Imagine
a trip to a tropical island. The air is
fresh with smells of the ocean, sand, and something that can’t be put into mere
words. It is more of a feeling, rather
than something that can be simply discussed or splashed down on a cold page. Now, imagine Hawaii.
If
you’ve never been, you are probably picturing swaying palms, sandy beaches, and
tanned bodies lying everywhere. Even if
you’ve been to some of the Hawaiian Islands, you may be visualizing this right
now—great vision to invoke mid-winter. Keep
this vision as we move on.
The
big island, Hawaii, always held great interest for me since I was a young child
because of the many romantic
stories about the cowboys on the biggest cattle ranch in the US, the Parker
Ranch. Of course, in Hawaii, those
cowboys are called Paniolos. So here I
am, a much older version of that little girl swooning over ranch life and
horses and expecting to see cattle roaming over green hills and through luscious
grassy valleys.
When
we finally had the opportunity to visit the ever-growing island, I was more
than a bit surprised to find that ideal, that vision is not the reality. There are cattle to be sure. There is a ranch somewhere north. But there is much, much more. That “more” is especially interesting. Interested?
Well, let’s begin at the beginning, shall we?
The Flight with a Slice of Caution
We
left our home in CA from the Sacramento International Airport. At the time, Covid
wasn’t even a bad dream. So, we sailed
through security, the flight was on time and the trip was uneventful. For our next trip, and for yours, do your
homework before arriving. Rules change
often. When masks are expected, wear
them. Vaccinate and don’t forget your
vaccination verification card. Don’t
fight the rules and your trip will be much more pleasant.
The Airport
After
a short connecting flight from Oahu to the big island, we finally arrived
mid-afternoon. The airport is small with
only a few informal buildings announcing, “Welcome, buy stuff here.” For many of us, our next stop is to rent a
car and that is just where we began our island journey.
Accessibility
Note
For
the mobility challenged, these planes are smaller and do not have a ramp. Please contact the airline well before your
flight to ensure they wheel their portable ramp to the plane for your
wheelchair.
Car Rental and Pushy Reps
We
chose Alamo, but there are the usual suspects from which to choose. The representatives were robustly pushing
their insurance and full tank of gas. Geez. From behind the counter, he kept ranting
about our insurance not covering the daily loss of use if we ding the car.
So,
inevitably we, as most of the others we spoke to, purchase it out of fear,
frustration, and the desperation of being beaten down and bullied. They try to scare the uninformed into buying
their gas by telling you, I, all of us newbies to the island that it may be
difficult to find gas (to return the car with a full tank) before returning the
rented vehicle. This is far from
true. There is a gas station within a
mile from the airport.
Note
Always,
no matter where you travel, take pictures of every inch of the vehicle before
leaving the lot. If you find anything,
report it and have the rep note what you’ve found. Even though this may take time, it’s worth
it.
Martian Landscape in Hawaii
For
those new to this island, you might be a tad surprised as you leave the
airport. Be forewarned. The landscape abruptly changed from nearby
ocean to what appeared to be a Mars landscape.
Honestly, it was a bit frightening.
Black lava rock all around us and as far as the eye could see,
except…lava graffiti. It was a bit
cheesy. It seems that people from far a
wide feel the need to write messages or their names with small white lava rocks
placed against the huge black mounds. It
isn’t very attractive, but neither is the landscape.
After
miles and miles of seemingly endless lava rocks so huge it seems one could
build an entire city of it, well, several cities perhaps, we happened upon four-legged
life forms. Evidently, this island is
inhabited by wild goats and sheep who roam around the island, including this
seemingly dead part. Ah…do I see a
promising sign?
Bring on the Resort Zone!
Finally,
the flashing light ahead beckons us to enter—cue dramatic music—The. Resort. Zone. Once we turned off the main road, we didn’t
have to travel far to find our resort.
It was only about 15-20 minutes from the airport.
There
are condos galore, which are surrounded by well-manicured grounds
and golf courses. The real treat was
finding the King and Queen’s Shops just steps from the hotels. We stopped in at the Queen’s Shops’ ABC
Gourmet Store to pick up some wine for our room. The prices and selection were
surprising. I love that store—more on it
later.
Another
Excellent Hilton
Ah,
our beautiful hotel! We chose the Hilton Waikoloa Village Hotel, 69-425 Waikoloa Beach
Drive, Waikoloa, Hawaii. It was
breathtaking. Really. It is widely known as the “Disneyland” of hotels
for good reason.
This
resort is literally 62 beautifully landscaped and amazingly designed acres
carved out of the lava. Overachieving
even more by having four acres of swimming pools with one that is a saltwater snorkeling
lagoon. These perfectionists have even
created a white sand beach as merely one option, of which there are many, to
rest our cares away while soaking in the sun.
The Dolphin Encounter Program
The
dolphin encounter program is billed as “educational.” However, I found the “show” to be no more than
a shameful embarrassment to the dolphins.
They perform a few tricks on command to get several camera shots for the
customer and then the poor creature is sent away to the minuscule quarters. All is visible to all who mill about nearby.
They
are beautiful to behold. I couldn’t
participate and wish we treated them better.
That’s just me though.
Accessibility
Note
Some
of the hotel’s beaches are not wheelchair accessible, especially the sand
beach. However, it isn’t difficult if
one is somewhat ambulatory. All others
were fairly easy to navigate. Additionally,
the dolphin encounter program is fairly accessible to those who can be wheeled
directly to the water and helped in.
How to Navigate This Huge Compound?
Most
likely the first thing you will notice and take advantage of is the hotel’s Swiss-made trams. There are stops at each
Tower and the main lobby. These arrive
every few minutes and are worth the wait, as the property is vast, and this is
a great way to get to know the resort.
Another
transportation alternative is the Disneyland-inspired mahogany boats designed
as water taxis. Alongside the hotel’s walkway—running
the entire length of the grounds—and the tram, which runs directly next to it,
is a saltwater river that runs all along the hotel. It is teeming with fish, including some good
size barracuda. We saw all the hotel’s
feathery visitors up close and personal while riding in the boats. Plus, we did glimpse the elusive “Elvis”—a
rather large barracuda.
If
you choose to walk, you just may be overwhelmed by the $7 million worth of Polynesian
and Asian artwork displayed in the walkways.
Every time we strolled down the flagstone “Museum Walk” I was amazed by
art I hadn’t noticed before. There is so
much art that it is difficult to take it all in.
Accessibility
Note
The
trams accommodate guests in wheelchairs.
An attendant will come out and pull the ramp for the wheelchair, so wait
for him/her. I did notice several people
get out of their chairs and step into the tram.
They most likely did not know about the ramps.
The
taxis are not suited for the non-ambulatory.
Still, if possible, do try to experience this delightful opportunity.
The
grounds are lovely to explore. But there
are some restrictions for those in wheelchairs.
The walkways over waterfalls and some bridges may be difficult for those
who lack assistance. It wasn’t a problem
for us as I had my husband and at this time was not in a wheelchair.
Accessible
Rooms Note
The
hotel, as expected, has several accessible guest rooms serving a variety of
special needs. These rooms are on
various floors and feature lowered door peepholes, lever door handles, lower or
adjustable closet rods, closed-caption television, tub grab bars, lever tub
fixtures, and hand-held showerheads.
And, if you traveled without your wheelchair, but now need one, they can
have one available for you. I advise
contacting the hotel for a copy of their booklet for special needs guests. It is very informative, and you will be aware
of their facilities before you arrive.
More
by The Polite Traveler
How to Dine
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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