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!

Hawaii 2010 - Kona Coast

After our visit to the volcano, we had another full day exploring the area south of Kona. The sights we saw on this day were places Robert and I first saw on our honeymoon and wanted to revisit. We started out with a tour of Greenwell Farms. The farm produces Kona coffee, and also buys and distributes beans from many smaller local farms. They market and sell their own coffee, but a larger part of the business is distribution to companies all over the world. The history of the farm is interesting, and I love seeing how coffee goes from little beans to my daily cup!

Drying the coffee beans

The farm has some fruit plants and trees, and while they no longer grow produce for sale, they offer it to the visitors. We left with some bananas and fresh oranges. Just as we were about to leave, our guide pointed out two chameleons in one of the trees. They stood still long enough for us to get some photos.

Our next stop was the Painted Church. The church was built in 1899 and features intricate murals painted by a priest.

After the church we made our way to Pu'uhonua o Honaunau, “The Place of Refuge.” There were several places of refuge located in Hawaii during the time of the kings, but this one was one of the most significant and has been restored by the National Park Service. Once again, Daddy’s Golden Access Passport came in handy and we got in for free.

When Robert and I made our first visit, we arrived near closing time and didn’t have much time to explore. Our camera also died after about 3 pictures, so we were glad we had the opportunity to take our time and see everything. The park gives such a vivid picture of what life was like for the ancient Hawaiians, and when standing on the shore watching the palm trees and the waves, it’s difficult to believe that such a peaceful place had such a turbulent history.

We finally got a photo of the 5 of us, and I couldn’t believe that everyone was looking at the camera!

We saw all of the sites and then went to lunch at the Ke’ei Café. It wasn’t quite as good as we remembered it, but it was okay. We were all pretty tired by this point, and we headed back to the condo (after a shave ice, of course!).

Claire went down for a nap, and I grabbed the opportunity to head down to the pool. Beautiful pool, Mai tai and book in hand, views of the whales frolicking right off the shore – it was a pretty perfect way to end an afternoon!

Later that evening we brought Claire down to swim a little before bed. It was windy, so we would get cold as soon as we stepped out of the water, but Claire had fun – there were lots of laughs and giggles as she played in the pool with Mommy and Daddy. It was so good to see her get more comfortable and enjoy the water activities as our trip progressed.

Hawaii 2010 - Volcano Day

January 19th was our Volcano Day - you can't go to the Big Island without a trip to Volcano National Park! The volcano is on the opposite side of the island from our temporary home in Waikoloa, and we debated staying nearby one night (when Robert and I first came to the Big Island on our honeymoon, we stayed at the Kilauea Lodge near the park), but with the amount of stuff required with a toddler and the time involved in unpacking and repacking, we decided to just make a day trip. It was about a two hour drive each way with no stops, and while it made for a long day, we felt like we made the right choice.

We left pretty early that morning (before sunrise), and as we were walking out to the car, Claire tripped and hit her head on the pavement. It was a scary moment for all of us, but she stopped crying pretty quickly and while she ended up with a large bump on her forehead, she was otherwise okay. Once our hearts stopped racing, we were on our way! Claire slept for a good portion of the ride, and we made great time, even with a short stop at Tex Drive In in Honoka'a for fruit malasadas and coffee.

When we arrived at the Visitor's Center, we found out that a portion of the main loop around the crater was closed due to a new vent opening. There was still plenty to see though:

Steam Vents


Steaming Bluff (you can see the gases from the new vent opening in the background)


Jaggar Museum and Overlook


Devastation Trail

We also walked through an old lava tube. Once we had our fill of exploring the park, we drove back into Hilo for lunch at Hilo Bay Cafe before heading back to Waikoloa. On the drive back, we spent some time at Laupahoehoe Park. This park was one of our most memorable stops on our honeymoon. It has spectacular views of the ocean, and the waves are truly something to behold. You really feel the ocean's power as you stand on the point and watch the waves crash into the rocks. The point has a sad history - in 1946, a tidal wave swept across the village that once stood on the peninsula, and 20 students and four teachers lost their lives. There is a lovely memorial, and it is a peaceful spot despite the tragedy.

Wave coming in


Hitting the shore


Checking out the tide pools


Claire enjoying the park

We arrived back at the condo in time to enjoy the sunset from our lanai (patio) - perfect ending to a great day!

Hawaii 2010 - Last Days in Maui

We started our last full day in Maui down at the beach. Claire loved wading and watching the waves with Mommy & Daddy.

Stopping for a snack break!

We cleaned up and headed into Lahaina for lunch and a little shopping and sightseeing. Mom found a beautiful necklace at one of the shops, and Claire got two pairs of Crocs. She couldn't wait to put on a pair and wore them out of the store.

The next day we went to the Kihei Caffe for a big breakfast before our flight to the Big Island. They had some small cups for water, and Claire was excited about drinking water from a "big girl glass." We practically had to wrestle it away from her when it was time to eat - the cinnamon roll french toast and fresh fruit were pretty enticing, though!

Our flight to Kona was short and uneventful. Somehow the stroller didn't make it on to our plane, but it was the least essential piece of baggage we needed (and they brought it to our condo the next day). We found out that a lot of people were coming in for a PGA golf tournament and realized that the nicer restaurants might be pretty busy, so I called and got a reservation at Roy's. We didn't have a lot of time, so we checked in, changed clothes, and headed to the restaurant. We had a fabulous meal and were all really impressed by Dad's ribs.

Claire did really well and looked super cute in her new dress

We turned in pretty early that night to get ready for our trip to the volcano the next day!