You must visit Lanai, Hawaii.
No excuses! Whether you’re looking to relax at the spa, see the island by horseback, or rent a Jeep to have a rugged off-roading adventure, the Hawaiian island of Lanai is a place everyone needs to visit at least once in their lifetime. If you’re looking for complete privacy and the utmost relaxation, Lanai is it! This quiet little Hawaiian island is luxury to the maximum and was truly a magical place. Read more below for my recommendations and favorite spots this island provides.
Where to stay.
The serene island of Lanai has just two hotels {soon to be three!} to choose from. We stayed at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai and I would continue to stay their time and time again. Guys, this resort is by far the most luxurious resort we’ve ever stayed at. The food, the gardens, the accommodations, the warmth of the staff knowing you by name – I can’t even begin to describe the sheer luxury we experienced during our stay. I briefly speak about our stay on Lanai and my obsession with the resort in this post here, but will have to leave the rest up to photos so you’re able to fully grasp our experience.
{It’s easy to see how we were instantly brought to a state of tranquility and peace from the moment we stepped foot on this property}
How to get around.
Getting around on the island of Lanai is easy as pie when you stay at the Four Seasons. From the airport to town, I’d have to say that easily one of the best parts about staying at this resort is that everything is handled for you. Seriously! Almost all of the activities or excursions available on the island are facilitated by the resort’s staff or affiliated partners, which of course, provides ease of doing anything. I need this sort of help in my daily life, but that conversation is for another time. To put this into perspective, when we scheduled our horseback ride at the Stables of Koele {more on this in a second!} we simply walked up to the desk, scheduled our activity and voilá! It was complete. When it came time to depart for our ride, we checked in and away we went! Easy peasy.
Where to eat.
When staying at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai, you don’t even need to leave the resort when looking for a place to dine. Every morsel is top notch quality and harvested from nearby gardens, lands or sea, making this a true farm to table epicurean experience at each meal. Trust me when I say this because I do not take food lightly. We are serious foodies and having an epicurean experience is one of our absolute favorite ways to explore a new destination. Therefore, when we vaca, we eat! And I mean, seriously eat to try an experience everything our destination has to offer.
Each morning, we had breakfast at One Forty and shared a french press of one of their Kona coffee roast options. Such an amazing start to the day, I might add. For lunches we typically ate our weight in poke bowls or had our daily {yes, daily} afternoon açaí bowls by the pool. Sometimes both – which I know now sounds like an incredibly disastrous pairing, but we simply couldn’t get enough.
If you ask either one of us, it’s a two-way tie between the resort’s Nobu Lanai and One Forty for the best dinner dining options. Although I almost felt ashamed that I loved Nobu so much since there are plenty of Nobu’s around the globe, having Waygu beef on a lava rock pretty much took the cake for me and sent me right into a pure food bliss. However, to this day Kurt cannot stop talking about the Big Island Lobster at One Forty {I wish we snapped a pic!}. He said it was even better than the spiny lobster he had on our honeymoon in St. Barts. I’ll take his word for it – your homegirl is sadly, allergic to shellfish. Wha whaaaa.
Activities for the adventure seeker.
As I’ve continuously mentioned, Lanai is an island with a surprising array of activities that provides each visitor the opportunity to have a completely unique experience each time they return. If you love a good adventure and are a complete badass, be sure to rent a Jeep and off-road through the island to get a glimpse at spots like the Garden of the Gods {seriously, looked like Mars} or Shipwreck Beach. These places are only accessible by Jeep rental, but let me be the first to say it is quite the experience. We were soo lucky to hitch a day ride with a few new friends {hi, Joellen and Mary! You two are the BEST!} and we had the best time seeing Lanai in a way we would have never experienced otherwise. Warning! This is a complete badass trek to get to these spots, but well worth the anxiety of the dirt road excursion.
If you’re an absolute horse lover like us, seeing Lanai on horseback is a complete must. Hands down. The 1.5 hour ride weaves through Lanai’s wooded valleys and hills surrounding Koele. Don’t be surprised if you spot one of the island’s adorable axis deer having a snack along the way. They’re everywhere! We loved seeing Lanai this way and highly recommend this activity to any Lanai visitor. Horseback riding not your bag, baby? Just visit the minis at the Stables! They’re eager to snuggle {or eat your floral dress right off your body} and visiting hours are every day.
Excursions we will surely experience on our next visit to Lanai are whale watching {if you visit during this season} and snorkeling. See what I mean by having a new experience with each visit?! You truly can’t fit everything in during one trip.
Activities to ensure relaxation.
Visit. The. Spa. Need I say more? The spa at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai is a great way to experience the utmost relaxation while visiting the island. On every vacation, I always make sure to carve out time to get a facial treatment as it really helps me relax. How could it not?! Other activities such as complimentary yoga classes and a sunset sail are a close second. One things for sure, anything you do on Lanai will surely push you into the deepest relaxation.
Can’t miss spots in Lanai City.
While visiting Lanai City, we were told by locals that Lanai is “what Kauai was 40 years ago.” Such an interesting perspective from a Hawaiian island standpoint. I’ve never been to Kauai, but I sure love getting a local’s perspective on anything and everything. A few can’t miss spots while visiting Lanai City are Dole Park {look at these trees!} and the Mike Carroll Gallery. The gallery is home to Mike’s, as well as many other artists, work and it’s all incredible. Fun fact! Mike’s wife owns the Cat Sanctuary! We did not have a chance to visit this, but heard it was quite the experience.
As you’ve seen through my endless amount of Instagram posts, Lanai, Hawaii was easily one of the most relaxing and beautiful places we have ever visited. Mahalo to everyone that made our trip to Lanai one for the books!
What’s your favorite travel destination that you feel instantly relaxed upon arrival? I’d love to hear!
Xx, Amanda
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