Photos Courtesy of Patricia Robinson

So this is an Insider Q&A with Max Robinson who lived there when he was stationed there as a U.S. Naval Officer.  Now an energy sector consultant, he currently ives in Houston with his wife and two young children. But he really misses Hawaii. For more on Max, check out Max’s LinkedIn profile.

As always, I’ve provided internal links for spots mentioned by my guest Insider. Happy Wanderings.

MTT: How long, when and where did you live in Hawaii?
Max: About 6 years, from 1994-2000. Island of Oahu, in towns of Kailua and  Aiea

MTT: For someone who has never been, why should I go to Hawaii?
Max: Duh!!! Best beaches in the world. Best year round weather in the US.  Very good hiking and outdoor activities.

MTT: To get the true Hawaiian experience, where should I stay and why?
Max:  Depends on what you mean by that. Most tourists are not there to get a “true” Hawaiian experience – they are there to relax and enjoy the weather. The Ko Olina Beach Club is nice because it is in a more secluded part of the island. The beach lagoons are actually man made though. There are houses and condos that you can rent on most of the islands. Rent a house in Kailua, or on the North Shore. In terms of islands, Kauai [and here's also a link to the Kauai Visitor's Bureau] and The Big Isand (Hawai’i) are less developed and hence have more of a rural or “true” feeling to them.

MTT: What’s the best time of year to go?
Max: ANYTIME. Weather is great year round. Halloween in Lahaina Maui is a really fun time.

MTT: Any insider tips on how to get the best hotel deals?
Max: Depends on how price sensitive you are, and how you feel about the trade off between price and quality. Get a friend who is an [Navy] officer on a ship and offer to house sit while they are deployed.

MTT: Describe your ideal day in Hawaii that you would recommend for a visitor?
Max: Wake up and have a leisurely breakfast – fresh local fruit & some cereal. Eat the carbs and drink water and juice. You need the energy and you don’t want to get dehydrated.
–Go surfing. Waikiki is the best place for tourists to take lessons and is relatively easy. Best time of year is summer for south side swells.
–Come back in, shower at the beach, and get a burger at Kua Aina Burger near Ala Moana Shopping Center. Let your wife browse around at Opal Fields (the owner, Tom,  is a really good gemologist) in the mall there, or one of the other jewelry stores. Buy some black Tahitian pearls from the Black Pearl Gallery.  My wife owns a very nice earring and necklace set I bought her.
–Head over to the Pearl Harbor Memorial. Take the tour.
–Head back to the hotel, get cleaned up. Go for dinner and dancing. Ask your hotel staff what is the best place for any given night. Different spots are happening on different nights of the week. I recommend Roy’s for dinner at least once while you’re there. Gordon Biersch is also good, and always has good seasonal brews. During the summer ask for a “cola-weisen”, half heffeweisen, and half coke. Iz gud, brah. Order the garlic fries to go with the beer.
–Watch sunset from the beach or on a boat. Maybe you’ll get to see the green spark, weather permitting.
–Stay up all night dancing, partying, etc.
–Watch sunrise from the beach. In winter time you can watch both sunset and sunrise from Waikiki. More difficult to do in summer, as you have to travel from one end of the island to the other.
–Go to sleep. Wake up at noon.

MTT: What’s the one thing visitors to Hawaii should not miss?
Max:  Sunsets.

MTT: What’s the one thing they can skip or is overrated?
Max:  Dole Plantation.

MTT: What would I find surprising about Hawaii?
Max: It has almost every kind of climate in the world, all in one set of islands: tropical forest, coniferous forest, arid desert, snow-capped mountains, volcanoes, etc.

