# Big Island: Volcano House or Kilahuea Lodge? June 2015



## Egret1986 (Dec 22, 2014)

Currently, there is availability at both.  What would the advantages be staying inside the Park at Volcano House over Kilahuea Lodge just outside?  Sounds like a lot of folks really like Kilahuea Lodge for dining, as well as lodging.  However, if there are real advantages to being right there in the Park, I'd just as soon do that. 

We fly into Hilo from Kauai at 2:30 pm.  We want to spend the evening seeing things at night in the Park, have a good meal that night or prior to going into the Park, rest and spend all day at the Park and surrounding areas before driving to Kona.


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## Henry M. (Dec 22, 2014)

The town of Volcano, where Kilauea Lodge is located, is maybe 5 minutes away from the park. It really doesn't make that much difference at which hotel you stay. It is very dark in the park, and you should be very careful venturing out at night. It is easy to drive in, and look at the glow of the lava lake from the observatory. It would be a lot more dangerous to try to hike around at night. 

When we went last year, we found a place through VRBO.com. We stayed at Enchanted Rainforest Cottages, and liked them very much. We preferred the seclusion of being right in the middle of a fern forest to being in a larger hotel. We did visit the hotel in the park, but didn't feel we wanted to stay there. After a cursory look, we spent the rest of our time hiking and exploring both the park and the town.

When we go back, we will definitely stay more than one night in the area. We planned on spending 3 nights, and ended up adding a fourth night before heading to the airport in Kona the last day. There is a lot of hiking at the park. We also took our time going down the Chain of Craters Road, exploring most of the marked turnouts. The Volcano area is one of our favorite parts of the Big Island. We like the beaches on some of the other islands better, so on Hawaii we like more the inland activities.


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## DaveNV (Dec 22, 2014)

I agree that there isn't much difference between the two places, and they're minutes apart. Take your pick.

But while you're choosing, consider Hale Ohia B&B.  We've stayed there and it's a a charming place to spend a few nights.  www.haleohia.com

Are you by any chance military, or retired military?  If so, there are very affordable accommodations right inside the Park.  http://kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Dave


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## SmithOp (Dec 23, 2014)

We stay at the military camp, inside the park.  We like being able to take hikes right from the front door of the cabins.  We have lunch at the lodge.

If you are going to do a full day visit, start all the way at the end of the chain of craters road down by the ocean and work your way back up.  The buses start at the top and work down, so you miss the crowds at the various stops / overlooks.


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## Egret1986 (Dec 23, 2014)

*Great info!*



SmithOp said:


> If you are going to do a full day visit, start all the way at the end of the chain of craters road down by the ocean and work your way back up.  The buses start at the top and work down, so you miss the crowds at the various stops / overlooks.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk



Makes sense to do it that way, but we probably wouldn't have thought of it.


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## Egret1986 (Dec 23, 2014)

*I know it's definitely too short to only stay for one night.*



emuyshondt said:


> The town of Volcano, where Kilauea Lodge is located, is maybe 5 minutes away from the park. It really doesn't make that much difference at which hotel you stay. It is very dark in the park, and you should be very careful venturing out at night. It is easy to drive in, and look at the glow of the lava lake from the observatory. It would be a lot more dangerous to try to hike around at night.
> 
> The Volcano area is one of our favorite parts of the Big Island. We like the beaches on some of the other islands better, so on Hawaii we like more the inland activities.



The most we could really stay would be two nights and that would mean cutting into our time by a day in Kauai (there 7 nights) or our time in Kona and surrounding areas.

First time to the Islands.  

Good info about venturing out at night.  One of the draws of staying at the Volcano House was the reviews about being in the rooms with the crater views and being able to see the glow at night from your room or being able to observe it from the "meditation room" at night when there are no visitors, only guests, at the Lodge.  These rooms are considerably more expensive than what is available in the Village.


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## SmithOp (Dec 23, 2014)

Volcano house is a loooong way from the glowing lava lake, not worth paying a premium.  Drive to the Jagger Museum overlook for the best view of the glow.

http://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/jaggar_museum.htm


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## Egret1986 (Dec 23, 2014)

*Sounds good.  I've got other places to use that saved cash.*



SmithOp said:


> Volcano house is a loooong way from the glowing lava lake, not worth paying a premium.  Drive to the Jagger Museum overlook for the best view of the glow.
> 
> http://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/jaggar_museum.htm
> 
> ...



We stayed on The North Rim of the Grand Canyon in one of the Park's cabins a few years ago.  Nice walking out.....and there you are.   

However, I appreciate the advice and will plan to take it.  I believe the Village will be close enough.  

We will be eating out dinner, breakfast and lunch while visiting this area.  I will do more personal research, but if you want to throw some favorites out, I would appreciate it.


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## Egret1986 (Dec 23, 2014)

*This really looks like a great place.*



BMWguynw said:


> I agree that there isn't much difference between the two places, and they're minutes apart. Take your pick.
> 
> But while you're choosing, consider Hale Ohia B&B.  We've stayed there and it's a a charming place to spend a few nights.  www.haleohia.com
> 
> ...



My dates are fully open for all units at this B&B.


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## Henry M. (Dec 23, 2014)

Egret1986 said:


> The most we could really stay would be two nights and that would mean cutting into our time by a day in Kauai (there 7 nights) or our time in Kona and surrounding areas.



I wouldn't shorten Kauai. However, I don't particularly like the Kona area and would prefer to stay an extra day at Volcano. There's just not that much that excites me in Kona. The beaches are not really comparable to the other islands. The city is not picturesque. They often have vog (volcanic fog) that is very bothersome to eyes and throat. Waikoloa has some nicer beaches, but is basically a large resort. For beaches, I'd prefer Kauai or Maui. There's nothing like Volcano on the other islands. The green sand beach is not that far from Volcano. I also like orchids and the Akatsuka Orchid farm is interesting. Get the Hawaii The Big Island Revealed book and look for things to explore on that side of the island. 

