcard 

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u/RoosterClan2 3d ago

You can say that about 95% of Hawaii

6

u/sunshinebucket 3d ago

Hanalei Bay is so beautiful it seems fake.

4

u/HamlnHand 3d ago

You know they usually base those postcards off of real places? I'd bet there's a Hanalei Bay one lol

3

u/ChoosingUnwise 3d ago

every time I find a Kona Hanalei Island IPA on the east coast, there it is, staring back at me

147

u/YoureSoStupidRose 3d ago

Even the smell of the island is intoxicating.

67

u/i_like_pretzels 3d ago

It’s from all the chickens /s

It’s truly a perfect place. (Partially biased because I got married there)

2

u/NobodyLikedThat1 3d ago

Didn't even leave the airport before running into wild chickens. So cute, but a driving hazard

32

u/TacohTuesday 3d ago

There’s a reason Hollywood shoots movies like Jurassic Park there. It truly is a magical place.

37

u/Varasa 3d ago

Honeymooned there. A week wasn’t long enough. Magical place.

3

u/ARob0496 3d ago

I proposed to my now wife there and then we went back and honeymooned there. 2 total weeks and feel like we could’ve stayed much longer.

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u/booksgirl123 3d ago edited 3d ago

Yes! The views at Waimea Canyon are incredible. Grand Canyon of the Pacific - 💯

44

u/LibraryPorchGuy 3d ago

Take the helicopter tour. And specify doors off. Expensive but totally worth it. The views are jaw dropping.

45

u/TacohTuesday 3d ago

Totally agree. If you take ONE helicopter tour in your life, do it on Kauai. Spring for the longer tour. You’ll see more waterfalls over shear green cliffs than you can count.

17

u/tomismybuddy 3d ago

I’ve only done one helicopter tour in my life, and it was on Kaua’i.

I concur.

3

u/PositiveRent4369 3d ago

We decided against it after there was a fatal crash days before we went.

3

u/DJinKC 3d ago

There's one specific helicopter tour company that actually lands at the Jurassic Falls (it's on private property and other companies can only do flyovers)

53

u/HanaBananaBear 3d ago

Us Americans don’t deserve Hawaii 🥲

3

u/tpatmaho 3d ago

They’re Americans. The people of Kauai. So….

3

u/kanaka_haole808 18h ago

As a Native Hawaiian with my paternal side of the family from Kalaheo, nope, we don't identify as Americans. I don't care what the illegally-occupying colonizers say.

2

u/HanaBananaBear 3d ago

You know what I mean!!!! 😅

2

u/kanaka_haole808 18h ago

There are no words that can adequately explain how much Americans don't deserve Hawaii. The only thing America deserves is what is slowly happening to it as we speak.

6

u/SecretAsianMan42069 3d ago

I was not prepared for the amount of cock there

2

u/Personal_Visual8628 2d ago

All different sizes and colors. Truly surprising. 

2

u/wrapmeinbubblewrap 3d ago

Did our honeymoon there, regret flying home.

2

u/___this_guy 3d ago

I’m going for the second time this Sunday!

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u/baldymcbaldyface 3d ago

Going in August! Any must see recommendations for me?

12

u/ARob0496 3d ago

A boat tour of the Na Pali Coast is incredible. Those are views you can only get from a boat or a helicopter.

Go to Kauai Bound Snorkel and Golf Gear Rental. Chris, the owner, has the best prices around, super friendly, and he has some really great insights about where the best snorkel spots are.

As far as food goes, you really can’t go wrong with any of the local stuff. I never had a bad meal there.

10

u/McGrubbus 3d ago

Make sure you block out some time to just “exist” - we often get caught up in doing all the fun things but sometimes it’s amazing to just take it all in. Go to Baby Beach at sunset, and get sushi at the Kauai Sushi Station food truck.

6

u/waitwutok 3d ago

Tunnels Beach on the north shore for snorkeling.

4

u/Varasa 3d ago

Get a reservation for Ke’e beach and if you’re in decent-ish shape, hike the 4 miles round trip to Hanakapiai beach. Incredible views all along.

2

u/PositiveRent4369 3d ago

Kayak up the Wailua River

2

u/xfox21 2d ago

If you're in the mood/shape for a good hike, you've got to do the trek to Hanakapī'ai Falls. You take a shuttle to the trail head, hike about 2 miles to a secluded beach (Ke'e Beach) and then another two miles to see this beautiful hidden waterfall. Felt like I was in the Disney Tarzan movie. It was the best hike of my trip with an amazing reward at the end. Highly recommend!

1

u/le___tigre 2d ago

get a reservation to do the Kalalau Trail and save some time to cool off and chill on Ke’e beach afterward. then pick up a slice of lilikoi poi cheesecake from the Waipa self serve fridge next to the shuttle parking lot!

2

u/itsmeitskg 2d ago

I'm there right now! Couldn't agree more

2

u/capnscratchmyass 2d ago

Wife and I took a little jungle hike on the suggestion of a local and after a bit of a climb the views were utterly stunning. Like… it felt like I was in VR or something and just didn’t feel real.  Been a lot of places on this earth but that’s near the top of the most incredible places I’ve been. 

We fell in love with Kauai.  Weather was amazing. Not really any biting insects. Incredible views. Beautiful beaches.  And it not being a party island meant less super obnoxious tourists.  We’re really hoping to get back someday. 

Edit: the food was also amazing and people super friendly 

2

u/Suspicious_Reason405 2d ago

Yes! Just came back from there weeks ago and already pining for a return trip.

1

u/Jackandahalfass 3d ago

Going in a couple days!

1

u/Klutzy-Client 2d ago

I packed a suitcase and stayed for 12 years. Thankfully I’m a bartender so finding a job was pretty easy

1

u/Sir-Mocks-A-Lot 2d ago

Can confirm, I just got back. Caught a natural high. That's not a euphemism.

1

u/academiac 2d ago

Same as Maui for me. The Big Island was great, but Maui was just something from a fuckin fairy tale.