hawaii

“Sunsets are proof that no matter what happens, every day can end beautifully.”
-Kristen Butler

For those of you don’t know me well, I am forever that girl that gets excited when I see the sky light up with beautiful colors as the sun sets. The only sunsets I don’t like are the ones I miss. Sunsets are just as different as snowflakes or people, no two look exactly the same because no two are happening in the same moment or day. There’s just something about watching the sun bid adieu and seeing the way the sky changes and transforms that has also fascinated me and leaves me in awe every time, especially the colorful ones! I often would plan my hikes around when the sun would set so I could be at a specific spot in time. And on the trips to Hawaii that I’ve been lucky to have taken, I planned every day that I could around watching the sun set. I’m pretty sure on my last trip that I got to see the sun set every single day I was there! And of course I know I’m not alone in this love for the day’s end and the suns farewell, which is why I want to share some of my favorites that I’ve been able to both witness and catch on camera, starting with sunsets from my favorite place! And I think that especially in the challenging times that we are facing right now in this world and in the USA that we could also use a reminder of the beauty in the world that still surrounds us.

Mauna Lani Golf Course , Big Island Hawaii

Next stop for beautiful sunsets will be in my old home state of Arizona!

Reminiscing about an amazing vacation while hoping the day it’s safe to visit again comes sooner rather than later! Hawaii is a magical place, and the island of Kauai takes the cake in regards to the numerous amount of tropical plants and species. On one of our first days of an amazing trip in 2018, we did a guided tour of Allerton Garden in Kauai, one of several lush and tropical gardens on the Island. I chose this one because I had heard it was one of the most beautiful and had the Australian Fig Trees that were used in the filming of Jurassic Park! You truly have no idea how massive these are until you experience them in person. Those roots at the bottom are several feet high! Everyone took turns taking pictures standing inside of them which was fun, and it was just so cool to envision the movie being filmed within those same tree trunks!

During the 2 hour leisurely walking tour, we were introduced to several wonders of nature, most of which I do not recall the names, but it was fascinating, and of course I had a blast trying to capture the beauty of the gardens. We were lucky to have gone on what turned out to be the only sunny day during our visit on the Island. If you ever visit Kauai, I highly recommend this tour! It’s a little pricey, but was completely worth it! Some of my favorite plant photos I’ve taken to date were captured here and in fact, they hang on my walls at home and in my office. It was unfortunately that we visited during March which is the rainy season and happened to be one of the most rainy seasons ever that year! Definitely hoping to make it back there one day as it truly is one of the most beautiful places to visit, especially if you are wanting to capture some amazing photos!

Of course this is not the most ideal time to try to visit these gardens given our current situation with COVID-19, but when we are able to vacation to these amazing islands again, add this to your list! Click below for a link to the garden information:

Allerton Gardens