Mini TripAlec FullerComment

36 Hours On Big Island

Mini TripAlec FullerComment
36 Hours On Big Island

“Wow, Big Island is really big” - an actual sentence I said after we spent the majority of our 36 hour trip driving from one place to another.

Okay, maybe we didn’t spend the majority of our trip in the car, but it was definitely more than we were used to on Oahu. This whirlwind weekend getaway was my boyfriend’s gift to me for Christmas — a quick flight out at 5am on Saturday, flying into Hilo, driving to stay the night in Kona, then flying back out of Hilo on Sunday night. Since we only had 36 hours and it was my first time to Big Island, you know I maximized every moment of this trip to experience as much as I could of what the Big Island has to offer.

Lava tube in Kilauea on the Big Island of Hawaii, shot by Alec Fuller
Lunch at Kai Eats + Drinks in Kona, Big Island, shot by Alec Fuller

Kai Eats + Drinks

Turtle in the ocean on the beach on Big Island Hawaii, shot by Alec Fuller

Here’s the rundown of what happened the first day:

  • 6:30am: Landed in Hilo and picked up our rental car

  • 7:00am: Stopped through the v cute Just Cruisin Coffee for fuel for the road

  • 7:15am: Hit up the Hilo Farmer’s Market for snacks

  • 7:30am: Quick stop by Coconut Island, a small park/island that juts out into the water

  • 8:30am: Volcanoes National Park to see Kilauea, the lava tube, and more (lots to see here, we honestly could’ve been here all day)

  • 11:45am: Stopped at Punalu’u Bake Shop (the southernmost bakery in the US) for lunch (so-so) and baked goods (incredible)

  • 1:00pm: Back tracked a few minutes to Punalu’u Black Sand beach

  • 2:15pm: Trekked down to Ka Lae, the southern most point in the US (not a lot here but now we can say we’ve been to the southern most point in the US so that’s neat)

  • 3:00pm: Got another coffee (of course) at Miranda’s Farms

  • 4:45pm: Finally made it to Kona and checked into the Royal Kona Resort

  • 5:30pm: Meandered over to Umeke’s to put our name down for dinner, then had a beer across the street at the original Kona Brewing Company

  • 8:00pm: Strolled around Ali’i Drive, stopping in stores and restaurants for more beer and fries

If you’re thinking “wow that’s a lot in one day!” you’d be absolutely correct, we were exhausted. But with only another partial day left, we were up and at ‘em the next day:

  • 9:00am: Checked out of the hotel and headed to Honokohau Beach to actually relax for a bit

  • 12:00pm: Kai Eats + Drinks for lunch (right when they opened, so we got a table by the water woo!)

  • 2:30pm: Made it to Mauna Kea, where we weren’t prepared at all to go all the way up, and checked out the views and visitor center

  • 3:30pm: Saw a sign for Kaumana Caves and stopped to go spelunking (just kidding, but very cool to see)

  • 4:00pm: Explored the stores (and coffee shops) of downtown Hilo

  • 5:00pm: Wandered the Liliuokalani Park and Gardens

  • 6:00pm: Headed back to the airport to fly home!

Our room at the Royal Kona Resort, Big Island, Hawaii, shot by Alec Fuller

Our room at the Royal Kona Resort

Steep entrance staircase into Kaumana Caves, Big Island, Hawaii, shot by Alec Fuller
Statue at Ka Lae on Big Island, Hawaii, shot by Alec Fuller

Phew! It was a whirlwind weekend but I really felt like we saw a good bulk of the island, not to mention ate and drank all the things. Big Island really is significantly bigger than Oahu — it actually felt like we were on the mainland at points, with the distances between each spot being so far. I’m already excited to go back again and hit up things we missed (and go back to Umeke’s because that meal in particular was deeeelish).

Also, I actually remembered to take videos for my first ever travel vlog! I need some practice and I should probably add my own commentary instead of just showing what I’m seeing, but nonetheless, here it is if you’re more of a visual learner: