Hawaii - Critical View and Suggestions on our trip

Gang,

Suprising my partner with a two week trip to the Hawaiian Islands at the end of November... anniversary trip... and he has never been to Hawaii.

Want to make the most of the trip... and do some unique things.

But do not want to break the bank... actually using up miles/points this trip.

Travelling on first class awards.. and would love to be able to use my Hilton (Diamond) and Marriott (Gold) points whenever possible on this trip. Any hotel suggestions/condo/other accomodations appreciated.

Would appreciate any suggestions and critiques....

Arriving in Hilo late on November 18th.

Will be staying on the Hilo side for four nights leaving on Nov 22. I love the Hilo side. Will want to do Volcano National Park, stargazing at Mauna Kea and just generally explore. Any other suggestions?

On Nov 22, will travel around the southern part of the island over to Kona.

No idea what to do on that side of the island... so suggest away!

Do want to have a great Thanksgiving Dinner experience.

On Nov 25, will fly to Mau around 3 pm.

No plans whatsoever.

On Nov 28, will fly to HNL around 11 am.

Have to do Pearl Harbor... he is former Colombian military officer... so wants to see that. Nothing else planned.

Fly out on Dec 1 in the evening.


I know I am not giving lots to critique... wanted to hit three islands... to maximize the time there....

We have an SUV on the Big Island... but no cars booked for the other islands.

Thanks,

WIlliam

To use your points/status --

We've stayed at the Marriott Waikiki several times over the years. View determines room pricing. Two towers front and back. Two nice pools and across the street from beach.

Right behind Marriott on Kuhio St. is Hilton Waikiki (formerly Hilton Prince Kuhio). Newly redecorated 3 years ago. Nice rooms. 2 long blocks from ocean. Roof top pool -- blah. Cheaper because not beach front. We stayed there one time to use points It was o.k.

Hilton Hawaiian Village is further down past Waikiki main beach, but still walkable. Large property. Large bay front beach area and small lagoon. Several pools.

There is also a Marriott Courtyard Waikiki but several blocks in from beach and smaller property.

There is also a Doubletree Hilton hotel in the Ala Moana marina area.

No need for car if you stay Waikiki of course, you can easily walk to a large selection of restaurants, bars, clubs.

On Nov 28, will fly to HNL around 11 am.

Have to do Pearl Harbor... he is former Colombian military officer... so wants to see that. Nothing else planned.

Fly out on Dec 1 in the evening.


You might want to combine a drive around Tantalus and Round Top Drive with a stop at Punchbowl--the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Pali Highway is a fun drive to Kailua--great beach town. Also nice to continue up the windward coast and around to Haleiwa then back through the pineapple fields. Lots of beaches and stops along the way. It would be a shame to miss the North Shore.

I am crazy about the snorkelling at mauna lani. The reef is so vibrant and healthy. Saw what seemed like over 10,000 fish in an hour. I often try to day dream about snorkelling there...

On the Kona side, just hang at the Hilton Waikoloa Village for the three days. I love the water slides. I'm like a 10 year old there. The little boat and/or train trips between towers are fun. The spa is nice - get massages and smell like coco mango for the rest of the day. If you're bored, you could just drive north. It's pretty. :)

OH... will not be hanging out... love to explore... and my partner has never been there.

Hate to say it... I always find the Kona side to be more "boring" than the Hilo side.

Perhaps we will do the Mauna Kea stargazing one evening while in Kona... and my partner wants to dive one day... so have to schedule carefully since we fly to Maui from Kona.

I do love the Village... might have to use points for that.... hope they will treat a Diamond well. I had no status the last time I stayed there.

OH... will not be hanging out... love to explore... and my partner has never been there.

Hate to say it... I always find the Kona side to be more "boring" than the Hilo side.

Perhaps we will do the Mauna Kea stargazing one evening while in Kona... and my partner wants to dive one day... so have to schedule carefully since we fly to Maui from Kona.

I do love the Village... might have to use points for that.... hope they will treat a Diamond well. I had no status the last time I stayed there.

That's why I suggested hanging out - there isn't much to do on that side (but just saying that will bring out all the people who like to disagree with me and should net you some good suggestions! ;)).

I hope so.... had planned on four nights on the Hilo side (not getting in until 9 pm) and then three nights on the Kona side.

I love just driving around.... and testing out all the different Shave Ice.... ah.... Shave Ice...

Any favorites on Shave Ice? :)

As you probably already know, there are no points eligible hotels in Hilo.
Here are 3 good B&B's / Inns:

Close to the Natl. park:
http://www.kilauealodge.com/
In Hilo:
http://www.hilo-hawaii.com/
Up the Hamakua Coast:
http://www.palmscliffhouse.com

Re: Kona side...
If you stay Waikoloa area, here is a nice day out I just sent friends on.
They wanted the helicopter tour with the volcanoes, and were not staying in Hilo. Alternatively you could just do the helicopter tour from Hilo airport for less $.


Pack a swimsuit, towel, etc., hiking shoes, water bottle, sunglasses, camera, toilet paper, change of clothes if necessary.

