The beach...

Hawaii is the only island that has a restriction on having beach front access for hotels and resorts - this is due to tsunami threats - which they did have to evacuate where we were staying back in 2011 due to Fukushima. That's why the resorts have such nice pools and why the big Hilton property (more on that later) built a lagoon and mini-beach area that guests could enjoy. Of course that doesn't mean you can't go lay on the beach and swim in the ocean - you simply have to go to public beach access areas to do so. Fortunately there was one not too far from us (and right next door to Lava Lava Beach Club) so one afternoon we decided to catch some rays on the beach. It was also a good chance to actually take a dip in the Pacific. My toes had been in before during visits to San Diego & Huntington Beach, but I'd never swam in in before. It really was gorgeous and clear and refreshing on a sunny day. 

Afterwards we mosied on over to Lava Lava Beach Club for a pre-happy hour cocktail :)