Itinerary

Now that it%26#39;s only a few days before we depart, I think I%26#39;ve finally got a pretty good idea about what we%26#39;re going to do. Any input is welcome.

Friday: I pick up luggage while my husband gets rental car, pick up fresh fruit/snacks at Waikoloa Village Market, check into Mauna Kea Hotel, dinner at Pavilion

Saturday: Beach/relax day, rent Boogie Boards for the day (at a stand on Hapuna Beach?), clambake at hotel

Sunday: Explore Hawi, drive to Pololu Valley

Lookout, walk down the trail to the black sand beach, have a picnic lunch, check out other Kohala hotels (watch Dolphinquest at the Hilton), sunset picnic dinner at A Bay

Monday: Snorkel at Kahalu%26#39;u, lunch somewhere in Kona, walk/shop on Ali%26#39;i Drive, pick up groceries at Safeway, snorkel at Honaunau, sunset picnic dinner at Place of Refuge

Tuesday: Leave at 6:30 for Volcano by north route, stop at Akaka Falls, Botanical Garden on the way, Tropical Helicopter Doors-off tour, lunch at Cafe Pesto, Volcanos National Park, Chain of Craters road, picnic dinner, leave by 7:30 for drive back on north route

Wednesday: Beach/relax day, rent Boogie Boards for the day (at a stand on Hapuna Beach?), dinner at the Coast Grille

Thursday: Waipi%26#39;o Valley Horseback Ride, lunch at Merriman%26#39;s in Waimea, relax at hotel, look at the stars (new moon)

Friday: Relax at hotel, tour at Kona Village (want to show my husband the place I loved as a young girl), lei-making at Keauhou Shopping lunch at Royal Thai Cafe, hang out at hotel, dinner at Pavilion, check out of hotel, fly home

Itinerary

I would change the Tuesday lunch to the little Puka Puka Kitchen, on the bayfront, just a block from Cafe Pesto. You can eat pizza/pasta at home too, so why don%26#39;t you try some local flavors? Should you still want Italian, try Pescatore instead, one block up from the bayfront. I truly believe Cafe Pesto is way overrated.

Itinerary

On Tuesday or Thursday stop at Tex’s Drive in, in Honoka’a, just a bit beyond Waimea for some malasadas.

Otherwise, I think you have a well thought out and planned trip. Leave some wiggle room in there in case something catches your fancy and you want to do it. Sounds like you will have a wonderful time.

Good luck and happy travels!

Echolynch, thanks for the malasada tip. I had Tex%26#39;s in the back of my mind, but I think I%26#39;ll add it to my plan so that I definitely remember to do it. Also, I agree that it%26#39;s good to have wiggle room in plans. That%26#39;s why I have Saturday and Wednesday as basically non-planned days. They will work if I have to reschedule something else because of weather or some unforeseen problem. Or, if we really enjoyed a particular activity, we might be able to do it again. My husband and I are coming to the BI to have a very relaxing vacation (we have two young children who will be with their grandparents). Our last vacation was really anything but, and we came home totally wiped out.

TT, I will definitely consider Puka Puka. It sounds like a fun place. If we ever felt like trying Cafe Pesto another time, there is one right near our hotel anyway. Thanks. Oh, and any thoughts for our Monday lunch in Kona?

--MKSpring

Check out www.konaforum.com for detailed restaurant reviews.

Thanks for the link, TT. Now I have almost too many ideas for lunch in Kona! That%26#39;s a good thing. I think we%26#39;ll see what we%26#39;re in the mood for that day, and also factor in the traffic. I get the impression that traffic is much worse than it was when I was in Kona last.

I%26#39;m extremely appreciative of the info I%26#39;ve receieved on this great forum. I know our vacation is going to be so much better than it would have been if I hadn%26#39;t read all of your posts during the past two months. Thanks!

--MKSpring