Hilo, HI - Day 1
Saturday, April 10
It’s moving day! Today we said good-bye to our rented condo in Waikoloa Village on the northwest side of the island and made our way east toward Hilo. By now, we’ve got the ‘moving thing’ down pat and having Janie here to help pack up our things makes it all go smoothly. Paniolo Greens Resort in Waikoloa Village is about a five-minute drive up the mountain (so not directly on the ocean), but neither Andi or I minded the location. It was a lot cheaper to stay in this area vs. on the water and it was an easy drive to the beach when we wanted to be there. The weather in Waikoloa Village was windy and usually rained for a half hour or so in the afternoons — that might be the only downside.
We had a few hours to kill before we could check into our next airbnb, so we took our time driving along the scenic Hamakua Coast. Along the way, we listened to the Shaka Guide audio tour in the car which told stories and facts about the Big Island and pointed out sightseeing stops during our drive.
There were some cool lava tubes along the way that the Shaka Guide pointed out, so we decided to pull over and check them out. No big deal — just some cool, underground caves where lava once flowed beneath the Earth’s surface! Hot magma from Mauna Loa volcano once flowed through here and when it stopped, a hollow cave was left behind. These caves were easy to access and fun to explore. We didn’t have a flashlight and the right kind of shoes on today so we didn’t adventure far, but it’s possible to walk for miles in these dark, wet caves.
The Hamakua Coast was scenic and so peaceful. Miles and miles of rolling green pastureland. We practically had the Mamalahoa Highway to ourselves as we made our way into the small town of Honokaa and over toward the Waipi’o Valley.
Andi, Tory, Aden and I visited the Waipi’o Valley with Andi’s friend Clark during our first week in Hawaii and it was a truly magical place. The very steep one-lane road (with a 25 percent grade!) down into the valley is not for the faint of heart though and rental car companies prohibit island visitors from driving it. We didn’t venture down into the valley today, but Andi and I did want to show Janie the breathtaking view from the overlook.
From there, we continued our drive along Highway 19 toward Hilo. Hilo is the Big Island’s largest city and hot to the University of Hawaii-Hilo so there’s a lot of activity happening there. It’s got a totally different vibe than the west side of the island! Much more urban.
Our first stop in Hilo was the Hilo Farmer’s Market which takes place everyday of the week. We’d heard good things about this market, but Andi and I were a little disappointed in its offerings. Sure, it’s large with lots of vendors but it sort of seemed like everyone was selling the same things. Janie treated Tory and Aden to cloth coin purses to hold their space change. They’ve both been having fun buying souvenirs with the money Grandma and Grandpa gave them to spend on this trip. Andi and I bought some fruits and veggies, including some micro greens and pesto made with macadamia nuts.
We had planned to eat lunch at the farmer’s market, but last-minute Andi and I decided on a Thai restaurant called Hilo Siam that was highly recommended by our airbnb host. Andi ordered plates of short ribs, chicken satay, cashew chicken, green tofu curry and a green papaya salad for us all to share. Tory was the only one who didn’t love the food, but the rest of us thought the flavors and our restaurant service were excellent.
Our new place was ready for check-in around 2:00pm, so we left Hilo and made our way there. The house is located in the small town of Honomu, about 20 minutes north of the city near Hawaii’s famous Akaka Falls.
We loved the feel of this house immediately. It’s perched on the hillside with a beautiful garden view overlooking the ocean. There were three beds so Grandma and Tory agreed to share a bed and Aden got his own. The house also has a large enclosed porch and a hot tub.
Hilo is the rainiest city in the United States, so we decided to take advantage of the sunny day we were having and go check out Akaka Falls nearby. Akaka Falls is the tallest waterfall in Hawaii plummeting 442 ft. The state park closed at 5:00pm so we made it just in time to walk the short 1/2 mile path to the falls.
Back at the house, Andi and I whipped up some chicken pesto with salad greens for dinner and then we lounged around together watching Netflix. Tomorrow, we’re excited to check out more of Hilo!
