The Explore All 50 States Project
Let's Go!
On the way to Hilo, Akaka Falls is a wonderful stop that will take about 20 minutes and is totally worth it. It’s a lovely nature trail that goes around in a circle. The first thing we noticed were the incredible and diverse plant life. We noticed giant bamboo that seemed as tall as a three story building making us feel like dwarfs and tiny fiddlehead ferns coiling up on themselves. There were exotic … [Read more...]
So one adventure my kids and I have been dying to try is zip lining. The Hawaiian Islands have a ton of places to do this somewhat new and trendy activity so if your dead set on doing it (and you should because it's a ton of fun), see where it best fits into your schedule. For us, that happened to be on the Big Island and we opted for and outfit called Big Island Eco Adventures who were just fantastic! If … [Read more...]
One of the things Kona is most famous for is its coffee and there are several plantations that you can tour. We decided to visit the Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation, a family run coffee farm that grows and roasts it's unique berries on the hillsides of Kona. In addition to the free tour where you can learn how coffee berries are picked, dried, roasted, and then packed to sell, we decided to pay for the VIP … [Read more...]
After an exhausting day visiting Hilo and Volcano National park, we headed back to Kona for dinner at...Splasher’s Grill. We could not have asked for better given the varied tastes of our picky crew as there was something everyone could enjoy. Lots of fresh fish and seafood, complemented with all American bar food favorites. The service was as friendly as the food was good and there wasn't a complaint to be heard. … [Read more...]
You just cannot visit the Big Island of Hawaii without visiting Volcano National Park which is about a 45 minute drive from Hilo or about a 2 hour drive from Kona. We just could not pass up the opportunity to explore mother nature at her most powerful and to understand how the Hawaiian Islands were created while exploring the geology of our entire planet. As we always do, we headed straight for the visitors … [Read more...]
Driving back to Kona from Volcano National Park, we happened upon the famous Punaluu Black Sand Beach. The black sand is made of basalt and is created by lava flowing into the ocean which explodes as it reaches the ocean and cools. While the scenery is quite spectacular this isn't a great beach to swim at for a couple of reasons. The surf is pretty rocky and the black sand will get all over you and it's pretty … [Read more...]
There is no doubt that all the Hawaiian islands are special but Kauai holds a special place in my heart. Of all the Hawaiian islands I've been to it is by far my favorite. Many find the Garden Isle as it's often called, a little to sleepy and not very exciting. To me, it's that peace and tranquility that I find so enchanting. Of course there are a few touristy enclaves, like Poipu and Princeville, but for the most … [Read more...]
Sometimes the simplest things are the most satisfying and that is definitely the case at this fantastic little roadside find called Duane’s Ono Char Burger. Whether it’s a burger you’re craving, some chicken, or fried fish, this place is simply delish! . Ono in Hawaiian means “delicious,” and this place lives up to its namesake, it's even Zagat rated. Our family rates it a DO NOT MISS and a perfect lunch … [Read more...]
I had heard of this place but sadly didn't get to try it until our second trip to Kauai, and I am so glad I did! If you are craving some real deal BBQ this is definitely the place to enjoy chicken, pork or beef prepared the old fashioned way inside of a "barrel" over a smoldering fire. Mike Pierce who is a former contractor from Southern California turned his BBQ hobby into two thriving hot spots for awesome eats, … [Read more...]
This magical crescent bay of Hanalei is a great place to take surf or paddle board lessons. We opted for paddle boards as there wasn’t that much surf in the afternoon and because it looked easy enough for everyone to be able to do right away. None of us had any experience paddle boarding but we were all eager to try. We went with an outfit called Kauai North Shore Surfing School and ended up with a terrific … [Read more...]
