THIRD STOP - THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII

ROYAL KONA RESORT

We found out AFTER we arrived on the Big Island of Hawaii that there are actually two airports and two main areas of the island Hilo and Kona. The way we found this out is that we flew in to Hilo and realized our hotel was in Kona. No big deal just the opposite side of the island and 2 1/2 hours away. There is no way stright across the middle of the island either you go all the way up and around or all the way down and around - we chose up. It was a very intersting drive we passed wild turkies, a wild boar we drove through the most beautiful rain forest and the driest burnt up desert - yep that's right from rain forest to desert - and nothing in between - you are in the middle of NOWHERE. The hotel we stayed at was the Royal Kona Resort - it was ok it needs so updating but location was great and the hotel itself had some cool features. One of which is a natural rock lagoon area that you can walk down into - it feeds from the ocean and there are really cool fish, sea urchins, black crabs and not to sure what else and it is only about waist to chest deep - a great place to snorkel. Another really neat thing was the restaurant hung out over the huge rock (made from lava) so the waves crashed right up next to you - so relaxing - that is it could be minus the 2 year old. I really enjoyed the Kona area - we had dinner one night at a restaurant called Keoki's - I highly recommend it - it was nice - the one actual date night of our whole trip - Brooklyn slept through the whole evening - that goodness for strollers.

On our last day we visited Volcano National Park - again we got there to late to take the tour that goes all the way down by the flowing lava but we did get to hike through some of the trails on our own and see down in to the gorge and got up close to where some of the steam vents were. From what they were saying the volcano is really active right now so much that they have had to close some roads and areas down - it would have been a cool thing to get to see - next time - I hope Scott closes some deals on this island so there is a reason to come back next trip.
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There were some AMAZING views

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HANG LOOSE - Scott practiced the Hang Loose hand sign with Brooklyn all week - it was so cute to watch her try and get the fingers right.

AND THIS ISLAND'S ICE CREAM RUN WAS TO BASKIN ROBBINS

And that's a "GOT MILK" ad if I ever saw one!