Big Island Itinerary

January 24, 2008 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Big Island, Big Island Activities, Big Island Areas, Hawaii Volcanoes, Vacation Planning 

Itinerary

  • Fri PM leave Oakland 3:30pm
    EVE arrive Hilo 7:05; drive to Honaka’a
    Hotel Hotel Honaka’a
  • Sat AM Mamane Bakery; HAWAIIAN MACADAMIA PLANTATION, INC., Waipi’o Valley; drive down Valley Rd, Kahuahine Falls & Waiulili Falls
    PM take Rt 19 west to Kawaihae; Pu’ukohola Heiau; Hapuna Beach swimming and snorkeling; Malama Petrograph Trail
    EVE check in at hotel and relax (die) or go to ukulele entertainers, Kings Shops at the Waikoloa Resort. Call (808) 886-8811
    Hotel Kona Seaside Hotel
  • Sun AM Hulihe’e Palace; Mokuaikauna Church; Cloud Forest
    PM Kahalu’u Beach, snorkeling
    EVE open
    Hotel Kona Seaside Hotel
  • Mon AM snorkeling/whalewatching
    PM open
    EVE open
    Hotel Kona Seaside Hotel
  • Tues AM Keauhou Sea Cave Adventure (kayaking/snorkeling)
    PM open
    EVE open
    Hotel Kona Seaside Hotel
  • Wed AM check out; Captain Cook; Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden; Holualoa Kona Coffee Company tour; Ho’okena, Green Sand Beach; Punalu’u Black Sand Beach
    PM continue drive to Volcanos National Park
    EVE open
    Hotel Volcano Cabins
  • Thurs AM Visitor Center, Jagger Museum, Crater Rim Drive, walk Devastation Trail and Thurston Lava Tube walk
    PM Chain of Craters Road
    EVE picnic lunch at End of Chain of Craters Road
    Hotel Volcano Cabins
  • Fri AM check out, leave park 5:30am, depart Hilo Airport 8:30am
    PM arrive Chicago

    • is this reasonable? I’m I getting at the good stuff or did I miss alot?

    It looks good to me - let me talk about a few things here:

    To drive down in Waipio Valley you need a four wheel drive. It’s not an easy drive. Have you found directions to the falls? Doing all this plus swimming at Hapuna beach will be quite a packed day.

    You’ll need a 4 wheel drive to get to the green sand beach too unless you plan on hiking a couple of miles each way.

    Don’t stress if you aren’t at the Hilo airport 2 hours before you fly out. ATA is the only airlines that goes to the mainland from Hilo. We just flew that flight to Oakland last week. We left our house at 7 am, got there at 7:15, and had NO problems. There were no lines - nothing. That’s just how the Hilo airport is usually. I’m not saying to plan to get there with only 1 hour and 15 minutes to spare like we did, but don’t stress about it.

    I think you covered about as much as possible in the time you have. Cool.

    Have fun! Lisa

    Flight departure to Kona, Big Island of Hawaii

    Monday

    Flight departure to Kona, Big Island of Hawaii

  • Drive: for 3 to 4hrs to the Town of Volcano (See map) and stop at supermarket for groceries for the Bungalow
  • Check-in: Kate’s Bungalow Address: 19-4039 Hapu Ln, Volcano Ph: (877) 967-7990
  • Evening: At leisure (Pack lunches for tomorrow’s Volcano National Park excursion)

    • Tuesday

  • Morning: Hawaii Volcano National Park
  • Visit: The Visitor Center and obtain information about Volcano and the latest info and location of lava flow also ask about directions in and around the park. (There are two scenic drives with a wealth of volcano views An 11-mile drive, called Crater Rim, passes by many rising steam vents)
  • Visit: Steam Sulphur Banks Vents, Kilauea Overlook, Jaggar Museum, Halemaumau Crater, Devastation Trail (45min hike)
  • Afternoon: Thurston Lava Tube (20min hike), Kilauea Iki Overlook, Kilauea Iki Trail (Little Kilauea), Hilina Pali Overlook, Holei Sea Arch (end of road where lava flowed)
  • Evening: Return to see the lava flow after dark, (take a flashlight, water bottle, and jacket)

    • Wednesday

  • Morning: (Check-out) Wake up early and drive to Hilo Airport (1hour drive-See map to Hilo Airport)
  • Tour: (1010hrs) Blue Hawaiian Helicopter (Circle of Fire plus Waterfalls Tour) #1963497799 Ph: (800) 786-2583
  • Afternoon/Lunch: Lunch at Kuhio Grille 111 East Puainako Street, #A106, Hilo (Located at Prince Kuhio Shopping Plaza)
  • Drive: Richardson Beach Park (walk around and take a look at the black sand beach and scenery), Rainbow Falls State Park (at the edge of Hilo town and view the falls), North to scenic drive detour at Onomea Bay along the Hamakua Coast,
  • Visit: Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens and Onomea Bay Trail (Stop at What’s Shakin Smoothie Stand near the Botanical Gardens for refreshments)
  • Drive: north to Akaka Falls State Park (Hike short trail-loop and view Kahuna Falls and Akaka Falls)
  • Drive: North to the Waipio Valley Overlook,
  • Drive: from Waimea, descending down to Kona
  • Check-in: Surf & Racquet Club Address: 78-6800 Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona Ph: (808) 331-8878
  • Evening: At Leisure
  • Morning: At Leisure
  • Afternoon/Evening: (1320hrs) Mauna Kea Summit Adventures Tour (tour pick-up: Buns in the Sun 75-5675 Palani RD) Ph: (808) 322-2366

    • regarding the Big Island - which way are you driving to Volcano? The southern route or the northern route? The southern route may be your best bet, and it should only take 2 to 2.5 hours unless you stop a lot, which you may.

    And groceries? There are no major grocery stores along the southern route. It’d be best to stop in Kona. There is one in Naalehu but it’s small with very high prices.

    There’s a lot of things to do in Kona - go to Kahaluu Beach to snorkel and see turtles. Go to the Puuhonua National Park - I think your pass from the Volcanoes National Park might get you in. Check with them. Go on the Fairwinds boat tour - go on a glass bottom boat and or the atlantis submarine.

    related: Multiple island itinerary

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