Beautiful BayClub Hawaii

Best Things Nearby:
Be sure to visit A Bay and Hapuna Beach, two of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen. A Bay is within the resort area, so it's only about a 3-minute drive. Hapuna Beach is about 10 minutes away, but has more waves, boogie-board rentals, and a snack bar. Also, don't miss the Hilton Resort, which is amazing. Kona is about a 30-minute drive away, but a fun town to visit for a day, with lots of shopping and the only parasailing we found. They have some fun restaurants, too!

We went on the Fairwinds Snorkel Cruise, which was VERY WELL WORTH the money we paid. Even my 6-year-old could snorkel, and the lunch they provided was fabulous.

Best Things About the Resort:
The accommodations are BEAUTIFUL! Be sure to attend the island orientation the first morning, available after you arrive. The Bay Club activities staff is the best at helping you find exactly what you want to do and helping you plan it into your week. There is a Volcano Spa that is a bit hidden; look for it behind Building 6 (I think). Be sure to check out both pools---we didn't visit the other one until the last day, and wish we would've discovered it sooner. We shopped at Costco and took advantage of the barbeque areas at the resort a couple of nights. We met others doing the same. Everyone there is soooo nice, staff and visitors alike. On the last day, we had to check out by 11am, but we were able to leave our luggage and come back and shower in their facility before heading to the airport - this way we didn't miss a day at the beach! They even let us use their towels for the day, even though we had checked out.

Resort Experience:
I had never been to the Big Island, but simply fell in love with the sights and culture. Be prepared for LOTS of lava rocks everywhere and beautiful palm trees mixed in when you least expect it. There are always activities going on at the Bay Club and the Kings Shops. The Marriott Luau was fantastic! The Marriott also has a great restaurant overlooking the sunset. The Bay Club Golf Course Restaurant is also very, very good. We took a drive across the island to Hilo and the Volcano National Park--it's a very long day if you try to get all the sightseeing in--we stopped at Akaka Falls, Waipio Lookout, the winery, Botanical Gardens, and the volcano park. It was exhausting, but each one was VERY worth a visit.

The Bay Club is EXACTLY what I was looking for in Hawaii: beautiful, serene, and friendly, with palm trees, waterfalls… everything I could imagine. I would HIGHLY recommend it to families with young children, as well as couples. You really don't have to leave the resort area all week to enjoy all the pleasures of a Hawaiian vacation. I would recommend checking out the rest of the island, though, because it has soooo much to offer. Be sure to rent a car! Even the airport is too far from the resort to rely on a cab!!! Plan on picking it up at one of the car rental places at the airport.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

You can choose a morning or afternoon sail; we chose morning for two reasons: they feed you breakfast AND lunch, and because the weather is a little calmer and sunnier in the morning (at least when we were there). We departed from Keauhou Bay--all snorkel gear was given to us on the boat. My parents (in their 60's) and my kids (youngest 7 years) had NEVER snorkeled. Everyone learned on the boat from a great staff! The breakfast was served as we sailed to Kealakekua Bay (muffins, fruit, juice). The sail was beautiful and warm. Snuba lessons were also available on the boat.

When we arrived at the Bay, we had 2 1/2 hours of snorkel time---I thought that would be too much, turned out to not be enough. It was simply beautiful. TAKE AN UNDERWATER CAMERA (Target $7.50, but don't check it at the airport, carry it on). It really is like swimming in an aquarium. My kids also enjoyed the slide and the high dive off the boat.

The lunch was BBQ hot dogs and hamburgers with salads, fruits, dessert, and sodas. What a treat!! While snorkeling is very relaxing, we found we had worked up an appetite. There is a guy who takes a video in and out of the water of everyone, which is really neat. You can watch it on the sail back and opt to buy it for $70. The price of a cruise is $99 per adult and $59 per child. WELL WORTH IT!! Afternoon cruise is less expensive... but I'd go for the morning one!

Parasailing is a bit exhilarating. I am scared of heights, but did it anyway. You actually feel very safe and secure in the air. It is very peaceful and beautiful. Taking off and landing is really easy. You don't get wet at all (except a little spray from the boat hitting ripples in the water). But even the 400 feet seems VERY HIGH. If you weigh less than 130 pounds, you have to fly tandem, so be sure to pair up so no one gets left out. I think it is actually more fun with two people so you have someone to talk to about the experience while you are in the air. It is really exciting.