Big Island, Hawaii

Alright, it's the last visit for the year to Hawaii and Big Island. Went with some friends on United Airlines on a BOGO certificate. Holiday weekend travel is always tough but I was able to get a United voucher due to an oversold situation. I originally put myself on the waiting list with my companion but they ended up only wanting one person. So I opted to take the later flight out and arrived six hours later than the group. I was able to hop back home for a few hours and return to the airport for a late lunch of soup and chicken tenders (food voucher was also given to me) at B Grill.

This is the first time I stayed at the Bay Club at Waikoloa Beach Resort. Originally, I was confirmed at the HGVC Kohala Suites but there was an issue with the room and relocated to the Bay Club. One of the reasons I have not stayed at this location within the timeshare resorts in Waikoloa is that it is the only one that will not give you access to the Hilton Waikoloa Resort pool and lagoon access. If you don't plan on going to the hotel at all, the Bay Club is quite nice. Larger than any of the rooms I've booked at Kings' Land or Kohala, the two bedroom suite rivals the three bedroom suite I stayed in at Carlsbad. Minus the third bedroom, the communal space is the same size. Also, we were on the ground floor which made the lanai feel even more spacious because we were a corner unit with a wraparound and the open lawn made it feel quite spacious.

Bay Club Two Bedroom Living Room

Bay Club Two Bedroom Kitchen

On the final day of the trip, moved to the Marriott Waikoloa Beach Resort. With a late night flight out and the mandatory 10 am checkout, I opted to book a room at the Marriott. It gave me an opportunity to check out the Waikoloa Beach and see what the other side of the Waikoloa Village looked like. Despite the many trips here, I have never wandered over to the Marriott (next door to the Hilton) nor to the beach. The front desk started to tell me that I couldn't check in this early but when I told her I didn't plan to stay the night, she seemed to get that I needed a room right away. Went out to the pool to kill some time and was pleasantly surprised by a voicemail that a room was available. It couldn't have been more than 20 minutes. I was also upgraded to a large ocean front view king room!

The room location was not part of the main towers but closer to the beach and pool areas. It made me think that this small 15 unit complex is where the apartment style rooms are (timeshare). I saw into one of the other rooms that were larger than mine and saw a full kitchen. My room didn't have a small kitchenette but it could easily have accommodated. Unlike the Hilton, the Marriott amenities are small likely because the beach is where most people go to hang out. I did see some swanky villas with private pools but this ain't Bali.....

Marriott Waikoloa King Room Ocean Balcony View

Marriott Waikoloa King Room 

Dining

Ruth's Chris - Luckily, my group tolerated my late arrival and was willing to get me for dinner. With the last gift card I have been holding for a few years, I spent it all on a ribeye dinner. The extras I had to cover (no gift card) on the sides and after dinner coffee drink which was very tasty!

Ruth's Chris

Ruth's Chris sides

Ruth's Chris signature coffee

Big Island Grill - located in downtown Kona, 75-5702 Kuakini Hwy, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, local food at good prices and huge portions. The group enjoyed their loco mocos, saimin, and pancakes.

Big Island Grill Pancakes and Loco Moco

Big Island Grill Saimin

Broke Da Mouth Bar & Grill - also located in downtown Kona, 74-5864 Walua Rd
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740. I had spotted on the last trip that Broke Da Mouth was going to open a full fledged restaurant and it went through a soft opening in between the two Kona trips for me. I was still full from the day but endeavored to come down and try out the new restaurant location. I enjoyed my lava flow, sushi roll appetizer, and garlic chicken and shrimp plate.

Broke Da Mouth Plate Dinners

Hawaiian Style Cafe - Pigged out on pancakes, loco mocos, and kalbi beef.

Hawaiian Style Cafe Mocosaurus

Maname Bakery - For years, I have enjoyed the coconut pound cakes served in Kings' Land breakfast buffet. When last in Kona, the Kapa Lani Ice Cream & Coffee had the coconut pound cakes too. I asked where they get the pound cakes and the lady told me the bakery was in Waimea. Luckily, there aren't that many bakeries in Waimea and it turns out this one is a commercial one as well. After eating at Hawaiian Style, wandered over and was able to get four loafs! Each loaf was the cost of half of a loaf at the eateries serving the dessert.

Maname Bakery Coconut Pound Cake

McDonald's - fried pie flavor of the month is haupia. Yes, it had to be done. I also tried the international menu - Stroopwafel McFlurry. I liked it, alot.

Island Gourmet Market - mochi malasadas. Enough said.

Hawaii Calls (inside Marriott) - grabbed a quick lunch and split a club sandwich with my friend. Overall, decent food for hotel. Don't get the fish and shrimp combo, it was way too small for the price. I did enjoy my island sangria cocktail as well.

Pine Tree Cafe - with limited options at the airport, the cafe is next to the gas station nearest to the airport. The group had enjoyed a quick lunch when they landed earlier in the trip. I didn't order anything but I was told the food was good. 

Activities

Outside of visiting the pools (both in the Bay Club, Kohala Suites, Hilton and Marriott), made attempts to not just lounge all day. Visited the Alii Garden Marketplace and shopped for some souvenirs. Tried shave ice from Gecko Girlz. Almost but not quite, there were some chunky ice that made it more snowcone than shave ice. The syrup was a bit on the sweeter side as well.

Gecko Girlz Shave Ice Lychee, Tiger's Blood (strawberry and coconut) and Mango

Shopping wouldn't be right without a pit stop at Costco to load up on shrimp chips, dried squid, and fish jerky. Also, it was going to be a dine in dinner with the bulgogi beef and spinach salad.

Walked around an old fishing village at Lapakahi State Historical Park. I'm always impressed with people's ingenuity back in the day to build and create things by hand. And by things, everything! From pathways to buildings to canoes, all these things required teamwork and patience. I don't know if modern society can actually do these things today. I did see some groups with snorkeling gear head down to the edge. The water seemed rough and the rocky edge seemed off putting to me.

Lapakahi State Historical Park 

Waikoloa Beach is quite nice! The sand isn't too bad and the water is fairly warm. The only drawback is the amount of rocks (or dead corals) near the edge. So you do have to navigate around them to get to deeper waters. There is public access to the beach on the south side. I saw more local umbrellas on that side of the beach. The lounge chairs are free to use. Makes sense given the small size of the hotel pools to guest ratio.

Waikoloa Beach and Fishing Reserve Pond