Travel Goals

The Big Island (Hawai’i) post 5, South Point

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Jan 2024 – Links are for your information only. We do NOT receive any type of compensation for including them.

As we made our way to Volcano National Park from Waikoloa Beach area, we made a stop at the southernmost point the United States (territories not included). South Point Complex is a National Historic Landmark – designation due to the original settlement of the islands first inhabitants.

It was an interesting 12 mile drive with horse ranches and farmland all around. It didn’t feel like we were in a tropic region – very low humidity on this day.

Upon reaching the end of the road, there were people fishing off the cliff. A short walk took you to a “lighthouse” (not a lighthouse in the traditional sense). From the shore, we could see whales blowing.

There was also a water cave blowhole in the area. Some people were debating if they should jump in – we were thinking NO WAY!

BlowHole at South Point – you might want to turn your sound down/off. Lots of wind noise.

Next stop: Volcano House for dinner and sleep!

Other Posts for this trip:
Post 1 – The Big Island (Hawai’i) – Day One
Post 2 – Big Island (Hawai’i) – Kaloko-Honokohau NHP
Post 3 – The Big Island (Hawai’i) – The Painted Church
Post 4 – The Big Island (Hawai’i) – Greenwell Farms coffee tour
Post 6 – The Big Island (Hawai’i – Volcano National Park

Big Island (Hawai’i) post 2 – Kaloko-Honokohau NHP

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Links are for your information only. We do NOT receive any type of compensation for including them.

Our next day was a “travel” day – leaving Waikoloa Beach, stopping first at the Kaloko-Honokohau NHP (see below map). We also visited the “Painted Church” and Greenwell Farms for a coffee farm tour. After the coffee tour, we had about a 2 hour drive to the rim of the Kilauea volcano. We stopped midway at the Southernmost Point of the United States. (more detailed posts to follow)


Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park. A quiet, free National Park. We took the Ala Mauka Makai trail and saw the petroglyphs along the way at the Petroglyph Boardwalk trail. The park brochure says the trail is rough and uneven – after about 1/3 mile, they aren’t lying! You definitely need to watch your step!

The trail ends at the ocean and if you turn left it continues to the Ai’opio Fishtrap (trail is about 1 mile each way). This coastal trail is part of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail.

Other posts for this trip:
Post 1 – The Big Island of Hawai’i (includes Waikoloa area and Mauna Loa road)
Post 3 – The Big Island (Hawai’i) – the Painted Church
Post 4 – The Big Island (Hawai’i) – Greenwell Farms coffee tour
Post 5 – The Big Island (Hawai’i) – South Point

Big Island (Hawai’i) post 4 – Greenwell Farms

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Our next stop on our travel day was at Greenwell Farms for the deluxe coffee farm tour and tasting.

Bronson was our guide and his tour was definitely worth the price! John LOVED the tour and tasting! I’m not a coffee drinker so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Bronson made it very clear how to do a tasting and surprisingly, the coffee was tolerable for this non-coffee drinker.

Our tour lasted about 2 hours and had 4 guests. We learned about the varieties of coffee, where in Kona the coffee grows, why it only grows in a limited area, and how to best prepare our coffee for drinking.

We saw the beans as they would be when picked; saw the machinery that removes the outer coating (no picture); saw the sorting and drying platform; and we were able to visit the roasting room. .

Warning sign at entrance!
Beans at picking and after sorted.
Drying platform.
Beans before roasting
Bean roasting machine
Beans after roasting
Our tasting equipment!

Our Guide Bronson and his Greenwell Farms official video! He is also a small coffee farmer who sells to Greenwell Farms. Bronson has considerable knowledge of the process from seedling to coffee beans for purchase as well as the farm grounds. We were very impressed with him and would highly recommend his “deluxe” tour!

Other posts in this trip
Post 1 – The Big Island of Hawai’i (includes Waikoloa area and Mauna Loa road)
Post 2 – The Big Island – Kaloko-Honokohau NHP
Post 3 – The Big Island (Hawai’i) – The Painted Church
Post 5 –

Big Island (Hawai’i) post 3, The Painted Church

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Links are for your information only. We do not receive any type of compensation for including them.

Next stop: The Painted Church (actually St Benedict Roman Catholic Church). As we pulled into the parking lot, we were blessed with the sounds of the choir practicing! The grounds are so peaceful. Father John Velghe painted biblical murals inside the cathedral-feeling church from 1899-1904.

St Damien of Molokai
cemetery
View from church steps

Other posts in this trip
Post 1 – The Big Island of Hawai’i (includes Mauna Loa road)
Post 2 – The Big Island – Kaloko-Honokohau NHP
Post 4 – The Big Island (Hawai’i) – Greenwell Farms coffee tour
Post 5 – The Big Island (Hawai’i) – South Point Complex

The Big Island of Hawai’i, post 1

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We decided to celebrate our upcoming 40th wedding anniversary with a trip to the Big Island. John has been wanting to see the volcano Kilauea. Both of the Kiddos have made the trip and highly recommended the trip. Of course, we made all the reservations and the darn volcano decided to stop erupting!

I know, the volcano wouldn’t stop erupting just because we wanted to see the glow of lava.

