Flying between Canada in Australia is long and expensive. So I spent a long time trying to figure out what the best travel option would be. I discovered that there were a few layover airports that I could fly through and when I was flexible on the dates and willing to spend a day or two in those locations the price was significantly less. So I opted to fly into Honolulu on Feb 2 and fly out to Sydney on Feb 4! Not a bad layover, but what made it even sweeter was that my mom was also in Honolulu and the cherry on top was that Feb 3 was her birthday! So I got to spend my moms birthday with her in Hawaii, how lucky am I? So with accommodations sorted I flew from Edmonton to Vancouver then Vancouver to Honolulu and arrived at my moms hotel at about 11pm. Settled in for the night and ready to start my adventure!
Getting 1/2 way there!
One Day in Honolulu at Kualoa Ranch
Waking up early to get the day started I was greeted with a beautiful sight off the balcony! What a way to start off my month of travel! In addition to this visual I got a wave of warm air which was a welcome feeling after leaving the cold and snow of Edmonton. I was so ready for our adventure of the day! We decided to spend the day at Kualoa Ranch doing a couple of tours of the ranch and island. We started by hopping on a shuttle bus to the ranch and once we arrived were setup with our tours and waited to hop in the bus for our movie tour! Kualoa Ranch is a working cattle farm but is very popular for hollywood and have hosted a number of filming locations! The most exciting for me was Jurassic Park / Jurassic World. But they have also been the backdrop for other hollywood films like Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, 50 First Dates, Kong: Skull Island, Windtalkers and many more.
We did 2 tours while at the ranch for the day, a bus movie tour in the morning and a boat tour in the afternoon. In between there was a buffet lunch and this meal was incredible! This was hands down the best buffet experience I've ever had. Everything was so fresh and delicious. The chicken was so tender and well seasoned, the salad was amazing, fruit was delicious. And they also had dessert.. which was equally delicious. If you plan on going to the ranch definitely plan a couple tours and get in on this mid day treat!
After an awesome day we took a walk by the beach, had some birthday dinner for my mom and I had to stop and get a quick shave ice before my early morning flight out of Honolulu the next day.
Travel Day 2 - Arriving in Sydney!
I was up early enough to see the Honolulu airport open for the day and get onto my early morning flight! It was direct from Honolulu to Sydney and even though it was a long flight it was easy to nap, get some work done and relax en route. I arrived at Sydney International Airport at 4pm the next day and the time change was so weird. I felt very awake and alive, traveled to my AirBnB and had a cup of tea and chat with my host who was absolutely lovely! I decided to get settled and maybe have some dinner but most definitely passed out and woke up about 3am wide awake the following day!
Mindful Baker
So after waking up in the wee hours of the morning on February 5th, after losing a whole day in transit I was ready for some breakfast! Upon the recommendation from my lovely host I walked down the street in the community of Glebe to dine at Mindful Baker. I was pretty exhausted an obviously needed a cappuccino to get my day started. And needed something fresh and delicious and opted for the avo toast. And oh my lord was this breakfast satisfying! All the ingredients as well as the bread were out of this world. It was seasoned beautifully and a perfect start to the day and to my trip! It was a nice little spot and I would definitely recommend it!
Barangaroo, Sydney Harbour Bridge + Sydney Opera House
From Glebe I took a walk down to Blackwattle Bay Park and caught a ferry to Barangaroo and then onto Circular Quay. Barangaroo was a cute little area that had some restaurants and some shopping, I was there quite early so it was pretty quiet at that time. I know the Sydney Opera House is considered a pretty "touristy" place but as someone who studied architecture and design I had to make a stop there to check it out at least once! Sydney Harbour Bridge was also an amazing sight to see! As I rode the ferry underneath the bridge and revealed the Opera House and the rest of the Sydney cityscape I truly felt like I had arrived!
The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
I was so excited to explore The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and could have easily spent all day exploring. But can you believe this is still my first full day in Australia? The botanic garden is full of vegetation, flowers, birds, lizards, art and fantastic displays.
Lunch at. Thunder Island Brewing
After the museum we were really hungry and ready for some lunch so we hopped back across the river to Cascade Locks, Oregon and went to Thunder Island Brewing. This was a recommendation from a local and we were so happy with the decision! It was incredible. I don't think we could have asked for a more beautiful fall day, it was warm and the skies were totally blue but sitting on the patio and getting the amazing view of the river and the gorge was awesome. I had an amazing dark beer and chicken sandwich that totally hit the spot!
