Five days on the Big Island is never enough, but it’s enough to take a break from the gray winter skies of Seattle, especially with five national park sites on the island. You can read a full itinerary of my trip on the blog. If you want a quick snapshot of my trip, read on:
The Big Island, Hawaii
Length of stay: 5 nights
Where I stayed: Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Marriott in Kona
National park sites visited: 5; Ala Kahakai NHT, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Kaloko-Honokōhau NHP, Pu/uhonua O Honaunau NHP, Pu’ukoholā Heiau (NPS site for all five)
National park passport stamps acquired: 5, see above
Why I visited: In late January I was in desperate need of some sunshine to get away from the gray skies of Seattle. I found an inexpensive flight to Hawaii, and wanted to visit the Volcanoes NP since it was actively erupting.
Highlights: Seeing a real life erupting volcano, eating lots of fish tacos, Kaloko-Honokōhau NHP
Lowlights: Not splurging on a nicer hotel/resort, when the electricity went out in my hotel room the last morning I was there, overscheduling myself
What I did: went kayaking to the Cook monument, visited the 5 national park sites, drank mai tais at the hotel pool, read a lot, saw sea turtles, drove around the entire island
Read more about how I spent five days on The Big Island
What I didn’t do: rest enough, see any waterfalls, rest enough
Approximate trip cost: Airfare: $400, Rental car: $300, Hotel: on points except resort fee and parking $200, Kayaking: $200, Food: $honestly no idea, Gas: $60, Entrance fees: $20 = $1700?
I acknowledge her majesty Queen Liliʻuokalani yielded the Hawaiian Kingdom under duress in protest to the United States.
Other Trip Reports:
Congaree National Park – May 2023
Sailing the Midcoast of Maine – June 2023
London, UK for a work trip – April 2023
