Big Island

Post by **AntiM** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 5:55 pm

So me and mylarry will be playing tourist to the hilt in Kona the first week of May. Yes, we'll miss the regional. Any suggestions of what to do, where to go, who to harass?

bobfj40 · Post by **bobfj40** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 8:11 pm

Well i have no Idea what to do but some of my firends and I are going to the big island the first week of june. Koas and I are camping for the first cupple of days and then we share a condo but other than that we have no plans so i expect a full report from you when you get back.
;) Have fun.
Bob

Post by **AntiM** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 7:22 am

We're staying in a condo the whole week (I have a Trendwest ownership from pre-burning man days) so camping info will not be forthcoming. Heck, I haven't been to Big Island since 1969. I bet things have changed! No plans here either, although we do want to catch a nice big touristy luau.

pinemom · Post by **pinemom** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 8:35 am

AntiM on tribe look up "the Shire" Thats the area they throw the Rebirth on...but Its a organic farming community of like minded...I joined on tribe, so when Titwi and I go back we have some friends to find!

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 8:38 am

AntiM wrote:We're staying in a condo the whole week (I have a Trendwest ownership from pre-burning man days) so camping info will not be forthcoming. Heck, I haven't been to Big Island since 1969. I bet things have changed! No plans here either, although we do want to catch a nice big touristy luau.

\/
I have not been back sence 1958.. I was told by friends not to.. That I would only be disapointed..

Post by **AntiM** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 9:02 am

Well, I would like to go as an adult instead of a shy 13 year old. It is our 20th anniversary (last Feb) and he's never been. 20 years in the Navy and he never hit Hawaii. I lived in/near freakin' Ewa Beach, so I'm not too big on Oahu.

We're basically going to hang out, be tourists, drink and screw. Like Burning Man with less fire, more beach, and a credit card.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 11:08 am

AntiM wrote:Well, I would like to go as an adult instead of a shy 13 year old. It is our 20th anniversary (last Feb) and he's never been. 20 years in the Navy and he never hit Hawaii. I lived in/near freakin' Ewa Beach, so I'm not too big on Oahu.

We're basically going to hang out, be tourists, drink and screw. Like Burning Man with less fire, more beach, and a credit card.

\/
Could take a boat over to Ford island to pay respects to our fall navy boys..

MikeVDS · Post by **MikeVDS** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 4:16 pm

I've never been and I'm heading that way soon too. I'll check out that tribe.

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:31 am

unjonharley wrote:
AntiM wrote:Well, I would like to go as an adult instead of a shy 13 year old. It is our 20th anniversary (last Feb) and he's never been. 20 years in the Navy and he never hit Hawaii. I lived in/near freakin' Ewa Beach, so I'm not too big on Oahu.

We're basically going to hang out, be tourists, drink and screw. Like Burning Man with less fire, more beach, and a credit card.

\/
Could take a boat over to Ford island to pay respects to our fall navy boys..

Um, wrong part of hawaii.

dr.placebo · Post by **dr.placebo** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 3:17 pm

I'm a Big Island fan. I'm partial to the Hilo side, although I'm not a Kona-hater.

My favorite spot is Kilauea. It does not matter whether you cruise the caldera or go down to see the lava (erupting since 1983) or just hike around. Roughly 90% of the surface of Kilauea is less than 1000 years old, so the very earth is new. It's a bit of a drive from Kona (1.5-2.5 hours each way, depending on where in Kona you are), but there is great scenery in between, so it's quite bearable.

When I get going I can generate far more information than would be reasonable for this list. Let me know if I should open the flood gates.

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 3:24 pm

dr.placebo wrote:I'm a Big Island fan. I'm partial to the Hilo side, although I'm not a Kona-hater.

My favorite spot is Kilauea. It does not matter whether you cruise the caldera or go down to see the lava (erupting since 1983) or just hike around. Roughly 90% of the surface of Kilauea is less than 1000 years old, so the very earth is new. It's a bit of a drive from Kona (1.5-2.5 hours each way, depending on where in Kona you are), but there is great scenery in between, so it's quite bearable.

When I get going I can generate far more information than would be reasonable for this list. Let me know if I should open the flood gates.

I hiked the crater when I was a kid, have the cool Pele certificate and everything. Kona just happened to be where the resort is, and hey, it is paid for so why go elsewhere? I scoff at 2.5 hour drives, I mean I live in Utah and larry's a trucker. Driving? Sure, as long as it is him (I don't even have a license. I hit things with remarkable accuracy and force.)

