Jacketwatch.......about B.I.
 

You will have a wonderful time on the Big Island, and I'm so glad you are going to be there for several days! If you were to drive straight through from the Waikoloa Beach Marriott to Volcano, it would be a wee bit over two hours. But you will want to linger along the way, OR on the way back, taking the Northern route.

Have you thought of spending two nights at Volcano, rather than all the time at Waikoloa? We stay at Kilauea Lodge there in Volcano, ($135 night & up, includes breakfast. Has a wonderful restaurant for dinner. The six-room building has a tin roof, beautiful rooms with towel warmers, and I love that place when the rain hits the tin roof at night. Then it's beautiful and sunny in the morning.) for a couple of nights, then spend the rest of our time at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott. It is on a wonderful beach. I think you will love the place. Very Hawaiian. If you stayed a couple of nights in VNP, you could take your time, and really make the most of it, maybe even see the lava at night!

What are my favorite things about the Big Island? The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens above Hilo......... just gorgeous, especially for people who love flowers and photography; also Akaka Falls, the Waipi'o Valley and the Hamakua Coast, the Place of Refuge in South Kona, going to dinner at Merriman's in the upcountry (Waimea) OR to Roy's at Waikoloa, right across the street from your hotel; Pololu Valley Lookout at the very northern tip of the island......so breathtaking! I would advise that you buy a really good guidebook like *Hawaii: The Big Island Revealed*...... invaluable when you're ready to drive around the island, and don't want to miss anything. I will be back when I realize what I've forgotten...... ;-)

Sorry, Jacketwatch!!! The way I wrote the above post, it sounded like I meant Kilauea Lodge was on a wonderful beach, very Hawaiian, and that you'd love it. I was talking about the Waikoloa Beach Marriott....... at that point! Sorry!

Thank you Bonnie! Great info. Cheers, Larry

Larry, one more thing... (I knew I'd forget something!;-) ) If you want to do a luau, the one at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott is very good... which you can't say about a lot of them. It's smaller, the dancing excellent, and the food probably as good as you get at a luau! (Keep in mind - most of the food is *different*) If you've never done a luau, it's fun to do it once.........

Actually Bonnie this will be our 5th time to Hawaii and we have never (for shame) done a luau. Sounds like the right time to start. I also agree about getting a guide book. Thats advice I'll take. Thanks again. Much appreciated. Larry

Can you tell me where to get good guide books like the one you referenced, "Hawaii, the Big Island Revealed".

Thanks!

Mlarson, you can pick them up or order them at any Barnes & Noble, Borders, any of the big chain bookstores (and probably smaller private ones) or order them on line at amazon.com. At the big stores, just go the Hawaii section of their travel section. Or ask for Hawaii travel guides by Doughty and Friedman.......... they really are great; just use your own judgment about some of the things they *encourage* you to do!!! I also find the Frommers guides excellent, very current! (Do get that E Book, Mlarson....... you won't regret it!:-) )

Really good guide books to Hawaii:

1) "Hidden Big Island of Hawaii" by Ray Riegart, Ulysses Press 2003. It has a lot of info the Fodor's & Frommer's didn't and really good suggestions for "off the beaten path" sights. It is soft cover, small and easy to pack, 216 pages, $13.95.

2) "Snorkle Hawaii The Big Island" by Judy and Mel Malinowski, Indigo Publications 2002. Great detail and spectacular directions including mile markers and hand drawn maps. Good for just plain swimming/beach finding and picnic spots - soft cover, small and easy to pack, 191 pages, can't find price on cover maybe $15

3) "itravel books Hawaii" edited Elisa Altman, ibooks 2002. Soft cover, 568 pages, This is actually down loadable for free off the web if you only want a few pages or chapters, but since the whole book is only $7.99, it's probably cheaper than the paper and printer ink! LOL!

4) Kauai Underground Guide 16th Edition by Lenore W. Horowitz, Papaloa Press 2002. Soft cover, small, 238 pages, $12.95

For those of you who like to know what you are looking at Flower, Fish and Bird wise and don't want to bring your field guides for serious study...

5) "Reef Life" by Andrea and Antonella Ferrari (A Firefly Guide), Firefly Books 2002. GREAT PIX! Soft cover, small. 287 pages, $24.95

6) "Hawaii's Birds" by Hawaii Audobon Society, 1997. Soft cover, thin, $9.95

7) "Hawaii Blossoms" by Dorothy and Bob Hargreaves, Island Heritage 1979.Soft cover, thin, $5.99

And a DON't BUY warning:
Berlitz Hawaii Pocket Guide, 1998. Too general, too little info and frankly seems as if it hasn't been really updated since the late 80's or early 90's. Soft cover, very small, $8.95

Aloha!

Sheila, I have the books by Riegert and Horowitz, and they are very good. I think Frommers is the best and most current of the *biggies.* Aloha!