Bridge of the Gods
If you are an avid hiker or a fan of Wild (book or movie) based on the experience of Cheryl Strayed our next stop will definitely stand out! At Cascade Locks is where you will find the Bridge of the Gods. It is a toll bridge that crosses the state line between Oregon and Washington and is also a part of the Pacific Crest Trail system. I'm definitely a huge fan of Wild, such a gut wrenching story of grief and finding oneself. Bridge of the Gods was a symbolic finishing line of Cheryl's hike to finding herself and as part of the famous trail system we had to go check it out! We actually crossed it earlier in the day by car but parked and walked across as well! Maybe one day we'll commit to the whole trail and end up back there.
Salt + Straw Ice Cream
Our next adventure of the day was getting back into the city of Portland and making an ice cream stop at Salt + Straw! They use lots of unique flavours, local ingredients and love in their ice cream. Make sure you taste test all the flavours you want before you pick the one you want, but beware, you might need multiple scoops if you can't narrow it down to one flavour! On this visit I went with the Cold Brew Coffee Cashew Praline and it was a magnificent little treat and afternoon pick me up for a busy day of adventuring.
Hoyt Arboretum
I'm not ashamed to admit it.. I am a tree lover! And one of my favourite spots in Portland is Hoyt Arboretum, a museum of living trees. Founded in 1928 to conserve endangered species and educate the community, Hoyt Arboretum encompasses 190 ridge-top acres and 12 miles of hiking trails just minutes from downtown Portland. Home to 2,300 species of trees and shrubs from six continents, Hoyt Arboretum is a place of beauty and serenity no matter the season. They have multiple trail systems where you can see and enjoy different types of tree and plant life. We took the Redwood trail to explore some of these beautiful giants!
After a busy and adventurous day we went back to our AirBnb and had some snacks, enjoyed the hot tub and watched a movie before getting some rest for another big day ahead!
Trail of Ten Falls, Silver Falls State Park
On our third day in Portland we went on another adventure outside the city to Silver Falls State Park to hike the Trail of Ten Falls. This was the biggest hike that we planned while we were here. The state park was approximately a 1 hour and 15 minute drive south of the city. Grab a coffee and enjoy the drive out to the park. Parking at the state park is a fee but there are machines at the parking lot that you can use to pay for your day pass. There are also washrooms and a cafe near the parking lot area. There are 10 waterfalls along the trail but in order to see them all you need to take the long loop and head off the trail in a couple spots to reach 2 that are off the large loop. We ended up doing the big loop but not head out on alternate trails so we only saw 8 waterfalls. If you don't want to go quite that far you can also do a shorter loop by taking a trail that cuts through and you'll still be able to see 7 of the waterfalls. The trail is easy to follow and if you're worried about getting lost there are maps you can grab before your enter to reference. You can also see and track your route with the AllTrails App if that is something you use. The trail does have some ups and downs but isn't too extreme. It's a moderate hike but always plan ahead and wear the proper clothes and footwear to be on the trail. It can be wet and slippery at points so the right shoes/boots are a must! We did the long loop in 4.5 hours (not including a few breaks). In total we walked 12.84 km (7.98 miles). We started our hike about 9:30am and I would definitely recommend any time of year that you plan to come early in the day to avoid crowds. We made it through without needing a washroom break but I recommend coming prepared just in case you need a washroom break in the middle of the trail. And as always remember to pack plenty of water, snacks and take breaks to enjoy the beauty. I recommend starting at the South Falls, from there we saw several waterfalls, on the longer loop there is a section where you encounter stairs, then a long section of trail where you get to walk through some big and beautiful trees before getting back to the parking lot! If you love waterfalls like me this trail is definitely worth the trip!
Post Hike Treat
After our long hike we were ready for a little treat. We needed to stop and get some gas so we went over to Salem, OR and filled up the tank with gas and a stop at Dutch Bros for a delicious caffeinated beverage! My sister had never tried Dutch Bros before so it was a fun little treat for me to take her for the experience and we both loved our drinks! When we got back to the AirBnb I hopped in the hot tub to rest my muscles after a long hike day.
