Big Island travel Guide
With this phase of the pandemic making travel a bit easier (at least for the moment), Hawaii is practically the perfect place to visit if you can swing it. Last year, just as my husband and I were vaccinated, we left for a family trip to Maui and Kauai. After a year of hard-core quarantining, it was a huge treat for our family to not only be out and about again, but to really enjoy the freedom of nature and the open air climate with less need for masks.
This year, we wanted to go a bit lower budget and also mix things up - so we chose the Big Island (or its real name Hawaii, as the locals prefer to call it). We have been only once many years ago, pre-kids, and took a very eco-adventure type of couples trip. Needless to say, with four and six year olds in tow, and the exhaustion of the last two years, we were looking for a more low-key trip. I had my expectations set a little lower (a nice practical outcome of the constant pandemic interruptions, I’m learning). How could it possibly top our incredible trip last year?
I am thrilled to share that this trip exceeded my expectations in nearly every way. While you can find a great travel guide almost anywhere on the interwebs, I want to share with you the autoimmune and family-friendly travel pro tips that can be a little harder to come by. Plus, as we have learned on both our recent trips, the Islands’ economy has been hit very hard by the pandemic. Many old favorites are currently closed, many are just reopening, but with much tighter staff. Nearly every place is running at a lower capacity than pre-pandemic and often with some other changes. Pack your patience!
Stay
Private Rental: My best advice for enjoying any vacation with a chronic health condition is to check into a private rental and skip the resorts. Not only can you save a boatload of cash, you can enjoy a healthier, quieter, more restful experience overall. You can easily find a rental with a pool if that’s your thing. You don’t have to miss out on the amazing food - you can visit nearly any resort restaurant for dinner or lunch. Plus, in a rental you can have healthier food choices throughout the day, more easily stay hydrated and overall rest better. If you are like me, you can even have your own room for sleeping, which is so critical to an enjoyable and restful vacation. We really enjoyed the Mauna Lani area on this trip and loved how close we were to many nice restaurants, shopping and of course, beaches. Our condo was just the right size, nice and quiet near a golf course, and had a very laid back pool for enjoying with the kids. Perfect! Pro Tip: For whatever reason, we have better luck with the selection on VRBO than AirBnB in Hawaii. Make sure to check both.
Splurge Resorts: I love touring resort grounds, shopping and enjoying the amenities and spas. I was lucky enough to check out most of the large hotels on the Big Island and (dream on!) if I were to come back on a splurgy couples trip, solo trip or girls trip, I would spring for a stay at the Auberge resort. It was the most peaceful, beautiful and relaxed of the large resorts in the area. That said, one night in this hotel costs about the same as three or four nights in our vacation rental, so it would have to be a pretty damn special occasion.
Food
Beachside BBQ: This stop was such a happy accident to find. At the Four Seasons resort each Tuesday, Friday and Saturday night, a little beachside pop up (downstairs to the left of the main lobby, directly behind the pool) with local BBQ. The 12-hour slow cooked brisket was delicious, but the freshly grilled prawns were out of this world. Order it with a side of greens for a paleo-friendly meal. Your companions can enjoy the mac and cheese, mac salad, cornbread, banana cream pie and macadamia nut pie. Food is sold by the pound to go or by the plate for $36. This sounds expensive, but I promise, two plates would have easily fed our big-eater family and this ended up being one of our least expensive restaurant meals on the island.
Plate Lunch: On my first visit to the Hawaiian islands more than twenty years ago, these affordable plate lunches (usually meat, mac salad, rice and slaw) were around every corner. Now they are a little harder to find, but when you do come upon them, it usually means they are damn good to keep up demand and pay the high rent. While I cannot eat mac salad (and frankly, it’s not my jam anyway), Kahlua pork is usually very clean-eating and they often have a side salad you can add. If you eat rice, go for it! On this trip, the best plate lunch spot we found was in Hilo, called Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen (right across the street from the actual market). They also had the best poke on the island and excellent shave ice right next door.
Bayside Lunch: Fosters Kitchen was our favorite surprise score of the trip. They specialize in local fare and are located in the Waikolo shops, just a two minute drive from the Hilton (this was our resort day lunch stop - see below). My husband and I had excellent fresh catch (swordfish) fish tacos (on hard-to-find-on-the-island corn tortillas!) and the kids meals were high quality and only $3.50!! Our entire lunch cost less than a Chipotle run and we were pleasantly surprised.
