big island itinerary suggestions?
 

My husband and I have booked a flight to the Big Island for 8 days and 7 nights at the end of May, but have not made any plans on what to do on our vacation. I've just started researching activities and it just seems that there is is a lot to do! I definitely want to see the Volcano National Park and have read on this site, that we should stay at least a night in the park or in Volcano Village. Also, should I hire a guide to take us on a tour of the volcano? Or is it easy enough for us to do on our own? I also wanted to go star-gazing off of Mauna Kea, and have at least a couple of days of lounging at the beach (probably the last two days of our trip for some true R&R). I've even thought about going horseback riding (maybe Parker Ranch?) We haven't made any reservations yet anywhere, and wanted to get your opinion/suggestion as to how many nights we should stay in one area. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how we should spend our time on the BI (i.e. plan our driving time efficiently)? I was thinking of hitting the volcano, Hilo, Waimea, Kailua-Kona and maybe spend a night or two somewhere off the Kohala coast (although I think there would be some doubling-back based on the order of these cities). We enjoy staying at B&Bs (as long as they are clean) and will probably splurge on our last night or two at a Kohala luxury resort. Any suggestions? Am I spreading ourselves too thin? Thanks for your help and suggestions!

There's no need to hire a guide for VNP as it is very easy to do on your own since it is a National Park. You get a park map with your admission, and the signage is all very easy to follow.

You will want a guide to do the stargazing on Mauna Kea, though. The guides have permits to go up to the telescopes at the top, and they also provide parkas!

Dahana Ranch does very good horseback riding tours.

Do a search here, and you'll find TONS of information!

We'll be on the Big Island about the same time you are. We are going to the top of Mauna Kea with a tour on May 28 which is when the moon is new (a great time for stargazing). Since our tour departs from Kohala we are STARTING our vacation with a few days in a Kohala resort (Hapuna). While there we'll also take a ride into Waipio Valley with Na'alapa Stables. Next we'll head over to Volcano Village for a couple of nights in a B&B. We'll thoroughly tour the park and also go up to Hilo for the Farmer's Market on Wednesday. Then we're heading over to Keauhou to spend the night at the Outrigger and enjoy their unique location before departure out of Kona (our starting point) the next day. We feel that although this involves some moving accommodations, it allows maximal touring of the island without doubling back. Of course we'll be stopping to see sights along the northern route Kohala to Hilo and along the southern route Volcano to Keauhou...

Search itineraries and trip reports for the Big Island on this forum. Get a good guidebook. Structure your itinerary around when to be where like my new moon/Hilo Farmer's Market thing - and THEN go and relax. Itineraries are made to be flexible...BUT you need to be booking accommodations, tours, and even a nice meal or two NOW.

ChristieP -
Just for clarification, Mauna Kea Summit Adventures and the other commercial tour operators take you to the summit for sunset and then down to the Visitor's Center for stargazing. They do not take you into the big telescopes at the summit. They DO provide parkas. The free tours into the telescopes at the summit that are provided by the Visitor's Center do not provide parkas or transportation. Isn't this right?

I disagree on the need for a tour to go to the top of Mauna Kea. The tours are expensive (particularly if a family goes) and they don't stay long either at the top or at the visitors center. If you rent 4X4 and leave yourself a bit of time, it is a relatively easy drive to the top. Also, I noticed that the tour vans left the visitor center a lot more quickly than I would have liked. The stargazing program is worth spending a fair amount of time with.

I understand that the Suzuki Telescope is now open for self guided tours with advance reservations.

We took a couple of hooded sweatshirts and a stocking hat and gloves and were just fine at the top watching the sunset. We were a bit overdressed at the Visitor center.

We've been to the big Island several times, and only on the last trip did we do the Mauna Kea ascent, and it remains one of our favorite things ever.

Also, do a self guided kayak tour of Kealakekua bay early in the morning when the wild dolphins are in the bay feeding. It is a show you will never forget.

