Trip Overview
Hawaii is always a good idea, but this recent trip to the Big Island felt extra special. This time, I headed to the island with a great crew: my parents, my aunt, and Karthika, a lovely lady I’ve recently started seeing. We structured the trip to get the best of both worlds: we started on the sunny Kona side for all things beach and water, then wrapped up in the cool, misty uplands of Volcanoes National Park. It was the perfect blend of relaxation, family time, and varied activities—from snorkeling and pool volleyball to watching active lava flows.
Most Memorable Moments
Karthika’s Successful Snorkel
A definite personal win from our time in Kona was getting Karthika out snorkeling with me. I’m always excited to share the underwater world, and she was a natural! We saw tons of cute fish, and—most importantly—it was a 100% seasickness-free success. A lovely time that makes me excited for future adventures.
Family Sports
It wouldn’t be a group trip without some casual games. While at the resort in Kona, we got in a bit of everything: a few friendly games of pickleball, some relaxed pool volleyball, and even a little 2-on-2 basketball. It wasn’t a high-stakes tournament by any means, just a really nice, low-key way to be active together.
The Gift Card Saga
We had a “gift card saga,” forcing us to eat at Papa Kona’s for many, many meals. While it’s a good problem to have, at a certain point you start to want to have different food!
While I can recommend both Papa Kona’s and Papa’s Tapas, I wouldn’t recommend eating there for every meal you have on the island! There are plenty of great options around.
The Manta (Non)Dive
Of course, not every plan works out. The Kona portion had a few quirks. I took my mom on a manta scuba dive, which was a bust—she got very seasick, and the mantas never showed up.
Volcano Zen & Cribbage
We finished the trip at Volcano, HI, which was a perfectly relaxing way to end. We spent our time watching the (very beginning) of Eruption 36. While we didn’t get any dramatic fountaining, it was incredible to watch the pistoning and overflows. This part of the trip was pure chill: endless games of cribbage with my parents in the cool air, hitting the hot tub, and just watching the earth change.
Logistics & Practical Information
Accommodation
- The Outrigger Kona: Where we stayed first. Very pleasant, with great ocean views and a fantastic pool area for all our casual sports.
- Kilauea Lodge: Our base for the second half of the trip. It has a great, cozy nature vibe, and you absolutely cannot beat the convenience for Volcanoes National Park.
Transportation
- We rented a minivan for the group. And yes, we were, of course, super cool driving it around. Practicality over everything.
Notable Food
- Papa’s Tapas: A standout meal in Kona. The tapas were all fantastic, and the tiramisu was a notable mention.
- Punalu’u Bake Shop: You have to stop here. It’s the southernmost bakery in the US and a great stop between Kona and Volcano.
- Lanikai Brewing Company: A really pleasant stop near the park. They had good pizza, good beer, and a live cam monitoring the volcano, which was a nice touch.
Activities
- Scuba Diving: Mom and I dove with Kona Honu Divers (for a non-manta dive). They were really good, very professional.
- Snorkeling Cruises: We used Fairwind Cruises for a day snorkel and a manta snorkel. They were great, and I’d use them again.
- Beach Snorkeling: Kahalu’u Beach Park is a classic for a reason. It’s super accessible, and the marine variety is great.
- Casual Sports: We found time for pickleball, pool volleyball, and basketball, which were all fun, low-key group activities.
- Eruption Viewing: We found the Keanakako’i Overlook to be the best spot to see the lava flows.
Lessons (Re)Learned
- The ‘Big Island’ earned it’s name. Driving from Kona to Volcanoes National Park is a serious trek. A split stay is 100% the right move. Trying to “day trip” the volcano from Kona is a recipe for exhaustion. Staying near the park (like at Kilauea Lodge) lets you explore on its own terms, without a 2.5-hour commute on either end.
- Mantas and mothers get to make their own plans. You simply cannot schedule wildlife. The manta dive can be hit-or-miss, and this trip was a clean “miss.” More importantly, check the conditions. My mom getting very seasick made the no-show mantas a secondary problem. (Sorry, Mom!)
- There is such a thing as too much “free” food. That stack of Papa Kona’s gift cards seemed like a great bonus, but by the seventh meal, we were all dreaming of other menus.
- A volcano operates on its own time. We were lucky to see the start of an eruption, but it was a great reminder that you can’t force nature’s timing. The real joy was just being there—the hot tub, the cribbage, the cool air. Go for the zen vibe; consider any fountaining a bonus.
Reflections & Final Thoughts
This trip was a perfect reminder that the Big Island is just fantastic for a relaxing getaway. The sheer variety of landscapes is always astounding—you can go from sunny, vibrant coastlines to stark black lava fields in no time. But more than that, this was a really great personal trip. It was wonderful to have Karthika there to meet my parents and aunt, and it was even better to see the start of a really strong, easy connection forming between all of them. A fantastic trip, all around.
Expedition Hamilton 
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