Dinner at Jakes Famous Crawfish
After a big day of hiking we were sore, tired and most of all.. hungry! We had an idea a day or two before that we really wanted to go out for a nice seafood dinner while we were travelling. I took to Google and started searching other blogs and best of lists for Portland seafood for inspiration. After reading some details, reviews and checking out the locations of several spots we settled in Jakes Famous Crawfish. We got dressed in some of the only non-hiking gear that we brought with us and headed out! First impression was definitely seafood restaurant, it was cozy and interesting both inside and out. First up were drinks. My absolute favourite spirit is gin so I noticed they were serving a cocktail featuring Aviation Gin and gave it a try, it was sensational! (Side note: I would have loved to go visit the Aviation Gin distillery but sadly it was closed for tours most of the days of the week we were visiting. But that will be an adventure for next time!) Then it was time to decide on a meal and I gotta say this was tough! The menu all looked so good I almost couldn't decide. I ended up deciding on the Crab + Shrimp stuffed Halibut which was stuffed with dungeness crab, bay shrimp and brie cheese, with veggies and garlic potatoes served on the side. I loved it so much I truly believe it is the best thing I've ever eaten in my entire life. At first bite I realized why Jakes was famous. It truly was a treat! The fish and stuffing were next level, so creamy and I can't even express just how delicious. The potatoes were also insane, when I say garlic potatoes I don't mean they were potatoes with a bit of garlic.. they were a garlic girls dream, a mix of garlic and potatoes in a mash. And while the veggies weren't done in any sort of special way they were perfectly cooked and so flavourful. 1098493827/10 for me, if you like seafood and you're visiting Portland please do yourself a favour and go out for dinner at Jakes!
Powell's Books
After dinner we were so close to Powell's Books we had to walk over for a quick visit to the world's largest independently owned bookstore. This is an awesome place to visit and walk, you won't believe just how big it is! You can browse new and used books for yourself or as a gift for a book lover in your life. You can also find lots of cute gifts if you're shopping to bring home something for family and friends.
Bagel Land
On the final day of our trip we had a half day to enjoy the city a little more before heading to the airport. So we started with a hearty breakfast at one of my favourite little spots, Bagel Land! Not only does it have a great name but all the bagels, bagel sandwiches and cream cheese selections are delicious. It was definitely a hearty breakfast to kick off the day.
Pip's Doughnuts and Chai
And since Portland is known for it's selection of Doughnuts we needed to top off breakfast by heading down the street to Pip's Original Doughnuts and Chai. Pip's features mini doughnuts in a small variety of flavours including a seasonal flavour. They also have a unique variety of community made chais available, including a chai flight so you can try them all! During our visit the feature flavour was Mango Ghost Pepper, and to be honest I've had really intense experiences with ghost pepper so I was a little nervous but went for it anyway! The result was magical! It was the perfect amount of spice and the mango jelly was the perfect compliment. I tried the King and I chai and it was so tasty and definitely was the perfect finish to an awesome breakfast!
The Grotto
The Grotto, also known as The National Sanctuary of our Sorrowful Mother it is a Catholic outdoor shrine and sanctuary. They do host mass and events but you don't need to be religious to find peace here. The nature and beauty of the space is worth a visit. And if that's not enough for you we found some absolutely massive trees in the parking lot!
Heading home...
We made our way to the Portland International Airport. After dropping off the rental car we took the Sasquatch elevator into the terminal. Since we were headed straight for the international flights we didn't get a chance to explore any of the other terminals but if you are in the airport and have the chance they do have a movie theatre in the airport! It features a reel of short student films that you can enjoy for a few minutes while you are in the airport, maybe next time I'll get a chance to check it out. We found our gate and made a stop for a drink to cheers to a successful sister trip! Our plane from Portland back to Vancouver, BC for our layover was a tiny one and we had to head out onto the tarmac to board. But one of the biggest highlight of the flight was seeing Mount St. Helen's from the plane window. What a view!
We flew into Vancouver together and turned out that our gates for our separate flights home were right next to each other. So we spent some time together in the airport before saying our goodbyes and flying back to our home cities. I'd say it was a super successful and action packed trip! Where should we go next year?
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