It’s been a cold, snowy, icy week here in North Carolina, so it seemed time to share one of my favorite trips of 2014 to the warm, sunny climate of Hawaii.

Neither my husband nor I would ever classify ourselves as “beach people.” Yet, I don’t think it’s possible to do anything but adore Hawaii. Somehow, this island paradise is a U.S. state, even if I feel like I’m in another country every time I visit. One reason we keep returning to Hawaii is that it’s so much more than beaches. It’s full of adventure and culture. It’s wild and untamed, and breathtakingly beautiful. There’s always something to do, something to explore. And that allure will keep us coming back.

Click any photo to open the gallery.

Nothing quite like waking up to this view of Pokai Bay Beach each morning. We stayed at Pililaau Military Resort in Waianae, and access to this private beach was a major perk of the lodging. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

While driving along the Kamehameha Highway that runs next to the North Shore, we stopped here at Waimea Bay. Our first day was perfect blue skies and sunshine. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

If you want a unique Waikiki experience, paddle an outrigger canoe through the waves for a while. It’s a workout, an adrenaline rush, and a good view all in one. They’re also a longstanding fixture of Hawaiian culture, and have been used for hundreds of years. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

While walking out to the beach, we passed the bright pink Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Its color stands out among the many hotels that border Waikiki, and you can see it from nearly anywhere on the beach. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

Colorful surfboards lined up on Kuhio Beach, just down from Waikiki. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

Roosters can be found all over Hawaii. They’re funny to watch as they strut about. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

A view of Waikiki and the Honolulu skyline from a pier near Kuhio Beach. Just before sunset, the water gets still and turns a gorgeous dark turquoise. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

Honolulu’s Ala Wai Canal offers a change of scenery from the ocean. It’s less crowded than Waikiki, but still a pleasant place to walk. You might even see some outrigger canoes out for a row. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

Honolulu was already starting to decorate for Christmas during the last week of November. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

Every Friday night, the Hilton Hawaiian shoots off fireworks over Waikiki. It’s quite a show, and it’s free, too! All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

Hiking Diamond Head is a relatively short endeavor, but its inclines, twists and turns, and straight-up stairs like these make it challenging. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

It’s also not for the claustrophobic. You’ll walk through some tunnels and some tight enclosures to get to the top. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

But the view is absolutely worth it. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

The stunning coastline stretches out for miles below you from the top of Diamond Head. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

And you can see all of Honolulu and Waikiki from the top. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

Since we visited during Thanksgiving, Christmas decorations were up in a few places, and I found the juxtaposition of palm trees and Christmas trees a fun sight. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

A prime spot for snorkeling, Hanauma Bay is a secluded spot for swimming and catching sight of fish and other sea wildlife. This area is heavily protected due to overuse from tourism, so expect to watch a video on reef safety, don’t touch the reefs, and pack out everything you bring in! All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

This was my favorite hike on our trip. Ka’ena is very secluded, and it plops you right in between two dramatic points of nature: the raging North Shore waves on one side and steep green cliffs on the other. There is a main trail you can stay on, but we preferred to hike the coastline, finding our own path among the tide pools and sea cliffs. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

In the beginning, the beach can be sandy, but the further in you go, the more rocky the terrain becomes. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

The rocky terrain makes for lots of tide pools, though. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

Pretty flowers along the Ka’ena shore. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

My husband and I resting on some rocks at Ka’ena. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

Standing along the shore. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

Of course we had to take a family selfie. This one’s from Kaena Point. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

The World Cup of Surfing was set to start a few days after we left, and we saw them setting up along the North Shore. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

Frequently rated one of the best beaches in the U.S., Kailua is stunning. Everything you expect from a beach: pure white sand and perfectly clear turquoise water. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

A stream wraps around Kailua Beach, feeding into the ocean on both ends of it. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

A jellyfish on Kailua beach. We looked it up, and it looks like it was a small Portuguese man o’ war. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

