We thoroughly enjoyed our recent Hawaii adventure to The Big Island and Maui!   We stayed at Hilton’s Kings Land Waikoloa in a two bedroom condo building 6 which is closest to the pools. I liked the adult only pool, the loungers were down in the water. Nice fitness area and game room.

 

The Kings land is part of the large Hilton Waikoloa property, gorgeous grounds with elaborate landscaping. There is a tram and a boat ferry in the lobby area to take you around. The sunsets here were spectacular. KPC is an ocean front restaurant I highly recommend, views are stunning. I loved walking each morning around the large complex. 

 

Day two we drove to Waimea and had a fun breakfast with the locals at the Hawaii Café and attended mass at 8am at the Waimea Catholic Church. Hawaii is still very Covid cautious and do not have anything on the tables and everything is individually wrapped. Many wear masks. The locals were happy to have us and made us feel very welcomed. 

 

The Big Island has miles of Lava Rock, lots of golf courses and goats everywhere. Many were dead in the road. We drove to Akaka Falls State Park 1.5 hours from Waikoloa. $10 to park and $5 each to get in. The waterfall was beautiful and the hike in with tropical plants and flowers was gorgeous. Well worth the drive and since we were on this side of the island we continued down to Hilo then cut back across to the Hilton. 

 

A special attraction on the Big Island is the Manta Ray Swim at the Mauna Kea resort. It is one of the top 10 aquatic attractions in the world. I liked that I was able to explore and see this resort since I have never been there. The setting along the ocean is fabulous. Lots of dining and spectacular views. We did the Moonlight Swim with these gentle giants and the guides were very knowledgeable and made us feel safe.   www.mantarayadvocates.com  I have to say I was a nervous nelly but it was a really cool experience. 

On Maui we stayed at the brand new Maui Bay Villas part of Hilton in Kihei. (I have never been to this area of Maui) The property is still under construction. Again, I would pick Building 6 closest to the pool. There was only 1 building open and none of the restaurants are open yet, by November they hope to be fully open. We had the whole place to ourselves. I would guess maybe 8 couples were there. One day we were the only ones at the pool. I enjoyed the water slides & waterfalls around the pool. They have a large Lanai with a fire pit in the evenings with rockers for sunset viewing, having the place to ourselves was fun! 

 

September 1st was a day I was excited about. My first trip in a helicopter to see Hana & Haleakala. We booked Blue Hawaiian via Delta Vacations. Their office was impressive and very organized and a professional experienced staff.  The 50 minute tour was spectacular!! Highly recommend. It is a great way to see the island, the seven sacred pools and to hear 1st hand the updates of the island.  After our tour we headed to Paia for lunch at Mama’s Fish House. www.mamasfishhouse.com You must make reservations in advance. Up to 6 months in advance or you will not get in. It sits on a perfect Hawaiian setting and the food is amazing. Hands down the best meal we had on the island. 

 

We ended our stay on Maui up at the Westin Maui on Kaanapali Beach which was a 41 min drive from Kihei. This area is much more lively and populated than Kihei. Our room at the Westin was an Oceanview in the new Houpa’a Tower which offers exclusive access to the Lanai featuring a lounge, bar and infinity pool.  I still highly recommend the tower section for your stay.  To me the highlight of the Westin property still is the lavish pool area, the Heavenly beds and the popular Heavenly Spa. 

 

Leilani’s on the beach www.leilanis.com  is a fun dining experience next door to the Westin. There is a pathway along the beach to walk various shopping and dining. I recommend asking for a late check out. It was nice we had until 4pm to check out and use of the property for our 8:24pm departure from Maui back to Seattle and onto Detroit. Maui is still my favorite of the islands! The warm Aloha feeling, gorgeous sunsets, upscale resorts, and lush beautiful views and beaches make it an ideal vacation getaway.