Finland and Estonia + 24 HRS IN HAWAII | March 2025

I had ten days off work at the beginning of March, so I decided to zoom over to Finland hoping to catch some vibrant northern lights and just compare the area to my favorite (so far) place = NORWAY. I haven't been to Sweden yet, but I can say I love the parts of Scandinavia that I've been in. Everything just works and people are nice and happy. :)

I flew into Helsinki, then took a 6 hour train north to Oulu. I continue to underestimate how large these countries are...Finland is very LONG. From there, I rented a car and drove in a big circle, hitting Kuusamo, Ruka, Saariselka, Rovaniemi, and Kemi. I did see some faint northern lights, but they looked more like a grayish/greenish smear in the sky, so I'm not sure I can officially cross that off my list. 

I enjoyed driving through the wintery landscapes, cross country skiing, and taking a chairlift up in order to sled down. It was kinda wild, fast, and very cold (I forgot to bring snow pants)! I enjoyed hiking up to a lookout tower, stood on the Arctic Circle, rode a snowmobile for the first time (didn't love it), and ate a yummy veggie burger at Santa's Mcdonalds. 

I also spent one day exploring Helsinki, enjoying a Guru free walking tour, and jumping on the public ferry to Suomenlinna Island (an 18th century sea fortress and natural area, as well as UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's pretty large -- I didn't have time to walk through every corner of it. 

The next day I caught the BIG public ferry that took me across the Gulf of Finland to Tallinn, Estonia. I had no idea how cool the section called OLD TALLINN would be (very cool). Europe just has an advantage in the area of old stuff!! I really enjoyed wandering around the old city, taking photos, climbing the stairs to the top of St. Nicholas' church, sneaking through the tunnels under the city, learning about the history of the place on another Guru free walking tour, and eating the best sweet rolls and foccacia of my life at Pulla Bakery. 

Norway still stands as my favorite country, but I really enjoyed adventuring the wintery, forested land of the Fins and getting a little peak into Estonia (it deserves a return visit). 

Recommendations: 

Goiglo Hostel, near Kuusamo, Finland

I actually had a room to myself here, for only around $60/night. The bed was comfy, with a wonderful duvet (Europe, you're so good at bedding), and breakfast was included (yogurt, oatmeal, fruit, eggs). The bathrooms are shared, with locker style showers, and there are communal kitchen facilities as well. I stayed there in early March, so it was still very snowy, but the lakeside property looks to be very beautiful in the summer months as well! 

The Yard Hostel, Helsinki, Finland

This is a small place, with a really lovely shared kitchen and lounge area, plenty of private showers, and comfortable bunks. Again, great bedding and a perfect location in the heart of Helsinki. Taco Bell is right across the street and they serve plant-based protein in Finland! 

Boho Guesthouse, Old Tallinn, Estonia 

I had a small room to myself and the bathrooms were shared, but clean and private. The location is really unbeatable, right inside the walls of the old town of Tallinn, with a gorgeous view out my window. It's a unique and very neat place to stay.

Guru Walk

I took two walking tours, one in Helsinki and one in Old Tallinn. They were both fantastic and free (you are expected to tip around $10-$15 per person, still a great deal)! It adds soo much to my trip to hear the history and interesting facts about a place and usually the tour guide adds personal recommendations of other great things to do in the area. Just grab the app and search up your next destination to see if there are tours! 

Pulla Bakery, Old Town Tallinn, Estonia

As I said up above, BEST sweet rolls and focaccia of my life. This place specializes in these things and boy, they do it right. YUM YUM. 

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I came home, slept, worked, skied two days locally, worked some more, and then took my three days off to zip over to Honolulu for one night!! I haven't ever seen a bad weather day in Hawaii...it's always incredible. I am especially glad that I figured out how to rent a moped for the afternoon (not terribly expensive) so I could explore a bit more without renting a car. Getting downtown from the airport takes a while (about an hour), but it's totally doable and only a few dollars (you do need cash)!! 

OH HAWAII. You are always so impressive. 

Recommendations: 

Waikiki Beachside Hostel

While I can't recommend this as the most comfortable or cute accommodation, it is in a great location -- VERY close to the beach, and right next door to the moped rental shop! If you don't want to pay $$$ to stay in Honolulu, grabbing a bunk here is a perfectly reasonable option, imo. I stayed in a 6-bed female room with an ensuite bathroom for around $45/night. 

Hawaiian Style Rentals

I was afraid it would break the bank to rent a moped, but this company actually makes it quite accessible, with really affordable prices. I was able to rent a standard moped for four hours for only $35. You can rent for the whole day for just $40 or multiple days for even less per day. I felt well taken care of and enjoyed my moped explorations very much!!  

Take Bus #20 from the airport to downtown Waikiki! It will take close to an hour, but it's the cheap way to go! Just be sure to have dollar bills on hand. 

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I'm quite late in putting out this post for March... April has flown by. Things are a bit different now, with Peter taking classes in Seattle (lots of driving back and forth and less trips for me). But it's just a season. Soon he'll be graduating, moving on to a summer job, and then off to live in the university dorm in the fall. I'll probably do some more travel this summer! 

Currently:
Eating | homemade granola with applesauce
Enjoying | spring flowers
Watching | Survivor season 48!!

Thankful for | electric vehicles 

Planning | hoping for six days in Ireland

Anticipating | birthday season (16, 18, 42, and 47)