As much as it pains me greatly to put this here (me >= not a big Wal-Mart fan) with a group of kids that inevitably forgot things, it’s a great place to stock up on everything from sunblock to snacks.

Avoid the McDonalds.

The first stop on our falls tour. It’s a park of big, beautiful waterfall, in case you hadn’t sorted that out.

Take the right fork after Mile Marker 1 on Waianuenue Avenue in downtown Hilo and follow the signs to Rainbow Falls. Continue past Rainbow Falls for approximately one mile to Peepee Falls.

• Be prepared for some easy hiking. Walking, really, but there are some stairs and inclines.
  
• Alright first things first, do not go around asking everyone where PeePee falls is. That’s not how you say it. It’s pronounced Pay-a Pay-a Falls =).

This is a tidy little inlet where you can sit with a group and eat lunch (which is precisely what we did).

Follow Highway 19 northward, along the coast, approximately 12 miles to the beach park. At the site of a tall, 100-foot bridge, look for a small sign pointing down a side road. The road leads down into the valley to the beach park.

For the more adventurous, there is a rope swing above the inlet. There’s also some surfing farther out toward the shore, but I have no idea how to rate the quality of surfing venues.

‘Akaka Falls, is a 442 ft. tall waterfall. ‘Akaka is the Hawaiian name for this feature. “‘Akaka” means “A rent, split, chink, separation; to crack, split, scale”. The accessible portion of the park lies high on the right shoulder of the deep gorge into which the waterfall plunges, and the falls can be viewed from several points along a loop trail through the park. Also visible from this trail is Kahūnā Falls.

• The sign says “no swimming,” but you can hike down the gorge and traipse around the rocks and things. The water isn’t swift at all down there, so if you take a plunge, perhaps nobody will mind.
  
• Oh, and please refrain from the “caca” jokes. Especially in the same day as seeing Pe’e Pe’e Falls.

This is a little farmer’s market that has a lot of handmade souvenirs like necklaces, beaded things, and t-shirts. The massage booth was popular, too.

Head North on Hwy.11 – Kanoelehua Ave.
Turn left on Hwy 19 – Kamehameha Ave.
This will take you into Historic Downtown Hilo
The Hilo Farmers Market will be on your left at the corner of Mamo and Kamehameha Ave.
Parking is available at Mo’oheau Park or on all the streets—no need to feed the street meters…it’s free!

The booths are run by locals, so buy your souvenirs at places like this, rather than at Wal-Mart or the airport.

• Stargazing program is conducted daily from 6pm to 10pm
• Escorted Summit Tour which is conducted every Saturday and Sunday
• Saturday night special programs

(four-wheel drive vehicle needed to get to observatory)
From Hilo, take the Puainako Extension (Hwy 2000) which merges with Saddle Road (Hwy 200). Just before the 28 mile marker, there is a road to the right and a street sign that says Mauna Kea Access Road. Make the right turn. The station is about 6 miles up the road on the right side of the road.
From the Kona side of the island, take Highway 190 heading North toward Waimea. Just before the 6 mile marker, there is a turnoff on the right for Saddle Road (Hwy 200). Take Saddle Road until just after the 28 mile marker. Turn left onto the Mauna Kea Access Road. The station is about 6 miles up the road on the right side of the road.

• It gets STINKING COLD up there. Like with snow and everything. You need a four-wheel-drive vehicle to ascend the mountain, too. Drink LOTS of water (and don’t eat a lot or smoke) on your way up to allay altitude sickness.
  
• Visitor Information Station website

This is right next to the Mauna Kea hotel, and is a nice long stretch of beach. Extremely relaxing. Good waves for the bodyboarders, too.

It’s a 90-minute drive from Hilo. Take Highway 19 north from Kona. Turn left at Mile Marker #68. Follow the road to the end for public access and limited parking.

• Good luck on finding shade. There are rentals for beach umbrellas nearby (at the Mauna Kea hotel), and those are well-advised.
  
• Go snorkeling, especially around the rocks on the left side of beach. Manta rays sometimes frequent the area at night…

This is all part of Volcanoes National Park on the big island of Hawaii. Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth. Over 90% of the surface of Kilauea is covered in lava that is only around 1,000 years old. The current eruption began in 1983 and is located on the East Rift Zone.

Located near the park entrance is the Kilauea Visitor Center – a good place to start your visit.

In the town of Volcano, HI, there’s a cute little sewing shop where I like to get my mom patterns and fabric. She likes making Hawaiian pillows and quilts, so this shop is perfect for her.

