My wife and I will be going to the Big Island at the end of February and quite excited. We have bought the blue book for the Big Island and atleast tentatively mapped out some of the things we'd like to do. While we are defintely flexible and can adapt, this is a rough idea of what we're planning.

We don't mind an active vacation and I don't mind doing a bit of driving, but we do want to get in our relaxing time too. We're usually up and out of the room by 7 or 7:30 every day, so we don't mind starting early and then just relaxing mid-day and then going out again at night.

When I look at it, it seems a bit overwhelming. We really want to see some lava and the volcano, we want to make sure we see some sealife (turtles and dolphins and whales?), see some lush greenery and get to the beach. We seem to have worked that in. The only thing we really wanted to do we left off was the summit of Mauna Kea.

Is there anything here that is a must do we've left off? Are we trying to do too much? Any other suggestions or comments most appreciated so that we get there, we don't have to think about what to do but can just enjoy.

Thursday (Hilo)

Arrive Kona Airport
Drive to Hilo

Friday (Hilo)

Ka hau a lea trail to the back of the volcano (5 – 8 hours)


Saturday (Volcano)

Hilo Market in the morning
Puna Coast sites the rest of the day
Check in at Volcano Lodge in the park
Hike out to lava field at nite (or next nite)

Sunday (Volcano)

Chain of Craters Road
Mauna Ulu Trail (1:45 hike)
Pu’u Loa Petroglyph
Hike out to lava field at nite (if not previous nite)

Monday (Kona)

Check out Volcano Lodge
Kilauea Iki Trail (4 hour hike)
Drive around rim
Drive to Kona

Tuesday (Kona)

Hunomalno Bay (20 mn walk) with tidepools
Southern Point
Punalu u black sand beach
Kayak to Cook Monument
Place of Refuge

Wednesday (Kona)

Pu Olo Valley hike (4 hours)
Kohala area beaches
Hapuna Beach

Thursday (Kona)

Wimea to back of Waipo valley (4 hour hike)
Saddle Road to return to Kona

Friday (Kona)

Akaka Falls (go early, 1 hour hike)
Waipo Valley Lookout
Scenic Drives on East side
West Side Beaches

Saturday

check out
Drive ??
Return to airport by 3:30

I'd find a way to include Mauna Kea in your trip. You don't even have to go all the way to the summit. The night-time stargazing program which is conducted at the visitor center (9300 ft. up) is excellent. We spent part of our honeymoon on the Big Island and did many of the things you are planning. The trip up Mauna Kea was perhaps the most fascinating.

Stop at Punalu'u on your way to Kona or work it into one of your days at VNP. IIRC it's way closer to VNP than Kona.

-- If your first accomodations are on the east side of the island, why not fly into Hilo instead of Kona?

-- If exotic and Hawaiian plants and animals interest you, spend a few hours at the Pana`ewa Rainforest Zoo in Hilo, and Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens at Onomea. Go early to avoid crowds (and heed the recommendation for mosquito repellant at the Botanical Gardens!).

-- If you're driving the southern route to Kona on Monday, you'll be backtracking on Tuesday. Big time. It would make more sense to schedule Punalu'u and South Point on your way to Kona.

-- In addition to kayaking to the Capt Cook monument, snorkle in Kealakekua Bay if at all possible. Arrive early morning if you want the best kayaking/snorkeling experience.

-- With your itinerary, if you can stay somewhere along the Kohala Coast instead of Kona your last three nights, you'll save lots of driving.

-- Saddle Road does not run from Waipio to Kona. Hwy 190 does. Saddle Road is Hwy 200, and runs from 190 east to Hilo. Most rental car contracts prohibit driving on 200 because the road is not maintained.

-- I second MileKing's comment about Mauna Kea summit. It really is one of the best adventures on the island.

the Kiluea Iki trail takes under 2 hours-you sure are doing a lot of driving-why are you arriving kona and driving to hilo? that is a wicked long drive. you have way too much packed in-southern point and kayaking to capt. cook in the same day? you will not be relaxing at all.

We drove to top of Haleakala when we were on Maui at 3am and it wasn't too bad. Is driving to top of Mauna Kea on par with that? Should we do one of the tours? I don't mind the drive if its like Haleakala, thats half the adventure to me.

Definitely do one of the tours. The drive to Mauna Kea summit is nothing like Haleakala. The final approach is ridiculously steep and unpaved, and even getting to the base of the mountain requires driving on Saddle Road (which as I mentioned is prohibited in most car rental contracts).

I'm not sure if you can drive your own car up to the summit. Although the Saddle Road may be prohibited on rental car contracts, we did it anyway. There is really nothing wrong with the road. In fact, it is better than most of the roads here in the DC area. The road to the visitor center is fine as well.

That's mighty dangerous and careless advice, considering they'll be there during winter. Mauna Kea summit is subject to snowfall and even whiteout conditions from late fall to early spring.

DO NOT attempt the summit with a 2WD vehicle, especially if weather is bad.

we've rented a jeep, so i don't mind the steep and need for 4WD, but as I look out my window here at work and see snow and imagine the miserable car ride home, the snow at the summit is a point well made! thanks ... i think we'll try to see how to work a tour in

Not to belabor this topic, but just FYI most Jeeps rented on the Big Island (e.g. Alamo's) are not 4WD.

One final point, when it comes to numbers of stuck (and killed and injured) tourists on the Big Island, Mauna Kea summit is second only to the access road to Waipio Valley. That's another road that should not be attempted with a 2WD vehicle under any circumstances.

I've done quite a few of the things you have on your itinerary last February.
I'd definitely say stop at Punaluu black sand beach on your way from VNP to Kona, I don't think it's even that far off the road.

I did a Mauna Kea tour with Arnott's lodge out of Hilo, there are other companies and many run the tour from the Kona side also, so this is something you can do at any point on your trip.

I saw many turtles snorkeling at Kahulu'u and near the Place of Refuge. I also agree that you shouldn't combine your south Kona activities with South Point. It's a very pretty area, the Painted church and a kona coffee farm are 2 other stops you might want to make.

What time do you arrive in Kona? If it's late why not spend the first night in Kona then drive the northern route to Hilo - stop at the Waipio lookout, Akaka, scenic drive, Rianbow falls, etc. If it's early, then you should be able to do the same stops on your first day. It just seems like you're staying on both sides of the island yet still doing so much driving...

ttt