Big Island Itinerary--Critique Please
 

We will be going on our first trip to Hawaii at the end of February. We went in with another family to win/purchase a house at a charity auction. So lodging is set and paid for! We will be in Hakalau, which per the house website and map quest is 15-20 mins north of HIlo. There are 4 adults in their 40s and 4 kids ranging in ages from 6-11. We will be coming from a mountain time zone so we are only 3 hours ahead of Hilo time. (those of you with young children understand the importance of figuring out jet lag/schedule changes on small bodies and the whining that can produce :-) ) I have a very rough itinerary planned and would like some critiques please.

Day 1 (Friday): Get to Hilo at about 7pm, rent 2 cars and drive to house.

Day 2 (Saturday): Go to the farmer's market in HIlo. Moms stock up on food for the week between the farmers market and grocery stores in town. Dads responsible for kids in Farmers Market and getting everybody water shoes at Walmart. Rent snorkel gear at Sand and Sea (? name) which is across from the visitors center. We figured it would be best to have the gear for a week. That way we could snorkel for an hour or 2 at different times. Hit the visitor's center for road maps, info, etc. Get the food back to the house. Do something in the afternoon.

Day 3 (Sunday) Volcano National Park. I figured it would be good to do on Sunday since Hilo pretty much shuts down on Sunday. We wanted to drive around the park and do some short hikes. KipuluoPuali trail, Earthquake Trail, Devastation Trail, see the Petroglyphs, and the Thurston Lava Tube. (Obviously we may not be able to do all of those or we will split up and have the more energetic kids do more hiking etc. They are all quite used to hiking and will easily do a 1-2 mile nature trail. But probably not more than 2 in one day + the Lava Tube)

DAy 4 (Monday) Beach day in Hilo: explore the Onekahakaha and Coconut Island Tide Pools, snorkel at Richardsons. That's probably only a half day. So round out the day with a visit to the Tsunami Museum, and the Imiloa Astronomy Center.

Day 5 (Tuesday) Wagon tour of the Waipio Valley. (can't do a horse back ride because 2 kids are under 8, which is generally the minimum age) Visit Akaaka Falls State Park, Maybe visit the World Botanical Gardens.

Day 6 (Wednesday) Snorkel boat tour in Kealakekua Bay. Trying to decide whether to take the bigger boat Fairwind or the smaller boat tour Sea Quest. The big boat leaves at 9 and the smaller at 8. Given that we will have to drive there in the morning, the 9 am start time may be more doable. By the time we get back to the car, and pack up to go, I have a feeling it will be enough to just go back home, so not really planning anything else unless you have a recommendation for something simple and no longer than an hour to see.

DAy 7 (Thursday) Not sure. Maybe tour the Coffee Mill and Mauna Loa factory?? Maybe snorkel the Kapaho Tide Pools?? We will have to return the snorkel gear to Hilo.

Day 8 (Friday): Fly from HIlo to Honolulu on morning flight. Check luggage etc. Taxi or rent cars (??) to go to Pearl Harbor. Oldest child and a dad to go to ARizona memorial. Younger kids and other parents to see the Bowfin and the Missouri. We have a red eye back to the mainland, so maybe after Pearl Harbor we can go to Waikiki--not sure.

A must do is to see the Mauna Kea visitor's center/star party. We don't have a 4 wheel drive car but we are very experienced in driving in snowy/mountain conditions. It seems like we would be ok driving to the visitor's center. The altitude is not a problem since we regularly ski at 8-10 thousand feet. We will obviously have to pack some warm things in our bags! At a minimum, my husband will go by himself. Not sure how many others may want to go. I assume he could go any day between Monday-Thursday--yes? WE would check the road conditions before we go because I see that they close the road in case of recent snowfall.

Snorkeling--I know that the snorkeling on the HIlo side is not supposed to be good. But our children have never been snorkeling so anything will be awesome to them. (It's sort of like snow--visitors to our ski areas rave about snow that I wouldn't let my dog pee in!!! It's all what you are used to.) I have heard that we should be concerned about pollution at the beaches in Hilo? How bad is it? I am ok with "boring" but I am not ok with swimming in water that is going to harm us.

Anything we are missing? Thanks for all your ideas!!

Your first beach day is Day 4 and that's on the not-good east and Hilo side.

You need to find some better beaches for the kids.

Skip the Coffee and Macademia nut tours. Get the kids to the beach.

Are you willing to risk violating your rental car (and insurance) contract to drive to the summit? You essentially buy the car if there is an accident.

The only car rental places that currently allow you to drive to Mauna Kea's Visitor center are Dollar and Thrifty! Be very careful about violating the contract. They will not cover breakdowns, towing, accidents. And your credit card rental car insurance and your regular car insurance won't either, since you have voided the rental car agreement.

And it's a loooong way to have a tow truck come and get you [and back] if you have a problem.

I'm sure you know to allow plenty of time and take rush hour traffic around Kailua into account for your drive from Hakalau to Keauhou for the Fairwind Cruise--I would allow at least 2 1/2 hours.

If it's cloudy/rainy on your beach day in Hilo, you might consider driving to the west side of the island to Hapuna Beach--which is a gorgeous wide, sandy beach and it's almost always sunny there. It would take approximately 1 hour from where you are staying.