MTT: What’s your favorite beach and why?
Max: Ooo. Tough one.
Longboard surfing – Near Diamond Head
Snorkeling – Shark’s Cove (summer), Hanauma Bay (winter)
Hanging out – Kapiolani Park (south shore), Haleiwa (North Shore)
Watching waves & crazy surfers – Winter: North Shore (Waimea Bay & Sunset) Summer: Waikiki

MTT: What’re your favorite breakfast spots?
Max: Cinnamon’s Restaurant in Kailua – amazing carrot cake pancakes with guava syrup.  Also great restaurant for families (kid friendly)  Buzz’s in Kailua

MTT: Favorite lunch spots?
Max: The fish taco shack at Shark’s Cove (literally a shack set up across the road from Shark’s Cove on the North Shore)
Kua Aina Burger – order a Mahi Mahi burger!
Jameson’s in Haleiwa
The Pineapple Room while shopping at Ala Moana Shopping Center

MTT: Favorite restaurants for dinner?
Max: Palomino Euro Bistro (Fusion cuisine)
Gordon Beirsch
Roy’s
Sam Choy’s in Diamond Head
Indigo
Jameson’s in Haleiwa to watch sunset on North Shore while eating dinner

MTT: Best overall Hawaiian dining experience? And worst dining experience?
Max: Polynesian Culture Center for both.
Great luau food
Can be crowded.
Really neat fire dancer performance.
The Luau at Germaine’s is also good and you sit right on the beach

MTT: What Hawaiian local dish should I try and where’s the best place to get it?
Max: Matsumoto’s Shave Ice – Matsumoto’s in Haleiwa
Spam musabe, available at local eateries and food shacks
Poi – not sure there is such as thing as “best place to get poi”

MTT: Where are the best photo opps?
Max: Pali Lookout
Diamond Head, hike to the top
Skydiving on the North Shore close to sunset
Across from Jameson’s on the North Shore at sunset

MTT: I know Hawaii has lots of scenic drives, what’s your favorite?
Max: Kam Hwy along the North Shore
The road to Hana in Maui

MTT: What tours do you recommend and which would you say aren’t worth it?
Max: Pearl Harbor – definitely
Dole Plantation – definitely NOT

MTT: What’s the one thing you would buy in Hawaii?
Max: Kona coffee
Macadamia nuts
Reyn Spooner Hawaiian shirt or Hilo Hattie’s Hawaiian shirt

MTT: Any recommendations for local art dealers/galleries?
Max: Wyland Galleries on the North Shore. They sponsor some really good local artists, in addition to the prints Wyland sells.

MTT: Any insider tips that you always make sure to tell family and friends?
Max: Hawaii is the BEST place in the world to go skydiving. I recommend Pacific Skydiving over Skydive Hawaii, as I always found the staff there to be a little more friendly.

Here are two sites that should keep me busy traveling the world on my armchair for awhile.

www.WorldHum.com  has some great writing, first person narratives, essays, book reviews and interviews. To celebrate its 8th anniversary, it’s compiled a series of eight “best ofs” in these categories: funny travel stories; family travel stories, the travel writing life; beaches, islands and tropics; serendipity and kindness; road trips, food; and shrinking planet.

www.wander-list.com is a blog about travel lists from other websites, such as 12 caves to explore and Lonely Planet’s top ten destinations… by web clicks.  I’ll resist the urge to go to my local library to check out the book, 1000 Places in the USA and Canada to See Before You Die. With no travel budget at the moment, this tome would definitely overwhelm me.

Here’s Facebook’s description of why Amsterdam and I are sympatico:

“Anything goes! Your laid back and cool dude attitude goes well with the free spirited capital of the Netherlands. You have a hidden, risqué side that unsurfaces when the mood takes you. A cheeky glint in your eye, a certain sex appeal that is extremely captivating. You very much believe in working to live, not living to work, so I don’t expect to see you in the boardroom with Sir Alan on The Apprentice – rather sitting outside a nice bar or cafe watching the world go by…”

The questions were innocuous enough, like “What’s my favorite tipple”? by which it means, libation. I chose a glass of red wine (though I almost went with “a cup of coffee”).  Nothing racy was in there. And yet, I get this description.  Maybe in a previous life, but the only thing risque I do these days is letting my preschooler pick his own clothes.

I do, however, like the “work to live, not live to work” aspect. And I do love Amsterdam. It has all the amenities of the U.S. only with charm and character. Nearly everyone speaks English, so it’s easy to make new friends without taking a Berlitz course. Damn good beer (the Heineken Brewery tour rocked) and such an eclectic mix of fabulous restaurants. Some of the best Indian and also some of the best barbecue ribs I’ve ever eaten were in Amsterdam (and I really love ribs). Hot french fries with pindasaus (hot, spicey peanut butter sauce) are also very yummy. The art musuems are also wonderful (big Van Gogh and Vermeer fan here!).

