Getaways Guest Blog Series: Naina from Style'n

Soooo happy it's Thursday, although I think this week went by really quick. It really feels like I don't have enough hours in a day and I'm tired of this icky weather. Which makes it the perfect times to dream about vacations. I haven't had one of these Getaways Guest Posts in awhile and I'm super happy that the first of the new year is courtesy of the gracious and stylish Naina of Style'n. Read on to find out all about Naina's vacation faves.

Favorite Vacation Spot

It was difficult to select my favorite vacation spot because I have so many favorites. Traveling is truly a passion of mine and my husband and I take every opportunity we can to travel. Most recently we went to Argentina and Costa Rica and I loved both places. But the one place we seem to go back to over and over again is Maui, Hawaii. We went to Maui on our honeymoon and have been back two more times since then.

Where to Stay

We like staying at the Grand Wailea but last time we stayed at the Maui Four Seasons because we found great room rates during the off peak season. All I can say is that the Four Seasons is truly paradise.

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Where to Eat

Here are the three restaurants I highly recommend in Maui:

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1. Spago at the Four Seasons has great ocean view seating and we also love to sit at the bar and chat with the bartenders. They usually give us the scoop on the local hot spots and events going on. Even if you do not stay at this hotel it is still worth it to check out the restaurant.

2. Lahaina Grill - We go there to eat the tequila shrimp and firecracker rice. Sometimes we even hit this restaurant twice because the food is that good.

3. Mama's Fish House - This beach side restaurant always draws a crowd and we like to go here for lunch and sit at the bar. We usually stop here again on the day we fly out because the restaurant is on the way to the airport.

What to Do

There is so much to do in Maui but we prefer to lounge by the beach, drink cocktails in the Infinity pool, pamper ourselves with spa treatments, and take long walks and jogs on the beach. We also look forward to the beautiful sunsets in Maui as well.

Vacation Essentials

Camera. I always travel with my Nikon D90 SLR camera. Vacations are always a good excuse to learn and improve my photography skills.

Sunglasses. There is nothing more chic than wearing a pair of sunglasses and another benefit of sunglasses is that I can forgo wearing eye make up.

Books/magazines. I always treat myself to one or two new books to read and I bring along my own stash of fashion and fitness magazines for the trip.

Journal. I like to jot down favorite sites and restaurants, tips on what we forgot, items we should bring on our next trip. My husband and I also like to use vacation time to write down our goals, future plans, and other thoughts or ideas we come up with.

Travel Book. My personal preference is Fodors and I buy a book for every trip we go on. I have a shelf dedicated to travel books and since I do not like to buy a lot of trinkets and souvenirs when I travel, these books serve as nice reminders of our travels.



Packing Tips

I am not an expert at packing but I admit I am getting better at it. I think packing for beach vacations is the easiest because I usually wear workout clothes in the mornings, bathing suits and cover ups in the afternoon, and dresses in the evenings. I keep everything simple in terms of shoes, jewelery, and handbags. Everything is color coordinated and I keep all items monochromatic so that everything is interchangeable and I can mix and match outfits and accessories.

I also pack a foldable duffle bag and on the way home we use it to stuff our laundry items. This gives us more room in our suitcase for any purchases we have made.

Also one thing we have learned to do when we travel (especially for connecting flights) is to ALWAYS bring a carry on suitcase with two days worth of clothes. If our luggage were to ever get delayed or lost we could at least enjoy a couple of days of vacation, right?

Favorite Travelling Companion

My husband, we are great traveling companions. Even though we did not take my daughter with us to Maui, I enjoy traveling with her as well.

She is starting to comprehend more, she is so inquisitive, and she loves to travel too. It is also quite amusing and fun to travel and experience new places through a 3 year old's point of view.

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The Next Spot I'd Like to Visit...

I would love to go to travel around Thailand next. I have never been but I hear the temples, beaches, food, culture, and people are all amazing.

Thank you so much Naina for telling us all about your vacation memories! xo

All photos courtesy of Naina from Style'n, unless otherwise noted.