The Big Island of Hawaii (Nov 28-Dec 18, 2023)
- Stephanie
- Dec 18, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 6, 2024
As previously noted, (see ABOUT US) we own a condo on the Big Island of Hawaii, so escaping to warmer weather can be both easy and difficult. By Hawaiian law, vacation rentals must be managed by someone on island, so we employ an awesome property management company #KonaCoastVacations to handle rentals, repairs and cleanings between guests. It’s been a successful rental during the two years we’ve owned it, with limited availability for us unless booked in advance. When we purchased our condo in Waikoloa Beach Resort, it came completely furnished with the previous owner leaving everything behind, including mini soaps and shampoos for guests.
While we were still employed, we’d usually work when we were there (5am- noon) then spend our afternoons shopping for, and scheduling upgrades – buying new furniture, hiring painters or contractors, and looking for flooring professionals. Even though we rent it, everything we’ve done has been for us. To date, we’ve had every wall repainted, updated most of the flooring and light fixtures, overhead fans, purchased updated furniture for the living room, dining and lanai, switched out the artwork, renovated and opened up the kitchen to include a counter height bar with seating, granite countertops, backsplash, sink, dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave, oven, dishes, glassware, pots and pans, cutlery and kitchen gadgets and cutting boards! It’s a whole new place.
SIDE NOTE: Our Hawaii experience has suggested that all remodeling, renovations, furniture, lighting or household purchases are best bought “on island,” as shipping can be cost prohibitive. There can be exceptions (e.g., vendors that have a retail location on the island).
When we spent 20 days on island in December 2023, we were truly going for vacation. There are different types of vacation condo owners in our resort, just as there are different reasons for going on cruises. Our condominium community has full-time residents, half-time residents and owners who generally rent their place. We’ve tapped into the large group of owners who spend six months every year (Oct – April) on island. They have twice weekly exercise classes, movie nights, weekly happy hours to watch the sunset from the beach and the golf league plays 2-3 times weekly.
We also have friends who live on the island full-time, former Minneapolis neighbors, our real estate agent, former colleagues and others we’ve met along the way. During this trip we plugged into all the on-going activities, plus explored areas we had not visited previously.When we are in Hawaii, it is our second home and we love being there. Life is slow, laid back. Consistent sunshine, warmth and ocean breezes feed my soul. The lush green landscape, when Denver is cold and brown, revitalizes me. I love sitting on our huge lanai, overlooking lush landscaping and enjoying morning coffee, afternoon cocktails, or mid-day naps. We have nearby restaurants that we frequent, beginning with Lava Lava Beach Club where we sink our toes in the sand, Tommy Bahama’s happy hour and the Tropics Ale House, practically in our condo community.
During this visit, we fully indulged in being tourists!
We enjoyed a great #BodyGlove sunset cruise – thanks to Chris’s former team who graciously gifted us the experience – out of Kona, along the coast to historic Kealakekua Bay. We saw whales and dolphins, sailed past Captain Cook’s Monument (where we have snorkeled) and returned under a sliver of a moon. Without light pollution, the Hawaiian sky is an awe-inspiring canvas of stars and planets.
We drove to Waipi’o, the “Valley of the Kings” on the eastern shore. Once home to Hawaiian kings, the wilderness area, interspersed with Taro fields, is one of the most beautiful and pristine areas of the Big Island. From the lookout you can see where the black sand beach meets the ocean along the mile wide entrance to the valley. What you can’t see six miles into the deeply forested terrain are the many waterfalls flowing into the Wailoa Stream that eventually flows into the ocean. Unfortunately, a geotechnical assessment outlining potential risks of rockfall and landslides associated with driving into the valley via the Waipio Valley Road led to its closure in February of 2022. As of today, visitors can only access the valley by joining a Waipio Shuttle tour or visiting the Overlook.
On one of the first few days Chris was golfing, I set out about 7am, lost in the beauty around me, and started walking. From the Kings Shops within our resort, I followed the Kings Trail past the Petroglyph Park, passing other condo communities, the Hilton Grand Vacations resort and crossed into Mauna Lani Resort. I didn’t really have a plan and gave no thought to how far I would go, the importance of sunscreen, a hat or water. The lava trail did its best to shred my tennis shoes, and the sun was hot. As I turned toward the beach to complete what became an 8-mile loop, I had to admit that I’d screwed up. Nature can be unkind to those who are unprepared. Fortunately, it was still early enough that I didn’t bake too badly. I was able to return home, hydrate moisturize and remain inside the rest of the day.
While we didn’t make it to the summit of Mauna Kea (the largest mountain in the world when measured from its base), where eleven different countries have telescopes and facilities exploring the night sky all within a 500-acre special land use zone of the Mauna Kea Science Reserve, we did spend time exploring the Visitor’s Center, which is reachable without four-wheel drive. They have an impressive education center with informational displays, videos, history of the observatories and research programs, exhibits on the geology, ecology and cultural significance of the volcano, plus general content on astronomy, volcanology and how the Hawaiian Islands were formed. They also offer use of smaller telescopes in their courtyard for visitors to check-out planets, star clusters, galaxies and other sights on clear nights. It’s really quite spectacular given the lack of light pollution, Hawaii’s dark skies, low global latitude and a unique inversion weather phenomenon. No place else like it exists on earth.
If you head out early enough, you can score a parking spot in one of the required “beach access” lots near exclusive resorts, such as the Four Seasons Hualalai or Mauna Kea. My favorite is Kukio Beach, in front of the Kukio Golf and Beach Club, home to Matthew McConaughey, Paul Hazen and Michael Dell. As you can imagine, it’s a half circle of pristine, soft wide sand, calm waters and palm trees providing shade.
Chris and I left our condo another day at 7am and drove about five miles to a pull-off at mile marker 81 (directions are based on mile markers on the islands). We parked off the highway, on the shoulder near a few other vehicles, and hiked through lava fields until we found the dirt trail connecting to the private access road to Kiholo Bay. There is a county road, accessible to four-wheel drive vehicles, but it still requires hiking past the private residences to reach the Bay. As we walked, we saw herds of goats, and upon reaching the beach talked to two local fishermen casting nets into the water. Except for a lone hiker walking the ridge above the Wainanalii Pond, we had the area to ourselves. We explored the beach and surrounding inlets before hiking back to our vehicle and returning to the resort. Every beach, every trail offers unique scenery and beauty. We never tire of exploring new areas.
Another day we visited the mid-week Farmer’s Market in Waimea, also known as Kamuela. We stumbled across the Paniolo Museum (Hawaiian cowboy), sharing how this area of rolling green pastures came to be home to cattle, cowboys and ranches covering nearly one third of the northern reaches of the Big Island.
Visiting near the holidays provided an opportunity to watch an Irish Dance performance at the Queens Marketplace in the Waikoloa Beach Resort.
One afternoon, we drove to Kona Town on Kailua Bay, the seaside village established by King Kamehameha in the late 1700s as his capital of the unified Kingdom of Hawaii. Today, it is known for hosting the Ironman World Championship every October. In addition to its seaside charm and ocean breezes, great bars and restaurants, Kona offers cultural and historic attractions: Hulihe’e Palace, once a vacation residence for Hawaiian royalty, exhibits artifacts and furniture from the era of the kings. Across the street sits Moku’aikaua Church, founded in 1820 by Christian missionaries, the oldest church in the Hawaiian Islands. The Kamakahonu National Historic Landmark, on the grounds of the King Kamehameha Hotel, sits across the bay.
Leaving Hawaii is always hard, but knowing we have a slice of paradise to which we can return, makes it easier!
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