Going between Volcano and Kona, make sure you stop at the Punalu'u Bake Shop and try their malasadas. 

By the way, I just noticed the Kilauea Lodge is for sale! $5.9 million gets you a pretty cool property with an income stream!


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## SmithOp (Dec 23, 2014)

Egret1986 said:


> We stayed on The North Rim of the Grand Canyon in one of the Park's cabins a few years ago.  Nice walking out.....and there you are.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




My wife and I like to hike, we were there this past May and hiked down to the crater floor from Volcano Lodge.  The paths out to the inner crater were all closed due to high levels of gas, but you can skirt the edge and go up and link to the Thurston lava tube trail.  We ended up back at the lodge and ordered from the bar menu, excellent food there. KMC has a chow hall, about what you would expect from a military kitchen. We did not dine in the area you are staying.

In Hilo we always like to visit Original Kens near the airport and the BI cookie factory around the corner for samples.

We stayed in Kona before the park, Keahou area, Sam Choi's above the shopping center was excellent, make a sunset reservation for dinner.  In Kona we like Kona Brewery restaurant and Bite Me at the marina. There is a nice beach at the marina, park at the far end away from the restaurant, there is a short path north, its a cultural heritage site.

http://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/hawaii/big-island/review-486370.html

The best beach in Kona is at mile marker 87, south entrance to Hualalai, ask for a guest pass at the guard house and they will direct you.

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## Luanne (Dec 23, 2014)

For quite a few years we'd spend at least one night in Volcano Village, sometimes more.  We've always stayed at Kilauea Lodge.  We love it.


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## Deb from NC (Dec 23, 2014)

Not trying to hijack the thread, but I could also use some Big Island advice!
Our first trip there is in 2015:  we are booked into the Bay Club at Waikoloa for a week, then Volcano House for 2 nights.  We will have 2 more nights on the island...I'd love some advice on where to stay ?  Back to Kona since we'll be flying out of Kona....or is there somewhere else better/more interesting ?
Thanks!
Deb from NC


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## Luanne (Dec 23, 2014)

Deb from NC said:


> Not trying to hijack the thread, but I could also use some Big Island advice!
> Our first trip there is in 2015:  we are booked into the Bay Club at Waikoloa for a week, then Volcano House for 2 nights.  We will have 2 more nights on the island...I'd love some advice on where to stay ?  Back to Kona since we'll be flying out of Kona....or is there somewhere else better/more interesting ?
> Thanks!
> Deb from NC



Deb, our "perfect" trip to the Big Island was a week in Kona, a week in the Waikoloa beach resort with a night or two in Volcano.

I love Kona for it's funkiness and all of the restaurants.  Waikoloa is definitely more of the resort feel.  And while there are restaurants at the resorts, we never found any of them to be all that great [in our opinion].

Now, if I could afford it, I'd spend time at the Four Seasons Hualalai.


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## DaveNV (Dec 23, 2014)

Egret1986 said:


> We want to spend the evening seeing things at night in the Park, have a good meal that night or prior to going into the Park, rest and spend all day at the Park and surrounding areas before driving to Kona.




Stay wherever you choose - as we've said, there are several places that are nice.  Kilauea Lodge has a great restaurant, if a tad spendy. The atmosphere is pleasant.

After dark, if you go to the Jagger Museum Overlook inside the Park, you can see the glow from the crater. You can't get close enough to see inside the crater, but the reflected glow is pretty awesome.

And while you're exploring the Park during the day, here's a very cool tip from an insider:  Along the Chain of Craters Road, (exploring in reverse order as mentioned by SmithOp), there is a stop for the Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs. You need to follow the path to get to the area where the petroglyphs are plentiful - it's maybe a ten minute walk. You'll know you're there when you come to a wooden walkway that turns into a circular loop and comes back onto itself. Here's the tip:

At the far end of the circular walkway, step off the walkway and continue walking straight ahead, and come around the back side of a small hilly area that is plainly visible. It's only a couple hundred yards, at most.  

On the back side of that small hill are THOUSANDS of petroglyphs, many more than you can see from the trail or the wooden walkway. It's quite dramatic, and very cool to see.  If you do a bit of research ahead of time so you know what the petroglyphs mean, it's a very meaningful stop.

This tip was shared with me by a Park Ranger. She said it was okay to do this, but to be cautious where you step as you're walking - don't step on any plants, and don't walk on the carved rocks.   It's well worth the side trip. 

Second tip:  As you're leaving the Park and heading toward Kona, roughly 20 minutes down the road, DO NOT miss the Punalu'u Beach Park. It's a black sand beach that often has turtles sunning themselves on the black sand.  Make the left turn off the highway at Punalu'u Road and follow it to the parking area at the beach park.  Look for turtles on the sand.  Also be sure to check in the tidepools along the rocky area of the beach.  They are often in the tidepools, eating algae off the rocks.

Have fun!
Dave


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## Deb from NC (Dec 23, 2014)

Luanne said:


> Deb, our "perfect" trip to the Big Island was a week in Kona, a week in the Waikoloa beach resort with a night or two in Volcano.
> 
> I love Kona for it's funkiness and all of the restaurants.  Waikoloa is definitely more of the resort feel.  And while there are restaurants at the resorts, we never found any of them to be all that great [in our opinion].
> 
> Now, if I could afford it, I'd spend time at the Four Seasons Hualalai.



Thanks!  I have some Wyndham points available so I might see if I can get a couple of nights at one of their resorts in Kona !  (4 Seasons is out of my price range..LOL!)
Deb


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## Egret1986 (Dec 23, 2014)

*Advice and tips are greatly appreciated.*

As an East Coaster and someone who needs to keep checking out new places, this may (or may not) be our only trip to the Islands.  Originally, it was going to be Kauai and Maui.  However, I recently changed things up to the Big Island. Back in the day, we would try to see "everything" when we went somewhere, but have found in the last few years that "everything" just isn't possible, and that's okay.  Whatever we see and do is more than we had seen and done.