Placename--we are NOT driving to the summit. I will check to see that we are with Dollar or Thrifty, though to make sure we can drive to the visitors center. Thanks DebitNM for that info. It looks like maybe we will make Saturday a Hilo beach day and then go to a better beach on Monday. We honestly are not big beach people. I know--then why go to Hawaii? Because there is a lot to do! 2 good days of beaching/snorkeling will be great for us. If they love it, then we can go back on Thursday. The other issue is strategically planning longer car rides :-)

MartyM-Hapuna Beach sounds great. I know--we are going to have to MapQuest the drive to the snorkel boat. I figured it could take us 3 hours by the time we park etc. ugh. But it should be worth it.

You can also check some of the beaches south of Hilo to see how the visibility and wave action are, just like some to the north. Generally - the earlier you go the better - and just find some rocks, but ask the locals about tide conditions/undertow, which normally is not a factor if you are close to shore and there aren't any big waves. Suggest you also get the kids (and adults who have not don so) used to snorkeling before you go - if nothing more than going to a pool and putting on a mask and breathing with their face in the water. Really helps lower the anxiety level for some people v. going into the ocean for the first time.

When you arrive - you might even consider visiting the botanical garden and Akaka Falls park, for a great intro/stretching the legs - http://www.hawaiistateparks.org/park....cfm?park_id=2

and also - driving along the old road - just below-toward the ocean/parallel to the main road takes you through some pretty greenery.

You can get to Hapuna the easiest driving - by going North to Waimea town - and then down to Hapuna (which I have made in 2 hours or less as I recall) - but at the Mauna Kea lagoon - nest door - there are some rocks - on the sides - which have some decent snorkeling. Just park in the Hotel parking lots and walk in. :)

Also - saggest you bring fold up umbrellas - and maybe ponchos if you have them, or some garbage bags you can poke your head through and use in a pinch.

We honeymooned for a week on Big Island (and another on Kauai) and stayed up at the Volcano House for a couple nights - and had a great hike - down into the little crater - Ke Iki Hale and across - a mile or so on the bottom - and about 2 plus hours in total.

You should be able to find it on this site - but if not - ask at the Volcano Visitors center when you arrive. Also - there is an IMAX at the Visitor's center with a good selection of short movies/themes. http://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm

And at Pearl Harbor - only the Navy Boats actually tie up at the Battleship Arizona - so check ahead to see what you might be able to reserve.

And check this out for some idea of the snorkeling around Hilo. Also ask where you rent the gear - as they will know.

http://www.letsgo-hawaii.com/snorkeling/

And as for which days to make "beach" days - I would play it by ear - and take the first relatively clear day. If it's raining - you can do a lot at the Volcano/Visitor Center.

And when driving around - we like to stop at some of the little roadside fruit stands to pick up fresh fruit, as well as ask the locals where to get good fresh fish. Many times - we will make fish sandwiches for lunch - or just saute some for dinner, enjoying kicking back at "home" after a day of exploring. And at the local McDonald's - the also have Saiman (sp) - Noodle soup. :)

We are considering driving over to the west side the night before the snorkel boat tour and staying one night in a hotel. How about the Outrigger or the Manago?

The hike in Volcano National Park that Tomsd referred to is Kilauea Iki http://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisi...kilaueaiki.htm
We've done it several times--if it is sunny, take plenty of water. The hike is basically a circle bringing you back to where you started and where you parked your car. The less strenuous way to go is this--when you are facing the Kilauea Iki overlook (where you begin the hike)follow the trail to the right. And when you're at Kilauea Iki you are also very close to the Thurston Lava Tube.

Ahh, the Manago Hotel--We have never stayed there but have friends who have and if you want a bare-bones hotel room with no TV, it's your place. It is really, really inexpensive and has a restaurant that is also inexpensive. Get a room in the building behind the main building--which is right on the highway.

By the Outrigger, I assume you mean the Keauhou Beach Resort. If you can get a price you like, I would go there and it appears they are running a $119/nt special if you book by Jan 29. http://tinyurl.com/2faege And you would be right next to Kahaluu Beach Park--good protected snorkeling, turtles, beach, lifeguards, concession stand. You also could drive just a mile or so mauka (up hill) and have dinner at Sam Choy's restaurant http://www.samchoy.com/ It has an expansive view of the Kona coast, the food is good and not outrageously expensive. Another advantage to that hotel--you would be very close to where you board the Fairwind.

You might consider doing the Waipio tour, stopping for burgers at Village Buger in Waimea http://www.villageburgerwaimea.com/ (DH says they have the best milkshakes in the world.) Then continue on down to Kailua and get an afternoon snorkel/swim at Kahaluu (or you could stop at Hapunua Beach).

Hope this isn't too much information.

PS We'll be in south Kona when you're on island--staying in a house on Kealakekua Bay--here's to all of us having a wonderful vacation.

martym: Great info and how can it be too much info? Really - it's valuable.

Martym--there is no such thing as too much info when it comes to traveling!!! Thanks so much for your ideas!

I am bookmarking for my trip in July! Thanks everyone!