Jamie and I hadn't been to Hawaii since our honeymoon back in 2001. It was finally time to return with the kids so we went to the Big Island for a short trip during their Spring break. We stayed at a condo at Waikoloa Village on the west end of the island. Though we were only on the island for six days we were able to pack in many activities including visiting beaches and seeing wildlife both on land and in the ocean.
One day we did a long drive around the Southern end of the island. Stops included South Point, the most Southern part of the U.S. and the tasty Punalu'u Bake Shop. Our main goal was Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park. It was unfortunately very rainy and foggy when we got there so we were unable to see much of anything of the Kilauea volcano. It was even raining inside the lava tubes. After the park we returned back to the condo along the island's central Saddle Road to Mauna Kea with hopes of seeing some stars. Unfortunately the clouds persisted and we only got a brief view of the night sky before being blocked completely.
We did more driving on our final day which included the scenic Pu'uhonua O Hōnaunau Park. This historical park, also known as Place of Refuge, had Hawaiian archeological sites nestled among palm trees and ocean views which made for a very beautiful visit.
Our trip ended too quickly and we were soon on a red eye flight back home. It was an enjoyable trip, but way too short. We'd love to return, but it will need to be for at least a week to properly take in the Hawaiian ambiance.
Beaches