We love hiking and the National Parks.  I have always been a beach person and my husband indulges that.  We both love snorkeling and are excited to see black and green sand beaches.  Tidepools have always been a favorite of mine.  Any type of wildlife is always cool.  Botanical garden are also a favorite.  I know the Big Island is huge and a lot of time can be spent in the car.  However, at this point, we're only going to focus on the Park and the Kona area, with relatively close beaches and best snorkeling we can find in that area of the Island.  

I don't see us "cutting" any time off Kauai.  If we "cut", it will be off of Kona, staying an extra night in the Hilo area.  

Thanks again, all.


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## DaveNV (Dec 23, 2014)

Egret1986 said:


> I don't see us "cutting" any time off Kauai.  If we "cut", it will be off of Kona, staying an extra night in the Hilo area.
> 
> Thanks again, all.





I don't see that you'd need an extra night in Hilo, unless you're talking about staying in the Volcano National Park area.  (Hilo is about 45 minutes down the highway from the Park. Kona is at least 2 hours from the Park, but could be much longer with traffic.)

Since you enjoy National Parks, you'll find good snorkeling can be done from Two Step, which is adjacent to the City of Refuge, also called Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park. Definitely a fascinating place to stop on your way to Kona.  The fact that they have great snorkeling is a bonus.  http://www.nps.gov/puho/index.htm

Dave


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## klpca (Dec 23, 2014)

Visiting Halemaumau at night was one of the highlights of our trip. Here's a picture - but it in no way does it justice. https://www.flickr.com/photos/13281660@N05/sets/72157647578953813/  The night we were there it was cloudless, so we were beneath a million stars and the milky way. It was stunning. 

We stayed here in Volcano. It was very basic, but a bargain for one night. The photos were 100% accurate.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/417029?s=VUDJ


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## BJRSanDiego (Dec 23, 2014)

How common is it for there to be VOG issues in the Kona area?  

DW is asthmatic....


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## easyrider (Dec 23, 2014)

We were at Volcano Park in December and the Jager overlook is the best spot to see the lava glow. Imo, the park isn't so far away from even Hilo. We stayed with friends about 20 minutes away from the park. 

My other observations were that I thought the food was mediocre and over priced at the Volcano House. At the the park, the night time viewing at Jager Museum is really the main event. Getting to this event to hear the park rangers narrative is a plus. 

If you are considering driving to the Jager overlook and waiting until after dark to leave it really isn't a hard drive to the Hilo area. There are many restaurants and things to do here. Not so much at the park. 

Another observation is if you stay at a b&b you may experience the real Hawaii. This could be good or bad depending on air conditioning and type of construction the b&b is. The tropical rain forest is really noisy with coqui frogs all night and roosters in the morning.

The best advice I received was wait until you arrive to decide to go to Volcano Park. Its very common for this to be a very rainy trip. We arrived in Kona and checked the weather before deciding to go to Kilauea and Mauna Kea. We had a very clear night at both but the day before Kilauea was a hard rain.

Other Big Island areas that were on our must see list were the Black Sand Beach, Green Sand Beach, South Point and Mauna Kea. 

Mauna Kea sunset was great. We had a fairly clear day. We drove to the top in a Dodge Charger and came back to the park for star watching. This was really cool. 

Black Sand Beach was ok. Its a beach with black sand. 

Green Sand Beach was ok. Its a fun 4x4 trail ride or a two mile walk. Its just a small beach with greenish sand.  The locals run an old 4x4 shuttle here. Im not sure what it costs as our buddy had a Jeep.

South Point cliff. Its a cliff with a jump off into the ocean. Its an easy jump with a metal ladder climb back to the top. 

Best beach within 30 minutes of Kona is beach 69.

Our favorite snorkel beach in Kona is Kahaluu Park. The resort, Kona Town and this park is all a person really needs, imo. 

Bill


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## easyrider (Dec 23, 2014)

BJRSanDiego said:


> How common is it for there to be VOG issues in the Kona area?
> 
> DW is asthmatic....



On our recent trip there was vog or mist in the mountains above Kona Town. You can actually see the vegetation line where the mist stops. No vog in Kona but we did get a light sprinkle on one day.

Bill


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## tompalm (Dec 23, 2014)

Deb from NC said:


> Not trying to hijack the thread, but I could also use some Big Island advice!
> Our first trip there is in 2015:  we are booked into the Bay Club at Waikoloa for a week, then Volcano House for 2 nights.  We will have 2 more nights on the island...I'd love some advice on where to stay ?  Back to Kona since we'll be flying out of Kona....or is there somewhere else better/more interesting ?
> Thanks!
> Deb from NC



We love Waikoloa and the Volcano area.  I would not waste time moving somewhere else for two nights.  I would stay in the Volcano area for four nights and enjoy it.  There is plenty to do if you like hiking and the outdoors.  Spend one day hiking across the volcano by going down the trail across from the Lava Tubes.  Spend another day going to Black Sand beach that is about an hour west of the park.  Another day can be spent around Hilo and north of Hilo hiking around the water falls, or taking a tour of the Waipio Valley.  

Kona town is an easy drive from Waikoloa and spend one day there.  Go, diving on the Body Glove or one of the other dive boats that go to the Marine Preserve.  Make sure you walk around the Hilton hotel across the street from the Bay Club and see the dolphins, ride the small boats and just hang out.  No need to spend time moving.


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## Luanne (Dec 23, 2014)

BJRSanDiego said:


> How common is it for there to be VOG issues in the Kona area?
> 
> DW is asthmatic....



We've gone to Kona for years and have never been bothered by Vog.  I know there are websites you can go to and check on the levels, but unfortunately I don't know what they are.


