Must do's when I visit the Big Island. (Hilo, Waipio: rental car, rental)

[crosscountryski]

Hi

In about a month, I will be heading to the Big Island for 8 nights. I visited this island almost 10-12 years ago before the fear of flying set in. I overcome that fear about a year ago and will tackle the long flight to the Big Island (6 hrs over open water). I will be staying at Kona Coast Resort and I will be renting a car. I have some questions?

1. How does the rental car place work on the island? Do you get your car at the airport or do you take a shuttle to a far away place. I am tossed between enterprise and dollar? Which one is better?

2. How much is a gallon of gas?

3. What are some things that I need to do or visit? I am planning to visit the Volcano National Park and Place of Refuge.

4. Where are some good restaurants to try?

5. Where are some good places to snorkel?

6. Which place has a great luau?

Thanks in advance,
Jennifer

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

First, do some forum searching here for your topics. There was a pretty lengthy thread recently titled "Visiting Big Island in May"

1. Get your car rental reservation immediately. Inventory of rental cars is limited. Go through discounthawaiicarrental.com for the best rates. All of the car rental companies except Enterprise are located at the airport.

2. Gas at Costco is probably the cheapest place on the Kona side. Currently runs about $4.60 a gallon. Otherwise it's $4.80 a gallon or more. Gas on Hilo side runs cheaper.

3. Get the book "Hawaii The Big Island Revealed" for some good entertaining reading. Driving around the island will take you three times longer than you expect because the main highway is narrow and windy and 35 mph in many places. Go to the Waipio Valley in addition to the two places you mentioned and the Black Sand Beach at Punalu'u. Take a tour to the top of Mauna Kea.

4. I like the right side of the Kona Inn for a good meal to watch the sunset. Also Huggos on the Rocks is fun.

5. Two Step next to the Place of Refuge. Kahalu'u Beach Park in Kona.

6. King Kam hotel has a good luau.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by crosscountryski

I will be staying at Kona Coast Resort and I will be renting a car.

Wow, how great that you're moving through your fear!!!

I'll start the ball rolling by answering a few questions, but it will be easier to assist you if you say more about what kinds of things you like. The Big Island has so many different varieties of experience available that almost any taste can be catered to in some way, but without knowing what you like most it's hard to tailor a response.

Also, what dates are you talking about? There are sometimes very special events that are worth mentioning, depending on when you'll be here.

Anyway, to grab a few... figure $4.50 - $4.75 a gallon for gas. It's slightly lower at the moment Hiloside, but that's a good figure for budgeting purposes.

Place of Refuge is close to where you're staying, Volcano National Park is on the other side of the island. The shortest route, going around the south end, is about 100 miles, maybe 3 hours driving time PLUS whatever stops you make along the way. And you should make stops along the way because there are so many interesting things along the route... coffee farms, old general stores, the southernmost point in the 50 states, and my personal "don't miss," the black sand beach at Punalu'u on the lower east coast where the sea turtles come up on shore.

Then for Volcano, see the multiple threads already posted about the park and the village. Here's a recent one.

https://www.city-data.com/forum/big-i...bout-town.html

Personally I'd suggest you book one night at a B&B in Volcano, getting to there from Kona one day, visiting the volcano twice, once in daylight, maybe catching a walk on a rainforest trail, then have a nice dinner, say at the Kilauea Lodge, and return again after dark when the glow of the lava is most readily visible, then the next day head north to Hilo, and then on around the north side of the island.

On the way out of Volcano on the right side is the spectacular Akatsuka Orchid farm, well worth the stop if you like tropical flowers. About Us

On the way into Hilo you can stop and take a tour at the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut company.

In Hilo you'll want to eat at Cafe Pesto, right on the bayfront, one of the distinctive BI eateries.
Cafe Pesto

More later...

[crosscountryski]

Hi

Wow! Thank you so much. I did order the Big Island Revealed book online. It should come sometime this week. I will be arriving around 8:30 pm on June 2 and staying until 4 pm on June 10. It does look like there is a chocolate festival going on somewhere on the Big Island. What else is going on?

When I travel, I am big on seeing new and beautiful things. Sometimes I just love to drive and see what I can find. It is not unusual for me to rack up miles on a car. I just racked up over 600 miles in Phoenix for 1 week on a rental car. I am really interested in snorkeling, taking walks, and shopping. I would like to try horseback riding.

Thanks for the info about the car rental. I thought about going with enterprise but I hate the idea that is not at the airport. That will just add more time to getting the car and dropping it off. I will check that site.

I have opt to stay in Kona for the whole time. I got a great deal on a 1 bedroom condo. Plus when I went last time, I spent 2 nights on the Kona side and 2 nights in the Volcano National Park. I figure if I get up early one morning, I can make it over to the other side and be back to my condo by 11 pm. It will make it a long day. Worst case is that if I get too tired, I can take a nap in the afternoon in my car and stay and watch the lava at night. I did see that last time and it was amazing. They had telescopes set up.

I live in Alaska so the gas prices don't shock me. We are paying about the same as you are. How are the food prices?

Does anyone have any recommendations on tour companies for Mauna Loa. I wanted to see it last time but the rental car company was against it. I had to sign something saying that if I go, I go at my own risk and pay for towing or damages.

Thanks
Jennifer

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

If you are looking for a tour company that goes up to the mountain that has the observatories, then you want Mauna Kea, not Mauna Loa.

Check out the events listed on the home page of a website called Konaweb for activities happening that week.