As for VNP, no problem, go at dusk, take a couple of good flashlights and some sturdy shoes and long pants. The NPS has the trails to the lava flows well marked. Just watch for cracks and crevasses that could twist an ankle. Depending on where the lava is flowing it can be a 1/4 mile or a mile or more to the flows, but, it is worth the hike. Roasting marshmallows over a hot lava flow is something my kids will always remember. (take your own sticks, there is nothing around the flows)

Thanks all for the great advice. I've since figured out an itinerary and you are right Crazy4Hawaii - I really should've booked my accomodations a bit earlier. I've found some places, but my first choices are either fully booked or way above my budget. It took some research and some changes to my itinerary to find the right accomodations. Anyhow, I think we're going to start off in the Kona area (stay for a night), head to the volcano and stay there a couple of nights and leave early the next morning and drive through Hilo and stop by Akaka Falls. Our next night of stay will be in the Kamuela/Waimea area. I haven't researched the horseback riding tour yet, but I figured I can work something out during our stay in Waimea. Then we're goint to end our last couple of nights at the Mauna Lani in Kohala. Oh, I'm also taking your suggestion and we've booked reservations with Mauna Kea Summit Tours for the sunset and stargazing tour. I think the only commitment we'll have is the MKS stargazing tour and a horseback riding tour and play it by ear for anything else that comes our way. Any comments or suggestions? I guess my next step is to come up with some good restaurants! Thanks for your help!

Well, I booked one dinner at Kilauea Lodge in Volcano since it is widely touted as a "do not miss". In the Waimea area you'll have some great choices like Merriman's, Daniel Thiebault, and even Bamboo in Hawi (if you don't mind about a thirty minute drive).

If you think you might want to dine at Kilauea Lodge call today as they book up! Thai Thai restaurant in Volcano sounds good too.

Others can give you some Kona suggestions. The Kohala resorts each have a fine dining restaurant, and nearby Waikoloa has some choices. Cafe Pesto just north of the resorts comes highly recommended. We are going to dine one night at the Coast Grille in our resort and the next night at the clambake at Mauna Kea Resort.

Hi ChristieP, Crazy4Hawaii & Spokaneman,
I just want to thank you all for your great suggestions. My husband and I got back a week ago and we're already thinking about going back for our next vacation. My husband thoroughly enjoyed the MKS tour. Seeing all the stars were amazing and he said it was one of the highlights of the week. We also enjoyed VNP, but we'll definitely have to go back as we didn't get a chance to stay late enough to see the lava flow at night. Other than figuring out a general itinerary, we played most everything by ear and visited the following (not in any particular order): the Greenwell Coffee farms (highly recommend the coffee tour with George, we learned a lot about coffee that day), the Hawaiian Vanilla Company (family-run business - they were so nice and it was great to see what they were doing to help their community and of course, it was interesting to learn how vanilla is grown/produced), Place of Refuge, Akaka Falls, Hilo Farmer's Market, Tsunami Museum in Hilo, lookout of the Hamakua coast, and just lazed around the Mauna Lani resort the last couple of days. While at the Mauna Lani, we participated in the historical tour and learned quite a bit of Hawaiian history (especially interesting for my husband since he's part Hawaiian), checked out the petroglyphs and got to swim with a bunch of green sea turtles. The week definitely went by too too fast! Wish I was still there. Thanks again!

Aside from the Mauna Lani, where were your other lodgings and how many nights?

Hi Shanghainese,
We wanted to mix up our stays at various types of lodgings. We spent one night at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort, 2 nights at the Kilauea Lodge in Volcano (great location from the park, the restaurant was a bit over-rated, we preferred Kiawe Kitchen in Volcano), 1 night at Aaahh the Views B&B (the owners, Erika & Derek Stuart, were very nice and hospitable), and 3 nights at the Mauna Lani. Let me know if you have any questions. There are a couple of other B&Bs I can recommend, because my friend has stayed at them, but I did not, as they were fully booked.