Big Island Itinerary

Julie and I remembered this Big Island Trip well because it was one in which bad weather pretty much kept us from accomplishing any of the goals that we had set out to do.

What happened was that unprecedented heavy rains (from Climate Change?) washed out bridges, caused persistent street flooding, and made visiting waterfalls very dangerous.

This itinerary reflects what little we were able to do given such circumstances. While outdoor activities were very limited, we made the best of it by checking out the University of Hawai’i in Hilo as well as retreating to the drier Kona side.

To be quite honest, this trip was probably a waste of time and money. However, the lessons learned on this trip (i.e. pay better attention to the weather and respect the forecasts) were well heeded on a follow-up trip nearly a month later…

Trip Map

Leeward Side of the Island – Ordinarily, this can be taken for granted on any of the Hawaiian Islands, but when the windward side was socked in by heavy rains and flooding, it was nice to know that we could retreat to a drier side of the island and leave the weather drama behind.

Day 1: Fly from Los Angeles to Kailua-Kona

Overnight: Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort (Kona, Hawaii, USA)

This was a travel day where we picked up the rental car and settled into Kona once we arrived.

Day 2: Drive from Kona to Hilo

Overnight: Inn at Kulaniapia Falls (Hilo, Hawaii, USA)

On this day, we drove to Waikoloa Village hoping to do a helicopter tour, but it was cancelled. Later on, we drove to the Hilo side to check into the Kulaniapia Falls.

Day 3: Improvising in Hilo

Overnight: Castle Hilo (Hilo, Hawaii, USA)

Due to the bad weather all day long, we only managed to see waterfalls in a very limited capacity. So we managed to see swollen versions of Kulaniapia Falls, Rainbow Falls, Pe’epe’e Falls, and Wai’ale Falls. In the afternoon, we visited the University of Hawaii at Hilo Astronomy Exhibit.

Day 4: Drive from Hilo to Kona then fly home

On this day, we drove back over the Saddle Road and visited some properties in the Waikoloa area. Then we returned the rental car later in the day to catch our flight home.