But, and this is a biggie, I can’t ride a bike (don’t laugh, I lived on a very steep hill as a child and never learned as a result) so I sort of wouldn’t fit in entirely in this very bicycle-obsessed culture.

What I can tell you about Louisville is that Churchill Downs isn’t the only monument to sport in this Southern city. For baseball fans, Louisville features the Louisville Slugger Museum, (www.sluggermuseum.org) with its several-story-sized bat at the entrance. And then there’s the Muhammad Ali Center (www.alicenter.org) (nee Cassius Clay, boxing legend Muhammad Ali, was born and raised in Louisville).  I hope to take my son to see these someday.

What I love most about Louisville: The FOOD! Louisvillians know how to cook. We’ve had wonderful meals–and not just Southern fare–but great Indian and Italian too–the times we’ve visited. But, yes, the cheesy grits are great. And the home cooking keeps you from putting your fork down. And don’t get me started about the sweet smelling bourbon (while there aren’t any distilleries in the city itself, there are six bars that offer the most well-stocked bourbon bars in the world–my husband and I’ve been on the bourbon trail, but that’s for another post).

While Louisville maintains its Southern charm, it’s also quite cosmopolitan with numerous art galleries and museums and according to one visitor’s guide, “one of only  a few cities in the U.S. with a professional full-time orchestra, opera and ballet…”

We’ve always stayed with friends or done day trips to Louisville (when we lived in nearby Bloomington, Indiana), but we once did a walk through of the historic Brown Hotel (www.brownhotel.com) in downtown Louisville. Built in 1923, it maintains its Jazz Era opulence. If I had the cash, I’d fork it over.

If you can ever make it to Derby Days, you’ll surely see Louisville in all its glory. But this Kentucky town shines any time of year and really offers great value for your dollar, and lots to see and do whether you are a foodie urbanite or a family with small kids. It really is a homerun all around. So now you know, so go!

Ingredients:
* 1 cup sugar
* ½ cup flour
* 1 stick butter
* 2 eggs * 1 cup pecans
* ¾ cup chocolate chips
* 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Combine sugar and flour. In separate bowl, beat eggs. In separate bowl, melt butter. Combine eggs and butter. Combine egg/butter mixture with flour mixture. Stir in pecans, chocolate chips and vanilla. Pour in unbaked pie crust [recipe below]. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Brush with bourbon (optional [I say the more, the merrier]).

Pie Crust (2 8”-9” crusts)
* 2 cups flour
* 1 tsp salt
* 2/3 cup & 2 tbsp. of shortening
* 4-5 tbsp. of water
Measure flour and salt in bowl. Cut in shortening thoroughly. Sprinkle in water gradually. Do until dough cleans side of bowl. Punch holes in crust with fork. Bake at 475 for 8-10 minutes.

In desperate need of a vacation and some serious upper body massaging, I imagined myself winning one of these fabu freebies. It’s unclear because I couldn’t get the actual online entry form to work last night, but I think you have to choose which one you want when you enter the contest.

Sorry, but the mountain and city getaways just don’t cut it for me. When I think total relaxation I’m thinking Caribbean and  SELF does not disappoint. But then I have a major dilemna, because there are so many to choose from. In the end, I’m planning on submitting my entry for the Galley Bay Resort & Spa in Antigua–something about the genteel nature of afternoon tea in the tropics has always intrigued me. But the plunge pools and six days of bliss don’t sound bad either.

My other dilemna may keep me out of the running entirely. Since going back to freelancing in December, I’ve been trying to land an assignment from SELF. Not sure if writing for them (should I be so fortunate) would negate me from winning anything (again, should I be so fortunate). Hey, when dreaming, you might as well dream big. In the meantime, I’ll submit my entry and hope for the best.

Enter yourself at: http://www.self.com/beauty/2009/04/spa-sweeps

MTT: When do you go to Marco Island and how long do you stay for?
BQ: We go several times a year, usually Christmas and then March/April. We stay for a week to 10 days.

