Everyone has that special place to just leave the whole dumb world behind. They aren’t as easy to find these days with wi-fi, Blackberry’s and universal Internet access. Spots that once were havens for seasoned travelers are now playgrounds for anyone who can access Orbitz. Hawaii is possibly the most trampled upon group of islands in the world if you don’t include those little slices of earth owned by the cruise ship companies. Consider the hoards of people at the airport in Waikiki jamming 5 boxes of chocolate covered Macadamia nuts in their Samsonite for their friends at work.

So here’s a thought…when you have the chance to go to Hawaii, why not go to Hawaii? The “Big Island” and the one that is really called “Hawaii” is probably the least visited of the landmasses making up the 49^th state. A little piece of advice for you….go to Kona, go to Kona, go to Kona. Now we may be a little prejudiced here as our friend has a really cool house we stay in every year, but the hotels there look pretty dang nice!

Being insatiable foodies, all trips include visiting local restaurants along with sampling neighborhood stores and farmers markets. What a treat it was to learn upon our Saturday arrival, that the Sheraton was hosting a charity event featuring tastes from many of the Island’s top restaurants. How cool is that? So our first night in Kona was spent indulging in bites from a few dozen restaurants and mingling with the locals who could have not been more welcoming.

Coastline

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We feasted upon endless morsels and after having spent hours with the incredibly hospitable owners, we selected Huggo’s as our home base while we were there. Founded in 1969, this place is still way cool. You seriously couldn’t build a place like this theses days considering the permit process and political correctness of not using the coastline (except for oil drilling). Huggo’s has two distinct spaces, both dead on the water. Yeah baby! For lunch, the uuber casual place actually has sand for a floor with a menu perfect for an Island hangover. Righteous Mai Tai’s, huge burgers and really nice fish sandwiches got us though the first afternoon. Dinner a few nights later was awesome in the upscale dining room. Do NOT leave Kona without trying the teriyaki steak. How the heck did they make that soooooo good? Say hey to Eric for us if you go.

On the nights we didn’t dine out, the local farmers markets provided a bounty of delicious delights for us to savor. Gigantic Rib Eyes from local Parker Ranch cattle were so tender and flavorful that our eyes still well up at the thought of them. Brochettes of Mahi Mahi with island vegetables or Opa encrusted with crushed macadamia nuts were easily prepared and devoured. And yes, we did gain pounds.

For someplace with nothing to do, you will never get a chance to do it all. If you’re staying on the Kona side of the Island, check out the Mauna Kea which was built a bazillion years ago by Nelson Rockefeller. This is probably why is wife was named Happy. The place has seen better days, but the snorkeling on the beach is unbeatable. We went way the heck out along the rocks to swim with sea turtles, schools of pencil fish, that one fish with all the vowels in its name, and some other tanned adventurers. You don’t need to stay there and hang at the beach, but get there early because public parking is very limited and only available with a permit. The permit is free, but there are only about 50 of them and when they’re gone, they’re gone. We got there at 9am on a Saturday and there were only a few spots left.

Yet Another Beautiful Sunset

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Taking a few days to drive around the whole island is a very fun adventure. The South end sports the most active volcano in the world, replete with sulphur belching craters, lava flows and a cocktail bar right on the edge. Who can stop progress? The flora around the crest of the main crater is unbelievable with wild orchids, dense ferns and trees that are very Jurassic Park. Take your time and wander a bit, especially if there aren’t five giant tour buses there.

On the way into Hilo, make sure to make a stop at the Mauna Loa macadamia nut plantation. With over 2,500 acres and 250,000 trees. It’s only a few miles before you hit town, but it’s easy to miss with the sudden entrance on your right. It’s worth the swerve though. Check out the manufacturing floor that is viewable through the big windows on the right side of the parking lot. They still have live humans dipping the nuts in chocolate and putting them in boxes. The whole thing is very reminiscent of Lucy and Ethyl in the ever-famous candy factory skit. The adjoining store has “everything macadamia” from pasta, oils, candy and spreads. Yum! If you’re by chance there on a Tuesday, tell them you are from the cruise ship and you’ll get a discount. Don’t ask how we learned that one.

Paradise

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Hilo is a bit of an industrial town and not worth more than a quick drop in. Wednesday and Saturday, there is a KILLER farmer market with stuff we have never seen before. Talk about some very cool fruits and vegetables, not to mention my new sunglasses. You should also have the local Hawaiian kid hack up a fresh coconut with a machete for you and drink the luxurious milk right out of the shell. Thoroughly worth the three bucks.

The Big Island is a place that gets in your blood and draws you back for future visits. From a total dive bar in Hilo, full of locals singing native songs, to an absolutely sumptuous meal at the Canoe House or Beach Tree at the Four Seasons, you’re hooked.

Mahalo…