Steam vents is rainwater that sinks through the ground and is heated by rocks which are very hot from the lava below. Hot water then rises through fissures to condense in the chilled air. Be warned that the steam contains sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. Prolonged exposure can be dangerous. This is all part of Volcanoes National Park on the big island of Hawaii.

Driving counterclockwise on Crater Rim Drive from the Visitors Center your first stop should be the Steam Vents.

Halema’uma’u is the crater within the caldera. It bottoms out at 3,412 feet above sea level, whereas the floor of the rest of the Kilauea caldera is higher at approximately 3,640 (the rim near the Volcano House is 3,980).
This crater’s most recent activity was in 1974. It really is a breathtaking feature of the caldera that looks similar to craters seen on the moon! This is all part of Volcanoes National Park on the big island of Hawaii.

The Park entrance station is just off Hwy 11, 95 miles south-east of Kona and 30 miles south-west of Hilo. Keep right onto Crater Rim Drive for Kilauea visitor center in 0.3 mile.

• The Park is located in the south of the island. Entrance fee $10 per vehicle, good for 7 days.
  
• Notice the splotch of yellow on the crater walls, this is evidence of sulphur flow.

Thurston Lava tube is a a 350-500 year-old lava tube at the summit of Kilauea Caldera in Hawaii Volcano National Park. Lava flowing from Kilauea are responsible for the formation of this lava tube. Lava tubes are formed by underground lava hardening on the outside of the flow while lava continued to flow within. This is a very efficient way for lava to flow without cooling very fast. The result is a hollow tube. Lava tubes can extend over many miles, though this one extends only 150 meters. This lava tube tends to be cool and damp inside, with lava stalagmites and stalactites. The area surrounding the Thurston Lava Tube is considered a rain forest.

To find Thurston Lava Tube take Highway 11 to Volcano and enter the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Once you pass the park gatehouse make the first left onto Crater Rim Drive. Continue on Crater Rim Drive 1.6 miles until you come to the Thurston Lava Tube and Kilauea Iki parking lot: park in the spaces to your right. The lava tube is across the road from you. Just cross the road and follow the paved walkway.

• Bring a flashlight. Not for the claustrophobic.
  
• The entrance to the Thurston lava tubes are just a few steps away from where you park your car. Very convenient, thus this place can be crowded during peek tourist seasons.

An 18.3 mile scenic drive in the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park has many scenic stops, side trails and other scenic drives. The drive starts at a fascinating stand of Lava Trees and continues through a large assortment of things to see and do including a huge petroglyph field, and then ends where the lava crosses the road at the ocean.
This scenic drive also takes you from an altitude of 4,000 feet to sea level and back again. These are inside the Volcanoes National Park on the big island of Hawaii.

To get to the start of this scenic drive, take Highway 11 to Volcano and enter the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Once you pass the park gatehouse make the first left onto Crater Rim Drive. Continue on Crater Rim Drive 3 miles until the intersection with Chain of Craters road. Turn left onto Chain of Craters road.

more info here

A 150 foot trail from your car takes you to a spectacular hidden pit crater over 165 feet deep. This is all part of Volcanoes National Park on the big island of Hawaii.

To find Devil’s Throat take Highway 11 to Volcano and enter the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Once you pass the park gatehouse make the first left onto Crater Rim Drive. Continue on Crater Rim Drive 3 miles until the intersection with Chain of Craters Road. Turn left onto Chain of Craters Road and proceed approximately 2.2 miles to the Hilina Pali road. Just past the Hilina Pali road is a small patch of gravel on the right. Park there. You should be able to see the dirt trail on the other side of Chain of Craters Road from you.

• There are plenty of small rocks in the area to throw in, because you know you want to.
  
• more info here

If you’re willing to hike three miles (each way) over extremely unforgiving terrain to get six feet away from red-hot lava flows, then this is the activity for you. Quite possibly some of the most awe-inspiring video, too, if videography’s your thing.

These are best in the evening. Wear tough shoes, take PLENTY of water, and a flashlight. A GPS wouldn’t hurt, either.

We got our equipment at Jack’s Dive Locker. They’re extremely helpful, friendly, and they have NO trouble with a large group of variously-sized adults and children.

The snorkeling location we chose was in a mostly-native-Hawaiian area of town, so we got a LOT of stink-eye.

For those kids that just HAVE to have chocolate-covered macadamia nuts to bring home to their parents.

Avoid if at all possible.

This was on the south side of the big island, and made a nice, relaxing last stop to our vacation.

Punalu’u Beach Park is located off Hwy 11 on south shore, south of Hilo.

• Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles frequent this beach, sunbathing on the warm sand. Come and view these wonderful turtles, but please don’t touch them or scare them. They are endangered species and the bacteria transferred to them via our human skin can kill them as they have no immune system for it.