10 hours on the big island -- what to do?

My wife and I are going to be on Maui for 7 days, and want to see the volcano on the Big Island too. We%26#39;d been thinking of doing a fixed wing tour from Maui ($335 pp.), or the fixed wing + heli tour ($545 pp.), but were on the fence about whether we%26#39;d see enough to justify the cost.

Today I stumbled across $9 each way round trip tickets for us on Go! from Maui to Hilo, and booked them quick (how $18 r/t tickets end up costing $41 r/t each after taxes and fees I%26#39;m not sure, but whatever, still cheaper than the other options).

We%26#39;re now going to be on the Big Island on Saturday, Aug. 25 from 8:09 AM to 6:53 PM. We want to see the Volcano, and whatever else it makes sense for us to catch on the Big Island while we%26#39;re there. I assume we%26#39;ll want to rent a car and drive to the Volcano National Park, but before we do that wanted to make sure I wasn%26#39;t missing some other option. For example, should we also plan on a Helicopter tour? Or, if we%26#39;re going to do a heli-tour of the VNP, should we take our remaining time on the ground and drive somewhere else, like the observatory on Mauna Kea? It could be years before we make it back to the Big Island, and I get that we can%26#39;t see it all, but what%26#39;re the can%26#39;t miss sights after the volcano?

thanks in advance for any and all thoughts / comments.

10 hours on the big island -- what to do?

We are doing the same thing from Maui... when I Fly Go! came out with the $9 special yesterday, we jumped on it for a day trip. I was searching other carriers, but no luck. However, their last flight back leaves about 2:30 so we only have about 6.5 hours on the BI. Now that the other carriers have jumped on the fare sale, we would have been better taking a later flight on HA for $18 (two legs - ITO-HNL-OGG). I%26#39;m contemplating purchasing a oneway on them or just having my husband get me a standby pass for a later flight (he works for a different carrier and he has jumpseat privileges so it is just me and our lapchild who need a seat).

As of right now we are just planning on doing what we can by car in that short amount of time, but I haven%26#39;t given up on a possible helo tour. We had also inquired about the $335 deal you mentioned as well. Our trip is in a few weeks. Several had posted some great ideas on a different thread I started yesterday about how to maximize the short time in the Hilo area.

10 hours on the big island -- what to do?

good thing you got a late return so you do have some time!

The sights at VNP are completely different than the tour, so you won%26#39;t be doubling up.

No I don%26#39;t recommend going up Mauna Kea. There%26#39;s nothing to see in the daytime at the Visitor%26#39;s Center, and if you did go to the summit you cannot look through any telescopes there. These observatories are for scientists, not the public. You would have to rent a 4WD from Harper%26#39;s and it%26#39;s a hairy drive for not that much to see.

Go with VNP. While there are things you could add on, that%26#39;s a full day. Just take a guide book with you and if by some unlikely chance you end up having extra time take a look around Hilo or do a short drive to the north. There are enough waterfalls on Maui that I see no reason why Akaka Falls should be on your must see list. It will take you at least 90 minutes going the opposite direction from the VNP.

Enjoy!

Just completed my purchase to return later. :) From the time I first looked at saw the 6:40 return available, called hubby, got the okay, that flight was one ($73 now) so we got a 5:40 return. We will now be arriving Hilo 8:13 AM (same as before) but have until a 5:40 flight as opposed to our original 2:38 flight. Those three extra hours will really help. :) Yea!!!

Warthog--our TX friend asked avery similar question and there are some suggestions for things to see on the responses to that posting.

If you don%26#39;t have a young child with you, one possibility that will take about 2 hours is the Kilauea Iki loop hike....around the crater, down 400 feet, across the crater floor, back up. Very neat if you are u for it and carry water.

If you do the heli tour at the beginning of your visit, I thinik the park is still worth seeing--the lava tube, Devastation trail, etc. But if you would rather see soemthign else then going north of Hilo for a waterfall or garden is an option. But watch your time!