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## Luanne (Dec 23, 2014)

tompalm said:


> Kona town is an easy drive from Waikoloa and spend one day there.  Go, diving on the Body Glove or one of the other dive boats that go to the Marine Preserve.  Make sure you walk around the Hilton hotel across the street from the Bay Club and see the dolphins, ride the small boats and just hang out.  No need to spend time moving.



Yes, but................

Kona is easy access to the southern portion of the island.  Waikoloa is easy access to Waimea and points north.  Although you can get from one to the other (Kona to Waikoloa), you don't really spend much time in whichever one you're visiting.

Again, just my opinion, but if you're going to be there for a couple of weeks a week in each area is perfect.


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## Egret1986 (Dec 24, 2014)

*All great advice!!!! I haven't bought the airfares to fly from Kauai to Big Island*



easyrider said:


> We were at Volcano Park in December and the Jager overlook is the best spot to see the lava glow. Imo, the park isn't so far away from even Hilo. We stayed with friends about 20 minutes away from the park.
> 
> My other observations were that I thought the food was mediocre and over priced at the Volcano House. At the the park, the night time viewing at Jager Museum is really the main event. Getting to this event to hear the park rangers narrative is a plus.
> 
> ...



"Our favorite snorkel beach in Kona is Kahaluu Park. The resort, Kona Town and this park is all a person really needs, imo. "Could be all these two people need.

I read all the things about the drive to and from Kona to VNP.....it's a long day, stay overnight, etc.  So, I thought it would be a good idea to fly into Hilo vs. Kona, that way the drive there is a non-issue.

"The best advice I received was wait until you arrive to decide to go to Volcano Park. Its very common for this to be a very rainy trip. We arrived in Kona and checked the weather before deciding to go to Kilauea and Mauna Kea. We had a very clear night at both but the day before Kilauea was a hard rain."

Should I rethink this idea and just fly to Kona and make the VNP decision once we get there?  Decisions, decisions.    And if the black sand and green sand beaches aren't wow, wow, wow; maybe just hanging at places where we can do some good snorkeling would be a better use of our limited time on the Island.


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## DaveNV (Dec 24, 2014)

Egret1986 said:


> Decisions, decisions.    And if the black sand and green sand beaches aren't wow, wow, wow; maybe just hanging at places where we can do some good snorkeling would be a better use of our limited time on the Island.




I guess the main decision you need to make is: "WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR FIRST AND POSSIBLY ONLY TRIP TO HAWAII TO LOOK LIKE?"

When was the last time you saw a black sand beach? It may not be "wow, wow, wow," but it's pretty different, if you've never seen one. Add in the chance of walking up to a huge sea turtle sunning itself on the beach, and it's a pretty neat thing to see - especially since this place is right off the highway, requires a minimum of effort to reach, and it's free.  

Yes, it'd be easy to hang around Kona all day and only snorkel somewhere. You could snorkel at several beaches in and around Kona.  But you can do that anywhere. Once your head is in the water, you may as well be on a beach anyplace. If you aren't interested in making the effort to see and do interesting things in Hawaii, then why bother even going? The Big Island offers some amazing things you can't see anywhere else. 

Don't let the complacency of others deter you from planning, and taking, the vacation YOU want to have.  

Dave


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## easyrider (Dec 24, 2014)

Hilo is iffy as far as weather goes. If you like the rain then this is the place as Hilo gets about 11 ft of rain a year. 

We drove to Hilo from Kona and this recent trip we discovered that there is a new road that replaced Saddle Road. It is a really easy drive now. Saddle Road was a slow go. I think without stops its about a 90 minute drive on good roads.

From Kona the Black Sand Beach is about a 60 minute drive. There are turtles and nene here. There is also a concession trailer selling goodys. The place packs up as the tour buses arrive. 

When we did volcano park we decided to spend the night so that we could explore the park the next morning. Our morning was the Chain of Craters, the Lava tubes and the overlook. We were out of here by 11 am and then headed to Black Sand Beach. We arrived at the Beach before 1 pm and hung out until 4. There is no way I would hang out here all day. The drive back to Kona is easy. 

Kahaluu Beach aka Turtle Beach on Ali Drive in Kona is easy peasy if your in Kona. There are restrooms, vendors, parking, lifegaurds and the snorkeling is great. You can rent gear at the park or in Kona Town. I did snorkel with turtles and fish of all sizes. Some fish were longer than me. 

Another beach that is cool for sunset walks is the old Kona airport area. There are bbqs, picnic tables, restrooms and friendly locals here. No Chuuks here.

The best beach is Beach 69. The turn is near mile marker 69. There is plenty of shade, restroom and safe parking area. This is a bring your own stuff place.

The best place to have fun at night is the Kona Brewing Co. They have pizza , beer and other than aloha music. Most places were still doing Hawaian music, regee or other Island type music. The Kona Brewery had the best music, best pizza and decent beer. 



> Don't let the complacency of others deter you from planning, and taking, the vacation YOU want to have.



Sorry if I came off somewhat complacent about some of the attractions. Im not sure that a one week trip would be enough to do it all is what Im suggesting. There are too many places to explore that a one week peek would not do much of the attractions justice, imo.

Bill


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## DaveNV (Dec 24, 2014)

easyrider said:


> Sorry if I came off somewhat complacent about some of the attractions. Im not sure that a one week trip would be enough to do it all is what Im suggesting. There are too many places to explore that a one week peek would not do much of the attractions justice, imo.
> 
> Bill




I agree, Bill.  I wasn't criticizing you, just trying to make the point that there is so much to do on the Big Island, limiting themselves to snorkeling around Kona due to lack of time seems counterproductive. They have time yet before the trip, so researching some fun things to do, especially things on the way to/from doing other things, would make the trip more memorable, regardless of how much time they have to spend.  An example is my recommendation to combine seeing the City of Refuge with snorkeling at Two Step. Park the car once, then enjoy two very different things. 

