Time on the Big Island

This hotel has a great location. It's within walking distance of all the little shops and restaurants that are on Ali'i Drive. It's close to everything! Even Wal-Mart. The rooms are not fancy, by any means, but are clean. Most rooms have an ocean view. The staff is friendly and helpful. One downside is that the pool closes as soon as it gets dark because they don't have lights in the pool, therefore creating a liability issue. The beds are very comfortable. The room has a mini fridge so you can keep a few snacks/drinks on hand. When you are ready to send postcards to friends/family back home, you can take them right to the front desk and purchase the stamps and they will send them out for you! If you plan on renting a car, you will have to pay for parking. It's around $6 per day, and the spaces are a tad small. I would definitely stay here again!

This restaurant has a bit of everything for everyone. Get your drinks here! They're cheap. We got hooked on the mango margaritas, which were $4.75. Most places charged $7 to $8 for that type of drink. Try the mango margaritas...they are sooo yummy. The shrimp and chips basket ($11.75) is sooo good. They use a light batter on everything they fry and it's phenomenal! Try the fish and chips ($11.25). They use a local fish called Ono (in the Carribean, they call it Wahoo), and this fish is so tasty that you don't even need tartar sauce! Beware of the soft drinks though, because they charge extra for refills. For an appetizer, we tried the fried zucchini and the onion rings. Both were really good. All of their dressings are homemade, so check those out. I loved to dip my chips in their ranch dressing...it was so good. This place was, by far, our favorite. We ate there four nights in a row, if that tells ya how much we liked it! Also, if you don't like seafood, they do have hamburgers and different things besides seafood. Aloha!

This place has the BEST pizza I've ever had! I had the Kona Garden pizza, which has a bunch of veggies, and it was SO good. My friends had the pepperoni pizza and they said it was fantastic. The pepperoni was a little spicy, but they loved it. For an appetizer, try the crab cakes or the cheesy garlic bread. Both are fantastic. The crab cakes had real crab and they used a lot of it too!

Now, for you beer lovers, this is your place! I tried the Longboard, Hula Hefeweizer, and Big Wave. They were all good. The Hula Hefeweizer was unique because it tasted a little fruity, but they do use bananas in it.

This is a great place to have lunch. Sit outside and enjoy your food. Also, there is a mongoose who lives in the bushes around the brewery and you might see him scurrying about the feet of the customers. Don't worry, he won't bother you if you don't bother him! Kona Brewing Company is open Sunday through Thursday from 11am to 10pm, and Friday and Saturday from 11am to 11pm. Brewery tours are available Monday through Friday at 10:30am and 3pm. Aloha!

Take a day and explore the shops on Ali'i Drive. Make sure to get there before 4pm because some of the shops close up early. Keep in mind that you are in Hawaii, and the locals are on Hawaiian time. If it's a nice day, they may very well close up their shop to go surfing or diving. However, most of them on Ali'i Drive stay open until about 8 or 9pm. I would suggest starting around 2 or 3pm. There are a few shops by a restaurant called Quinn's Almost By The Sea. Make sure to go to those first, because those are the ones that tend to close earlier.

The first store you should go to is the ABC store. There are about four of them on Ali'i Drive, so if you miss one, don't worry, because there will be another one a couple blocks down! This is the place to get your postcards and various souvenirs. I say to go here first because they really do have some of the best prices around.

The one bad thing about Ali'i Drive is the lack of restrooms. There is only one public bathroom that I'm aware of throughout all those little stores. It's by the Kona Inn Restaurant. My suggestion is to go to the restroom before you leave for Ali'i Drive. If you eat somewhere, make sure to use their restroom before you leave, and, of course, if you go by the public restroom, go there too. It's just an issue to be aware of, especially if you have children.

There are too many shops to describe, but there is definitely something for everyone! There is a Hard Rock Café (try the spinach artichoke dip...yummy) and a Bubba Gump Shrimp along Ali'i Drive. There are plenty of restaurants and different places to get something to eat or drink. Our hotel was on Ali'i Drive and we went into these shops almost every day. Every time, you see something different. Aloha!

This luau was amazing! It costs around $65, but it's worth every penny! The cost includes all of your drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), food, and entertainment. It is right by the ocean, which is really cool!

When you first arrive, you are greeted and given a shell lei. You have time to go to the bar and relax. However, I suggest finding your seat first. Sit closer to the band because when they dig the kua pig up, you will be able to get over there and see everything. After you get your seat, you have time to relax and visit with the other people sitting around you.

Then a little later, there are hula lessons, etc. The lessons are optional. Then they dig up the kua pig (which is delicious). As they are digging up the pig, everyone stands around the pit and the host describes the process of cooking the kua pig underground. It is really interesting. After they dig the kua pig up, they release each table to eat. There is a local Hawaiian dish called poi. I tried it and found it to be a bit bland, but later, I was told to pair it with something sweet.  While you are eating, the band is playing and you can hear the ocean lapping against the shore. Then the luau starts.

The host is very good at describing the different dances and their meanings. He is very funny. And there is a very cute fire dancer (for all you ladies). :> The whole luau lasts about 4 hours. It is on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We went on Wednesday, and it wasn't very crowded. Have a great time! Aloha!