We landed in Kona after a delay of about an 1.5 hour leaving Honolulu. It has been so long since we departed a plane with a ramp outside! Thankfully the rain waited until we were at the hotel before it started.

Mai Tai upon taking our seat at 8 am!
Pool – so few people at dinner time.
View from our villa.

Our first 2 nights were at the Marriott Waikoloa Ocean Club. We had an ocean view villa on the 4th floor. It was wonderful! While here, we enjoyed exploring around the Kauualii and Kahapapa fish ponds. There are informative signs along the walk.

House Platform
Petroglyph along walkway
Fishpond
Fish still in fish ponds

On our first full day on the island, we took a drive up to the Mauna Kea Visitor Station. The change in flora made it an incredible drive. We were unable to go up to the observatories – 4 wheel drive required and they were checking. We were able to see them in the distance from side of Mauna Loa.

We then drove across the highway up the north side of Mauna Loa. We had an “exciting” drive up to where the 2022 lava flow crossed the road see rocks that were younger than us! “exciting” meaning the road was one-lane, curvy, and had volcanic rock piles taller than the car on both sides most of the about 11 miles each way! Coming back down was less dramatic since we knew the what to expect. The signs should have given us a clue.

sign in background: One Lane Road
road as we are leaving.
Section I could take picture!
What it looked like entire drive up Mauna Loa
near main highway.
lava flow crossed this road in 2022 eruption. Height deceptive here.
Mauna kea observatories view from blocked road area on Mauna Loa.

We also enjoyed some sun and the hotel bar. The bartender was very generous with his pour. Good thing we were on the premises!

Other posts in this trip
Post 2 – Big Island, Kaloko-Honokohau NHP
Post 3 – The Big Island (Hawai’i) – The Painted Church
Post 4 – The Big Island (Hawai’i) – Greenwell Farms coffee tour
Post 5 – The Big Island (Hawai’i) – South Point Complex

Watsonville Summer 2020

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Stop 2 of our escape! Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA, Watsonville California. This visit we had the super deluxe site with a small dog run on it. Dog loved being outside with us “off leash” with plenty of room for him to move around. We took our e-bikes and had some nice outings to the coast, watched deer in an orchard and rode next to a produce field. 

Kiddo#1 and family were unable to join us on this trip. Their local reservation was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Dog Travel Maps

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Many years ago we decided to make a weird goal – take the dog to 48 states (really hard to do Hawaii and not sure we will ever drive to Alaska). We now have 2 dogs which will add to the challenge!

In a decluttering stint of my desk, I ran across the dog travel maps. They have been updated and now we know exactly where we need to go!

Do you have weird pet goals too? Let us know! 

PL #1: Grand Canyon National Park

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Public Land #1 – Grand Canyon National Park

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Us and the Canyon!

We visited Grand Canyon National Park over New Years.  This is not our first visit to the park.  We usually stay in Flagstaff or Williams when we visit just about every year, sometimes more than once a year.

It was the first time we actually stayed the night in the park.  We were talking about where we wanted to go over New Years a few weeks before the holiday and John said he wanted to stay IF we could get a room with a canyon view.  Lucky us!  I went online and there was one room available in the Kachina Lodge!  Thankfully we have a flexible schedule during the holiday break.

We spent 2 nights in the Kachina Lodge.  This lodge does not have a lobby or restaurant and is only 2 stories with no elevator.  There is a sitting room with a view of the canyon.  You check in at the El Tovar Hotel.  The room was very comfortable and had a great view of the canyon.  Do you notice all the people???  It was amazingly quiet with few people walking along the icy walkway.  Maybe because it was New Years Eve??

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View from our 2nd floor room.

We ate in both the Bright Angel Lodge and the El Tovar Hotel dining rooms for dinner.  We enjoyed the view and food at the Bright Angel Lodge better than the El Tovar Hotel.  Both lodges were about a 5-10 minute chilly icy slippery walk from our lodge, especially the trip back in the dark.

We brought oatmeal (just add hot water) and fruit for breakfast so we didn’t have to go out early in the cold on New Years Day.  There was a coffee maker in the room but no microwave.

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Our dinner view at sunset from a window table. Weird lights are a reflection of the chandelier.

We woke up our last morning to new snow.  It wasn’t much but this Southern California girl thought it was beautiful!  Glistening snow!  On the drive out, we saw elk chillin’ under the trees.

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Elk in Grand Canyon National Park

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John cleaning off the snow!  It wasn’t much but enough for us!  We even cleared off the windows of the truck next to us.

 

Visits to DC area (March and May 2017)

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2 views of the US Capitol – Left is from N. Capitol St. NW and D St;  Right is from 6th St NW and Pennsylvania Ave (in front of The Capital Grille)

 

Saying in the National Museum of African American History and Culture – a Smithsonian Museum Contemplative Court.  It is a beautiful water feature with water entering from above.  Each wall has a saying – our favorite:

We are determined … to work and fight until justice runs down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.  Martin Luther King Jr. 1955

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And a visit to Arlington National Cemetery with snow on the ground.  Here is a picture of the headstone for a cousin and his wife.