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Wait a minute!! Wasn't she just Back from San Francisco? Yes, but I was back from Hawaii first 
and I am doing my best Pat(Grayfal) impression..if only for this year.
We visited Oahu the first week of June and then on to the Big Island. In all-we spent about 11-12 days with traveling.
Oahu
Marriott's Ko'Olina. 2bd 2 ba...last minute upgrade from a 1bd thanks to our own Angela
This is the dry side of the island. My DD doesn't remember being here...she was 4 then and now is 14. She kept asking why isn't it green? She obviously likes Kauai better.
HORRIBLE flight delays getting out of LAX on two airlines. Delta and American. Won't bore you will the details BUT we finally made it to the resort at about 1 am....4 am our time.
We didn't really do a lot here. Beach, Pool, Beach, Pool. The lagoons in front of the resort are great for floating, wading, and cooling off from the sun. Just decompressed from all the flurry of activity that accompanies a graduation from HS.
Husband and son took the Home of the Brave tour which includes Pearl Harbor, the military bases, and a WWII museum/gift shop at the end. They really enjoyed this. My son had just graduated HS and is probably going to major in History in college. This was his special activity. It leaves from Waikiki-so they had to be in front of a hotel there at 6:15 am...long haul from Ko'Olina-but the best part about going to Hawaii from the West Coast is the time difference. It will turn a notorious night owl (me) into a morning person...for a few days anyway.
We drove the Northshore. Ko'Olina is perfectly situated for this. Stopped here and there-when we felt like it. Hung out at a hardly populated beach for a while.
No fine dining. Ate in mostly. Didn't do any other activities. The Fia Fia luau is right on the grounds out in the open-so I guess we kinda "crashed" the luau...though they stand guard and won't let you in the area..you can sit up top and watch the whole thing. We had previously been to the Paradise Cove Luau which we really enjoyed-it's just down the street and if it's still offered in the Entertainment Book-a much better value. I'm cheap-what can I say?
***************
Big Island
Our first visit. LOVE the open air airport. Stayed at the HGVC Waikoloa/Kohala Suites... LOVED IT! Guess I'm over the mega resort where you can't get a pool chair. Although I'm about to contradict myself because we did take advantage of the pool pass to the Hilton Waikoloa Hotel. That place is massive!! We didn't have any trouble getting 4-9 pool chairs...so thumbs up in my book.
I knew the Big Island was big...but I didn't realize how big. I was almost sad on our drive to Waikoloa. It seemed so desolate. I was prepared to be disappointed. I didn't understand where the ocean was. I'm geographically challenged-so that was part of it
Well, how delightful is the HGVC Waikoloa? Loved the lay out of the units. Very roomy! Everything top notch (TV's, appliances, etc) Gifts of bath soaps and salts with a cute towel animal and a card. Hey-I'm easily pleased. Always "Welcome Home" even though I was an exchanger. Calls NOT for sales but to make sure everything was to my liking.
Here we spent a day at the Hilton hotel pools. Traveled to Volcano Village and spent the night in B and B. Attempted to do a night viewing of the Volcano via Kalapana. Long hike in by flashlight, rain, and not much to see. At that time I had no idea that you could enter the actual park 24 hours. So, we missed the boat there. I didn't do the Devastation Trail hike in VNP because I honestly felt like I had already lived it by hiking in at Kalapana. I really wish we would have gone in the day light. Seeing a house here and there with lights glowing among all that lava-I could feel their pain. How awful it must be for the people/families trying to make due with what is left and have all of us plodding through their lives.
LOVED the drive from Waikoloa to Volcano Village. The Waimea area especially. Here my daughter finally admitted that other islands could be as beautiful as Kauai. We stopped off at What's Shakin for smoothies. Visited Akaka Falls. Did the 4 mile scenic route. Hit Tex Drive In on the way back for malasadas.
Family went snorkeling one day. I don't snorkel-I don't want to know
I had an Internet Travel friend that had a tag line that said "The only way I like to see fish is on my plate" I'm sorry. I have to concur-but my family loves it and my daughter swam with Honu. A highlight for her for sure.
Speaking of, before we went to Volcano National Park, we doubled back to Punalu'u Beach. Wonderful. Honu everywhere.
Got some high end shops over there at the Kings Shops. Was fun to watch how hard the salespeople worked us for a potential sale. Was a good education for my daughter. I admit we did make a purchase from Na Hoku. I have a couple of pieces of jewelry from this shop from my years of traveling to Hawaii. I wanted a plumeria pendant with a diamond in the middle. I knew it wasn't sensible since I had just been laid off...but my dear sweet husband who knows I won't ever do something for just me-went back in and bought it for me. I'll treasure it.
Met up with some friends from home. Their daughter had just graduated with our son from the same HS. They were staying in a condo in Waikoloa about 1/2 mile from us-so we took them over to the Hilton Hotel and got them wristbands...everyone just assumed we were staying together at the HGVC Waikoloa. We said goodbye and left the family sitting on their lounge chairs because we were returning home that night.
I was never so sad to leave a place. It was the perfect end to all the stress we had leading up to the trip.
