I'll be on the big island for a week. Any suggestions for things to do?
The Big Island
- Thread starter Cornfield
- Start date
Drive the Saddle Road.
Go up Mauna Kea to see the observatories.
Go to Lava Lava Beach Club at Waikoloa and have a Mai Tai or several.
Go empty-handed; leave with a new uke. (Hawaiian Guitar, Waikoloa Queen's Shops, or Hawi Gallery)
Go to Hapuna Beach.
Just chill, you're on the Big Island.
Go up Mauna Kea to see the observatories.
Go to Lava Lava Beach Club at Waikoloa and have a Mai Tai or several.
Go empty-handed; leave with a new uke. (Hawaiian Guitar, Waikoloa Queen's Shops, or Hawi Gallery)
Go to Hapuna Beach.
Just chill, you're on the Big Island.
Gary52
Well-known member
Go to Hawaii Volcanoes Nat. Park to see an erupting volcano.
Snorkel at Kealakekua Bay (Capt. Cook memorial).
Check out the Holualoa Ukulele Gallery & Kiernan's Music for locally made instruments.
Listen to live music, attend a kanakapila (http://www.konaweb.com/musicians/events.shtml)
Snorkel at Kealakekua Bay (Capt. Cook memorial).
Check out the Holualoa Ukulele Gallery & Kiernan's Music for locally made instruments.
Listen to live music, attend a kanakapila (http://www.konaweb.com/musicians/events.shtml)
gtomatt
Well-known member
Check out the Ocean Rider seahorse farm (near the airport)
Do the dolphin snorkel (near the airport) - Big Island Divers, I think (it was a while ago)
Night time manta ray snorkel - up the road from the old Keauhou Outrigger hotel
Eat at Jackie Rey's
Sunday morning's they have a old car get together at the Keauhou Shopping Center (a bunch of them meet for breakfast)
Do the dolphin snorkel (near the airport) - Big Island Divers, I think (it was a while ago)
Night time manta ray snorkel - up the road from the old Keauhou Outrigger hotel
Eat at Jackie Rey's
Sunday morning's they have a old car get together at the Keauhou Shopping Center (a bunch of them meet for breakfast)
Brad Bordessa
Well-known member
Uncle Roberts at the end of the road in Kalapana on a Wednesday night. Most epic clash of cultures you'll ever see in your life (in a good way). Great backyard-style Hawaiian music performed by THE boys. Always a fantastic time.
Go see Rick at Hilo Guitars and 'Ukuleles. Best shop on the island.
Lots of threads on this to give you more ideas: https://www.google.com/search?q=big+island+visiting+site:ukuleleunderground.com
Go see Rick at Hilo Guitars and 'Ukuleles. Best shop on the island.
Lots of threads on this to give you more ideas: https://www.google.com/search?q=big+island+visiting+site:ukuleleunderground.com
OP
OP
Thanks for the ideas. I'm not planning on buying another instrument. I am planning on the seahorse farm
It depends where on the Big Island you're going to be. The Big Island is big.
My favorite things to do on the Hilo side:
>> Uncle Robert's Awa Bar and outdoor Farmers Market on Wednesday evening in Kalapana (go early and take a pre-sunset walk on the lava field that used to be the bay of a black sand beach; if you walk out far enough, you'll find the coconut grove started by Uncle Robert's wife, and a new black sand beach forming at the ocean.
>> Pahoa. The town just north of Kalapana. Shops and restaurants
>> Ahalanui hot pond in the Puna District, just to the east of Kalapana.
>> Hilo Guitar & Ukulele. Great shop.
>> Helicopter ride over the volcano from Hilo Airport
>> Volcanoes National Park. You can hike the old and now dormant crater, walk through the Thurston Lava Tunnel, and see the volcano erupting.
Mauna Kea
>> You can drive up to the visitor center and hike from there to the summit to watch the sun set. Afterwards, there;'s usuqally an astronomy talk and a telescope you can use at the visitor center. If you don't want to hike to the summit and back (it's not a long hike, but you'd be coming back in the dark), there are small bus sunset tours.
On the Kona side, outside of Kona:
>> Snorkeling at Captain Cook. You can go on a snorkeling boat tour, or you can hike to the Captain Cook Monument from the town of Captain Cook
>> Hawi. It's a small town north of Kona, on the northwest tip of the island. There's some Kamehameha stuff in the area and a cool shop right in Hawi that has some vintage 'ukuleles and other Hawaii stuff.
