Adventures on the Big Island

Would This Trip Remain Just A Dream?

Yes, I know that's not a picture of Hawaii. It is a picture of my favorite city ever, San Francisco. Wait, I thought this was a post about Hawaii? It is, just bear with me for one second (ok maybe two). Despite all its issues, the San Francisco Bay Area boasts some of the most gorgeous natural beauty in the United States (yes, I'm a bit partial). Although I was born in Southern California, for the most part I grew up a little over three and a half hours away in Redding. I frequently visited San Francisco as a child and young adult. There is no place that will ever have such an impact on me as the bay area. And although it's not the exact beginning of this trip, it is where I was, when I made the decision that we would really board that plane and head to Hawaii. Sounds overly dramatic doesn't it? Sort of. To explain, my dad, just the day before, had his very first round of chemo. I wasn't sure I would be comfortable being so far away from him if he wasn't doing well. So I called him that evening after we landed and he assured me he was "ok" so I made the decision it would be safe to continue on our journey.

Pinch Me We're At The Airport

We took the shuttle to the airport arriving fairly early. We were able to obtain upgraded boarding positions with Southwest receiving A2 and A3. Whoohoo, ample leg room and uninterrupted sleeps, and bathroom breaks without disturbing others... front row baby!

As our flight took off from Oakland International Airport we flew over the city of San Francisco for the very first time. I mean my trip is already off to a wonderful start. In my entire life, I have never flown over the city of San Francisco despite my many flights in and out of SF. I'm five minutes into my flight and already excited beyond belief! And being able to see the Golden Gate Bridge from the air as well as the Farallon Islands. Such breathtaking beauty and we're just getting started!

Here we are five hours into our flight. Wait, is that land? Are we almost there? Could it be? Oh beautiful Hawaii! Seeing waves crash on the beach from the air was so cool. So far it was breathtaking and I've only had a small glimpse of the beauty. We were finally in paradise.

DAY 1

We left the airport in Oakland at 8:00 am. We arrived in Hawaii around 11:00 am so we had some time to kill before we could check into our Airbnb at 3:00. Of course, by the time we got our luggage and rental car we had a little less time.

We decided to check out a place near our Airbnb. So we headed to Puu Waawaa Cinder Cone State Park. Wow, the views from here are nothing short of spectacular. The landscape is quite unique - though and not at all what I expected. There are lava fields everywhere. Some places the lava fields look (and probably are) untouched. It's like stepping back in time. We did a small amount of hiking and looking around. Finally, the time to check in arrived, so we put the Airbnb address in our GPS and drove off to see where we'd be spending the next two nights.

Our place was an attached mother-in-law suite with a full kitchen, private bathroom and bedroom. The views from here were also amazing. Maybe even more beautiful than the last place (I'll be saying that alot). We settled in and decided to head but where else, the beach!

Wow! The beach is gorgeous. The black volcanic soil is a sharp contrast to the gorgeous crystal clear water. I think we spent a few hours here just trying to take in all the beauty around us. We were getting tired as the jet-lag was starting to hit hard. So we went to the local Costco to buy some food and snacks and then headed back to our Airbnb for the night.

Day 2

We took the morning to check out the Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation since it wasn't all that far from where we were staying. Erik loves coffee, which he should since we roast our own. We were excited to take our first coffee plantation tour and sample 100% Kona Coffee. If you have never tried Kona coffee, it's a must - such rich, smooth flavor. During our tour of the plantation we met the resident cat, was able to enjoy the sights of many neat and unique plants as well as a lava tube and see the coffee beans growing.

Our next adventure would be a fairly vigorous hike to the Captain Cook Monument. We had read that the monument boasts some of the best snorkeling areas on the Big Island so of course we had to check it out. It was hot and humid and I think I was still experiencing some jet lag. We started out walking through incredibly tall brush that eventually opened up to a mostly sunny and rough trail. It was difficult. Two, well-built guys from Seattle passed us like we were two turtles. Erik and I made it about two miles, slightly over half of the near four mile trail, before turning around. I decided I couldn't do the hike. As we headed back to the car the Seattle guys passed us again also headed to the beginning of the trail. I felt defeated and disappointed in myself, that is until we asked them if they made it to the end of the trail. To our surprise they said no because it was too hot and difficult. Wait, my out of shape body wasn't the only one who couldn't finish this hike? Justification! Ha! I needed to rest up for our next adventure and couldn't wait to get back to cool off and take a power nap!

