Planning ahead (and a precursor to next week)

I come from a family of type-a vacation planners. It used to drive me crazy as a teen, but I've embraced the fact that, a year out from my next trip to Hawaii, we've already started planning. Am I the only one who dreams of vacations so far in advance?

Next year we're having a quasi-family reunion (you know, going with that family you grew up with that you aren't actually related to by blood, but by choice) on the Big Island, but my husband and I are going to slip off to Kauai first. Want to hear the current plan?

1. Kauai for 5 days! I really want to stay here at the Grand Hyatt Kauai.

I'm more than a little obsessed with their swimming pools!

Seriously. Look at this thing! See all that meandering? Now THAT is a swimming pool.

This will be me!

2. Kayak the Na Pali Coast. Summer will be perfect for this (hopefully), as the north shore is battered by the winds the worst in the winter.

The Na Pali Coast is where much of Jurassic Park's scenes came from.

Gorgeous, huh?

3. I want to eat at Josselins Tapas Bar and the Plantation Gardens Restaurant (I considered getting married there).

From Josselin's Tapas Bar - taro fields

Plantation Gardens Restaurant

4. Relax with my husband.

5. Spend 10 days on the Big Island with family, mostly in this condo at Kolea. I'm all about the lanai! Can you see the grill in the distance?

6. Do the Mauna Kea Summit tour again.

Tom, Me, Katie, Phil & Robb at the Summit

One of the 14 buildings housing telescopes

7. Snorkel at night with mantra rays.

8. Go back to Big Island Candies. Be sure to have an empty suitcase to fill up!

Caramel & Chocolate Dipped Mac Nut Shortbread

Coconut Brownies. DROOL.

9. Stay overnight in Volcano so we can walk down to see the lava fields in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

Volcano Cottage

Okay, we probably won't see it like that.

10. Hike the Waipi'o Valley - either in it or on the rim works for me!

View from the Rim

Looking at the valley from the ocean