|
|
|
|
| Author |
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Hinsdale, IL
Posts: 3,428
|
The Big Island
Anybody been? What to do? What to see? Should we rent a car?
My girlfriend and I are going for 6 days in a few weeks. Staying at the Fairmont Orchid. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks |
||
02-26-2014, 03:19 PM
|
|
|
Registered
|
Basically two different islands in one. Dry side (Kona) and wet side (Hilo). Worth it to rent a car and drive the whole island. Have a drink at the southernmost bar in the US (Shaka Restaurant - Naalehu, HI | Yelp). Check out the Hilton Waikoloa Village. The place is a trip.
|
||
|
02-26-2014, 03:35 PM
|
|
|
Just thinking out loud
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Close by
Posts: 6,885
|
Just for this time only, allow her to pay.
__________________
83 944 91 FJ80 84 Ram Charger (now gone) |
||
|
02-26-2014, 03:43 PM
|
|
|
Information Junky
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: an island, upper left coast, USA
Posts: 73,189
|
Yes on the car.
Do NOT freak out when you drive from the airport, seeing only barren landscape - The airport is on a relatively new lava flow.
__________________
Everyone you meet knows something you don't. - - - and a whole bunch of crap that is wrong. Disclaimer: the above was 2¢ worth. More information is available as my professional opinion, which is provided for an exorbitant fee. 
|
||
|
02-26-2014, 03:49 PM
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Mid-life crisis, could be anywhere
Posts: 10,382
|
You must rent a car. Couldn't imagine being trapped at a resort for a week. Lots to explore on the big island, including Volcanoes National Park.
__________________
'95 993 C4 Cabriolet Bunch of motorcycles |
||
|
02-26-2014, 03:50 PM
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 51
|
Go down into Waipio valley
|
||
|
02-26-2014, 03:54 PM
|
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Mid-life crisis, could be anywhere
Posts: 10,382
|
Cars have been expensive lately in Hawaii. Check Costco.com and here: discounthawaiicarrental.com
__________________
'95 993 C4 Cabriolet Bunch of motorcycles |
||
|
02-26-2014, 03:57 PM
|
|
|
G'day!
|
When I went to Moorea, I rented a moped and was able to cruise the entire island........no problem, brah.
__________________
Old dog....new tricks..... |
||
|
02-26-2014, 04:00 PM
|
|
|
least common denominator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: San Pedro,CA
Posts: 22,506
|
Must see the volcano!
__________________
Gary Fisher 29er 2019 Kia Stinger 2.0t gone  1995 Miata Sold 1984 944 Sold I am not lost for I know where I am, however where I am is lost. - Winnie the poo. |
||
|
02-26-2014, 04:04 PM
|
|
|
non-whiner
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Slightly right of center
Posts: 5,235
|
I would say to stay at volcano house, but I believe the volcano ate it.
Oh, oh, update. It was rebuilt. Definitely stay there. Never again will you get such an awesome view of an active volcano.
__________________
"Too much is just enough." |
||
|
02-26-2014, 04:14 PM
|
|
|
Edministrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: SF east bay
Posts: 24,763
|
Something like 4 or the world's 5 major climate zones exist on the big island. Go to the top of Mauna Kea where the Keck Observatory is, you can also ski on that mountain. The volcano for sure, golf, lava, Hilo, Kona, different color sand beaches, there's a lot there. We rode on horseback on one of the cattle ranches and spooked cattle- that was fun!
__________________
Good post? Leave a tip! O - $1 O - $2 O - $3 |
||
|
02-26-2014, 04:21 PM
|
|
|
Information Junky
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: an island, upper left coast, USA
Posts: 73,189
|
6 days is not a lot of time there - it's a Big island. (surprise)
Where you are staying should be very dry and out of the vog (volcanic fog) You'll be fairly close to the Four Seasons (great spot for dinner) https://www.google.com/maps/@19.829516,-155.991307,3a,75y,144.69h,86.38t/data=!3m5!1e1!3m3!1sANpPhW0Za64AAAAAAAADow!2e0!3e1 1 So many options. What do you want to do there?
__________________
Everyone you meet knows something you don't. - - - and a whole bunch of crap that is wrong. Disclaimer: the above was 2¢ worth. More information is available as my professional opinion, which is provided for an exorbitant fee.
Last edited by island911; 02-26-2014 at 05:34 PM.. |
||
|
02-26-2014, 05:31 PM
|
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Colorado
Posts: 128
|
Go to Waimea one day to eat and drink here: http://www.bigislandbrewhaus.com
__________________
'79 SC Targa, Casablanca Beige Metallic (a/k/a Gold) |
||
|
02-26-2014, 05:38 PM
|
|
|
Registered
|
Well I had a big reply typed out and then my MacBook pro crashed...again. I will respond tomorrow from my work computer...a Win7 box.
|
||
|
02-26-2014, 05:48 PM
|
|
|
Driver
|
I used the Hawaii Revealed Hawaii Revealed | The Ultimate Travel and Vacation Guidebooks tourbook (there's a different one for each of the islands) on my trip, and must admit that almost everything I did was pretty accurately described in the book.
You must have a car. The island is about the size of Connecticut. I don't think you'll be happy stuck in one place the entire time. There's so much to see. I regret not having done the Waipio Valley as someone advised above. But then again, the vacation's only so many days long. It's the only Hawaiian Island with no beaches. Well, not literally. But your image of Hawaii is probably an island surrounded by Waikiki-type white sand beaches (and some black and pink and green). The Big Island has those, but it's a lot of black lava rock.
__________________
1987 Venetian Blue (looks like grey) 930 Coupe 1990 Black 964 C2 Targa |
||
|
02-26-2014, 06:10 PM
|
|
|
Band.
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 13,328
|
If you're a diver, do the Big Island Divers Manta Ray dive.
Last time I rented a car and drove From Prince Hapuna beach hotel all the way around the north side to Hilo and back and saw most of the things recommended above. Lots of fun!
__________________
1983 SC Coupe 1963 BMW R60/2 1972 Triumph Tiger 1995 Triumph Daytona SuperIII |
||
|
02-26-2014, 06:55 PM
|
|
|
Banned
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: The Wet Side
Posts: 5,675
|
Been there twice, once for honeymoon (did not see much of island, LOL) and once with the kids and my mother along. Kona coast (dry) is great for snorkeling and seeing fish/turtles, and there are plenty of calm bays to do that. We all did a whole day just snorkeling. We also spent a whole day at Volcanoes National Park. And that wasn't enough. I hiked my ass off there. And loved it. We visited coffee and mac nut plantations, ate sashimi in Hilo, visited Waimea - the whole trip was pretty damn cool. And because we had a 6-hour layover in Honolulu, we went to Pearl Harbor and went to the Arizona Memorial. That was almost worth the trip in and of itself.
|
||
|
02-26-2014, 07:00 PM
|
|
|
Control Group
|
snorkeling and the volcano kept me happy, couple of cool waterfalls as I recall.
__________________
She was the kindest person I ever met |
||
|
02-26-2014, 08:38 PM
|
|
|
....
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 18,806
|
Rent a jeep and explore!
__________________
dolor et pavor Copyright |
||
|
02-26-2014, 08:53 PM
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: BIG ISLAND
Posts: 231
|
Lots to do on the Big Island just depends how adventures you are, rental car mandatory you will be driving everywhere unless you just stay at the resort. Start going online, look at you tube vids of the island plot and plan your visit. There is a book called Hawaii the Big Island Revealed has a lot of great info and places to go. Try and get it before you go. You really don't have alot of time to see it all been here over twenty years and still haven't seen it all. Aloha Ted
__________________
HAWAIIPCAR 75 911 S |
||
|
02-27-2014, 12:38 AM
|
|
1979 Porsche 911SC 3.0
1964 Porsche 356 C Sunroof coupe
1972 Porsche 914 2.0 fuel injected
1983 Porsche 911 SC Targa
Work vehicle
Carrera
2003 996
04 Jeep
Ducati
1987 Porsche 930 3.3T
2004 Mazda Miata