AM leave the resort and head uphill to get to Hwy 19, drive north 1/2 mile Queen Kahumanu Highway (Highway 19), arriving at the Blue Hawaiian Helicopters in time for your tour. Helicopter place is on the right side just.

After the tour, proceed north again up the coast on the Queen K highway. You will arrive at the T-junction near the town of Kawaihae. A right turn is Highway 19 continuing to Waimea, left turn takes you to Kawaihae and keeps you on the western coast. Go to the left, this is Highway 270. Another approx 1/2 mile is a fork, the left is a dead end at the small boat ramp and a shopping center (on right) If you are hungry for lunch, there is a good place to eat there called Cafe Pesto. If not so hungry yet, just take the right fork to stay on Hwy 270 North.

If you did eat lunch here, the back upper side of the shopping center also connects to Hwy 270, just turn left out of that upper parking area, or back track the 200 yards on the lower road and turn a hard left to get back on Hwy 270.

Take a leisurely drive north along the coast (Hwy 270), keep an eye out for the early arrivals of humpbacks just offshore. Eventually the road will arrive in Hawi town. If you did not eat lunch at Cafe Pesto, you can eat lunch in Hawi at a good place called "Bamboo". They have an art gallery upstairs that has my work & lots of other good stuff. Lots of good art galleries in Hawi.

After stopping in Hawi, continue onward on Hwy 270 thru Kapaau (curvy roads) until you reach the end, a scenic overlook of the North coast of the Big Island. Below you is Pololu Valley.
There is a wide, safe trail that switches back & forth down to the valley below and the beach. Its a nice walk and not super hard if you take your time coming back up. Several good photo options here on the trail. The trees behind the beach are old ironwoods, and nice & shady with ocean breeze.

After you have finished with the Pololu Valley, re-trace your route back to Hawi town. There is a nice ice cream / coffee shop across the street from Bamboo if you need to have a pit stop.
Rather than drive back the same way from Hawi, I would suggest you take a different route (Hwy 250) from central Hawi that goes up over the top of Kohala Mountain to Waimea. Very scenic and very different part of Hawaii. The road is curvy so take your time. As the road descends there are several scenic pullouts to stop and take in the view. Hwy 250 eventually meets up with Hwy 19 just below Waimea, you would turn right and head down hill back to the junction with Hwy 19 & Hwy 270 (near Kawaihae) to complete the loop.

When you get to that junction, turn left (Hwy 19) and you will be retracing your route south towards Waikoloa. Just a couple miles ahead, is the sign to Hapuna Beach Park (on right). I would recommend a stop here to have a nice walk on the beach and a swim. There is public beach access, bathrooms, outdoor fresh water showers, so you can rinse off, freshen up, change clothes here. There is decent snorkeling at the far north end of the beach along the rocky shore below the resort. There is even better snorkeling at the north end of the beach at the Mauna Lani. All of these resorts have a public access, and public parking.

From Hapuna, you are only about 20 minutes away from Waikoloa. Be sure to get a reservation for dinner at Sansei. If not you can always eat at the bar. To get to the restaurant, drive south on Hwy 19 again, and after you pass Blue Hawaiian Helicopters (on left) you will take the next right into the Waikoloa Resort area. Take the Waikoloa Road toward the ocean and the first shopping center on the left is the Queen Shops. Sansei is in there at the nearest end. Amazing creative sushi.

Any favorites on Shave Ice? :)

The best of all--lilikoi with vanilla ice cream.

Since you'll be on the Kona side, a drive through coffee country is always good--hmmm Kona v Colombian coffee. ;) The Painted Church is certainly worth a stop--very sincere. And there's The Place of Refuge with the awesome name--Pu'uhonua o Honaunau. The pork chops at the Manago are legendary, and so is the coffee, all very inexpensive. On the way from Hilo to Kona, grab some malasadas at Tex Drive In, if you don't already make that stop! We love Hapuna Beach--the ocean goes on forever. Sunsets are fabulous on the Kohala coast.

A couple of restaurants worth eating at Kona side:

There is a new Sam Choy's Kai Lani. Its in the Keahou shopping center, at the corner of Alii and Kamehameha III Rd.

http://www.samchoy.com/

In Kailua Kona town, we like to eat at the Kona Brewery. Good pizzas and salads. Lots of different beers.

http://konabrewingco.com/pubs/kona-pub-brewery/

In the Kings Shops at Waikoloa, we eat lunch a lot at Merriman's Cafe, and there's always Roy's for dinner.

The best of all--lilikoi with vanilla ice cream.


Root beer shave ice w/ vanilla ice cream is pretty good too!

A couple of restaurants worth eating at Kona side:

There is a new Sam Choy's Kai Lani. Its in the Keahou shopping center, at the corner of Alii and Kamehameha III Rd.



Please promise it's not anything like the Sam Choy selections on AA. ;)

Please promise it's not anything like the Sam Choy selections on AA. ;)

You tell me. Don't fly AA.
Here is the website with link to menus:
http://www.samchoy.com/index.html