I know we have the travel thread but I’d love specific suggestions for Hawaii. I’m sure others would as well.
We were invited by friends to visit them at her family’s vacation home on the big island. We have never been and the trip is early July. I’ve got a rental car reservation $$$ but otherwise have no plans. What are your favorites? Also am I crazy to just wing it and maybe just spend the week doing nothing?
Feel free to post favorites for other islands. I’m sure it will help someone.
Where are you staying? The Big Island is… big, so there could be some driving involved to get to some places.
A-Bay is the best beach IMO. We recently spent a week in that area. 
Of course, Hapuna Beach is also very nice.
If you have never been, Volcanoes Park is absolutely a must to visit. I heard that there is some lava activity there.
I am in the middle of planning our Christmas vacation on the Big Island. This will be our second trip there. We love it! So much to do if you love the outdoors. I highly recommend a night dive or snorkel manta ray tour. We also really enjoyed hiking the waterfalls, and riding down the volcano on mountain bikes.
1 Like
I think the house is in Waikoloa. Embarrassing but that is all I know! We had planned to visit them in the San Juan Islands but they asked if we would mind Hawaii instead.
1 Like
Can we stay in one place and see most of the island if we are willing to drive?
Yes
You are in luck then! Waikoloa is near the A-Bay beach and the other amazing beaches. Great area to stay. There are shops and restaurants in the area.
You can definitely do a day trip to the Volcanoes and even see some other places on the way.
If you like honey…
Black sand beach is amazing!
If you want to snorkel with Honu (turtles - guaranteed!!), drive to the Fairmont and snorkel in their shallow lagoon in the morning when the turtles are grazing. There used to be a very nice Japanese restaurant on the grounds, but I think it is still shattered.
1 Like
There used to be two places where you can snorkel with Manta rays - at the Sheraton Keauhou and at the Mauna Kea. Hope they are still operating!
We were on the Big Island just a month ago. Restaurants were limited capacity, and lots of places were closed.
I agree with essentially everything listed - diving or snorkeling with the Mantas, Volcanoes NP, Punalu’u Beach, etc.
We also loved horseback riding into the Waipio Valley, driving up to Mauna Loa to see the sunset and stars, visiting South Point (near the black sand beach), hikes at Akaka Falls, kayaking to Captain Cook’s monument - and snorkeling there too. I’m sure there’s more I’m not thinking about at the moment. We hiked and went to many beaches, just to see the differences. We love HI.
1 Like
It’s a bit of a drive from where you will be, but if you’re at all interested in volcanoes, check and see what Kilauea is doing while you are on the island. We always try to visit Waimea, which would be about a thirty-minute drive from Waikola, and then drive along the top of the island towards Hawi at the northern point. The view down towards the ocean is spectacular and you’ll be driving through cattle ranches. The Big Island is really just remarkable geographically, with the beaches and sunshine on one side, cattle ranches up top and rain forests on the other side towards Hilo, and then you have all the volcanos lined up down the middle. I was just going to say that it’s not so much a place where you go from sight to sight or activity to activity (we tend to spend some time on the beach each day and then just wander around), but then I thought of one we really enjoyed - we visited a coffee plantation north of Kona and took the tour. We’ve also visited some of the historical Hawaiian temples and other sites - this is the island where King Kamehameha was born and ruled. Just don’t panic when you come out of the airport and it looks like the moon!
2 Likes
And don’t try to drive to Kekaha Kai State Park. Unless you have nerves of steel or a military grade SUV. We made a mistake following a nice luxury car down the mostly unpaved road which looked like it had been damaged by a major earthquake, thinking that a local in a nice car would not risk driving if it were not safe. Lol! About a half a mile in, we saw a sign that said “end of paved road.” Lol again. We kept going through the lava field in our rented compact car, following the luxury car’s every “footstep.” The beach was pristine and worth the drive, but we would never repeat that trek! Every time we visit and drive past the sign to the park, we laugh… it would make a nice hike though.
