As I will be going to Hawaii for a week in October, I have no clue about where to go. I know I don't want to do island hopping, too much stress. So I will probably just stay in the big island. Is that ok or would it be too limited ? I would love to rent a car while there, is it a good idea ? Ideally I would like to rent a jeep, a buggy, something of that kind. Thanks in advance for your input.
You'll need a rental car if staying on the Big Island, and a Jeep is a good idea. There are some tourist sites only accessible by 4WD, such as the Waipio Valley and the top of Mauna Kea (just under 14,000 feet above sea level). If you don't need the 4WD option, there are a lot of rental convertible Mustangs on hand. The better beaches and hotels are on the Kona side. Hotels in Hilo are rather down-at-the-heels, but there are some nice B&Bs in and near Hilo and Volcano. The Volcanoes National Park is certainly worth a visit. So is the southern tip of the island (South Point), the southernmost place in the USA--on the same latitude as Mexico City.
Thanks Mark. Is it viable to spend the whole week in a single hotel or do you need to move your base in order to reach all the tourist locations of the big island ?
It's a big place. If you want to cover the entire island you might consider staying in a condo for a couple of days in Hilo. Hilo has the best access to the Volcano park. Its 1/2 hour by freeway from Hilo but hours from the other side. If you are a motorcycle rider I would say without a doubt it is a no-brainer to rent a Harley and drive around the island. Rentals | Big Island Harley-Davidson® | Kailua-Kona Hawaii If motorcycles aren't your thing I would go with the jeep option too. You didn't say much about yourself or if you are traveling alone etc. Why are you coming to Hawaii? What do you like to do?
Hi Kevin. thanks for your tip and no, I'm not too much into bykes. Sorry in fact I didn't really say much. I will be there with my girlfriend, just a short one week holiday (we are stationed in Hong Kong), we would like a peaceful week, a bit of sight seeing, some easy hiking, a bit of sea and beach, doing some photography, driving a bit around...hope that makes sense
Girlfriend = no worries The most peaceful place I have been there was the Four Seasons but it is out of my budget for a vacation spot. If you guys are young and mobile you may consider staying in a couple different places. VRBO - Hawaii Vacation Rentals I would be tempted to stay in Hilo and maybe Kona. Hilo is a nice town to visit IMO. They have a quaint little downtown area that could be fun to enjoy for a night or two. My preference is to be close enough to the night life to be able to walk and not take a car but I don't know what choices exist for this. Good luck!
Since you seem to not be completely certain about a particular island, have you considered Maui? Much smaller that The Big Island, plenty of good hotels and restaurants and much easier to get around. You will miss out on the lava flows but a lot of other great spots to see and things to do, or to simply do nothing. Several good locations in both Wailea and Kaanapali to choose from. The trip up the volcano is a good drive as well as the drive to Hana. If you want to see a lot, a car is very helpful but depending on where you stay, expect to pay $20+ per day for hotel parking. If you aren't going to be leaving the hotel property everyday, maybe hired tours could be an alternative though not my favorite.