Oceanside Dinner: My favorite meal of the trip was at Lava Lava Beach Club. This place is magazine-worthy, right on the shores of A-Bay. Arrive by 4:30, prepared to wait 1.5-2 hours for your table. While you wait, enjoy drinks from a little VW Bus “minibar,” a round of cornhole with the kids and beautiful sunset beach views. The food was exceptional and fairly accommodating for dietary restrictions. The Mahi Mahi with coconut jasmine rice and mango salsa was delicious!
Poke: (pronounced “pokay”) If you’ve never had this Hawaiian delicacy, it’s time to try it! Much like it’s cousins sushi or ceviche, it’s made with fresh local fish, cured in a marinade and seasoned with bits of veggies and herbs. While most poke contains soy sauce (a common gluten contaminant) or mayo (something I must avoid due to eggs), usually the “Hawaiian Style” pokes are are made just with tuna, sea salt, sea veggies and onions. The best I tasted on this trip was in Hilo at
Shave Ice:
While you are in Hilo, make sure to check out Kula Shave Ice (right next to the Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen). Their ice is made from filtered spring water, their syrups from organic cane sugar with organic local fruits and they even had vegan ice cream and condensed coconut milk topping for the full experience without dairy and eggs! I will usually grant myself this one sugary treat on my trips to Hawaii and this place is worth the splurge! Try the Lilikoi (passionfruit) and Vanilla.
On the West side of the island, the Original Big Island Shave Ice Company in the Waikoloa shops seems to be the hot spot. They have a more traditional offering, but the syrups are made with real, local fruits. Since it’s right by the massive Hilton complex, expect long lines during peak season afternoons.
Costco: No, I’m not suggesting the Costco takeout food. But if you are staying in a vacation rental, one of the healthiest and money saving tips is to make a quick Costco run on your way from the airport (in Kona, it’s about 10 minutes south of the airport, but worth the detour). My favorite dietary-friendly choices are: local steaks and meats, Siete Almond Tortillas/Wraps, produce - especially pineapple, berries, tomatoes and avocados, BFree Gluten Free Bread (vegan, but contains grains), sparkling water (to make healthy & fun drinks),
Fun Drinks: Drinking culture and happy hours are such a big part of our vacations, fun and relaxation. I have found I can have just as much fun if I am enjoying a tasty, adult-like beverage (but without the alcohol). I mean, a LaCroix ain’t gonna cut it. And I’m not alone! I kid you not, in less than five minutes in the aisle, I saw three different groups of guys ask about alcohol-free beers in the most popular convenience store on the island (Island Gourmet). They had five different types of AF beer, though I didn’t see any wines (yet!). My favorite tip is to find a local fruit puree or two (or even mash up some whole fruit) and mix it with sparkling water. My favorite is lilikoi (passion fruit). Check the cold and dry juice aisles and the specialty food/baking aisles for inspiration.
Family Fun
Volcanos National Park: This is a world class experience and it’s free! The lava flow changes every day, every hour. In 2018, the volcanic activity shifted dramatically to its current form, closing some of the Crater Rim road and shifting the activity center to the main caldera and away from the coastline (for the most part). For the foreseeable future, your best bet is to visit on the clear-ish weather day for best visibility. From the Waikoloa area, the National Park Visitor Center is about a 2 hour drive, so leave extra early. (Don’t forget snacks, water and sun protection...you’ll be at higher elevation where the elements will impact you more. It can also be up to 30-40 degrees cooler than the beach, so pack layers accordingly.) Once you arrive at the Visitor Center, you’ll want to speak to a Park Ranger about the latest conditions and recommended volcanic viewpoints. For most, this will include a short one-mile nearby hike (each way, mostly paved, highly accessible except for last 300 feet). If your kids are older, they may enjoy the night hike, but the early morning hiking (before noon) is the least crowded and we were able to see red lava in the daytime. Note: It may take 20-30 minutes of viewing time at the caldera to see the lava break and show its red glow. The nearby old Lava Tube is also a very cool stop if your family has some time and energy to spare. Don’t forget to snag your Junior Park Ranger programs when you arrive - once the booklets are completed, you can return to the Visitor Center to have the kids sworn in as rangers. My whole family loves this National Park program and I remember it fondly from my childhood.