1 Like
I used to live on the Big Island and usually visit 2-3 x a year (save for Covid days) -
Personally I love the off the beaten path places…BI is amazing - it actually encompasses all the terrain of the other islands - while the swimming there isn’t the best, there are certainly many (many!) other things to see and do -
A couple of my favorites…I am a fan of the Hilo side - it’s more “old Hawaii” and less touristy than the Kona side. A leisurely drive from Waikaloa to Hilo along highway 19 with stops along the way (some are well traveled, and should not be missed)… Laupāhoehoe Beach Park, is gorgeous; Akaka Falls (consider a quick stop at the goat farm for some amazing goat cheese (Honomu Goat Dairy), and the fruit stand on the way up to the falls); a side drive along the Pepeekeo Maikai Scenic Route; Rainbow Falls; and a stop and walk around old Hilo; if you’re vegan or veggie (or love kombucha) I highly recommend Conscious Culture; for a more upscale dining experience Jackie Rey’s is a local favorite; continue the drive and find Carlsmith Beach Park (a nice swimming spot) and further down Richardson Ocean Park (also nice swimming) - both are exquisite; backtrack and make your way up country to the volcano - take time to drive around it, walk, and explore it (lava tubes, devastation trail and more) it’s unlike anything I’ve seen in the world.
Since your starting point is Waikaloa, a ride along highway 270 to Hawi, Kapaau (and I think the largest statue of King Kamehameha on all the islands) to the very tip of the island - Pololu Valley Lookout - is a beaut of a drive, there are a couple of lesser known heiau’s (historic temple/ruins) along the way - driving back after Pololu Valley, turn onto highway 250 for a completely different terrain and drive.
It’s actually doable to circumnavigate the island in a day (a long day, but a day none the less) with plenty of stops and exploring.
If you DM me I can provide more thoughts and ideas, I just thought I’d whet your appetite - can you tell I love this island?
5 Likes
Any tips/suggestions/recommendations for Maui? will be in the Kaanapali area.
We loved the hike down to that black sand beach too. It felt totally different under our feet than the black sand near South Point. We didn’t eat at any of the places you suggested - maybe next time(!) - but we’d done most of the things you recommended and loved it all.
HI is the one state that tempted us to move to it. It was mainly its distance from everywhere else, including relatives, that reluctantly had us give up the idea.
2 Likes
I currently live in Waikoloa. I love it, but I am going to move back to the mainland soon because of this reason.
For everyone planning to visit Hawaii this year, make sure you have your car reservation in hand before you plan anything. The rental car companies sold off most of their fleet in 2020. Prices are through the roof.
@mom60 Guided tours will be booked up, but you might get a last minute cancellation. My 2 favorites are a horsebacking riding tour in Waipio Valley or a trip up Mauna Kea for sunset. Another favorite is the seahorse farm. There is a monk seal rehab facility and an octopus farm all in the same general area as the seahorse farm.
Lava Lava Beach Club is very popular. It’s located on the aforementioned Anaeho’omalu Bay. There can be a 2 hour wait. Restaurant reservations will be almost impossible to get at this late point.
I agree that you should do the drive to Pololu Valley and Hawi. There are historical state parks along the way You should also do the drive to Waipio Valley as well.
Waikoloa Beach Resort has a petroglyph trail which is interesting. If you are into shopping, Queens Marketplace, Kings Shops and the Mauna Lani shops are nice.
For beaches, try to get up early and go to the Mauna Kea resort. They only have a handful of parking passes for the beach there. It’s a very beautiful beach. Otherwise Hapuna Beach or Anaeho’omalu are great.
@mom60 If you want any other insider tips or advice, feel free to email me. I love it here.