The Big Island surprised me. I'd go back...but I might stay in Kona...just for the convenience.
and I am doing my best Pat(Grayfal) impression..if only for this year.We visited Oahu the first week of June and then on to the Big Island. In all-we spent about 11-12 days with traveling.
Oahu
Marriott's Ko'Olina. 2bd 2 ba...last minute upgrade from a 1bd thanks to our own Angela
This is the dry side of the island. My DD doesn't remember being here...she was 4 then and now is 14. She kept asking why isn't it green? She obviously likes Kauai better.HORRIBLE flight delays getting out of LAX on two airlines. Delta and American. Won't bore you will the details BUT we finally made it to the resort at about 1 am....4 am our time.
We didn't really do a lot here. Beach, Pool, Beach, Pool. The lagoons in front of the resort are great for floating, wading, and cooling off from the sun. Just decompressed from all the flurry of activity that accompanies a graduation from HS.
Husband and son took the Home of the Brave tour which includes Pearl Harbor, the military bases, and a WWII museum/gift shop at the end. They really enjoyed this. My son had just graduated HS and is probably going to major in History in college. This was his special activity. It leaves from Waikiki-so they had to be in front of a hotel there at 6:15 am...long haul from Ko'Olina-but the best part about going to Hawaii from the West Coast is the time difference. It will turn a notorious night owl (me) into a morning person...for a few days anyway.
We drove the Northshore. Ko'Olina is perfectly situated for this. Stopped here and there-when we felt like it. Hung out at a hardly populated beach for a while.
No fine dining. Ate in mostly. Didn't do any other activities. The Fia Fia luau is right on the grounds out in the open-so I guess we kinda "crashed" the luau...though they stand guard and won't let you in the area..you can sit up top and watch the whole thing. We had previously been to the Paradise Cove Luau which we really enjoyed-it's just down the street and if it's still offered in the Entertainment Book-a much better value. I'm cheap-what can I say?
***************
Big Island
Our first visit. LOVE the open air airport. Stayed at the HGVC Waikoloa/Kohala Suites... LOVED IT! Guess I'm over the mega resort where you can't get a pool chair. Although I'm about to contradict myself because we did take advantage of the pool pass to the Hilton Waikoloa Hotel. That place is massive!! We didn't have any trouble getting 4-9 pool chairs...so thumbs up in my book.
I knew the Big Island was big...but I didn't realize how big. I was almost sad on our drive to Waikoloa. It seemed so desolate. I was prepared to be disappointed. I didn't understand where the ocean was. I'm geographically challenged-so that was part of it
Well, how delightful is the HGVC Waikoloa? Loved the lay out of the units. Very roomy! Everything top notch (TV's, appliances, etc) Gifts of bath soaps and salts with a cute towel animal and a card. Hey-I'm easily pleased. Always "Welcome Home" even though I was an exchanger. Calls NOT for sales but to make sure everything was to my liking.
Here we spent a day at the Hilton hotel pools. Traveled to Volcano Village and spent the night in B and B. Attempted to do a night viewing of the Volcano via Kalapana. Long hike in by flashlight, rain, and not much to see. At that time I had no idea that you could enter the actual park 24 hours. So, we missed the boat there. I didn't do the Devastation Trail hike in VNP because I honestly felt like I had already lived it by hiking in at Kalapana. I really wish we would have gone in the day light. Seeing a house here and there with lights glowing among all that lava-I could feel their pain. How awful it must be for the people/families trying to make due with what is left and have all of us plodding through their lives.
LOVED the drive from Waikoloa to Volcano Village. The Waimea area especially. Here my daughter finally admitted that other islands could be as beautiful as Kauai. We stopped off at What's Shakin for smoothies. Visited Akaka Falls. Did the 4 mile scenic route. Hit Tex Drive In on the way back for malasadas.
Family went snorkeling one day. I don't snorkel-I don't want to know
I had an Internet Travel friend that had a tag line that said "The only way I like to see fish is on my plate" I'm sorry. I have to concur-but my family loves it and my daughter swam with Honu. A highlight for her for sure.Speaking of, before we went to Volcano National Park, we doubled back to Punalu'u Beach. Wonderful. Honu everywhere.
Got some high end shops over there at the Kings Shops. Was fun to watch how hard the salespeople worked us for a potential sale. Was a good education for my daughter. I admit we did make a purchase from Na Hoku. I have a couple of pieces of jewelry from this shop from my years of traveling to Hawaii. I wanted a plumeria pendant with a diamond in the middle. I knew it wasn't sensible since I had just been laid off...but my dear sweet husband who knows I won't ever do something for just me-went back in and bought it for me. I'll treasure it.
Met up with some friends from home. Their daughter had just graduated with our son from the same HS. They were staying in a condo in Waikoloa about 1/2 mile from us-so we took them over to the Hilton Hotel and got them wristbands...everyone just assumed we were staying together at the HGVC Waikoloa. We said goodbye and left the family sitting on their lounge chairs because we were returning home that night.
I was never so sad to leave a place. It was the perfect end to all the stress we had leading up to the trip.
The Big Island surprised me. I'd go back...but I might stay in Kona...just for the convenience.