MTT: Why do you like it there (besides staying for free)?
BQ: It’s beautiful, never too hot, quieter and more relaxing than the Naples/Ft. Myers area.

MTT: What things do you like to do with the kids that other families would enjoy?
BQ: Going to the beach; driving over to Goodland [tiny fishing community on the southeast corner of Marco Island that attracts visitors on Sundays for outdoor music and dancing at Stan's. Fishing tours also popular here] or the Isle of Capri [2 miles noroth of Marco Island's bridge with a marina and lots of various boat rentals, including pontoons and kayaks]; walking around the shops at the Esplanade;  going to the movies – it’s a theater with full menu waiter service, though small screens; watching the sun set on the beach; driving down to the Everglades.  We do trips out to Everglades City and various nature walks/boardwalks in the area; go out on the boat to Keewadin Island – great swimming, shell hunting; and go to Mackle Park.

MTT: What should they avoid doing?
BQ: I haven’t really heard of any don’t dos… I would say the Naples Zoo –- overrated and expensive.

MTT: What are your favorite Marco Island restaurants and why?
BQ: We generally go to kid-friendly places.
–Hoot’s is great for breakfast, but also serves lunch and dinner (possibly not year-round though). [No website for Hoot's, not to be confused with Hooter's, but ranked #4 out of 66 Marco Island restaurants on Trip Advisor.com]
–Vandis is a good pizza place.
–The Sand Bar [#6 out of 66 on Trip Advisor] has good food and a relaxed atmosphere.
–If you’re up for the drive the Rod and Gun Club in Everglades City is a fun adventure! [Rod and Gun is an historic landmark lodge on the Barron River adjacent to the Everglades National Park. Offers cottages, restaurant, cocktail lounge, pool and tennis and huge front porch.]
–The Snook Inn – nice location/atmosphere [ranked #21 out of 66].

MTT: What are your favorite things to do during the day?
BQ: We like to go to Resident’s Beach, go out on the boat to Keewadin or Coconut Island, visit Mackle Park.

MTT: What’s your favorite beach and why?
BQ: Our favorite beach is Resident’s Beach – unfortunately it isn’t open to the public. Well, the beach is one long strip along the island, but to use the Resident’s Beach facilities, you have to have a resident pass.

MTT:  What are the beaches like?
BQ: The beaches are generally clean with nice, white sand. The shore slopes off slowly, so you can walk a ways out – pretty safe for kids.

MTT: Are there playgrounds for kids there and have you gone to them?
BQ: Mackle Park is a great park with a sprinkler/water play area, basketball courts, a soccer field, bocce ball courts – something for everyone.

MTT: What advice would you give to other families considering Marco Island for Spring Break? The hotels are expensive and there are only two of them on the island, so look for rentals and condos! There is a company on the island that rents children/baby items so check them out vs. hauling all of your gear if you don’t want to.

MTT: Are no-see-umms a problem on the island?
BQ: I’ve been there in December, March, April, August, and October and have never found bugs of any kind to be a real problem.

MTT: What excursions (to nearby places) have you taken and what would you recommend families make the extra effort for?
BQ: There are some great nature reserves and boardwalks out into the Everglades between Marco and Ft. Myers – some are a drive, but really fun for the whole family.

MTT: What’s the one must-do thing you do each time you go?
BQ: Get a grouper sandwich from the Sand Bar!

For this installment of Great Minds Travel Alike, MTT interviewed Allison Shulman, government affairs consultant, based in Washington, DC, who recently went there for a relaxing vacation (and second time there this year).

MTT: When did you travel to Miami and why?
AS: I’ve gone to the beaches in Miami (specifically South Beach) twice this year already. Once in January and another time in March.

MTT: Where did you stay and would you recommend it?
AS: On the second visit I stayed at the Kent Hotel.  The place is a great location (right at 11th and Collins and 1 block from the beach), but it does have some areas where it needs improvement.  The elevator didn’t always work, the room was completely lavender (including the ceilings, soaps, etc.) and you could hear your neighbors in the rooms around you.  Other hotels which I’ve stayed at in the past (the Loews, The Ritz, etc.) don’t have these issues, but they are very pricey.  I would recommend trying the Art Deco hotels in South Beach (there are tons!) since they have great character and wonderful locations at more reasonable prices.

