Big Island: final details advice-help!
 

Thanks to everyone that provided advice on my other topic of where to stay during our upcoming trip to the Big Island!

Now I'm trying to finalize some activities-of course leaving time for just plain old/simple exploring. But I want to be sure that we don't miss out on any: you should do this!

Family (myself, my two sons ages 4 and 7 and husband) will be staying at Four Seasons in Kona in a week for a week. While husband is working, me and the kids will of course enjoy the resort.

But in the between meeting times for my husband- we would love to explore the surrounding area...any suggestions of good local restaurants (preferably no chains found on mainland), places to go and explore (we will have a rental car)...a luau?

Then during the two days on our trip (full day on Friday and full day Saturday) we will be staying at the Waikoloa resort area and I'm looking for again: local restaurants, things to not miss, a luau in this area perhaps? we may do a day trip into Hilo (poss the farmers market)...we are thinking to skip the volcano national park this time and save it for the next time we visit.

Thoughts? When I try to do research-I just find old blogs or old information from a couple of years ago.

Thanks!

Where you are staying is pretty much in the luxury/destination resorts area(s) - up the coast from Kona - and before you drive up to Waimea - so you will have to drive a few miles to get to more of the typical/island style places.

And I for one would never skip going to the Volcano - one of the easiest to get to wonders of the world - IMO.

People come from all over the world just to see it.

And for a luau - ask around - there might be some local/community gathering which would be much more authentic and probably better food as well as cheaper.

If you bother to go all the way to Hilo, way on earth not go the additional 19 miles up the road to Volcano?

A terrific place have a leisurely lunch or dinner is the Holuakoa Cafe and Gardens in Holoualoa (above Kona).

Explore some of the best beaches anywhere near Waikoloa: Hapuna, Mauna Kea (note that public beaches now charge for parking, don't forget your money). Go a few miles up the road to the Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site, and have lunch or dinner at Kawaihai Harbor (Cafe Pesto).
Go to Hawi, and on the way visit the 600 year old remains of Lapaka fishing village, a state park. Then lunch at Bamboo, or go a mile farther and find one of the little places that has a back garden (Kings View Cafe pizza in Kapaau).
Make sure you go to the end of the road for the stunning overlook views.

I agree with Sylvia's recommendations for restaurants--Holuakoa Café is one of our favorites-we had lunch there on our recent trip (DH had pancakes and a big pile of bacon and I had their soup of the day--ahi bacon vegetable--sounds a little weird but was luscious). http://www.holuakoacafe.com/ And I love-love-love the kalua pork and cabbage and lilikoi margs at Bamboo. http://www.bamboorestaurant.info/

Here are some other non chain restaurants we like

Village Burger in Waimea in the plaza where Foodland and Starbucks are located--great burgers and milkshakes http://www.villageburgerwaimea.com/

Tex Drive-In http://www.texdriveinhawaii.com/ right on the highway on the drive from Waimea to Hilo--burgers, plate lunches and malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts--warm and yummy)

Hilo Bay Café http://hilobaycafe.com/ our favorite in Hilo--a little upscale and right on Hilo Bay

Ken’s House of Pancakes http://kenshouseofpancakes-hilohi.com/ Has everything--if you want to try loco moco--this is the place

Harbor House http://harborhouserestaurantkona.com/ A local Kona favorite at Honokohau Harbor--get the fish sandwich -- also good fries

Lava Rock Café Volcano http://www.volcanoslavarockcafe.com/ in Volcano Village--burgers, stir fry, pies

Be sure to take a short detour to the west when you go through Honoka'a on the way to Hilo and, at least, go to the Waipio Valley overlook http://tinyurl.com/but7shx

Some information about beaches
the link explains how to get to go to the beach at the Mauna Kea resort (Kauna’oa Beach) since there are only 30 or so parking spaces for the general public --http://www.best-big-island-hawaii.com/mauna-kea-beach.html

Here is another beach we enjoy-- though the road there is not fun--we have made it there many times in a rental car--just go slowly - Kekaha Kai Beach--http://www.best-big-island-hawaii.com/kekaha-kai.html

Kaloko Honokohau Beach-- this beach is just north of the Honokohau Harbor--we usually park at the Harbor (take the first right when going into the harbor (past Harbor House-see above)go to the end of the road-near the yacht club), I think, and park walk down the trail 5 minutes and you're at the beach--it appears to me that very few people go there, especially during the week--the swimming area is gently sloped with a mostly sandy bottom--it is the remains of an ancient Hawaiian fish trap--pretty cool http://www.to-hawaii.com/big-island/...kohaubeach.php

As far as I know, Hapuna is the only beach that changes out of state visitors for parking (so far)-- Akaka Falls also charges admission.

