ROSE FAMILY JOURNAL

We have a trend of packing as many stops and activities into a single trip the first time we visit. (See our Death Valley guide for another example of this) Therefore our trips to Hawaii are always filled with activities that take you around to truly see the diversity of the island. We also approach travel with a few splurges here and there — whether that means a night or two at a fancy place to stay or a few extra special dinners eating out. If this is how you like to travel — you’ll find a few of the ways we splurged on this trip. We include our favorite vegan restaurant finds as well! 

Day One —

Where to stay: Royal Kona Resort

If you’re like us, you may be up early due to the time difference and your options for breakfast are limited. We walked along the touristy street of Kona while enjoying the sunrise and landed at Menehune Coffee Company, which was open, for a coffee and breakfast. 

Activities for the day:
–Hanging out at the resort

–Buying fruit from the Kona Farmer’s Market

–checking out the shops within Kona

–Getting massages at the resort

Lunch or Dinners in Kona:

Journey Cafe — this is a must-visit if you’re vegan and they also have vegan ice cream next door!
Herbivores Vegan Cafe — we were very excited about this place before going. It was okay in our books. 

Kamana Kitchen Indian Restaurant — this place had good food, but the real seller is that you can sit on the deck with a view of the ocean.

Loko Wraps — Wow! So good and so much food for such a great price! 

Day Two —

Where to stay: Airbnb in Hilo (we stayed here, and it is a good choice if you’re keeping a tight budget)

Activities for the day: Along the drive from Kona to Hilo, make sure to 

—see Waipio Valley: I believe it is closed to walk down to the valley floor, but if you’re able to look from the top — it is still worth the trip! 

—See Akaka Waterfall

—Visit the Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Garden

**If you do head up to Waipio Valley, we recommend a stop at The Cardinal Herbs, Tea, and Spices for a meal and an espresso-based beverage (or tea). This was another favorite on the island for us!

Lunch or Dinners in Hilo:
The Booch Bar — This was pretty good and we really like their root beer kombucha, which could be found at grocery stores around the island. 

Sweet Cane Cafe — This was very good and I would love to go again. 

Nicoco Hawaiian Gelato — Ice cream is a vacation must for the Roses. 

Day Three —

Where to stay: Airbnb/Cabin near Volcano (after spending the day in Hilo). We stayed here and whoa! We still dream about how much we enjoyed it

Activities for the day:
—Walk around downtown Hilo. 

—Buy your own snorkel gear from a local shop. 

—Snorkel on your own at Richardson Ocean Park.

—Head to the grocery store for meals at your eco-cabin in Volcano. 

Day Four —

Where to stay: Night two at Airbnb/Cabin near Volcano. We stayed here and whoa! We still dream about how much we enjoyed it

Activities for the day:

—Spend the day at Volcanoes National Park. There is way too much to do at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park to list out here. Check out the Rose Family Guide to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

Major tip: Remember your National Parks pass or buy one!

Day Five (six? seven? eight?)—

Where to stay: Airbnb in Kona. We stayed here, the place was well-equipped and we loved the location. It looks like the price has gone up since we visited.

Activities for the day: 

—Spend the morning at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. 

—Drive to Kona and spend the rest of your trip here! 

Depending on how long you’re staying in Kona, here are a few activities we enjoyed while staying in Kona include: 

—Walking around shops in Kona
—Spending a day in Captain Cook, snorkeling at Two Step and visiting the City of Refuge (another spot where you can use your National Parks pass!)

—Relaxing day in Kiholo Bay and seeing Sea Turtles

—Heading to A Bay beach and walking around the Waikoloa Petroglyph Reserve

—Shopping in Queens Marketplace/Kings’ Shops (get a big Hawaiian Shave Ice from Original Big Island Shave Ice Co) 

—Sunsets!

Thinking about other big trip ideas? Consider Tepotzlan, Mexico, Las Vegas, Nevada, or Tucson, Arizona!