MTT: What was your favorite location/not to miss?
AS: Big Pink! It’s a diner in South Beach.  I never miss a breakfast there at least once on each trip.  I also love Sunday brunch at Nemo’s.  To see the cars (and sometime celebrities) go to Prime 112 (at the Browns Hotel) for dinner.  There are always new clubs poppin up but Mansion & Prive are always good and the Delano Hotel is beautiful, great for people watching, and a “scene”!

MTT: What was a waste of time?
AS: Mango’s.  it’s a tourist trap and should be left to people who don’t know any better.

MTT:Most memorable travel experience?
AS: What happens in South Beach … Stays in South Beach

MTT: Biggest travel surprise in South Beach/Miami?
AS: The people you see… some famous, some want to be famous, but all are amusing to watch.

MTT: Favorite restaurants (s) and why?
AS: Beyond, Prime 112 for dinner, Nemo for Sunday brunch, and Big Pink for breakfast.  I also like Nemo for dinner.  Nobu [at the Shore Club] for sushi.  I try to find a new restaurants by asking the locals (usually people who work in the shops will give the most honest advice)

MTT: Favorite beach?
AS: All of South Beach is amazing…

MTT: Favorite nightclub?
AS: Mansion is the new spot, but Prive is also great.

MTT: Best travel deal/way you saved money?
AS: As always Kayak.com has the best flight information… but you can get deals through other online travel sites that will book both your flight and hotel together.

MTT: Any other tips for first-time travelers to Miami?
AS: The airport is crazy so plan for a slow check in (especially if you’re taking American Airlines).

MTT: How did you get around Miami?
AS: Rental car, but you can walk around instead.

MTT: I wouldn’t leave Miami without buying (finish thought)?
AS: Shoes… but then again, I buy shoes everywhere…

MTT: A vacation to Miami is for people who (finish thought)?
AS: Want to have fun, let loose or just relax on a quiet beach.

Shelling in the seaweed

Saner Sanibel

Once you reach Sanibel, you enter a much saner world. Everything here is lush and the residents really care about maintaining a balance between the natural environment and development, preserving the land not only for the wildlife, but for themselves. When we were there we saw congratulatory signs–the residents had helped to pay for a land trust to stop development of some property.

We went there two years ago with our then 18 mos old. We stayed in an all-suite room (two large rooms and a full kitchen and dining area) at the Sundial Beach & Golf Resort. They usually run spring deals. With a toddler having a kitchen is key: Can we say Mac N Cheese please?

Shell starfish on Sanibel

It was difficult to find a resort on Sanibel with a kiddie pool. I believe all those are further up on Captiva (additional 15 minute drive). The Sundial told me they had a kiddie pool when I called, but in actuality they just have several medium-sized pools where lots of kids congregate  (since they don’t have any kiddie pools, where else are they going to go?). The one closest to our section of the hotel had a shell slide, which my son loved to go down with his dad on the first evening there. The rest of the week, he became overwhelmed by the crowds and refused to get into the pool. For kids ages 4 to 11 they have an Explorers Kids Eco Camp.

Our Digs: A Room with a View, No Kiddie Pool

The Sundial was decent ( they are all pricey this time of year and this one offered the best deal and we couldn’t afford to rent a cute cottage on our own for the same price). It had its own tiny aquarium of sorts, just three small tanks with turtles, fish (though they call it something much grander). The room is right next to the pool area. But the kids loved to go in there. They also have a big chest of beach toys, so you dont’ have to bring any from home. My son loved that.

Our room with a view of the beach and around the corner from the pool, furnished in Golden Girls decor, also had a screened in porch (screened ins are a must because at dusk the no see umms (actual bugs, though unsure if that’s their actual name) come out and eat you alive–I’m not kidding. They hurt, which is why you don’t want to be on the beach after dusk either. My cousin made that mistake once by taking a pre-dawn walk along the beach and she came back itching everywhere with tiny welts all over her).

