Hawaii: Trip overview 3 '08

The  Kailua - Kona Coast is our favorite place to vacation in Hawaii.  We always pack a lot of activities into these trips, so I thought I would give you the highlights in this post and let you read the specifics in some of the other more details posts which will follow.

The sunny Kona District stretches for about 60 miles from Kona International Airport to beyond Kealakekua Bay on Hawaii Island’s lava-lined western coast. Along this expansive area, you’ll find everything from coffee farms to historic Hawaiian landmarks.

The sleepy little village of Kona is always quiet and laid back.

But that doesn't mean there isn't  a lot to see and do here.  In fact you can visit the royal Hawaiian Hulihee Palace ( the last residence of King Kamehameha I), the  Mokuaikaua Church, and the the Ahuena Heiau., all within a few short blocks of one another

Of course the Island offers other  more modern attactions

The Keauhou farmers market is two blocks from our condo

Like a  the Kona and Keauhou Farmers Markets  which are two of  the best on the island.

We always make a visit to the farmers market one of our first stops after signing into the condo.

Nothing tastes as sweet as just picked fresh Hawaiian papaya or pineapple

and the fresh  caught fish and baked goods are outstanding.

CC at The Keauhou Hotel

And of course dining is always a pleasure on the Big Island

CCs favorite is The Keauhou Hotel  which has a great little indoor out door restaurant perched over a lagoon where you can watch the reef fish swim below you.

Bruce prefers  dining at the small local eateries, especially there is  a  Hula dancer performance

One of our favorite things to do together is visit the Volcano National Park

Kilauea  Volcano in the distance

We always do a lot of hiking. Mt. Kilauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes and is constantly changing the landscape so there is always something new  to see.

CC with an active caldera crater in the background

This trip we concentrated most our our hiking to trails in the rain forest near the Volcano House where we were able to see a lot of native Hawaiian birds. 

( There will be more on our bird sightings in a later post)

We spent an afternoon visiting our wedding garden by the sea where we were renewed our vows .

(More in a later Post)

Bruce took a couple of scuba dives (more in another post)

and golfed (more in another post)

CC's acrylic still life of a Pineapple ( before we ate it)

 While CC painted  ( more to follow)

BJ with artist M Fieldson

 and we both did a lot of  Art Gallery Hopping ( see follow-on posts)