On our way to Volcanoes National Park we stopped at a couple different places including Lava Tree State Monument to see the old lava trees. The trees basically looked like lava rock, but if you looked closer you could see sections of the tree that had been covered with lava over 200 years ago.
We stopped at three waterfalls near Hilo. The first was Nanue Falls which was viewable right off the highway on a narrow bridge. The second was Akaka Falls located in a state park with a beautiful walking trail. The last waterfall we saw, just before sunset, was Rainbow Falls near downtown.
We stayed a few miles outside of Hilo in a nice house with beautiful ocean views and lush landscaping. I forgot to take pictures of the house and the inside but the outside was great 🙂
Our first full day in Hilo included a drive to scenic Waipio Valley Lookout and then stopping to see several waterfalls. I will have a separate post on the waterfalls.
The last place we stopped (after a couple scenic overlooks) was the Pu’ukohala Heiau National Historic Site. This site preserves an ancient stone temple and other ruins.
After lunch we visited Lapakahi State Historical Park to see a partially restored fishing settlement. We then drove through Kapaau, a quaint town with King Kamehameha’s statue, on our way to the beautiful Pololu Valley Lookout.
After our three nights in Kona, we packed up and headed north along the highway which would eventually take us east to Hilo. It was a long day in the car with so much to see so I have to break up the pictures into a few posts 🙂
I loved the swirly patterns on the dry lava beds we walked around on. Our mini van even made it over a rough road to view the lava. My parents were told to visit the Hilton if we got a chance and it was impressive. There was an indoor tram, sea turtles in the lagoon, a suspension bridge over the swimming pool, ancient artifacts, ornate statutes, live birds, and even dolphins (they cost $ to see). Ada enjoyed sitting on the statues and watching the flamingos.
We also tried shave ice on the island and it was really good, basically a snow cone but with smoother ice. This was our 3rd trip to Hawaii and we never knew shave ice was the “thing” to try over there 🙂
La Casa Blanca 