Dave


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## lily28 (Dec 24, 2014)

We are also going to the big island in June 2015.  I am trying to decide too on flying from Maui to kona or Hilo.  How long does it take to drive from the volcano park to Waikoloa?  We will be staying at hilton kingsland. Thanks


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## Luanne (Dec 24, 2014)

lily28 said:


> We are also going to the big island in June 2015.  I am trying to decide too on flying from Maui to kona or Hilo.  How long does it take to drive from the volcano park to Waikoloa?  We will be staying at hilton kingsland. Thanks



It can take about two hours (no stops) if you take the route that goes through Hilo and over Saddle Rd, or two and a half hours (no stops) if you take the southern route coming up through Captain Cook and Kona, or about two hours forty minutes if you take the northern route through Hilo, then on 19 to Waimea.


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## SmithOp (Dec 24, 2014)

We have been going to Kona for 20 years, seen and done all these mentioned and more.  Living in CA its our go to vacation, we can fly from several airports depending on which island we visit. This past May we did Maui then Kona, flew in to Kona because it was direct from Maui without going through HNL.  Went back home the same way.  We are doing the same next May, will be at Kingsland 11 days end of May.  

We do a day trip to Hilo, not much there to warrant staying, we do the farmers market, Kens, the Cookie Factory. If you want to do a helicopter tour of the volcano, must go out of Hilo airport.

Agree on Place of Refuge/TwoStep, we have also rented a canoe and paddled to Cook Memorial to snorkel, that is the bay where IZ ashes were scattered. We have also explored Painted Church and the Peace Gardens in that area.
Rented jetskis on Kona Bay, saw a large pod of spinner dolphins, a few rode our wake and jumped over the bow. 
Waikoloa we've done Kohala Zipline, dining at Pesto and Blue Dragon, BBQ in Hawi. Snorkel at Hualalai and Mauna Lani.  See turtles sunning easily at A-Bay behind the Queens Mktplace, good beach to collect shells and peridot. Golfed all the area courses.  

There are plenty of activities for any taste, just go and have fun!


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## easyrider (Dec 24, 2014)

Luanne said:


> It can take about two hours (no stops) if you take the route that goes through Hilo and over Saddle Rd, or two and a half hours (no stops) if you take the southern route coming up through Captain Cook and Kona, or about two hours forty minutes if you take the northern route through Hilo, then on 19 to Waimea.



There is a new highway that bypasses Saddle Rd. Saddle Rd is only a 6 mile stretch off the main roads now. Its still a beautiful roller coaster ride. 

The new road is easy to pass on in many places and the trip from Kona to Hilo seemed like about 90 minutes or less.

Bill


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## Egret1986 (Dec 24, 2014)

*Yes, I will and right now I'm trying to determine one small part of the 16-day trip*



BMWguynw said:


> I guess the main decision you need to make is: "WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR FIRST AND POSSIBLY ONLY TRIP TO HAWAII TO LOOK LIKE?"
> 
> When was the last time you saw a black sand beach? It may not be "wow, wow, wow," but it's pretty different, if you've never seen one. Add in the chance of walking up to a huge sea turtle sunning itself on the beach, and it's a pretty neat thing to see - especially since this place is right off the highway, requires a minimum of effort to reach, and it's free.
> 
> ...



Seriously, I haven't, personally, gotten past Hilo/Volcano National Park yet.  I haven't even started on Kona, other Big Island areas, or Kauai. 

 I've already posted that I'm a "beach person" and love wildlife.  A black sand beach and huge sea turtle sunning itself on the beach most likely are "wow, wow, wow" for me.

I have indeed decided that I don't need to sleep or eat at Volcano House.  It won't be a "trip must".  I'm only to the point of "is one or two overnights essential for this area vs. cutting time off Kona or other BI areas?" and "is flying into Hilo to cut off drive time to VNP a good idea or not necessarily?"

But you can do that anywhere. Once your head is in the water, you may as well be on a beach anyplace. If you aren't interested in making the effort to see and do interesting things in Hawaii, then why bother even going?


I know some "Hawaii folks" are really passionate about all things "Hawaii".  I have read about some of the snorkeling in Hawaii.  I think it's a pretty strong and inaccurate statement to say I "may as well be on a beach anyplace."  If I based my decision on that statement, you're right; "why bother".   So far, in my travels, I have only found places in the Caribbean that has good snorkeling.  The East Coast beaches that I have been in really can't be compared to Hawaii snorkeling, can it?  

....aren't interested in making the effort"...?  Sorry, Dave; I just decided this week that we were going to include the BI on our itinerary when I got an exchange to go with the Kauai week I confirmed back in June.  I'm trying to compartmentalize things right now to determine where to fly into (ITO or KOA) and how long in the area of VNP.  Maybe I'm not thinking this out properly, but I feel I need to figure this part out before I start determining how the rest of my remaining time will be spent on BI.  

Everyone has their opinions, ideas and preferences.  I don't see others' postings as complacency.  I see it as "what worked" for them and will cherry-pick what suits us for this trip from all postings.  Again, there's two things that I'm working on right now, and will move forward as I work on my itinerary.

The Big Island offers some amazing things you can't see anywhere else. 

No doubt.  I have read many of your posts in doing searches on TUG for this trip and find the information very helpful.  Anyone that knows me even a little knows I "make effort" full-throttle when it comes to vacation time and the places we go.  I'm still back at the Hilo/VNP area trying to figure that out.  We'll talk black sand beaches, sunning sea turtles, etc. after I nail the other down.  



easyrider said:


> Hilo is iffy as far as weather goes. If you like the rain then this is the place as Hilo gets about 11 ft of rain a year.
> 
> We drove to Hilo from Kona and this recent trip we discovered that there is a new road that replaced Saddle Road. It is a really easy drive now. Saddle Road was a slow go. I think without stops its about a 90 minute drive on good roads.
> 
> ...



Not complacent at all.  Thanks for sharing all this and the other. 