Have a wonderful time!

Probably the best commercial luau in that area is Gathering of the Kings at the Fairmont Orchid in the Mauna Lani Resort property. Only on Saturday nights: http://www.fairmont.com/orchid-hawai...ingofthekings/.

Waialea Beach also charges for parking, but the pass can be used at Hapuna as well. My fave beach for just hanging, splashing in the surf, perhaps spotting a turtle, is Manini'owali. Beautiful turquoise water there.

"<red>But I want to be sure that we don't miss out on any: you should do this!</red>"

I wouldn't worry about this. The Big Island is best known for its snorkeling, the lush, tropical beauty and landscapes of the east side, and Volcano National Park. Lots of other things you could do, but any "you-should-do" depends more on your personal interests. I'm not sure a day trip to Hilo that doesn't include VNP makes a lot of sense though. If it's just a farmers market you're looking for, you can find them in Kailua-Kona too.

You're headquartered at possibly the top hotel in Hawaii -- and one of the most expensive. (Hope your meals are included!) (It's actually on the Kohala Coast, not 'in Kona' per se. I'd just enjoy it, then enjoy the Waikoloa area and the 'Disneyland-ish' Hilton.

I would not drag a Four and a Seven across Big Island to Hilo. (If if you did, you'd surely go to VNP.) You can take the kids into Kona Town -- kids like cheesy! Visit the Hulihee Palace. You might go south to Place of Refuge.

Go north to Hawi, then follow the upper road into Waimea's ranch country. Go east from there to Waipio lookout; are your kids up for a tour down into the valley? (Im always impressed by the way you go from 'dry side' to 'wet side' within Waimea.) There are ranch tours in Waimea that the kids might like.

Will there be other families at this meeting? (Your kids may make friends and be happier right at the resort.) Are there any tours or activities planned by the conference? Maybe an air tour out of KOA over the island and the volcano?

A great big THANK YOU to everyone for posting such great details! I truly appreciate it! I tried asking similar question on another travel site and got little to no info like this...thank you thank you! Will take all these tips with me and keep them handy. Many thanks fellow travelers for taking the time to share these tidbits!!!

Oh and thank you for pointing out that VNP is just 19 miles beyond Hilo...my kids love road trips and I'll see how the week is going and if it looks like they can give up a beach day to explore I will be sure to add in VNP with a trip into Hilo. Final work agenda looks like my husband will have actually have two free days during week at conference so we will have that in addition to our weekend stay (we found a surprisingly good deal at Hapuna Beach hotel). So we have a good four/five days to do some day trips from our hotels to drive and explore around Four Seasons area and then perhaps a little further. Again, thank you all so much for your advice!!

The drive from Hapuna Beach Hotel up to Waimea town is not long - and it's also pretty. BTW - google away for the history of the huge Parker Ranch - and you might also consider reading Michner's Hawaii - for some historical appreciation.

For the kids - there are some good ice cream and hamburger places, as well as local style places to eat there - as well as in Hilo and it's an easy drive (as in good, not very curvy road) from Waimea town to Hilo (stop at Akaka falls along the way or on the way back) - and then up to the Volcano - another half hour plus.

Could not think of a more fun way to spend a day in Paradise. :)

It's also a fun drive up to Hawi on the northern tip of BI - and the Bamboo Restaurant is a classic - I even bought their cookbook. :)

Think someone also mentioned the great drive north of Waimea town toward Hawi - through the beautiful countryside overlooking the hills and the distant ocean under a tree lined canopy in places.

Hiway 250 is it - the Kohala mountain road?

That would be a great drive heading up to Hawi - and then you could take the more direct route back to Hapuna.

I sure would not take a 4 year old to VNP, might be OK for the 7 year old. The VOG is bad for babies and young children whose lungs are still developing.

Hope your kids are better sightseers than my 20-something son. We did exactly the drive Tomsd is recommending with him late last summer: Kohala Coast - Waimea - hwy 250 to Hawi - Pololu Valley Lookout - lunch at Bamboo - and back along the coast to Mauna Lani. He didn't say much during the day but when we got back to the condo, he said he felt like he'd been in an old Disney movie, where Goofy dragged his son along on a roadtrip in search of giant balls of rubberbands and such.

"The VOG is bad for babies and young children whose lungs are still developing"
This is a bit of hysteria. Consult the Volcano NP website for accurate information.http://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm

face - some 20 year olds are like that. :)

LOL Tom.... as if chasing around, island to island, volcano to beach, waterfall to canyon, is somehow a "better" experience of Hawaii than lounging on a palm tree lined crescent beach.