Mahai’ula Beach is just beautiful, serene and not super busy at all…because the road to get here is super rocky (it’s bumpy and windy lava fields) and most cars can’t make it. And then once you park, you have to do a small hike on a paved path. If you have a Ford Fusion like we did, the trick is to drive really slow so that you don’t damage your car. We were lucky and got a rare sighting of a Hawaiian Monk Seal, an endangered species!!

Check out 10 of my favorite photos to convince you to add Makalawena/Pu’u Ali’i Beach to your Kona Bucket List!

Continue reading →

The beach I was most excited to visit in Kona was Punaluʻu Beach, a black sand beach! Never in my life have I seen a beach like this, it felt truly surreal. If you’re like me, you are probably wondering why the sand is black…well I am here to educate! The black sand is made of basalt and created by lava flowing into the ocean which explodes as it reaches the ocean and cools.

 Keep reading to find out why a black sand beach belongs on your Kona Bucket List!

Continue reading →

Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation in beautiful Hawaii belongs on your Kona Bucket List. They offer free daily tours and I highly recommend! Keep reading to find out why a Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation tour belongs on your Kona Bucket List!

Continue reading →

Our very first stop in Hawaii after eating and resting was the beach and with views like these do you blame us?! Kua Bay is beautiful and will forever hold a special place in my heart.

I loved Kua Bay beach because the views were incredible, the sand was really soft, and the water was so clear and a beautiful blue. Keep reading to find out why Kua Bay belongs on your Kona Bucket List!

Continue reading →

Hawaii was an absolute dream and I can’t wait to return. If you find yourself on the big island, I highly encourage you to take the 2 hour drive to check out Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park! There’s so much to see, do, and hike! Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is full of the most incredible views of craters and clouds. Check out my full review below and let me know if I’ve convinced you to book a trip!

Continue reading →

I’m STILL working on the Ultimate Arizona Bucket List, there is just so much to do here in Arizona…but you already know that I will be including plenty of hiking!

If you are looking for a sweet hike in the West Valley then look no further than the Victory Steps! The steps are 0.2 miles long but don’t be fooled by the short length, it’s a high intensity workout! It’s a short hike with 340 steps but there are plenty of other trails nearby that can lengthen your hike.

Shoutout to my architecture friend Jose who worked on creating this trail! He gave me the inside scoop and provided the following fun fact: The steps were built by hand… no heavy machinery was used. All the wood used to build the 340 steps were carried by hand.

Check out 9 of my favorite photos to inspire you to hike this epic mountain!

Continue reading →

We visited Akaka Fall State Park while it was raining since we had heard that the rain would give incredible power to the two waterfalls found here! This park is about a 2 hour drive from the main downtown area of Kailua-Kona where we are staying but it is so worth it!

It’s a short nature walk once you get there with a ton of lush nature to see before you hit the two waterfalls. The town of Honomu is a sleepy town but on the way back to Kailua-Kona you can stop and get some delicious malasadas (Hawaiian style donuts that originated from Portugal).

Check out 15 of my favorite photos to convince you to add Akaka Falls State Park to your Kona Bucket List!

Continue reading →

Here at Enthusiastic About Life, we are huge fans of all sorts of different food. As I travel the United States, I love seeing how different states do American Food. Check out all of the Japanese Food restaurants I’ve eaten at throughout the United States and let me know which spot sounds the best!

Continue reading →

I love beer and I am also a nerd so I love learning about how things are made. Because of this, brewery tours are always on my agenda when visiting a new place. Keep reading to find out why a Kona Brewing Company tour belongs on your Kona Bucket List!

Continue reading →

Big Butte Loop is a 2.2-mile loop trail in Papago Park. It’s a moderate challenging route with some great views and one of my favorite hikes in the valley. Check out 9 photos to inspire you to hike and let me know if you’re inspired!

Continue reading →