Hawaii (Big Island) Journals

Holoholo - "To Go Driving To See What You Can See"

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An April 2010 trip to Hawaii (Big Island) by MilwVon

Quote: This trip journal highlights the many road (day) trips visitors to the Big Island of Hawaii can do.

31 Photos

Kailua-Kona to Hawaii Volcanoes Nat'l Park

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One of my personal favorite road trips is the trip south out of Kona through the coffee belt and over to the active volcano on the Big Island.If you head out south on Hwy 11, you will first come to Keauhou which has a nice marketplace shopping center and the bay from which several snorkel tours depart.The next point of interest will be Kona Joe's and a bit further down the road, Greenwell Farms. Both are premium coffee producers, offering visitors tours and purchasing opportunities for 100% Kona coffee. Our preference is for Greenwell Farms on two counts . . . wonderful coffee and free tours. Kona Joe's currently charges $15 per person, but in fairness, you do receive a "fre...Read More

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The Saddle Road and Beyond

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To really get a great perspective of the variety of climates and vegetation on the Big Island of Hawaii, you have to go no further than the road trip from Kona to Hilo via the Saddle Road. Add the extra bonus miles (roughly 50) to head up Hwy 19 to Waipio to really expand your horizon . . . literally.We got a midmorning start from our timeshare, taking the Mamalohoa Hwy (#190) out of Kailua-Kona towards Waimea to the Saddle Road turnoff. The first part of the drive is a rather basic winding two-lane road that ordinarily provides breathtaking views of the ocean down in the village. Unfortunately, there was quite a bit of haze (not sure if it was VOG or just heavy air) so there was not mu...Read More

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A Leisurely Way to Spend the Last Day in Paradise

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My Hawaiian Graffiti Art Photo - Hawaii (Big Island), Hawaii

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One of the biggest travel challenges I have is what to do from the time of checkout at the resort, until my marathon redeye flight home to Milwaukee. Do too much, and I'm too exhausted for the overnight flight to relax and sleep . . . go swimming and have no place to shower before getting on the plane . . . do nothing and die of boredom killing the tropical buzz of an otherwise great vacation.I took careful consideration on what I thought would be a good way to spend our last day on the Big Island. It was especially important so that whatever we did, it wasn't a replay of our earlier touring and that it took enough of our day to leave a little wiggle room in case of unexpected traffic or...Read More

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US National Parks on the Big Island

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Volcanoes National ParkPerhaps the US Park Service’s flagship National Park in Hawaii, Volcanoes National Park is an ever changing, never the same experience! I have been fortunate to visit the park and the current eruption many times over the past ten years. It never ceases to amaze me how much the lava conditions change, not only year to year but often within the same week of a vacation!I have just written a pretty extensive review of my experiences which may be found here: http://www.igougo.com/review-r1372447-Following_Madame_Pele_Over_the_Years.html . Check it out there.Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical ParkKnown as the "Place of Re...Read More

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Big Island State & County Parks

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Laupahoehoe Beach Park Photo - Hawaii (Big Island), Hawaii

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There are a number of very nice parks around the Big Island of Hawaii. It would be impossible to cover all of them, so this is just a short overview of a handful that I have visited over the course of my ten years of coming here.Lava Tree State ParkHighway 132, south of HiloNear Pahoa, Puna RegionAs with most of the region around Hilo, this is a very dense forest with a lot of thick brush and large trees. Lava Tree State Park is a preserved area that shows you what happens to the trees after lava runs through a forest. The lava coats the trees, and when the tree dies from within, the hollow "lava tree" is formed. This area had a lot of very fragile ground and huge g...Read More