Manta Ray Nighttime Snorkel

Only our second snorkeling adventure ever, I was a bit nervous. I had a difficult time snorkeling during my first experience in Costa Rica. Those fins didn't help me at all and actually hindered my swimming ability. I wasn't sure what to expect. Would I get eaten by a shark? Would the boat most certainly leave me behind if I couldn't swim in the dark? We suited up in our wet suits which by the way we both learned why they are not called dry suits (duh). 10:00 pm arrived and all six of us boarded the boat and headed out into the darkness. I was so nervous I barely said two words. We were the last and only boat out on the water at this point. No other lights were on the ocean except us. I looked up and was mesmerized by the crystal clear sky and the millions of stars abundantly visible. I was in awe and got lost in the moment but then here we are, we arrived at our destination. We all jumped in the water and swam to the man-made float awaiting us. They turned on the neon blue light to attract the plankton that the manta rays feed on. We waited. Nothing. A few small fish, lots of plankton but no manta ray. Ten minutes passed, nothing. Then suddenly out of nowhere a manta ray. We were all excited, but thought we were going to experience them a little closer and they would appear a little bigger. What?!!! Another manta ray, swam up, almost against our faces. It was massive. This 1,200 pound manta ray appeared right in front of us, brushing ever so gently against us. It was a magical, life changing moment. We headed back to the dock, changed our clothes drove back to the Airbnb. I was so pumped with adrenaline that I could have stayed up all night, except that I was actually exhausted. With a smile on my face, I fell fast asleep.

Day 3

Today is the day that we check into the hotel. I booked five nights at the Sheraton Resort and Spa at Keahou Bay. I had five suite night rewards with Marriott to use and thought what better place to try them out than Hawaii. We were not disappointed. We checked in and I was greeted as a VIP. We received our shell Leis, and by far the biggest room at the hotel because we were upgraded to a two-room, two-bathroom suite. Our room was easily the size of or even bigger than our house. The best part of this room? It was the ground floor where we could walk out to the path right in front with gorgeous ocean views. The patio was spectacular. I felt like the most special person on the planet. It was perfect! We even received a special gift from the hotel to celebrate our 15 year anniversary (even though it was a bit early).

Punalu'u Black Sand Beach

Do you know how much I love sea turtles? Well if you don't you might now. I'm not a fan of most reptiles and amphibians, but I love sea turtles. And I was beyond excited for our next adventure to find sea turtles on the beach. We drove to Punalu'u Black Sand Beach. I had read that this was the best place to see the sea turtles sunbathing. It did not disappoint. There were several turtles hanging out on the beach soaking up as much sun as they could. They were roped off so that people would not disturb their resting grounds so we were unable to get too close. The beach was so beautiful with the jet black sand set against the turquoise water.

We headed back to attend our first Luau. I was looking forward to this so much! Of all the things we did though, this had to be the most disappointing event. It was ridiculously crowded. It took well over an hour to get checked in and had I known how many people would really be at the Luau I would have paid for the upgrade to sit closer to the front. The food was just ok, surprisingly not my favorite. The performance was wonderful, the best part of the experience. However we still had a lovely time and enjoyed another gorgeous sunset.

Day 4

We decided to get an early start heading off to Papakolea Beach. One of only four green sand beaches in the world this beach is not an easy feat. It's a three mile trek to the beach on flat, open land. There are no trees to offer a break from the scorching sun or block the constant wind. You can pay the locals to drive you to the beach but even that is a rough ride. I wouldn't recommend driving your rental car here and there's a reason they warn you not to take your rental car on this "road." The trail contains large boulders, deep ruts and difficult terrain even for a four-wheel enabled vehicle. The walk was long, hot and exhausting but once you're greeted with the majestic view of the beach it is all worth it. Ah, then reality hits and you have a three mile walk back. After we completed this hike, I was ready to head back to the hotel and soak my aching, sore body in the pool. Another amazing experience complete.

Arriving back at the hotel it was time to relax at the pool.

Day 5

Volcanoes National Park

Today we drove to Volcanoes National Park. The drive was beautiful, but of course I would expect nothing less. Some of the areas we passed through just didn't feel like Hawaii. We saw jaw dropping cliffs along the way that I believe could rival Ireland. We were able to walk out to the edge of the and look straight down. Large cracks in the lava from decades ago made some cliffs unstable and unsafe but it was a photo op not to be missed.

