Hawaii 2010 - Hills & Valleys

On January 21st, our last full day in Hawaii, our plan was to head into Waimea and visit the Parker Ranch. We heard that the historic homes were worth a visit, and we knew Dad would love learning more about the ranch. The drive into town is lovely, and it is amazing to see how quickly the land changes as you go from the dry side of the island to lush green fields in the middle of the town. We all liked seeing the cows up in the hills overlooking the town.

We arrived at the road to the historic homes and were disappointed to see that the gate was closed. I called the number and learned that they wouldn't be open until a festival the next month. We decided to try the main visitor center and after having trouble locating it, we stopped in the Parker Ranch store and learned that the visitor center was closed due to the economy. There were a couple of small exhibits in the store, so it wasn't a total loss!

We asked the salespeople if they had any recommendations of things to see nearby, and after hearing what we had and had not already seen they recommended a drive to the Waipio Valley. It was about 45 minutes away, and as we drove we were hoping it was worth it, and we were not disappointed. The view from the lookout was amazing.

The valley was home to many of Hawaii's rulers and has historic and cultural importance to the Hawaiian people today. About 50 people still live in the valley, and the valley floor is difficult to access (only accessible with a 4 wheel drive, by foot or by horseback).

As we were leaving, we spotted a massive bougainvillea growing up in a tree. I knew they could grow pretty large in tropical climates, but we were in awe of this one.

By this time we were starving, and I used the Yelp! app on my iPhone to find a place nearby for lunch that had good reviews. We decided on Huli Sue's and felt like we Texans were taking a big risk on a barbeque place in Hawaii. The reviews were accurate, and we all enjoyed our meal.

Back at the condo, we got in a little more pool time and sadly started packing to leave. We were treated to another wild animal show off of our lanai - turkeys!