>> The Parker Ranch in Waimea. North of Kona, on the way to Hawi.
Have fun! Take and post photos!
My favorite things to do on the Hilo side:
>> Uncle Robert's Awa Bar and outdoor Farmers Market on Wednesday evening in Kalapana (go early and take a pre-sunset walk on the lava field that used to be the bay of a black sand beach; if you walk out far enough, you'll find the coconut grove started by Uncle Robert's wife, and a new black sand beach forming at the ocean.
>> Pahoa. The town just north of Kalapana. Shops and restaurants
>> Ahalanui hot pond in the Puna District, just to the east of Kalapana.
>> Hilo Guitar & Ukulele. Great shop.
>> Helicopter ride over the volcano from Hilo Airport
>> Volcanoes National Park. You can hike the old and now dormant crater, walk through the Thurston Lava Tunnel, and see the volcano erupting.
Mauna Kea
>> You can drive up to the visitor center and hike from there to the summit to watch the sun set. Afterwards, there;'s usuqally an astronomy talk and a telescope you can use at the visitor center. If you don't want to hike to the summit and back (it's not a long hike, but you'd be coming back in the dark), there are small bus sunset tours.
On the Kona side, outside of Kona:
>> Snorkeling at Captain Cook. You can go on a snorkeling boat tour, or you can hike to the Captain Cook Monument from the town of Captain Cook
>> Hawi. It's a small town north of Kona, on the northwest tip of the island. There's some Kamehameha stuff in the area and a cool shop right in Hawi that has some vintage 'ukuleles and other Hawaii stuff.
>> The Parker Ranch in Waimea. North of Kona, on the way to Hawi.
Have fun! Take and post photos!
Biedmatt
Active member
See the green sand beach on the southwest coast. It's a 4WD vehicle drive down a "road", but it's worth it.
Edit: Google maps has it as the "road to the sea", off of Hwy 11, Mamalahoa Hwy. Google "road to the sea hawaii" for more info. Ignore the folks saying you need a lifted 4WD. We did it in a rented Yukon. You might be able to do it in a 2WD car. Our rental at the beach behind the remains of a burned out auto:
Edit: Google maps has it as the "road to the sea", off of Hwy 11, Mamalahoa Hwy. Google "road to the sea hawaii" for more info. Ignore the folks saying you need a lifted 4WD. We did it in a rented Yukon. You might be able to do it in a 2WD car. Our rental at the beach behind the remains of a burned out auto:
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Moore Bettah Ukuleles
Well-known member
See the green sand beach on the southwest coast. It's a 4WD vehicle drive down a "road", but it's worth it.
Edit: Google maps has it as the "road to the sea", off of Hwy 11, Mamalahoa Hwy. Google "road to the sea hawaii" for more info. Ignore the folks saying you need a lifted 4WD. We did it in a rented Yukon. You might be able to do it in a 2WD car. Our rental at the beach behind the remains of a burned out auto:
Don't worry about ruining your car. If you get stuck or into trouble you're rental car company won't be bailing you out. A couple of miles before you get to green sands beach itself you'll run into an odd group of assorted vehicles owned by locals that will happily drive you out there for about $20 RT. Good chance too talk to some locals who have lived fun the area for a long time.
The Red Road area of lower Puna shouldn't be missed. Probably the most beautiful coastline on Big Island. Go on a Wednesday. Start the day by hitting the tidal pools at Kapoho Vacationland for what may be some of the best snorkeling you'll encounter anywhere. Afterwards, drive a couple of miles to the Warm Pond that Mark mentioned. The warm waters in this 1/2 acre pond are heated from thermal springs from the lava and are constantly flushed by the waves breaking over the makai side of the pond. You may want to stay all day here but if you still have some adventuring spirit in you then drive down the Red Road a couple of dozen mile to just north of Kalapana to the lava viewing area. Park at the end of the road and grab one of the couple of hundred rental bikes there ($20 and up) for an easy 4 mile OW trip to watch the lava flowing into the ocean. Afterwards, spend the evening at Uncle Robert's in Kalapana for some of the most fun you'll have on your entire trip. Great food, crafts, people watching, and some of the best local Hawaiian music you'll here anywhere. Wednesday only. You'll have so much fun in lower Puna that you'll wonder why you ever decided to stay in Kona. (Hapuna Beach is great though). FWIW, I may be biased in my opinions.
leighbarker
Active member
When will you be here? PUKA (Puna Ukulele Kanikapila Association) has our bi-weekly get-together this Saturday the 7th in Leilani Estates. Free uke lesson at 1:00, usually helpful regardless of your level, plus Kanikapila at 2:30. All run by Andy Andrews, our founder, and also founder of Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz.