Since you have driven all the way to the other side of the island, this is a great opportunity to tack on some other East-side activities - perhaps the Mauna Loa Summit Observatory (a sunset and then star viewing is supposed to be exceptionally cool with older children or adults), a hike at Akaka Falls near Hilo, a visit to the Macadamia Nut Farm or a simple day trip to Hilo.
Hilo Day Trip: This makes a perfect stop either before or after your trip to Volcanos. Hilo is like a mini foodie paradise as it is on the “rainy side” of the Island and is rewarded with much of the agricultural bounty of Hawaii. Each Wednesday, there’s beautiful farmers market with very interesting local produce. Check out the Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen (open daily, across the street) for a quick, delicious and traditional Hawaiian Plate Lunch. Don’t miss the Kula Shave Ice next door!
Luau: While there are many great choices for this on the island, the two that caught my eye were the Fairmont (Saturday nights) and Mauna Kea (Sunday nights) Luaus. We ended up at the Mauna Kea Luau due to weather and were absolutely blown away by the tasty and dietary food (each item labeled for gluten, dairy and eggs!), the beautiful setting and the fantastic show. Our kids minds were blown by the performance, especially the fire dancer. I really appreciated the cultural education about the area and the Native history. Any luau is a splurge, but worth it if your kids are old enough to enjoy a show until about 8pm. This year was perfect for us because both kids could rally to have fun, but our daughter was still free under 5 years old. Some luaus lure you with expensive rates for unlimited drinks. At the Mauna Loa, we could only get into premium seating (for roughly the same price as the bottomless cocktail luaus) and it was well worth it for front-row seats and first dibs on the buffet before. They will serve you either a Mai Tai or a Tropical sparkling juice (non-alcoholic) and the rest is up to you. Perfect!
Easy Hikes: Hiking is one of my favorite things, but in the heat and over lava rocks, the Big Island can be a little tricky for finding kid-friendly options. At six and four years old, my kids need short hikes (less than 2 miles is ideal in the heat). We really enjoyed the Puako Petroglyph Park. The relatively flat and sandy trail winds through a forest and over a lava field to a sacred Petroglyph area, about 1.5 miles round trip. Our kids enjoyed learning about the ancient markings and speculating about their mysteries. This trail is easy to do with walkers of almost any age, but not very stroller friendly. The entrance is on the right, just before the Fairmont resort entrance.
Visit a Farm: There are several agricultural stops, particularly good for a non-beach or crumby weather day. My favorites are the crops unique to the tropics - the Cacao Farm and the (world famous Kona) Coffee Farm. You can also visit the Big Island Bees or the Octopus Farm for some interesting local flair. Since these are real working farms, most of these places have odd open hours/days and some require reservations. Plan ahead.
Resort Day: If you and the kids are craving a big resort-style pool day, you can buy a pass to the Hilton Waikoloa through ResortPass for a modest fee (kids under 5 are free!). For context, even during the peak of Spring break, this fee - combined with our nightly rate at our condo rental, was still less than a single room nightly rate at the Hilton. I’ll be honest...the Hilton is BIG and a tiny bit rundown. Will it be the fanciest place you visit? No. Will it blow your kids’ minds? Yes. From the tram that takes you to the different pool towers, to the family-friendly saltwater lagoon snorkeling with turtles, the dolphin viewing, and multiple swimming pools, your kids will waterslide the entire day away. We arrived at 9am as soon as the pools opened and stayed until 4pm, with a brief break offsite for lunch (not many lunch options at this facility, strangely). See Bayside Lunch at Fosters Kitchen above.
Beaches: Our family-friendly favorites, all within a 25 minute drive from the Mauna Lani/Waikoloa area included -
Hapuna Beach: Very popular, beautifully sandy, swimming and boogie boarding beach. Friendly reminder to pay the entrance fee. This isn’t just expensive parking...this fee goes to help keep the State Park clean and maintained. Take your umbrella as there is almost no shade at this beach.
Beach 69/Waialea Beach: Also part of Hapuna State Park, this beach is a series of little white sandy patches broken up by small lava outcroppings and reefs. It’s backed by many shady trees and the water is as crystal blue as you’ll find anywhere. Swimming and snorkeling are excellent. I highly recommend reef shoes for all. Friendly reminder to pay your entrance fee.
