Guess what?!
Wendell and I are finally headed to the Big Island!! YAY!!!! Only took us 6 years and 3 cancelled trips to get there. (Mom died, Dad died, volcano erupted, etc...)
It will be our 28th Wedding Anniversary on Nov. 10th, and...we also have a new client there! So it's a work/play trip. ?????ÿ
We have 9 days there.?ÿ Who has been there? What did you like most? What's worthy of a visit?
I got a tour book, but it's always nice to see what others think. I also have the America The Beautiful Pass for the National Parks.
I DO plan on going to this fine, beautiful volcano filling up with lava!! ?????ÿ
In Kona, see about going snorkeling at the Captain Cook monument. You'll probably want to take a boat over there, the hike down in pretty strenuous, but tons of fish because the area is protected. Lots of dolphins around there as well. Makes for a fun day.
I heard it is one of THE best snorkeling spots! 😀 Hopefully I can still snorkel. I haven't been able to wear contacts in years, but I'm bringing mine just in case. I bought snorkel gear 10 years ago when I was in Oahu, and drag it with me everywhere I swim. ?????ÿ
Angel, look at the ??Tauck Tours? trip to Hawaii. Me and SWMBO have been there twice on this tour. It may shed some light on what to see on a specific island. Both times were unforgettable. Have fun, I know you will! ?????ÿ
https://www.tauck.com/tours/best-of-hawaii-escorted-tour
Eat a grilled pineapple burger, in my behalf!
N
No...Going to a different island this time. The Big Island! I am going to see Kilauea! ?????ÿ
But, we do have plans to visit Yogi when he says the Temple is done! For the official "Blessing". ????ÿ
Man...I've lost like 50 pounds since that pic. No wonder I looked like a beached whale on the beach back then! ?????ÿ
@noodles I am sorry, delete that photo (post) and this one too if you want.
Village Burger is a must stop. It's in the Parker Ranch Mall in Wiamea. Waipi'o Valley is also a must stop. It's great from the parking area and it's possible to either walk down the paved road into the Valley or if you can get a Tacoma or Wrangler you can drive down there. Thing is the hike is strenuous as the paved road drops 900' in 3/4 mile.?ÿ
There aren't many beaches on the east side mostly they are on the north and west part of the island. Lots of waterfalls and they are well worth the effort, I think the best ones are in the Waipio Valley, but there are others along the east coast. At the bottom of Waipio there is a black sand beach and the sister valley Pololu Valley also has a black sand beach. Pololu requires a hike but it's about 1/2 the drop of Waipio, you also must drive through Hawi at the north tip of the big island then continue along the coast to the southeast until the road dead-ends, then walk into the valley.?ÿ
There is a nice walk from the harbour at Kawaihae south to Mona Kea beach. You can park off the harbour road near the mouth of the creek and cross the mouth and there is a concrete path to start the hike to Spencer beach (the concrete path is part of a historical site), then though Spencer Beach to Mauumae Beach and you can continue on to Mona Kea beach through a path along some homes, the golf course and tennis courts to the beach.?ÿ
That's about 4 miles round trip, two miles if you turn back at Maumae Beach. All those beaches have parking lots or parking areas so you can drive fairly close. Then south of those three are Hapuna and 69, Hapuna is the big beach, 69 has the best snorkling. There are large parking lots for those two with a payment expected for off-islanders.
If you want a really cool dinner; Mauna Lani Beach club can't be beat for an evening out. Eat dinner on the beach, that's been available at Mona Kea Beach also, I don't know if it still is post Covid, but we dined out at the Mauna Lani Beach this year.?ÿ
A-bay beach is in the Waikoloa Beach Resort area, as is a portion of the Kings Road that you can walk and see the Petroglyph Reserve. It's extremely accessible from two nearby parking areas. Maniniowali Beach has a parking area not far from the beach so you can access it. There are other beaches and places that need a serious 4x4 to get too.?ÿ
Don't pass up the Hamakia Macadamia Nut factory.?ÿ
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@flga-2-2?ÿ
OH YEAH!!! I have wanted to see this volcano and the others on the Big Island since I was a kid!! Bucket list item!!! I'm ecstatic!!! ????ÿ
I bought the annual pass for the National Parks so my parking, entrance fees, etc... are all FREE! YAY!!! ?????ÿ
LOL No worries! It's a good reminder for me to not EVER get that big again. So unhealthy for my kidneys!! (And other organs!) ????ÿ
Wow! Thanks for the tips! ?????ÿ
We rented a standard SUV for the trip. Not sure if it is 4-Wheel drive or not. We're staying 9 minutes up the road/hill from the KONA Airport. There's a "Vanilla Bean" plantation close by I want to go to. And a Seahorse farm!?ÿ
We're also going to go to Hilo, I want to see the Tsunami museum and go to the farmers market. AKAKA Falls is over there as well. I am figuring we probably wont get to see everything, but...we can always return. I have a lot of air miles to use! ?????ÿ
@noodles?ÿ
Don't forget to take your Oil of Olay (regenerist) to put on after a day in the sun. ?????ÿ
@noodles?ÿ
Be sure and take some warm clothing and hiking boots or shoes. The Saddle Road will probably be cold and if you head up to the observatory there can actually be snow. Mostly you will have shorts and tee weather but you never know there.?ÿ Having an SUV is a good idea.