Right now (there will be more), I'm trying to figure out the flights.  There's non-stops, awards, etc. I'm trying to figure out whether to fly into Hilo or do an overnight trip from KONA to VNP instead.  Right now, I'm going with one night, staying outside the Park in the Village, flying into Hilo.  But I'm open on this right now.

In answer to your question about rain; no, I'm not a fan of rain on vacation.  My impression of Kauai and other areas in Hawaii is I better get over that.  The long flights and rain has always been the downside of going to Hawaii.  I can't imagine going to the BI and not going to VNP.  Seeing all this Island has to offer isn't possible in the limited amount of time we'll be there.  I'm hoping to narrow things down, as I move forward on the planning, to what areas, sights and activities will make this trip what WE want it to be.

Everyone's varied ideas, opinions and experiences are greatly appreciated. Books help, searches help, and TUG postings and reviews make the planning so fun!

Thank you!!!!


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## Chrispee (Dec 25, 2014)

emuyshondt said:


> The beaches are not really comparable to the other islands.



A lot of people seem to share your sentiment with regards to the BI beaches, but there are at least two beaches on the island that would be in my top 5 beaches in the Hawaiian islands.  I strongly suggest checking out Makalawena Beach and Kua Bay Beach if your'e into boogie boarding.  

I'll go as far as to say that the big island is better for beaches than Maui is as far as I'm concerned.  The beaches are a lot harder to find though!


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## DaveNV (Dec 25, 2014)

Egret1986 said:


> Seriously, I haven't, personally, gotten past Hilo/Volcano National Park yet.  I haven't even started on Kona, other Big Island areas, or Kauai.
> 
> Thank you!!!!




I'm glad you're not dismissing the things that could turn your trip into something very memorable.  My concern was that you were leaning toward skipping everything else in favor of just snorkeling around Kona.

I admit that I am one of those "Hawaii people" you mention, (but I do try and curb my enthusiasm), and I can't begin to tell you how frustrating it has been over the years to talk with some people who hated their trip to Hawaii, because they never got out of their beach chair in front of their hotel. They made no effort to learn about the Hawaiian culture, or to discover why Hawaii is a unique, incredible place on the planet.  They only want to do the exact same things they did on their fiftieth trip to Florida, and they can't understand why Hawaii didn't seem like anything special.

So as you're considering what you may want to do, if time is critical, a second night in Volcano is not needed.  Here are some timeframes to think about:

If you fly into Hilo at 2:30, by the time you collect your luggage and a rental car, it'll be approaching 4:00 by the time you head up the hill toward the Park. It's about an hour's drive up the hill, so if you stop to check into your overnight accommodation you can be at the Park around 6:00, which will be about the time it gets dark. Hawaii has fairly equal day/night hours, and there isn't much to do in the Park after dark except go to the Jagger Museum Overlook and look at the glow from the crater.  When you're done with that, find somewhere to eat supper, and go get a good night's sleep.

If you get a reasonably early start next morning, you can see the high points of the Park in about six hours, more or less.  I'm talking about driving the Crater Rim drive, walking the Thurston Lava Tube, and driving to the end of Chain of Craters road then working your way back. Stop at the Visitors' Center, and see a gift shop or two. Not an in-depth visit, but enough to see the high points if you saw the glow from the crater the night before.

Leaving the Park around 3:00, and heading toward Kona, you can stop by the Punalu'u Black Sand Beach for a bit, then at the Punalu'u Bake Shop in Naalehu town, and you can be in Kona sometime after 6:00, barring traffic delays.

Dave


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## Egret1986 (Dec 25, 2014)

*High Five, Dave.*



BMWguynw said:


> I'm glad you're not dismissing the things that could turn your trip into something very memorable.  My concern was that you were leaning toward skipping everything else in favor of just snorkeling around Kona.
> 
> I admit that I am one of those "Hawaii people" you mention, (but I do try and curb my enthusiasm), and I can't begin to tell you how frustrating it has been over the years to talk with some people who hated their trip to Hawaii, because they never got out of their beach chair in front of their hotel. They made no effort to learn about the Hawaiian culture, or to discover why Hawaii is a unique, incredible place on the planet.  They only want to do the exact same things they did on their fiftieth trip to Florida, and they can't understand why Hawaii didn't seem like anything special.
> 
> ...



Great info.  I "feel you" on the frustration with folks "not making an effort."   I try to keep it reined in as much as possible because it is "different strokes for different folks."  What.....you're going to go all the way to where to sit around a pool all week?   I know about being enthusiastic about places and wanting folks to know about it and feel it the way I do.

I promise, I'll make you proud.  

The planning hath only just begun. It's what I do.  

Now I've checked off two things.  No, I don't have to stay in VNP and I don't need to stay a second night.  Sweet!  

Is flying into Hilo at the beginning of the week instead of flying into Kona and travelling to VNP some time during the week a good decision?  No?   

The great suggestions have been added to my things to consider or do. 

Thank you, all, for your input.  I hope everyone had a joyous Christmas!


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## Luanne (Dec 25, 2014)

Egret1986 said:


> Is flying into Hilo at the beginning of the week instead of flying into Kona and travelling to VNP some time during the week a good decision?  No?



Maybe this was already answered, or you've made a decision, but I'll give my opinion anyway. 

It depends on where you are flying from.  We've done an island hop from Maui to Hilo, spent a couple of nights in Volcano, then driven to Kona.  We'll then make the return flight home out of Kona.  We'll rent a car in Hilo and drop it in Kona.

The reason I say it depends on where you're flying from is, that can determine what time you'll get into Hilo and how much time you'll have there.