Mauna Lani Beach Club: If you end up finding a place in the Mauna Lani area, most condos will come with an access card to this private club. In our case, this beach was a 4-minute drive from our condo and had both cabanas and a great restaurant right on the sand. Because it is private, the crowds are quite manageable. Arrive anytime before 9:30am and you should have your pick of cabanas or chairs. Excellent swimming, snorkeling and relaxation! Easy button!
Manini'owali Beach/Kua Bay: This bay is absolutely stunning, but can get very crowded and is much more exposed to weather and wind. Try to visit on a calm day, earlier in the morning. Great swimming and boogie boarding on the right surf days. Exceptionally beautiful spot for sunset.
Anaeho’omalu Beach/A-Bay: Another beautiful salt and pepper beach with protected shore for great swimming and snorkeling. Reef shoes recommended.
Mauna Kea Beach: This is said to be the nicest beach on the island, but we were only able to access this through the luau in the evening. It’s incredibly frustrating that they only have 27 parking spots for the “public access.” The parking guard told us it fills up most mornings by 7:15am. This would be the perfect first-day attempt since you’ll likely wake up early, jet-lagged from the mainland. If you can’t get in, Hapuna or Beach 69 aren’t far and are a great backup plan.
Further afar, you can drive to see black sand beaches or the green sand beach. If this is important to you to see, go for it! However, I will say these beaches are mostly about the view. Typically the sand is too hot to enjoy (darker sand absorbs the heat of the sun) and the conditions that created the sand also make most days not very swimmable. On a family trip with little kids, these aren’t a high priority for us, but if you’ve never seen them, they are really beautiful.
Self Care
Vacation is a perfect chance to do some extra self care! Some ideas to consider:
Spas: Get a massage, a body scrub, or any manner of treatments that help you feel good! Yes, this stuff is expensive in Hawaii, but I don’t buy fancy drinks anymore, so I spend my former alcohol budget on a nice treatment when I travel. It’s a win-win! One annoying thing is that many of the resorts on the islands have started offering spa appointments to guests only due to short staffing since the pandemic. I ended up getting a massage at the Hilton Kohala spa. It was a nice massage, but nothing exceptional about the facilities. Check the Auberge or the Four Seasons to see you can snag a spot when you visit.
Yoga on the Beach: There’s just something about exercising in the cool morning fresh ocean air. I enjoyed doing yoga on the lanai with my Peloton app. Free and most convenient! But yoga on the beach is pretty amazing if you can find a good spot. Most resorts of have options and
Retail Therapy: I’m not a big shopper, and the Big Island isn’t a shopping destination by any stretch of the imagination. My favorite stop was the Goop store in the Auberge resort. Gwyneth Paltrow and team have developed many of their own health and beauty products, but the shop also features many other brands. There’s nothing you can’t find on their website, but it’s a fun stop.
Sunscreen: This is a great reminder that sun in large quantities is huge stressor for your body, but multi-daily sunscreen applications with toxic ingredients can also wreak havoc on your system. Make sure to find the least toxic mineral-based sunscreen you can. I personally love BeautyCounter SPF 30 (the tinted options are like instant airbrushing or bronzing for your skin and I love them!). I put a bottle into my checked luggage from home, but you can find this particular brand on island at the Goop store (though admittedly that’s kind of a pain in the ass.) If you find yourself looking on island, just read the labels and do your best. Look for the words “mineral-based” and “reef-safe” and it should be better than the average crap. Of course, long-sleeve sunshirts and umbrellas are your friends too. You’ll get UV rays just from the reflection on the sand.
Sleep: Hands down, getting good rest while on vacation is critical. For me, this means white noise machine, earplugs and my good pillow. I pack them all in my suitcase! If you are a struggling sleeper like me, make sure to plan ahead for the rest you deserve. And never, never, take a red eye flight if you can help it. Setting your immune system off on a flareup isn’t worth any hot flight price deal.
Clean House: My favorite treat to help keep that calm feeling once we get home is to clean the house before we leave. This trip was better than ever because we departed on a Sunday, leaving us plenty of time to pack and get things tidied up on Saturday. Set the robot vacuum and make the bed and you’ll be so glad you came home to a tidied up space.
Memory Keeping: On the flight home, either instead of or while you are watching a movie, organize your photos from the trip and save your favorites. I try to do this each month or after each trip to make end of the year bookmaking easier. I feel so much joy and gratitude when I look at the highlight reel of photos or videos and it’s like a cherry on top of the trip home.