You might consider going up to Waimea for their farmer's market and then going to Hawi.

[stan4]

What the heck is that DIVINE restaurant we ate at...? Merrimans or something?

Oh, the food was crazy yum!

[AnnieCt]

Originally Posted by stan4

What the heck is that DIVINE restaurant we ate at...? Merrimans or something?

Oh, the food was crazy yum!

I like Merriman's, but I like Roys mo betta!

[terracore]

Originally Posted by crosscountryski

Hi

Wow! Thank you so much. I did order the Big Island Revealed book online. It should come sometime this week. I will be arriving around 8:30 pm on June 2 and staying until 4 pm on June 10. It does look like there is a chocolate festival going on somewhere on the Big Island. What else is going on?

When I travel, I am big on seeing new and beautiful things. Sometimes I just love to drive and see what I can find. It is not unusual for me to rack up miles on a car. I just racked up over 600 miles in Phoenix for 1 week on a rental car. I am really interested in snorkeling, taking walks, and shopping. I would like to try horseback riding.

Thanks for the info about the car rental. I thought about going with enterprise but I hate the idea that is not at the airport. That will just add more time to getting the car and dropping it off. I will check that site.

I have opt to stay in Kona for the whole time. I got a great deal on a 1 bedroom condo. Plus when I went last time, I spent 2 nights on the Kona side and 2 nights in the Volcano National Park. I figure if I get up early one morning, I can make it over to the other side and be back to my condo by 11 pm. It will make it a long day. Worst case is that if I get too tired, I can take a nap in the afternoon in my car and stay and watch the lava at night. I did see that last time and it was amazing. They had telescopes set up.

I live in Alaska so the gas prices don't shock me. We are paying about the same as you are. How are the food prices?

Does anyone have any recommendations on tour companies for Mauna Loa. I wanted to see it last time but the rental car company was against it. I had to sign something saying that if I go, I go at my own risk and pay for towing or damages.

Thanks
Jennifer

There aren't any rental car places at the actual airport, but they are less than 5 minutes away and the shuttles run at least every 15 minutes. Where 'bouts in Alaska are you from? In my voyages I've noticed that the price of gas on the Kona side (except costco) are always just a little more expensive than Alaska and on the Hilo side it fluctuates to being anywhere from just a little cheaper, to the same, to just a little more. It's pretty comparable. But unlike SE Alaska, Hawaii actually has roads so you'll wind up spending more on gas! You might want to consider getting a 4 wheel drive- there are some great places to go that its either recommended or required (the observatory is one of them). And DEFINITELY use the car rental place recommended above. Their prices blow hotwire and and that Shatner place out of the water.

You didn't say what you like to do, but there's the Hilo zoo (its free) and it sort of doubles as a botanical garden. You've probably been through Thurston lava tube but if you want a "real" lava tube, there's Kaumana caves near Hilo (if you are going from the Hilo side to the observatory, it's on the way. Bring sturdy shoes (hiking boots) and three sources of light. It's not a guided tour and not lit). Also the botanical gardens north of Hilo are a fabulous way to spend a day relaxing, especially if you like parrots. Then there's always rainbow falls, akaka falls... really I would have picked the Hilo side to stay in, but that's a personal preference. The only "must see" things on the other side are place of refuge and hapuna beach, IMHO. For eats, on the East side I can recommend Sombat's Fresh Thai Cuisine. It is spectacular. Near the park I can recommend the Lava Rock Cafe in Volcano.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by crosscountryski

It does look like there is a chocolate festival going on somewhere on the Big Island.

Yep, Friday June 8 at Four Seasons Resort, just up the coast from Kona a bit.

Big Island Chocolate Festival > Home


06/03/2012

Location: Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park Kahuku Unit - Hwy 11 between mile markers 70 & 71
Time: 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Fee Information: $50.00 for friends members - $70.00 for non-members - Students are half price (K-12 and college with valid student ID)
Contact Name: Friends of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
Contact Email: institute@fhvnp.org
Contact Phone Number: 808-985-7373

Help us celebrate National Trails Day®! Join park ranger John Stallman for a guided interpretive walk along a new loop trail at Kahuku. This four-mile roundtrip trek through the scenic highland pastures offers participants a sneak preview of the Kona Trail, which is not yet open to the general public. Excellent bird-watching opportunities abound, plus learn about the natural and cultural heritage of this special place. Cost per person is $50 for Friends members and $70 for non-members. Students (K-12 and college with valid student ID) are half-price. Non-members are welcome to join the non-profit Friends group in order to get the member discount. To add your name to the wait list, call the Friends of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park at (808) 985-7373 or email institute@fhvnp.org.

[crosscountryski]

Hi

I checked the website for the car rental. It was actually higher than going directly with the company. I ended up booking through Dollar and paid $111 for 8 days. Not bad.

I live in Valdez, AK. I am in the process of moving back to the lower 48 and decided to make a detour to Hawaii. By the time, I get to my new home, my car should arrive. I figure it was a good way to kill a week and a half while waiting for my car to arrive.

I need to make sure that I print this out and take it with me. Lots of great ideas. I can't wait to go back to Roy's. Went there on my last two trips and had a amazing but expensive dinner.

I am big on any water activities. I will probably be in the water alot. I am most likely going to take a tour up to Mauna Kea. I have asthma. It is fairly controlled unless I get sick or come down with a cold. If I am well, is it ok for me to go to Mauna Kea as long as I bring the inhaler. How long do the tours spend at the 14,000 mark before going back down to 9,000.

Thanks
Jennifer