Depending on the SUV I would be careful some of the places like the road to the Green Beach and dropping onto Waipio. Hilo can be rainy(light rain coat) and the falls just on the outskirts of town are really cool, Peepee falls, Wailuku falls and for sure Akaka Falls. Waipio will at times have falls shooting out of the cliffs to the north of the valley and splashing into the ocean,,,depends on recent rainfall.?ÿ
There won't be lack of things to see and do.?ÿ
Well, you're here!?ÿ If you haven't been here before I hope you experience the accompanying sense of the island - I'm not sure what it is or why, but I've always had this feeling that I'm not alone here even if out exploring a beach or hacking brush by myself.
Most of the great restaurants are still hit and miss, but in Kona Krua Thai is very good and reasonable, Big Island Grill is big portions of great food and about 15 miles south you've got to have lunch at the Coffee Shack - breathtaking views, friendly geckos, Kona coffee, homemade breads and fantastic food.
For luxury beaches (ie, there's a bathroom nearby), most of the big resorts have public access to a nice afternoon (Mauna Kea, Hualalai Four Seasons, Waikaloa Hilton), but my favorites up north of Kona are, for swimming, Mahu Kona and for breathing in pure gorgeousness with a book and a friend, Beach 69 at Puako - on Google Earth its just south of Hapuna beach and the sign to the parking lot will (also) say Hapuna Beach - but it's Beach 69 (19?ø58'51.76"N,155?ø49'39.05"W).
North of there there's a cool Hawaiian War museum, Pu'ukohola Heiau, near Spencer park for a quick, interesting stop.?ÿ North of that heading up into the "thumb" above Kawaihae, there Hamakua Mac Nut Factory - used to have all kinds of samples. Then keep north into the jungle through Hawi (good coffee and art shops) and keep going north-westishish (only road) to the end at Pololu Valley.?ÿ If you have a couple hours, well worth the fairly easy hike down - beautiful views, dangerous cliffs, black sand, cool river and views of many water spouts shooting out of far off cliffs.
Man, so much to experience.?ÿ Down south, Black Sand Beach, the Volcano, gotta stop at Punalu'u Bakery for a few malasadas...
Hilo side, peaploe have mentioned the waterfalls and stunning jungle scenery.?ÿ If you get 10 miles north of Hilo along the belt road, take a stop at KoleKole Beach Park (19?ø52'55.28"N155?ø 7'7.59"W) - It looks and feels like Walt Disney had it built but just the reverse.?ÿ It's the gorgeous he tried to reproduce.?ÿ If there before leaving, take the too narrow road back from it instead of heading back to the highway for a bit.?ÿ You travel along a gorge where at some places the palms are over 100' tall, rooted in the creek bed and towering over you along the road.
Let me know if you want some more stops or would have an opportunity to grab a coffee (or brew or two) in Kona.
If you like orchids and you're anywhere near Hilo, about 7 miles north of Hilo I stopped at this place for an afternoon walking around and really enjoyed it.?ÿ
http://em.gohawaii.com/mtr40/images/afoeae/web-page/index.html
@dave-o?ÿ
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We'll be here until Nov 11th.
Would love to meet up! We're not on a "schedule", so...we definitely can plan for it. ????
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Here's some killer photos for your amusement. 🙂
Picked up these two mini benchmarks. The Big heavy ones were $40 each! ?????ÿ
