Oahu and Big Island – Same State, Different Vacations
Aloha! Bring on the sunshine, sandy beaches, relaxation and musubi . In a time that has kept us isolated from others, a trip out to Hawaii was just what the doctor ordered. Our adventure began in Oahu and ended at the Big Island.
Oahu
Where to Stay: Our trip started off with a night at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort where we had a magnificent room with picturesque coral ocean views. With easy access to the beach it was an ideal spot. The pool provided towels, beach chairs and a walk across the street had your feet in soft sand with moderate waves. The adjacent boardwalk had lots of shopping and ABC stores were plentiful and excessive. Be careful with the kids since Dylan’s Candy Bar is just below the hotel and you will get trapped into getting tons of teeth rotting deliciousness if you head down there. If you are lucky enough like us to have access to the Club Lounge at the pool level you will get an endless supply of POG, soda, coffee tea in addition to breakfast, lunch and dinner. While not a 5 star restaurant, it was more than enough to keep our bellies and bottles full. Check on the hours since food isn’t always available.
Our next stop was the Hilton Hawaiian Village which has become our go to vacation spot. The private lagoon, large rooms with kitchens and easy beach access makes it ideal for families. There are 3 pools with the largest having a slide and waterfalls but the limited hours are a bit of a bummer. If you stay here there will be some walking to get to good eats. The Biki Bikes parked just outside are a fantastic way to get around. Rent it by the month as a resident for unlimited use….not a resident? No problem. Use your hotel address to get a nice “resident” discount…. sssshhhhhh… it’s a secret.
Eats: What is Hawaii without great eats!
Goofy’s: Fantastic breakfast but disgusting wait. The Eggs Benedict and Loco Moco were fantastic
Eggs ‘n Things: Breakfast spot. Eggs Benedict was great. Use yelp to reserve a spot which really saves your time.
Liliha Bakery: The sit down breakfast had huge omelettes. Wait time was very reasonable. Make sure to grab some pastries on the way out which is what it’s known for.
Yogurstory: Worth the wait? Oh yes. Pork Eggs Benedict – yummy! The taro pancakes were cool to look at but just okay to eat. Skillet was delicious and a definite must. We wanted to try to fatty pork dishes but didn’t have the fat was just too much.
Rainbow Cafe: good all around hearty food. Cheap eats but a local favorite
Zippy’s: The spaghetti is amazing and a definite must. The Loco Moco surprisingly wasn’t all that great. The Portuguese sausage is well…..sausage so a must.
Big Island
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.
