Beat part of the park- free, no lines, no people & endless trails to walk. Close to south point &…read morebeaches as well as Na'alehu town

This park is beautiful and sacred. You can learn indigenous Hawaiian history & culture here and…read moreexperience serenity in this very special place. I especially enjoyed walking on the lava rocks to the protected areas where I saw fish everywhere! The water is clear and perfect. This park is large and I recommend that you have at least two hours here to soak it all in. There are hiking trails and picnic areas too. There are clean bathrooms, water fountain & a small gift shop as well. Note: For visitors concerned with accessibility, it may be a little tough to access the beach areas as the terrain is sandy, rocky & uneven. I did read that beach wheelchairs are available at the visitor center though. Mahalo.

This is the most sacred of the Hawaiian Parks, which was used as safe harbor during wars between…read moreislands. Many of the historical warrior chiefs were buried here and represented the proud heritage of healing those seeking refuge from the fighting. The rehabilitation first included healing wounds and feeding the starving warrior back to health. Next, the mental spirit was revived and trained how to live in peace.

Hikiau Heiau at Kealakekua Bay is a nice state park we went to for snorkeling. I saw a few big…read morecrabs but not a whole lot of other creatures. Once you get in the water at the rocks, the ground becomes a gray sand and it was relaxing swimming there. There are a few areas at Kealakekua Bay to snorkel around.

If you want to connect to the Hawaiian people, this is a great start. See real history and stand…read morewhere the ali'i did!! Amazing and free to boot! Well worth the drive and the small amount of walking involved. This is what you come to Hawai'i for!

Definitely come check out this national park if you're interested in learning more about Hawaiian…read moreculture. The land is sacred and has been preserved. You can take a very chill stroll through here, enjoy the scenery, and learn a lot about the Hawaiian people. Remember to respect the land and if you want to learn even more feel free to ask the park rangers some questions at the entrance. Be sure to check out the gift shop as well.

Beautiful Natonal Park on the Hilo side of the island. Stick to the trails. Restrooms are located…read morein the front of the park. I forgot how much parking costs. There are spots to swim at nearby.

Going to Mauna Kea was a must-do on our trip to the Big Island. We planned for our visit to line up…read moreperfectly with sunset. The visitor center is cool. Lots of good info. There's quite a bit of parking. It was super busy for a Sunday evening. We were in an all-wheel drive vehicle (Ford Edge) and the ranger gave us the green light to go up, even though all of the signs say 4-wheel drive only. They said they can no longer turn all wheel drive vehicles away. He recommended we stop every so often on the way down to let our brakes cool. The road is rough. Not paved. It's basically gravel and dirt the whole way. We only made it a mile of the 8 before turning around. The sun was so bright in our eyes we weren't able to see the road at some points and there is definitely some steep terrain going up. Our vehicle was already needing to have the gas all the way just to make it up. The thought of going down 8 miles of that sounded quite anxiety-inducing. So, we got back to the visitor center in time to hike the trail up the mountain across the road and catch the sunset. It's spectacular. The altitude change is no joke. I could feel how much harder it is to breathe with just a few steps into the hike. Be careful! The views are stunning though. So pretty. Definitely an experience worth checking out.

Unique place to explore, experience your lung and enjoy the view of sunset above the cloud. Make…read moresure you have 4wd or AWD car with LO gears option and a full tank of gas. Everybody has to stop at the visitor center (9200 ft) for 30 minutes acclimate time and Pitstop. After that you can continue the drive up to the top after a small talk and car check with the ranger. There is a bout 4.5 miles of rough terrain and the rest 4 miles is smooth sailing. Total time about 30 minutes. The view is breathtaking. The air is really thin so you have to take more breath you can stay to enjoy the sunset above the cloud and that is all the difference, but you cannot linger till the sky is dark. Everybody has to leave 15 minutes after sunset. Recommended to stop at the visitor center in the way down, stay longer and see the Milky Way by your naked eyes. Remember to keep warm.

Impressive historical site and good interpretive signed. The pathway is paved and some of it is…read moresuitable for wheelchairs.

This is a not to miss heritage of Hawaiian history with many items from the past. Although small,…read moreit is a clean and well cared for facilities.

As I age like fine wine I realize the value of learning about history. I may not be good on…read morejeopardy or remover the exact years but I find history especially in person exquisite. Wanting to fill our house with historic and local art we had to visit the statue and pay our respects. The first ruler of the kingdom of Hawaii uniting the island. Located downtown easily for all to see. A huge parking lot to drive up and park surrounded by a well manicured landscape. You can see how much he means as even today people continue to show respect by leaving plants and leis to decorate his statue. The bright and vibrant colors pop against the blue sky's and green surroundings. It was definitely worth the stop and a well kept area to wander around taking in Hilo slowing down and enjoying the scenery.

Beautiful statue of Kamehameha the Great cast in bronze. One of three statues in the state (Hilo,…read moreNorth Kohala, and Honolulu). This one is very easy to drive up to and maybe less crowded than going to see the one in Honolulu. I love how at this one there was hookupu in abundance.

This is a must! The sheer power of the ocean crashing into the rocks is not only mesmerizing but…read moremagical!!!! It should be on everyone list of must dos!

Beautiful views that are worth the trip down a long winding lane. Great place for relaxing and…read moretaking in the ocean views. It's too bad the lighthouse is no longer there

I first found this sweet little Catholic Church six years ago. My sister just got married in it a…read morefew weeks ago. It is very small and only has 12 pews. The pews hold 2 to 3 people. Saint Peters Catholic Church is located right on the beach. There is one beautiful etched glass window located in the front of the church which describes the story of Peter walking on the water toward Jesus. When Peter's faith starts to wane, and he starts to sink in the water. It's a beautiful church for a wedding! Personally I thought the church was very special and very memorable. What a little gem!!

Aloha ! I am the etched glass artist that made the etched glass window installed at St Peter by…read morethe Sea at Kahaluu, Kona, Big island. It was a time when I was really angry with God, & going through a tough divorce. My life was like Peters, losing faith. Luckily, my faith has been restored. Occasionally, I come by & check out how things are going and it is lovely to see how much people have enjoyed it. One of my dear friends got married there, I was honored to be present as matron of honor. This window was the 2nd one I did there, as some one busted the 1st one up, probably struggling with their faith also. Right next to the church is a small Hawaiian heiau for fishing prayers. I am very happy & living on Maui now. Sheri Macquarrie