This November we went on a trip to New York City with some friends. I was so excited to be back in that city, there is something magical about NYC to me.

I was so excited to see the beautiful changing leaves that I have missed since moving to Florida. We have 2 seasons here for the most part; hot and hotter. We were only there for the weekend but we had a wonderful time.

We stayed at Park Central Hotel  which was a perfect location. This hotel is very modern and centrally located between the theatre district and Central Park.

I love going to comedy shows in the city. You can buy tickets on the street for around $20 and the shows have always been great. This year we went to MOTOWN on Broadway and it was phenomenal. We tried for discounted tickets at TKTS but we ended up purchasing our tickets at the box office. This was my first Broadway experience and I was smiling from ear to ear through out the entire show! We had Lindys Cheesecake,  ate delicious Mac and Cheese from Macbar and went to the oldest pub in America, McSorleys!  Walking around Central Park this time of year is a real treat!

This December we went to Hawaii for a a friends wedding. In truth we had wanted 

to go here for years and a wedding was the perfect “excuse” to make the trip! We decided to spend a week and see 2 Islands. We chose the island of Oahu to explore the famous Waikiki Beach for the first few days of our trip and then we were off to Maui.

In Waikiki the first thing I noticed was how friendly everyone was. We stayed at the Aston Hotel, which I would highly recommend!  The hotel was right on the beach and they served a free breakfast every morning that you could take to the beach, it was such a cool idea! Waikiki is a very busy “touristy” area, which I was not that fond of but the hotel was at the end of the strip so we were not too caught up in the hustle and bustle. We walked everywhere for dining and had some great food! My favorite restaurant for dinner in Waikiki was Dukes! The Hula Pie was phenomenal! We had a fabulous breakfast at LuLus that consisted of pancakes with coconut syrup and you can watch the surfers while you dine.  While in Waikiki we rented a Jeep and cruised up to the North Shore of the island to watch the surfers catch some serious waves. I would absolutely recommend doing this when in Oahu!

After 2 days on Oahu we caught a Hawaiian Airlines flight for about $75 per person to the gorgeous island of Maui. To me, Maui would be what Heaven looks like; turquoise water, breath taking mountains, green grass and sunshine. Our 45 minute drive to the Northwest coast of the island was incredible. I’m glad my husband was driving because there was no way I could keep my eyes on the road, the scenery was incredible. We stayed at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua  which was probably the nicest hotel I have ever stayed in. Luckily we were there in the “off season” so the prices were only around $250/night as compared to the usual $850/night! I would highly recommend December as a great time to go to Hawaii, the weather was great and the prices were also fabulous! The wedding we attended was like a fairy tale and I can only imagine what the photos are going to look like. We had a lot of friends do the famous “Road to Hanna” and they all said it was incredible. This is something you would want to do as soon as you get to the island and give yourself at least 2 days to complete. We took the “Island Rhythms Sunset Cruise” that included a 2 hour cruise and 2 free drinks for approx. $50 per person. I would highly suggest this cruise, the views were great and the boat was a ton of fun! The Maui brewing company is also a must see on the island! While on Maui we went paddle boarding and snorkeling and came face to face with a giant sea turtle! We had friends do the helicopter tours and they were really impressed.

If you are considering a trip to Hawaii, DO IT!