Mmm, perhaps a crack in the floodgates would be a good thing.

dr.placebo · Post by **dr.placebo** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:12 pm

I'll just list a few of the things that I like enough to do again. The order is as if you were to take a clockwise tour starting from Kona. I'm leaving out a lot, of course.

Waipio Valley (rt 240 out of Honokaa). Great view from the overlook. Steep hike down to the beach. 4-wheel drive access ONLY from overlook to beach.

Akaka Falls (off rt 19 near Honomu)

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens (off rt 19 near Papaikou) Amazing plants and flowers. Bring camera.

Hilo. Funky old agricultural town. Not so touristy. Lots of small shops, a couple of museums, nice ambience when its not raining (but it rains a lot). Cafe Pesto is worth eating at.

Rainbow Falls, in Hilo. Take rt 200 out of town, then Waianuenue Av.

Richardson Beach. Follow 11 east of Hilo, don't turn towards Volcano, take Kalanianaole St to Richardson Ocean Park. Good swimming and snorkling most of the time.

Volcano. Small village on rt 11. Volcano Garden Arts is run by a friend of ours. Keawe Kitchen is worth eating at above $10, Lava Rock Cafe under $10. 2 small general stores. No stop lights.

Volcano National Park. This is Pele's home. We hike here a lot. The visitor center is where to get maps, orientations, and the latest lava viewing conditions. There's also a nice art center about 100 yards away. Definitely cruise the caldera, see the museum, and don't feel guilty about being a tourist. If you have time (about 2 hours) take the Kilauea Iki hike, which goes through a lot of different terrain in a short time. If conditions permit you might want to see live lava at the end of Chain of Craters road.

Punaluu Black Sand Beach Park. On rt 11. With sea turtles, usually.

Panaluu Bake Shop, in Naalehu. On rt 11. Nice place to get ice cream and treats.

Puuhonau O Honaunau Park (sometimes known as City of Refuge). Off rt 160 (spur off rt 11). Restoration of Hawaiian village. Great place for more sea turtles. Good snorkling at nearby Two Step beach (on road into park).

Kealakekua Bay. Good snorkel cruises to this bay listed in tourist mags. We saw two humpback whales playing here a few hundred yards away from where we were swimming.

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:17 pm

Thanks! A week isn't long, but hey, tourist can be fun. The point is relaxing and having fun. I want to get mylarry into the water, the man's a fish (when he's not a monkey). I, however, am a fine piece of flotsam, I float so well I can fall asleep in the water.

Know anywhere they make cocoanut turnovers? I loved those things as a kid, although I don't want to think about what they'd do to my arteries these days.

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:47 pm

Go surfing! Or take an intro course!

I always wanted to surf when I was a kid. I grew up and philly and went skateboarding instead. Maybe someday I will get to check the place out. Everyone I know thats been has had a blast. Have fun in Hawaii!

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 5:44 am

Me? Surf? Not fucking likely. And yes, I've had the opportunity, after all, I am technically a Californian. Now I've seen larry windsurf in DG, so he may be up for it.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 7:36 am

Will you be Big Islanding the whole time? I only know places on Oahu and Maui. (REALLY want to see live Earth Guts, though.) Haleakela ("House of The Sun") on Maui was astounding, even though I managed to trip and fall over the only boulder for miles and carve my shin up on the lava rock. The Hana Road (also Maui) offered remarkable vistas and even a little history.(Grave of Charles Lindbergh.) We stayed in a little beachfront place on Oahu where they had just wrapped filming of the movie "The Big Bounce"- The caretaker was complaining that the fake roof thatching that the crew had put up was attracting roof rats, and we discovered that the room where we were staying was the same one that had been erased by a rogue wave twenty years earlier...I kept thinking that the surf was getting louder as I lay in bed that first night. But it was right smack on the beach by Pipeline, up the road from Hale'ewa, and we ate shave ice and fresh Ahi and were very happy.
*sigh*

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 8:17 am

Yep, just the Big Island. Maybe Maui next year, there's two resorts there, and one up on Kauai, none on Oahu. Already paid for, so it'd be unlikely I'd stay anywhere else. There's one in Reno too, guess where we stay post-playa, heh.