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## Egret1986 (Dec 25, 2014)

*Looking at a flight from LIH to ITO that gets us in Hilo at 2:30 pm*



Luanne said:


> Maybe this was already answered, or you've made a decision, but I'll give my opinion anyway.
> 
> It depends on where you are flying from.  We've done an island hop from Maui to Hilo, spent a couple of nights in Volcano, then driven to Kona.  We'll then make the return flight home out of Kona.  We'll rent a car in Hilo and drop it in Kona.
> 
> The reason I say it depends on where you're flying from is, that can determine what time you'll get into Hilo and how much time you'll have there.



Although, there are earlier arriving flights from Kauai.  We are looking to flying into ITO and flying out of Kona, picking up rental in Hilo and dropping off in Kona.  It just seemed like a way to shave off some drive time during our stay between Kona and VNP.


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## Luanne (Dec 25, 2014)

Egret1986 said:


> Although, there are earlier arriving flights from Kauai.  We are looking to flying into ITO and flying out of Kona, picking up rental in Hilo and dropping off in Kona.  It just seemed like a way to shave off some drive time during our stay between Kona and VNP.



Makes sense to me.  As I said we've done it.

We've also done a trip where we flew from San Francisco to Kona, then drove to Volcano for the first two nights, then drove back to Kona for two weeks.  But that was because our Volcano stay was at the beginning of the trip and there are no direct flights to Kona from the mainland.


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## Egret1986 (Dec 25, 2014)

*Thank you for the confirmation that it makes sense.*



Luanne said:


> Makes sense to me.  As I said we've done it.
> 
> We've also done a trip where we flew from San Francisco to Kona, then drove to Volcano for the first two nights, then drove back to Kona for two weeks.  But that was because our Volcano stay was at the beginning of the trip and there are no direct flights to Kona from the mainland.



I just checked on flights and we can get into Hilo at 10:37 am (2hr flight).  When I start nailing things down, I may decide to take this one vs. getting in at 2:30 pm.


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## DaveNV (Dec 25, 2014)

Egret1986 said:


> I just checked on flights and we can get into Hilo at 10:37 am (2hr flight).  When I start nailing things down, I may decide to take this one vs. getting in at 2:30 pm.



I think flying into Hilo and leaving from Kona is a smart option.  The drive back to VNP from Kona is longer, because you'll be traveling behind any traffic working its way down the island. Things can get backed up pretty easily, and there is essentially only one road.  Seeing Hilo and VNP first makes a lot of sense, then move on to Kona, focus on things there, and fly out of Kona when it's time to leave the island.

If you can get into Hilo sooner, do so. It will give you more time at the Park, but you could also make a couple of stops in Hilo before heading up the hill to the Park:

One stop to make in Hilo town, if you can, is the Tsunami Museum. It's a reasonably short visit (30 minutes to an hour, more or less) that will give you a strong introduction into the 1946 tsunami that hit Hilo directly. It shows exhibits of the town before and after, and describes what it was like. Very interesting place. http://tsunami.org/index/index.html

If you're in Hilo for lunch, the Cafe Pesto is a great place to eat lunch, and it's around the corner from the Tsunami Museum.  Great artisan sandwiches. Try the Lilikoi iced tea! http://cafepesto.com

The other stop is Rainbow Falls. It's right in the Hilo metro area, so is easy to swing by. It usually has a fair amount of water running, and is pretty awesome to see. It won't delay your trip up the hill too long, but is pretty scenic.  http://www.hawaii-guide.com/big_island_of_hawaii/sights/rainbow_falls_state_park

Dave


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## Egret1986 (Dec 25, 2014)

*Yes, I think getting into Hilo earlier is a better idea.*



BMWguynw said:


> I think flying into Hilo and leaving from Kona is a smart option.  The drive back to VNP from Kona is longer, because you'll be traveling behind any traffic working its way down the island. Things can get backed up pretty easily, and there is essentially only one road.  Seeing Hilo and VNP first makes a lot of sense, then move on to Kona, focus on things there, and fly out of Kona when it's time to leave the island.
> 
> If you can get into Hilo sooner, do so. It will give you more time at the Park, but you could also make a couple of stops in Hilo before heading up the hill to the Park:
> 
> ...



I look forward to the extra bit of time in order to check out these recommendations in Hilo.  Thanks! 

Checking things off the list.  We've accomplished a lot here today!


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## Henry M. (Dec 26, 2014)

I think landing in Hilo and making your way around the island makes sense. Whether you spend one or two nights in Volcano depends on what you like to do. It might make sense to look at your overall schedule and then decide whether you want an extra day of hiking or an extra day snorkeling or shopping/milling around Kona.


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## easyrider (Dec 26, 2014)

Hilo only has about 60 days of non rainy weather and even on these non rainy days there can be clouds. It does rain more in the evening but even so the rain can make it challenge to plan a dry trip to this side of the Big Island, imo. 

The rain does make the waterfalls and ocean inlets brownish. The big mosquitoes can be as bad and there are plenty of these. Viewing Volcano Park would iffy in the rain. All you would see is the glow of the lava on the clouds at night. All you could see in the daytime is misty clouds.

So if Hilo is the destination a person might want to purchase an umbrella and some mosquito repellent. 


Bill


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## Luanne (Dec 26, 2014)

Another recommendation for Café Pesto in Hilo.  Wonderful for lunch.  We also like their restaurant in Kawaihae Harbor, which is on the other side of the island above Waikoloa.


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## Egret1986 (Dec 26, 2014)

*Hmmmm.  Hadn't considered these guys.*



easyrider said:


> The big mosquitoes can be as bad and there are plenty of these.
> 
> So if Hilo is the destination a person might want to purchase an umbrella and some mosquito repellent.
> 
> ...



Big Mosquitoes.  That's a great tip, well worth mentioning.


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## easyrider (Dec 27, 2014)

Here is a couple more BI tips. 

In good weather a rental car can easily make it to the summit of Mauna Kea. There is only about 3 miles of gravel road that starts just past the visitor center. Once you travel into the snow zone the roads are all paved to the summit. In good weather a very small rental car can make the summit. In bad weather don't bother going. If you drive to the top of Mauna Kea with a full tank of gas in the car occasionally the expansion of the fuel can make the vented gas cap malfunction causing the vehicle to not start. Open the gas cap to vent the tank. 