We picked a low-key day when few people were out on this beautiful beach, and we nearly had it to ourselves. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

I finally found a coconut at the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet. Fresh coconut juice is one of my favorite things. Plenty of produce sellers bring in fresh coconuts that they first poke a hole in for you to drink the juice. Then once you drink it all, you can take it back and have them hack out the coconut flesh with a machete. It’s 2 treats in one! All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

The best thrill I had during our trip was going out on a thousand foot line parasail over Waikiki Beach. My husband and brother-in-law aren’t too into heights, but I had a great time with my mother and father-in-law. Hawaiian Parasai was professional and fun, and I would use their company again in a heartbeat. Photos courtesy of Hawaiian Parasail.

Up… Photos courtesy of Hawaiian Parasail.

…up, and away! What a ride! It’s so cool to see all of Waikiki and beyond from so up high! You get a great breeze and a serious adrenaline rush.Photos courtesy of Hawaiian Parasail.

If you get the photo SD card, they also take a few pictures of Waikiki for you. Here’s Diamond Head Crater. Great shots! Photos courtesy of Hawaiian Parasail.

And the Waikiki & Honolulu skyline. Photos courtesy of Hawaiian Parasail.

What trip to Oahu would be complete without paying your respects at Pearl Harbor? I still remember how somber and yet beautiful Pearl Harbor is from my first visit there as a ten-year-old. The U.S.S. Arizona is the main memorial at Pearl Harbor, and you have to take a ferry to reach this floating shrine suspended over the sunken U.S.S. Arizona. It certainly gives you a sense of the loss Pearl Harbor experienced when you see that the destruction is still on display, more than 50 years later. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

With its rusted smokestacks still peeking out from the waves of Pearl Harbor, the U.S.S. Arizona is still leaking oil from its engines, all these years later. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

The flag flies proudly over the memorial. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

At the farthest end of the memorial, you can find the names of those lost on the U.S.S. Arizona when it was sunk at Pearl Harbor. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

On the ferry on the way back from the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, we saw a beautiful rainbow over the valley. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

Sitting out on the patio eating fresh seafood at Nico’s at Pier 38. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

Palm trees in the sunset. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

Our last sunset in Hawaii. All photos © 2015 Kaitlin Throgmorton.

As usual for our vacations, we consider the eating just as important as any other part of the trip. Since we had a cottage, we ate several of our meals in, and we also found a local seafood market in Waianae, Boyd’s Fish Market, where we got local ahi. But we also ate out at some great places, and my favorites are below.

Favorite Eats

• Pa’ina Cafe. Paina is the home of the poke bowl. If you love traditional Hawaiian poke which is marinated raw seafood (typically ahi tuna), chances are good you’ll love a poke bowl, complete with rice and other accompaniments. It’s much like the Hawaiian version of Chipotle. Paina is a great merger of traditional Hawaiian food and modern convenience.
• Nico’s at Pier 38. Freshest fish I ate the whole trip, possibly excepting some we bought at market and cooked ourselves. They have a daily special which is usually something caught that day.
• Coffee Gallery. Tucked away in a little strip mall along the North Shore, this place would be easy to miss. But if you love coffee, plan for a stop. As they say, “the 7-mile miracle starts with us.”
• Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck. Also along the North Shore, off Kamehameha Highway in Haleiwa, this area features several food trucks, but we came for this one based on a local recommendation. They serve garlic shrimp scampi, and it’s delicious.
• Duke’s Waikiki. Even though this place has become a bit touristy, it’s still good food and you can’t beat the view, since it’s right on Waikiki. I had the macademia nut chicken katsu with guava and lilikoi sauces, and it was yummy.
• Kalapawai Market. Within walking distance of Kailua Beach, this local market has some delicious lunch options, as well as a coffee bar and lots of snack options.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO HAWAII? TELL ME YOUR FAVORITE SPOTS! AND IF YOU LOVE TRAVELING, CHECK OUT MY OTHER TRAVEL POSTS.