Hayes just loves the magic of islands
It’s only fitting that globetrotting actress Erinn Hayes stars in the new Netflix series, “Medical Police,” where she plays a doctor chasing down a life-threatening virus worldwide. The Emmynominated actress films most of the series in Croatia, which doubles for countries such as Italy and Brazil.
This summer, Hayes will be seen in “Bill and Ted Face the Music,” where she portrays Keanu Reeves’ wife. The actress resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters.
An edited version of our conversation follows.
Q: What is your favorite vacation destination?
A: I’ve been fortunate enough to visit Fiji now twice and am absolutely in love. The first visit was for a guest spot job on the TV show “Wrecked” and the second was with my family, because I wouldn’t shut up about it after returning from the first work trip. My dad and uncle live part time in New Zealand, so we worked a stop in Fiji onto our trip to visit them. The Fijian people are so lovely and kind, the beaches are divine and the weather is perfect.
Q: To someone who was going there for the first time, what would you recommend that they do during their visit?
A: I’m the kind of traveler who needs a mix of everything and nothing. I love a good adventure, but I also feel a little unfulfilled if I don’t get one day of just laying by a pool with a book and my thoughts. Definitely get out on the water in some form. When visiting with our kids, we went on one of the many day trips they have available to a small island. The crew of the ship sang songs and set up volleyball and my kids tried scuba diving for the first time, all in a magical setting.
Q: What was the first trip you took as a child?
A: My mother grew up in Hawaii, so my first travel memories are of warm wind and big clouds. I loved it there so much and have pieces of memories of pulling off the road to pick passion fruit and walking along the beach singing to myself and trying to find fairies in the rocks and plants.
Q: Where is the most romantic destination?
A: Probably the most romantic place I’ve ever been was a teeny tiny town on the Amalfi Coast of Italy called Atrani. It’s practically untouched by time, with the houses seemingly carved from the rugged hillsides. We had two days
Qand nights of wandering the minuscule passageways and streets, swimming in the waters and I had maybe the best meal of my life in a small family restaurant almost hidden on the rocky pier. It’s hard to get to, but well worth it, even with the constant bells that ring out marking every quarter-hour. Yes, every quarter-hour.
Q: If you’ve ever gone away for the holidays, which was the best trip?
A: We rarely stay home for the holidays. Having so much family up in Northern California and Oregon, we make the journey almost every year, presents hidden in the trunk and all. Our children associate Christmas morning with grandparents and cousins, so we’re taking advantage of that while we’re still fortunate enough to have that family around. (In 2018), we went to Bend, Oregon, to my mom’s and it snowed Christmas morning, which felt pretty magical to a bunch of California babies.