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We've booked our flight and hotel (Grand Naniloa - to be Hilton) for November. We're really excited to visit and we will be spending the majority of our 10 days on the east side.
We arrive on a Wednesday at 1pm. By the time we get a car and finish check in it will be around 2pm. We were thinking a good intro would be a leisurely drive down through Pahoa, onto Kapoho road (hwy 132) to Kapoho then take the red road to Kalapana, arriving at Uncle Roberts around 5pm.
My only concern is the long day (up early to airport, long flight, etc...). I'd really like to go to Uncle Roberts and this looks to be the only Wednesday we'd be able to go. Does this sound like a good first intro to the Big Island?
There's so much we want to do it's almost overwhelming. My GF is a professor so she has summers off and I work remotely. We're contemplating coming back in the summer for an extended time... did I mention we're really excited to visit?!
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Uncle Roberts is a must, it's Puna.
Skip Kapoho and go straight to Kalapana.
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Thanks! We weren't specifically going to see Kapoho so much as we thought the drive along red road (and a few stops along the way) would be a nice drive. Love the ocean. All the pics I've seen look fantastic.
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That's a nice drive. Really nice by motorcycle or scooter. If you want a nice meal, hit Kaleos on the way back. It's in Pahoa. Have some lilikoi cheesecake for desert.
Jon in Keaau/HPP
Jon in Keaau/HPP
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I think you planned that quite well. If I could fine tune that just a bit I would say go early, get a good parking spot, market opens by 5. 6 to 8pm is what works for me.
Don't hesitate to stop along the red road and take in the amazing views, best seen when the sun is out to get full effect of light coming down thru the tree canopy. My favorite vantage point is almost directly across from Kalani. Park your car on the ocean side of the street and take the short trail, nice bench to relax and take it all in.
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Wednesday is THE night for Uncle Roberts... parking is always limited, but available (at a cost or long walk if you park free along the road)
If you get to Uncle Roberts before dusk, it is nice to walk out to the Kaimu ocean area...& the current lava flow has provided some nice glow-views out & back
Taking the round trip drive would not be hard to do in the 3-4 hours from Hilo to Kalapana, with a few spectacular ocean photo opps along Red Road )realizing you can adjust the trip as you go (as jet lag may catch up to you...or not!)
On Wed. there is plenty to see & eat at Uncle Roberts, or in Pahoa
ETA: make sure that Naniloa has early check-in.... many of the hotels here have 3pm check-in (that may not be a deal breaker for this plan...but you may have to either leave your stuff at the hotel desk or take it with you...
ETA 2: Their web lists check-in as 3pm
http://www.aquaresorts.com/hotels/grand-...-services/
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You have planned your intro very well; the only caveat being you don't say where you'll be traveling from or your age. If you're coming from the East Coast and you're approaching your senior years, you may be more tired than you'd think and Uncle Roberts is a highly energetic experience, with parking (and returning to your car in the dark and possibly raining) a challenge for those unfamiliar with our rainforest environment. If there's an way you could do Uncle Roberts on your 2nd Wednesday here, I'd highly recommend it. Have a fabulous visit!
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Thanks all for your comments!
We absolutely want to eat at as many local places as possible. I've been lurking on this thread for a long time, soaking up ideas for things to do, places to eat, sites to see, etc... Kaleos is on the list, as well as Luquins (I remember comments about a lilikoi margarita - yum! - and have been dying to try one).
We may try a late lunch in Pahoa at either place, then drive the long way around to Uncle Roberts. Or we eat in Pahoa another day. We're going to be around for 10 days and we plan on venturing down there a few times. If we get to Uncle Roberts early we will definitely hike around by the ocean.
The folks I spoke to at the Naniloa were very nice and accommodating in the requests we made. I didn't think to ask about early check in (thanks Carey!) so I will give them a call.
I'm in my late 40's and she is early 50's, both of us in good shape and we're RELATIVELY close, if there is such a place to Hawaii! We're in Sacramento - so not too bad of a flight.
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HISomeday, I only thought of it when ire-read your post...& remembered when one of our friends was returning with 3 young children from a year work stint in China to the East Coast & decided to take a 3-day layover in Honolulu to break up the long flight... only they arrived in Honolulu at 9am & their Waikiki hotel had no early check-in, no exception...so they were waiting in the lobby, with all of their everything... until we showed up with local friends.... they would have been stuck there until 3pm if we hadn`t!
& welcome & enjoy your vacation here.... we did not have a preview vacation...just moved here...so I envy you!
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Hilo Bay Cafe is a nice spot for a lunch or dinner. The view alone is well worth it. Lucie's.also in Hilo, is a decent Mexican restaurant. They are more creative than to just bury everything with cheese. If you like Thai food, there are some good ones in Hilo too. I think my favorite restaurant is the New Chiang Mai Thai Cuisine. We try to go there for lunch. Their curry dishes are just perfect. Nice people too. Now I'm getting hungry.
Jon in Keaau/HPP
Jon in Keaau/HPP