4 Likes
Maui! My 2nd favorite island! Another that I visit 2-3x a year…heading over in Sept the first since Covid days -
If you haven’t been on the road to Hana I suggest not driving it yourself - really - but there’s a tour company with small busses that has a full day tour that is so very worth it (and I’m not big on tours)…Valley Isle Excursions - they have plenty of stops along the way, lunch, snacks & their drivers are super safe and amazing…https://www.tourmaui.com/#road-to-hana-tours -
You won’t be able to circumnavigate Maui by car - but go as far north as you can before it gets to the one lane road Honolua Bay and Nakalele Blowhole are beautiful - let that be the end of that drive - (seriously unless you’re a professional driver, please don’t drive the rest of the way) - driving south make your way through Kihei to Ahihi Reserve - I suggest walking up that road - it’s an unpaved lava field but the views are stunning -
Everyone will tell you to go upcountry to Kula - and I would agree - up there you’ll find a lavender farm, a goat farm (best goat cheese!) an organic vodka farm (take the tour, quite informative and the views are great!) and even a unique pineapple winery (the wine is so-so but it’s a fun stop) - don’t go much further than the winery because it’s the back road to Hana! Also in Kula is a cute mom & pop coffeehouse Grandmas…make a stop for lunch or a homemade sweet treat and coffee and sit on the lanai - Grandma was a first to grow her own coffee beans and roast them. They still do it all by hand. And you never know, you might see Oprah in the area, her Maui home is across/down the street from Grandmas - if you enjoy thrift shopping - the Kula Hospital has a cool one - I’ve scored amazing vintage fabrics and art pieces - Oprah drops in to donate books and copies of her magazine there too - it’s a 10 minute stop.
The other upcountry spots we love are Paia (and the Paia Fish Market is excellent for lunch or dinner!) and Makawao - both are cute villages with unique shopping - in Makawao (but not in town) is also an interesting shop The Sacred Garden - it’s got a beautiful nursery and labyrinth - plus the property it sits on is pure Hawaiian magic!
On that side of the island you might like to check out Hookipa Beach - there’s a sea turtle resting spot there where there are usually dozens of turtles - don’t touch - and above it is the Hookipa Lookout which has amazing views. Should you decide not to do the Hana tour you can drive to the fruit stand past Haiku to Twin Falls - there’s a lovely path to walk and find 2 small waterfalls - and swimming holes if that’s your thing - don’t go further on the highway or you’ll be on “the” road to Hana - I know a lot of visitors say “it’s no big deal” but it is! Again unless you’re a professional driver…
Other places to explore Iao Valley - Wailuku is also a cute village, more local than touristy.
I hope I gave you enough to research - have fun!!
One more thing - if you like to snorkel, Maui has a shop that has an online link you can check daily for their “snorkel report” - I signed up (free) and each morning I get an email with snorkel conditions - no spam from them either! https://thesnorkelstore.com/
1 Like
The most regretted mistake when visiting Hawaii: Buying a round-trip ticket.
6 Likes
Here is the Maui road map: https://www.hawaii-guide.com/images/2013-files/maui-road-map.jpg . Expect a significant drive to get to any place along one of the other roads radiating out from Kahului or Maalaea.
We just visited the Big Island last month for the first time, we will be back. I second the visit to Akaka Falls, and Volcanoes National Park, make sure you bring at least a light jacket or windbreaker. One of the most amazing drives we took was on the “saddle road” which goes between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea so that you’re driving between the 2 highest mountains in the world (measured from the sea floor, at least so I’m told). Another place worth a visit if you have time is the botanical gardens near Hilo. On the other side of the island near Kona airport, there’s a seahorse research facility which was very cool even if you don’t have little kids with you, in the same vicinity is an octopus research facility which was also extremely interesting. Never in my life did I think I would ever hold “hands” with an octopus or let a seahorse cling to my fingers. Also in Kona, my H and D20 took a ride in a submarine and were blown away by it, older D and I are claustrophobic and wanted no part of that. Neither of my children swim well so we didn’t do a snorkle trip but next trip they’ll be ready. Sadly, we didn’t make it to many of the beaches because there were so many other things to do. Next trip.
We are going back in 2023 for about 4 months because we may be retiring there and want to get a feel for what it’s like to live there.
Whatever you decide to do, I hope you have a wonderful trip. It is such a special place.
4 Likes
Check your rental car agreement. Back in the day, renters were asked to specially acknowledge the clause that Saddle Road was off limits. 
3 Likes