Water source for many of the b&b's is rain catchment. Bring bottled water.

Bill


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## Luanne (Dec 27, 2014)

Egret1986 said:


> Big Mosquitoes.  That's a great tip, well worth mentioning.



We've never encountered mosquitoes on any of the islands.  And if they were there, they'd find me.


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## DaveNV (Dec 27, 2014)

Luanne said:


> We've never encountered mosquitoes on any of the islands.  And if they were there, they'd find me.




That is my experience, too. Lots of NoSeeUms, but no mosquitos. I read that they're on the windward side of all the islands, but I sure don't remember them.  I lived in Kailua on Oahu for several years, and don't remember ever seeing one.  Odd...

Dave


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## easyrider (Dec 28, 2014)

Hilo Town and the Puna district do have biblical hatches of mosquitoes at times. Visit Akaka Falls or the Tropical Gardens after a rain, which btw, is almost every day, and then report back. 

The other Hilo Town side pest are roaches. They love the rain forest. Like the mosquitoes the roaches are bigger than normal as well. 

Have you ever noticed that this side of Big Island is lacking in resorts ?

This side of Big Island is where the chuuks live. Culturally, many still live traditionally the way they do in the chuuk islands. 

Bill


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## easyrider (Dec 28, 2014)

*Black Sand Beach*






It is a small beach with a boat launch. Around noon the tour buses show up. It seems like about a good hour drive from Kona Town.

Bill


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## easyrider (Dec 28, 2014)

*Volcano Park steam vents*






Above the main caldera are active steam vents. Btw, no mosquitoes here.

Bill


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## easyrider (Dec 28, 2014)

Sulfer trail.


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## easyrider (Dec 28, 2014)

*Crater & lava*


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## easyrider (Dec 28, 2014)

*Evening*






The park rangers do a presentation at the Jager Overlook at dusk. It is really interesting.

Bill


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## easyrider (Dec 28, 2014)

*Sea Arch at the bottom of the Chain of Craters RD*


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## easyrider (Dec 28, 2014)

*View from Chain of Craters RD*


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## easyrider (Dec 28, 2014)

*Mauna Kea*







I wouldn't go up here in anything other than nice weather. Its all about the view. Bring a coat or if your in a car you can park on the edge and watch the sun go down. After the sun goes down head to the park for star viewing.


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## easyrider (Dec 28, 2014)

*Turtle Beach, Kona*






There are plenty of turtles around Big Island. On Ali Drive is Kahaluu Park aka Turtle Beach. This is a great place to snorkel.


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## easyrider (Dec 28, 2014)

*Green Sand Beach*






You need a 4x4 or you can use the local beach shuttle if the locals are there. Its about a 2 mile + hike in. If you hike in follow the fence line. 

The sand really isn't green green but a little greenish because of the eroding cliff.


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## easyrider (Dec 28, 2014)

*Eroding Cliff*






This is the trail down the cliff to Green Sand Beach.


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## easyrider (Dec 28, 2014)

*South Point.*






This is on the way to Green Sand Beach. There is a diving platform here.


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## easyrider (Dec 28, 2014)




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## easyrider (Dec 28, 2014)

*Ladder up South Point Dive area*


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## easyrider (Dec 28, 2014)

*Old Kona Airport Beach*

This is a huge clean public park area with restrooms and bbqs. It is a pretty decent spot to watch the sun go down. The locals will share their grill if you ask so you don't really need charcoal unless you show up first.


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## Egret1986 (Dec 28, 2014)

*Thank you for taking the time to share your pics.*



easyrider said:


> You need a 4x4 or you can use the local beach shuttle if the locals are there. Its about a 2 mile + hike in. If you hike in follow the fence line.
> 
> The sand really isn't green green but a little greenish because of the eroding cliff.



The sand may not be green green, but that's a nice picture.

We have a car reserved and I had wondered "do we need a 4x4?". We don't normally go four-wheeling.  I think we will stick with hiking and letting others do the driving in the 4x4 areas.


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## MuranoJo (Dec 29, 2014)

Yes, thanks for sharing.  Brought back many memories.


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## easyrider (Dec 29, 2014)

The pictures are more to show why its better to wait until you get to Kona to make reservations and plans to visit areas like Mauna Kea or Vocano Park. The day before we went to Volcano Park that area looked like this. You can see the lava plume going through the clouds. This is a picture from the top of Mauna Kea looking at Kilauea. There were people that told us about their visit the day before to Volcano in the rain. It seems like the main reason they went on a rainy day is because they planned ahead and would have found it hard to cancel reservations.


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## easyrider (Dec 29, 2014)

The summit of Mauna Kea is another good weather only visit destination, for me anyway. In good weather you can drive a compact car to the top. We drove a Dodge Charger.


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## geoand (Dec 29, 2014)

BMWguynw said:


> That is my experience, too. Lots of NoSeeUms, but no mosquitos. I read that they're on the windward side of all the islands, but I sure don't remember them.  I lived in Kailua on Oahu for several years, and don't remember ever seeing one.  Odd...
> 
> Dave


Botanical garden on Hilo side had mosquitos.  So did the falls.  Based on my several visits there.  Have always encountered them.


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## DaveNV (Dec 29, 2014)

geoand said:


> Botanical garden on Hilo side had mosquitos.  So did the falls.  Based on my several visits there.  Have always encountered them.



I'll be there in June.  I'm going to track them buggers down. 

Dave


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## easyrider (Dec 29, 2014)

BMWguynw said:


> I'll be there in June.  I'm going to track them buggers down.
> 
> Dave



http://www.rei.com/product/799529/s...655095000&msid=DSn4snf1_dc|pcrid|67114501120|

Just in case those buggers track you down.  

Bill


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