Big Island – Volcanos National Park and Lava!
For those that have never been, it is the polar opposite of Oahu. It is a true island feel with volcanic rocks literally EVERYWHERE. It’s surreal to see all the lava every which way you look. Very unlike Waikiki, Kona is very isolated and limited when it comes to eating and shopping. A 30 minute drive towards the airport will find you a Costco and Walmart where you can stock up for your stay.
We stayed at Hilton Waikoloa Village and the place is absolutely massive! How many hotels have I been to where a train is needed to bring you to my room? That would be just one…this one. The hotel is pretty secluded but the resort has everything you need for eats. If you want to get to the ABC store or other cheaper food options you will need to get about 1-2 miles up the street. Although walkable, it would not be very enjoyable to haul your loot from the shopping center to the hotel. A cab is about $10 for a 5 min ride so could still be worth it. The hotel is quite spectacular. The pools are absolutely insane. The lazy river (no tubes allowed) has multiple slides but it is a little deep so if you bring the kids make sure they can reach the bottom – it’s about 4-5 feet throughout. The large pool is massive. By massive I mean the largest pool I’ve ever seen in my life! It includes 3 enormous pools joined together and a grotto. This is where you will want to go if you want to find a jacuzzi. Tucked away just behind the grotto is another fun waterslide that adults and kids will enjoy. The hotel also has a lagoon with where you can do some snorkeling but the water is rather murky. Just outside the lagoon is a rocky beach so be ready with water shoes or wading in the water will be just painful.
Now for the most amazing part of the Hilton – the dolphins!! We paid a pretty penny to do the dolphin adventure and it was worth every single penny. 45 minutes in the water with multiple dolphins is one check off my bucket list. I was hesitant to spend that kind of money thinking it would be a tourist trap but it was far from that. The interaction they allow you to have was priceless and at no point did I feel the dolphins were being forced into anything. The dolphins are open to the public viewing but to really get up close and touch them you will have to pay up. Pay for the pictures, it’s expensive but totally worth it. Essentially it’s $50 for 1 picture or $155 for 130 of them. If you have family that want to camp outside the ropes and take pictures that could work but it’s well worth the $155 for professional pictures.
The next stop was Hilo where we headed to the volcano national park. The 2 hour drive was very scenic and with a quick pit stop at the free zoo, we made it to Hilo in about 3 hours. Print out your free 4th grade national park pass to avoid the $30 fee since they don’t accept digital copies. I highly recommend you bring warm clothes since the weather can be finicky with rain and wind mixed in with sunshine. If you forget your jacket the visitor center has ponchos for $2.50 you can wear…well actually they are glorified garbage bag. While there make sure to stamp your national park book and get a few overprices stickers. Spend the entire day here since the drive down to the beach will take you over an hour not to mention all the scenic stops along the way. The lava tube is a must see but take your time since it’s pretty short and you will be like “that’s it” when you pop out the end. One regret we had was not staying until sundown to see the fiery lava which can only be seen in the dark.
After a rather busy day at the volcano park, we needed a breather so we headed to Kua Bay. They say it has some of the clearest water on the island. From a far the water was insanely blue but the tide and waves were pretty rough so the water was far from clear when we were there. Overall it was a fantastic beach with soft white sand, a rarity on the Big Island where most beaches or volcanic rocks. Cake on the sunblock though since there is absolutely no shade to be found.
The final day we stayed at the Marriott. The hotel was not as spectacular as the Hilton but had all the amenities you would need. With easy access to the shops, ABC store and eateries it was a much more ideal location. The pool was mediocre and they also had a slide and jacuzzi. It definitely wasn’t the sexiest pool but it served its purpose. 50 yards from the pool was a nice beach but a bit too rocky for the kids to enjoy. Once again water shoes were a must. We enjoyed a nice sunset on our final night which was a good way to round out our trip.
