Embracing The Babymoon: Big Island, Hawaii

The most common piece of advice I’ve received thus far about being pregnant is pretty simple: get all of the sleep you can now.

These are nerve-wracking words to someone who relies on at least seven hours of sleep to function. But let’s be honest, the idea of maxing out on as much R&R as possible isn’t just appealing to someone who’s 22 weeks pregnant, but likely to anyone with a pulse.

So when Josh had a work trip to the Big Island (tough gig, right?), we took advantage of this gift and extended it into a full-blown babymoon. Ten days of doing something that I usually never do: a whole lot of nothing. And by nothing, I mean exploring what Hawaii had to offer, sitting on the beach, reading, watching the waves, leisurely morning runs, eating way too many omelets and macadamia nut waffles, and completely recharging with my best friend before our world turns upside down.

Just thinking about this trip and what it means to our expanding family makes me overly-emotional. Maybe it’s the hormones, but taking this time to reflect, recharge, and celebrate is probably the best decision we’ve made all year. If you’re on the fence about a babymoon, I have two words for you: DO IT.

Also, I couldn’t leave without a few recommendations for those headed to the Big Island:

Where We Stayed: Hapuna Prince Beach Hotel. This hotel was actually chosen for us as it was where Josh’s work event was held; however, I’d like to think that we lucked out. Despite the fact that it’s a bit outdated and a 40 minute drive north of Kona, it boasted something many of the Big Island’s waterfronts don’t have: beach perfection. Soft sand both in and out of the water, deep beaches, no waking up at 6 a.m. to claim a spot, and we felt comfortable leaving our stuff on the chair while we played in the ocean. And if you can’t stay at the Hapuna Prince Beach Hotel itself, you can still access the public beach and experience this bliss.

Where To Eat: It’s time to be brutally honest. Overall, I’d rate the food on the Big Island a generous “meh.” However, I caveat this noting that we didn’t do any fine dining and stayed away from the restaurants with “$$$$” next to their name. However, there were a a few exceptions:

Basik Acai Bowls: I had quite a few acai bowls during my stay and these were by far the best. Located above a tiny snorkel shop in Kona, you can’t leave Hawaii without one.

Da Poke Shack: Another blink-and-you-might-miss it favorite in Kona, Da Poke Shack offered a vast, fresh selection of some top-notch poke options…or so Josh tells me. I sat there, drooling at his meal, waiting for the day when I can eat that goodness again.

Hawaiian Style Cafe: A locals’ restaurant in Waimea serving the largest pancakes I’ve ever seen in my life…as an included side to your regular order. For $12, I got a veggie omelet, hash browns, and enough pancakes to feed a family of four.

Conscious Culture Cafe: We spent an afternoon wandering Hilo and had to stop in somewhere for some grub before I turned into someone you just don’t want to be around. This find came to me from Yelp, and was a vegan and vegetarian’s paradise.

Where To Run: Anywhere! Honestly, you’re in Hawaii; how can you go wrong? Josh and I would wake up each morning and map out a random route to run depending on the day’s plans. I’m not quite in the shape to be running trails or extended mileage, but we still made our way in and around a new area each day, including jaunts around various resorts or finding our way to little beaches and looping back. Just don’t forget the SPF or H20.

And yes, I admit, the entire time I was there I wondered what it would be like to be back to race that little thing called Ironman Kona. We’ll have to put that dream on hold…for now.

Happy Running!