If you are on the Kona side, there are Kanikapilas at least a couple of days a week. I believe one is Monday mornings.
Second the recommendation for Uncle Robert's on Wednesdays.
Maura Kea Visitor Center is awesome. Pretty much any night volunteers will have telescopes set up. Pus you can get a great view of the Southern Cross.
Hapuna beach has the most amazing sand, if the winter waves allow it to stay.
If you are on the Kona side, there are Kanikapilas at least a couple of days a week. I believe one is Monday mornings.
Second the recommendation for Uncle Robert's on Wednesdays.
Maura Kea Visitor Center is awesome. Pretty much any night volunteers will have telescopes set up. Pus you can get a great view of the Southern Cross.
Hapuna beach has the most amazing sand, if the winter waves allow it to stay.
leighbarker
Active member
Speaking of Honoka`a, many of us swear by the malasadas at Tex's. Malasadas are a portuguese pastry sort of related to a donut. Tex's is right next to the highway. Can't miss it unless you go into town.
Brad Bordessa
Well-known member
Meh. IMO, they're not as good as they used to be. It changed hands some years ago and it appears the new owners didn't like the recipe as much as everyone else. I think the little food truck in Waimea parked across the highway from Ace Hardware (East of KTA by the old Pakini Grill) is better these days.
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leighbarker
Active member
Thanks for the update Brad. I'll check out the truck next time I'm over there.
aldwyn
Active member
I will second the trip to Hawi. Great little hippy town.
Thurston lave tube is kinda cool, along with the "at your own risk" tube next to it... bring a good flashlight!
Pu'uhonua o Hōnaunau is worth the trip as well, offering a nice look at Hawaiian culture. If you are lucky... maybe an encounter or two with a sea turtle.
Also, the Sheraton Kona has a bar on the water, and they turn on large spotlights at night to attract the plankton. This in turn attracts the hugh-mon-gus manta rays coming to feed. Watching their acrobatics is pretty darn awesome as you sip your drink and enjoy the show. And if you dive, you can sign up for a night dive right off shore where you dive with the big guys. Awesome experience. Head into the hotel, and hang a right... you will dead end at the bar.
Enjoy!
Thurston lave tube is kinda cool, along with the "at your own risk" tube next to it... bring a good flashlight!
Pu'uhonua o Hōnaunau is worth the trip as well, offering a nice look at Hawaiian culture. If you are lucky... maybe an encounter or two with a sea turtle.
Also, the Sheraton Kona has a bar on the water, and they turn on large spotlights at night to attract the plankton. This in turn attracts the hugh-mon-gus manta rays coming to feed. Watching their acrobatics is pretty darn awesome as you sip your drink and enjoy the show. And if you dive, you can sign up for a night dive right off shore where you dive with the big guys. Awesome experience. Head into the hotel, and hang a right... you will dead end at the bar.
Enjoy!
Biedmatt
Active member
Poke at Umeke's in Kona. Don't forget the Lemonaid in a Mason jar.
OP
OP
Thanks everybody for your great ideas. We stayed at the Fairmont Orchid on the Kohala Coast. Except for the resorts in the area, we were surrounded by countless acres of lava field. If you removed the pavement, you would think you were on a moon of Jupiter.
We saw the Akaka Falls, drove the Volcano rim road in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, went to Uncle Roberts for flea market prime rib and great music, visited Chuck Moore at his fabulous home (I was reminded of "Swiss Family Robinson"), and went to the Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm.
My wife and I were impressed with the Merrimans and Bamboo restaurants.
We did stop at the ukulele shop in Hawi and had a pleasant time there. It is run by an interesting fellow.
A great vacation.
We saw the Akaka Falls, drove the Volcano rim road in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, went to Uncle Roberts for flea market prime rib and great music, visited Chuck Moore at his fabulous home (I was reminded of "Swiss Family Robinson"), and went to the Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm.
My wife and I were impressed with the Merrimans and Bamboo restaurants.
We did stop at the ukulele shop in Hawi and had a pleasant time there. It is run by an interesting fellow.
A great vacation.
