We end the week of Ari and Michelle’s honeymoon with a few of their favorite Hawaiian food experiences.

They were surprised that one of the best meals came at the most unexpected place, the South Kona Fruit Stand on Punaluʻu Beach – better know as the Black Sand Beach (below) – on the Big Island. Ari says, “You’ll try fruits you have never heard of before.”

For fancier fare, they dined at Mama’s Fish House in Maui. Ari loved the ono (fish) he ordered. He says, “The service was exemplary. They make their menu every day based on what they catch that morning. It is expensive — $125 for lunch — but worth every penny.”

And for a quick snack, they loved Puka Dog for their Hawaiian style hot dogs made with secret recipe relishes and sauces. Ari calls it a “great little local restaurant with amazing hot dogs for $6.”

I’m so glad these two shared their trip with us! I’ll close out the week with Ari’s reflections, “Everyone thinks that Hawaii is expensive. And it is. But it is worth every penny. You see things that you never get to see anywhere else. It is also extremely versatile. We know people who have gone, and done nothing but laid on the beach. But that is not us. We are not beach-sitters. Hawaii can also be a place of great adventure and sight-seeing. For us, it was a nice combination of both.”