No
trip to the big island would be complete without a trip to the volcano, which was on the opposite side of the
island. The drive takes the entire day,
but it is worth the time. This particular
island is so diverse, so this is the best way to experience it—my opinion anyway.
We
began our journey on the main highway, Highway 19 north and then east. The terrain changes quite quickly as we
traveled north and as we turned east toward and through Waimea. In fact, driving through the outskirts of
Waimea reminded me a bit of Washington State—green, lush with lots of trees.
Beware the Cooler Temps Up North
Before
making our turn east toward Waimea, we decided to drive up to the lookout at
the end of Hwy 270 to view the Pololu Valley. It is an amazing view. The
highway dissolves into neighborhood streets, so drive slowly and watch for
locals. Two of which were two local dogs
who decided that the street made for a nice warm place to nap—too funny.
Accessibility
Note
The
Pololu Valley lookout is not wheelchair accessible, as we had to walk down a
steep walkway. Cane users could do it,
but it is difficult.
Found Waimea, but no Cowboys
Waimea,
the seat of the famous Parker Ranch, is a pleasant, medium-sized city. It is spread out like many mainland cities
and is home to many well-known stores and businesses, even a Starbucks
(mocha time!). No cowboys though. Darn.
I bet they’re in the hills doing cowboy stuff. But we are on our way east and don’t have
time to stop and look for them.
You’ll Fall for Akaka Falls
We
ventured off the main road for a bit to visit Akaka Falls State Park, not far from Hakalau. The falls are amazing! The two
trails are an easy trek for the ambulatory.
One is a longer trail, but both have many steps. Although it may be a challenge for those who
tire quickly, I didn’t have an issue.
Accessibility
Note
The
trails one must travel to visit these falls are not wheelchair accessible and
are a challenge for those with canes as well, as there are many steps. It may
be best to visit these falls through someone else’s eyes. Ask someone close to film them for
you.
Is That Hilo in the Distance?
As
we get closer to Hilo we notice that there are more and more businesses and
more populated. Hilo is a busy, bustling
city located next to the ocean. Since it
took us hours to get there, and I was tiring, we didn’t explore it much. Our goal was to visit the volcano, which
wasn’t too far from here. So, we made a
quick stop at Walmart and Hilo Hattie before heading out again.
Walmart
is the best place to pick up munchies
and drinks in Hilo. This is a definite money
saver. Prices mirror mainland prices. However, Hilo Hattie is no long a reasonably
priced shop. Nor is it very easy to navigate
inside. Visitors are funneled through an
awkward entry and aisles are situated close together. It is unfortunate. I used to enjoy shopping there.
Hilo
Hattie Note
I’ve
been to many Hilo Hattie stores since writing this article. This one was much different than the rest.
Accessibility
Note
Walmart
has accessible restrooms.
On the Road Again... Volcano!
One
stop I was really looking forward to is the Mauna Kea Macadamia nut farm. There is a turnoff, which is well marked, on
the road to the volcano from Hilo, so don't forget to stop there. Unfortunately, we were too tired to stop but
regret skipping it. Supposedly it is
accessible and has wheelchair-friendly restrooms.
Finally! The volcano is near and those with
respiratory problems beware. The entire
area is somewhat smoky. We began at the visitor’s
center which is accessible with a ramp and parking. We found lots of informative pictures and
park volunteers. As we left the
visitor’s center, moving on toward the observatory, we noticed steam shooting
randomly from the ground. It was
actually quite unnerving. I envisioned
an eruption blasting from the smoldering earth at any time—my SyFy brain on
overload. Thankfully we didn’t
experience anything nearly that scary.
Check Out the Observatory & Lava Tube
The
observatory was only a few miles down the road and housed informative videos, a
store to purchase volcano memorabilia, and quite an impressive collection of
educational items to help the visitor understand what has happened in the past
and present with our biggest Hawaiian island as it pertains to the Kilauea volcano
and volcanic activity.
Before
we left the park, we visited what is called the “lava tube”. It is an especially interesting jaunt
though. The walk takes the visitor
through an extremely large lava tube that appears to be a cave open on both
ends. It’s a bit eerie—and wet.
Accessibility
Note
The
Lava Tube is an impossible trek for non-ambulatory
people and for those with respiratory problems.
Rounding the Island & Heading Toward Kona
From
the volcano roughly to Pahala the terrain was scarred by the heat and
gasses. There were some spindly trees,
but not many. It is green, however, and quaint
small towns cropped up every few miles. Occasionally,
especially nearing Na alehu, the ocean peeks through to tempt us.
As
we round the tip of the island enjoying the small towns and open green land, we
begin to travel north again. Small towns
like Kealia, Honaunau, Captain Cook (cute!), and Honalo announce that we are moving
ever closer to Kona.
Stuck in a Time-Warp Again...
The
town of Kailua-Kona is a quaint (using that word a lot, huh?) tourist town that
seems to be stuck in a time warp. To me,
it seemed exactly what one would have envisioned in the 1960s. Gidget anyone? The tiny old town faces the ocean which wraps
around the shore. It appears to be a
nice place to stay, albeit touristy, but I’m definitely going to spend some
time here next trip. The place was laid
back and appeared carefree.
Accessibility
Note
I
didn’t use a wheelchair in Kailua-Kona, but it didn’t appear to be too easy to venture
around in one. Please share your
experiences.
Was the Venture Worth It?
All in all, it was a
great trip. I would have liked to have
seen active lava flows. But that will have
to be another time. It makes for a long
day, so start early.
More
by The Polite Traveler
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Cheaply When at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Hotel
A Must-Skip
Activity: Hilton Waikoloa Village Hotel Luau
Hilton Waikoloa
Village Timeshare Spiel is a Time-Sucking Bullying Session
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