This time of year, though, don’t expect clear water with all the spring storms. It was very murky when we went. And because Sanibel is considered a shelter island for wildlife, they don’t rake their beaches of seaweed (and the debris that can accumulate-such as torn up, sharp soda cans, can be dangerous for little feet, so be careful where you walk or, better yet, wear water shoes).

What to Do, Good Eats

I don’t want to give the wrong impression: It is a very pretty area. If you have older kids, you can go kayaking/canoeing through the mangrove swamp. There are guided tours, too, through the “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. And lots of folks rent bikes to tour the island, though because wildlife thrives here, you do have to beware of alligators (there are signs).

Sanibel has lots of funky, family friendly (and quite good) restaurants. At this time of year, plan for at least a 45 minute wait, more like 1.5 hours on busy nights. One of our favorites, when we did eat out, was The Island Cow. It has a small outdoor dining porch, though we chose to eat inside. We all enjoyed the live music. To keep children busy during the long table wait (this is a popular restaurant), they have small Magnadoodles. Children also climb the tree and throw darts in the backyard waiting area, where we sat with our drinks. The Island Cow is also open for breakfast and lunch, though we ate those in our room or at the resort’s outdoor grille, by the pool.

Another good choice for kid-friendly fare is The Hungry Heron. Again, Golden Girls decor, but it has an overwhelming kids menu.

Swing Fix at Bailey's

If you have little ones who must get in a swing break daily, there’s one outdoor shopping center, Bailey’s on Periwinkle Way, which also has a grocery store by the same name, that features a sandy playground with a small tree house, slide and two baby swings. We went there daily, as did other parents because at the time it was the only place that had a playground (in the off season Sanibel caters more to retirees). Bailey’s also has several large parrots and cockatoos near the entrance to the grocery that are a crowd pleaser. I can’t recall the name, but there’s also a decent place for lunch.

If I had to do it over again, I would stay at a resort on Captiva Island, which is past Sanibel, on the point. The resort we stayed at didn’t have a kiddie pool as advertised. Apparently, the beaches in Captiva are also much cleaner and the resorts are even nicer.  In general I tend not to be a resort person, but these aren’t really the types of all-inclusives that you’d find in say, Mexico, where you never interact with the place you are actually visiting except for the resort. Though perhaps our son was too young to get the full use out of the Sundial, as lots of families we talked to seemed to be repeat guests.

Sanibel and Captiva are also world famous for their shelling–Martha Stewart Living did a piece on this years ago, so it keeps the kids busy (another reason to bring water shoes as the shells are hard to walk on). May through September are peak shelling season. There are also shelling cruise excursions to smaller islands, though we didn’t take those.

Other options for family friendly Florida: Naples, also on the Gulf Coast, but it’s a much longer drive from the Ft. Meyers airport, which is why we chose Sanibel (which, though Sanibel is only technically 20 minutes from the airport, will likely take you 40 minutes with traffic). Naples has a very pretty downtown, with wonderful shops, and really nice beaches (great for shelling, too and powdery sand). And many fabulous (and often pricey) restaurants. Families with older kids can go bottom-fishing, which is a lot of fun. We did that and I may have killed a sea turtle when it dragged my line, with weight, underneath the water and it snapped off  (that’s my best fish story). You can do catch and release or catch your own grouper and cook it for dinner.  There are also several piers for fishing. I don’t recall the problems with the no-see ums there, but we went to Naples in the fall (years ago, 1998 I think), so that might be the difference. You’ll notice signs for stingrays. Don’t panic. Just shuffle your feet so you don’t step on the spine. We went swimming often in Naples and never once stepped on one or saw one for that matter.  The sunset from the beach in Naples is wonderful.

Naples, however, seems to be much more geared to a higher-end crowd and boomer crowd. The town has i’s own symphony (if I’m recalling correctly). High-end seafood restaurants, as I mentioned. And lots of five-star hotels lining the beach. We were lucky that my husband’s work was having a convention and they chose a hotel right on the beach (La Playa Resort, I think), which has since become much more expensive and snazzy.

Would love to hear your thoughts on Sanibel Island. Leave a comment by clicking the comment link above the post.