After a beautiful 40 minute ferry ride from Lahaina we landed on the amazing island of Lana’i, one of my favorite places in the world. We rented a jeep, which is a necessity if you want to see some of the more remote beaches (most of them) and we stayed at the charming 10 room Hotel Lana’i, built in 1923. We stopped at the Blue Ginger for lunch, which was recommended to us by the hotel clerk/concierge. We visited the Mike Carrol Gallery, which is Lana’i’s only art gallery. Mike Carroll’s wife, the gallery director, recently organized and built Lana’i’s first and only Animal Rescue Center. She invited us to visit, and without thinking twice about it, we made it our first stop. You could hear the purring of 300 cats as soon as you pulled it up. It was definitely Darlene’s heaven on earth.

Next stop was Shipwreck Beach, a beach known for its high winds which caused many shipwrecks, including the enormous World War II Liberty Ship, one of the few concrete hull ships in existence. We spotted a sea turtle resting or giving birth on the beach, either of which is a rare sight.

After our beach adventure, we stopped at The Four Seasons Lodge at Koele for a few drinks before dinner. The grounds included a koi pond and orchid greenhouse. We had dinner at Pele’s Other Garden, and it was some of the best Italian food we’ve had since moving from Chicago.  Who knew? We played a highly competitive game of Yahtzee before turning in for the night.

The next morning included a visit to the tidal pools at Manele bay, Sweetheart Rock and some snorkeling before we had to catch our ferry back home to Maui.

Lana’i, we miss you already.