We arrived early to an already bustling park. We started out walking through fields of steam vents. Some vents you were able to get close enough to actually feel the heat, others you could just get a whiff of sulfur. We saw the Kilauea crater from a distance and many, many other craters of various ages. We were looking forward to walking through the Thurston lava tube but it was closed due to unsafe conditions and volcanic activity. It really was like walking through a history textbook. Even though we were not able to do the Kilauea Iki Crater hike because of the crowds that's ok. I intend on coming back to this out of this world place.

Before we left, we stopped at one of the many gift stores in the park to pick up a few souvenirs. We found a Hawaiian shirt made by "Two Palms" so of course we had to take a picture and tell all our friends that we had our own clothing line in Hawaii. Ha Ha!

We wanted to take advantage of our patio so after arriving back at the hotel we sat out in the lounge chairs and just took in the amazing view. I just happened to spot water spouts and could see whales out in the distance - oh my! How amazing that I didn't even need to take a boat tour to see them. This is a dream come true.

Day 6

The Other Side.

We wanted to hunt waterfalls and what better place to do that than Hawaii. Most people, including us stay on the "touristy" Kona side. Kona is dry and doesn't receive nearly as much rain and why it is the more popular side to visit. But if you were to skip the other side - Hilo, you would be missing so many stunning places and the tropical atmosphere that you expect from Hawaii.

Our first waterfall was Akaka Falls located inside the Akaka Falls State Park. This waterfall is a fairly easy walk to a stunningly tall waterfall. A soothing and mesmerizing walk through a tropical rainforest. You can't help but constantly stop to try to take in all the beauty. Bonus: there are a few other tiny waterfalls that just add to the beauty.

Pe'epe'e Falls

These falls were probably the least impressive as far as height goes, but still beautiful and a must see.

The last falls we visited was Rainbow Falls. Probably the easiest waterfall to get to because they are a short walk from a parking lot. An impressive and gorgeous waterfall awaits discovery.

Day 7

Island Hoping to Oahu.

I got such a good price on airfare we were able to island hop and take a day trip to Oahu. I had always wanted to see Pearl Harbor and when I planned this trip, this was actually the one thing I was looking forward to most of all. We got up early to catch our flight. Surprisingly it was not a crowded flight - a mere 25 of us. Forty-five minutes in the air and we are already here.

We picked up our rental car which just so happened to be a convertible Beetle. Of course, it rained so we couldn't truly enjoy the convertible aspect. We ventured off to Pearl Harbor. I read the directions multiple times. I read all the warnings that said don't take a certain exit because you'll wind up on the base and be turned around. Of course, what did I do - I missed my exit and wound up attempting to enter the marine base on Pearl Harbor. I was politely but quickly escorted out. I finally found my way and arrived at the Pearl Harbor Memorial. We picked up our tickets and headed over to the line to the U.S.S. Arizona. About 50 of us were shuffled into the theater to watch a short fifteen-minute video about the history of that day. We all sat in stunned silence and when the movie was over quietly exited ready to board the boat to Pearl Harbor.

We took the quick ride over to the U.S.S. Arizona. We were instructed as we disembarked to not stop for photos - that we could take them on the way out. As we exited, another group lined up to leave. The overwhelming somber mood was unfortunately broken up by the loud group that was talking and laughing. I was a bit taken back by what I felt was disrespectful actions of others, but I didn't let it ruin my experience. Definitely a must do. I will always be grateful for the sacrifice of so many.

We had lunch near the Pearl Harbor Historic Site and then headed off to visit the lighthouses of Oahu. Our first lighthouse was Barber's Point Lighthouse. The beach here was remarkably empty of people. The road to this lighthouse was through a heavy industrial and dirty area. We arrived at the park but didn't see the lighthouse. We walked out to the beach and noticed in the distance the lighthouse peeked out among the trees. A beautiful walk on white sand and rugged rock. The contrast between this beach and the Big Island was night and day.

Our next stop, Diamond Head Lighthouse. Certainly not short on beauty either.

We wanted to visit one more lighthouse on the island, but due to the time it would take us to drive there and back and the hike required we decided to pass on this visit. So we headed back to the airport in an attempt to catch an early flight back. We were successful in getting on an earlier flight back to Kona. And enjoyed a stunning sunset from the air.

Since this was our last night in Kona, we decided to take advantage of the restaurant at the hotel. We ended our night with drinks and dessert, packed up and was ready to head out in the morning.

Day 8

Paradise Is About To End.

We got up and decided to walk around and explore the hotel grounds, something we had not yet done. We walked around and enjoyed the views as we prepared to say goodbye to this amazing place.

Goodbye Hawaii. You stole part of my heart. I love you and can't wait to come back.

Until next time...

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