I spent 5 weeks on the Big Island last year so have an idea of what you can do in the time you have. Where does the flights you are taking land? In Hilo? If so the drive to the Volcano Park isn%26#39;t too far from there and you can enjoy a nice drive, visit the highlights of the park, have lunch and drive back to Hilo. There have an outdoor market you might want to browse but it is mostly food.

We took the helicopter tour from the Hilo airport and they did a great job, we really enjoyed it. I think we paid about $225 each person for our tour. Depending on how much time you spend in the Volcano Park you might be able to do the helicopter tour as well in the afternoon - check out available flight times on the websites of the different companies - I am trying to remember the name of the one we used as they were really good but it escapes me right now.

Thanks, Honu Ohana. I somehow missed TX%26#39;s thread while searching for answers to my questions. I%26#39;ve seen it now, though, and it does look like there%26#39;s a lot to do at the park that is different from what we might see from a helicopter, so I think we%26#39;ll plan to do both

I actually went ahead and booked a helicopter tour, a 50 minute one that goes to the volcano and falls above Hilo. It is with Paradise, and leaves at 9:30 AM from the airport in Hilo, with an 8:45 check-in. It is $170 pp after internet discount, and seems like perfect timing given our scheduled arrival. The only option we have is whether we want them to take the doors off the helicopter. It is an extra $25 pp to go without doors. Looks really neat to me, but my wife might not go for it. Can anyone offer pros and cons of the tour with or without doors? Also, they use one of the Hughes 550 helicopters (a la Magnum PI); is this a bad choice, as most folks seem to say you want an A Star or Ecostar?

We should be back on the ground by 10:45, and able to pick up our rental car. From the other thread, it seems like we could get to the park as early as about noon, and plan to leave the park by 4:30 or 5 PM. I doubt it%26#39;ll be hard to kill 5 hours in such an interesting place, so it sounds like it will be a volcano day for us.

What%26#39;s the best bet for lunch between the Hilo airport and the park? Something good and fast, maybe even that we could take with us and eat in the car? I don%26#39;t think we%26#39;ll have time for dinner; is there any food in the airport in Hilo?

Thanks again for everyones%26#39; quick input.

no food worth calling that in Hilo airport, but easy to grab to go food on way out of town.

I don%26#39;t eat fast food franchise, but if you do, the Puainako Town Center has everything.

There%26#39;s a more island style Food Court in the Walmart Shopping Center. Waiakea Food Court, tucked back in the corner by Office Max.

Safeway deli makes sandwiches and a lady there makes sushi daily. We have a good Safeway.

If you can bother to learn a less obvious route through downtown Hilo, O%26#39;Keefe and Sons has choice sandwiches, drinks, and bakery goodies.

I know nothing about helo trips, sorry!

If you want specific directions to any of these places, I can provide them.

IWe went in a Highes 500 one time and another with Bue Hawaiian in a fancier chopper. We actually liked the Hughes better because it is smaller and had fewer people (it turned out to be just the pilot and us, but I think they can take 3 or 4 passengers) Be aware they seat you by weight to balance the aircraft so you may not be seated next to each other. The view was fine. The guy did doors off; it was OK and not scary but I was used to helis. Downside was it was hot (no A/C). The door off is better for taking pictures.

The Blue Hawaiian was fancier with A/C and music and all but there were some seats in the middle of the row that probably did not have great visibility--again, they put you where they want you and you don%26#39;t get to pick.

We did doors off on May 15, 2007. We did not bring jackets -- big mistake! Actually cold other than over the volcano area where we truely could ';feel the heat';.

Doors off was most fun over the active lava area (about 15 to 20 minutes of your airtime). It is amazing enough to see into the vent and the tube opening from the air, but to have nothing between you and what you see as the helicopter banked was almost surreal.

It%26#39;s not really anymore scarry with the doors off than with the doors on (did doors on in Kauai on another trip -- Kauai was pretty amazing and more beauty than Big Island, but the volcano itself is also simply amazing). But it is WINDY as you are flying at 100 to 110 mph (think of a car with no doors driving at that speed).

Have fun no matter what you did.

Charlie