The service as well as the fresh baked scones and bread was awesome. My grand son totally enjoyed…read morethe whole day feeding the animals despite the rain

Amazing little farm run by the sweetest family! I…read moreaccidentally booked our tour for the wrong day, but when we showed up, they were so kind and still welcomed us in. We were so grateful! The animals are clearly well loved--there were baby pigs, goats (one with her adorable kids), huge tortoises, a beautiful dairy cow, baby bunnies, and the sweetest donkey named Arthur who looked like he was smiling! My kids had such a great time. Their son Isaiah gave us the best little tour--he was so knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend this place for a wholesome, fun family outing!

Our 4:30am lava hike was one of the highlights of our trip to the Big Island. We met up at their…read moreoffice close to the Kalapana Gardens at 4am, checked in, signed some papers and got snacks and coffee (included in the tour). It is recommended that you wear long pants (but some did it in shorts) and requires that you have shoes that cover your toes (no water shoes or sandals). I did it in work out legging and sneakers and my boyfriend did it in jeans and hiking boots. We were both fine and neither of our shoes melted though at one point, his feet got really hot bc I made him stand by the lava for so long for a picture. Bring a good amount of water or your camelback and a hoodie bc it was cold in the morning. They provide you with good headlamps and flashlights since you are hiking in the dark. We were in a group of 12 or so and we loaded up in their nice van and drove out to start our hike. They take you as far as you can go on the road (where people would be otherwise renting bikes or walking) so it saves you some walking. From there, it's just up the lava you go. It was nice that the tour guide told us to take a look at the lava rocks and the texture which was glass like. Basically a warning to tell you don't slip and fall bc this stuff might hurt you. As we walked, it sounded like glass shards breaking under us and we walked towards orange glows up the mountain. Eventually we made it while it was still dark and it was crazy you could feel the heat as you got close to the lava. We spent an hour or so taking pictures of and with the lava and relocating to a few other areas with lava as it eventually got light. We hiked back down the same way and ended around 8:30am. Highly recommend this company as they do a good job making everyone feel safe and we completed the hike at a nice pace. They do not allow kids under 12 and it's probably not recommended for anyone over 50. There are parts where you might have to hop down or take a big step up or down and keep your balance. Our group did a good job and most were in their 20's and 30's and maybe one brave solo hiker in her 40's. Super worth it to wake up early and experience this in Hawaii!

The best thing I've done in Hawaii! We went out on their second day with the new (bigger) boat,…read morewhich provides a pretty smooth ride. We did the sunrise tour, which I would highly recommend. You get to the flow while it's still dark and can watch the sunrise out of the ocean which is another awesome aspect. Parts of the flow were breaking away while we were out there causing new patterns of flowing lava, it's just ever changing the entire time you're watching. A bonus was while on the way back, we came upon a pod of bottle nose dolphins and they swam along with us for awhile. No sooner we left those to continue to the dock, we came up on a pod of spinner dolphins. We absolutely recommend this and it is worth every single penny. Looking forward to doing this again next time we're on the island

Perfect hike for relaxing vacation. Mostly flat and only up & down to get to the walk on the crater…read moreitself. 3.3 miles around the rim (include walking across the crater). Lots of great views around the crater from all angles. And it was fun to be in the crater itself. You have to follow a path of stacked rocks else you won't find the place to exit the crater. It's a very doable hike for beginners; unless it's hot. Then it might be more challenging. There are several parking areas, but I didn't know that, so ended up parking on the edge of a closed street and 'finding' my own trail to get to the main trail. haha.

This awesome 4 mile looped hike takes you to the bottom of a crater and provides beautiful views…read morewhile it takes you through changing scenery and varying temperatures. You can start this hike in a counter-clockwise direction at Kilauea Iki overlook, number 4 on your map. You'll find more available parking here during peak times. You can start your hike clockwise from Nahuku, number 3 on your map, which is also the same location as the Thurston Lava Tube. Due to the popularity of the Lava Tube, parking here can be difficult. The distance between the two parking lots is .5 miles. We started our hike at Nahuku around noon in December. This moderate level trail started with a chilly walk through a forest of ferns down stairs and over roots with muddy spots throughout. Once you reach the bottom, you can walk across the crater and over lava rocks. The weather at this point was windy. Once we reached the end of the crater and climbed our way back up to the trail, we took a break and had some lunch overlooking the crater. From this point. It was a 2 mile hike up to the top. The weather changed once again, and my jacket was no longer needed. Make sure you bring or wear the following: -Layered clothing to adapt to the varying temps -Hiking shoes with good traction -Hat -Water -Snacks or lunch -Sunscreen Restrooms are available at both starting points, but the overlook location are porta potties. I suggest using the restrooms at the lava tube. We left the location around 2pm and it was pretty crowded. Best to arrive by noon to avoid crowds. -

This was an awesome place to see! It was raining during our visit, and it honestly set thw ambiance…read moreto see the lava tubes so well! I didn't realize how dark they were. Of course, I also didn't realize it was, more or less, underground until we arrived, so that was interesting. I love the area and how the lava tube is set back into the forest. It's a gorgeous area and such a cool feature to see. Next visit I totally want to see it at night!

The first lava cave I've ever gone through was in New Zealand, Rangitoto Island. It was a bit more…read morechallenging than this little lava tube. This was the second lava tube I've ever gone through, and it was quite easy and short. Easy that families and kids walk through it like nothin'! Inside, the trail is pretty flat and wide in some parts. The ceiling height isn't very high, but also wasn't too low that you'd have to duck down all the time. We came here on a rainy day, so there were a few small puddles we had to go around. The trail was lit up with lights along the path as well. So you won't really get lost. But I still ended up turning on my cell phone light just for safety. Walking through it was just basically making a big U shape from one end to the other. There wasn't a lot of people walking with us, compared to what others have reviewed. I guess we came at the right time. From the parking lot to the entrance (starting right), the paved trail headed downward to the lava tube was very green and very tropical. I was excited just being surrounded by all the plants and nature in general. After the lava tube walk, the greenery was a bit more open and woodsy as we looped back to the parking lot. We finished this walk in about 15 minutes. And although short, we all found it enjoyable from start to finish.

Had to stop in for a money order. Grabbed a cup of coffee. I wasn't expecting much, I admit I am a…read morecoffee snob, but theirs was really good. Made strong, flavorful Colombian brew, dark in the pot, they didn't skimp on ground beans in the filter!! I saw fried chicken offered, though I didn't have time to try it. Will have to return so I can, next time I'm in the neighborhood. The store & lot were kept clean so I felt confident in purchasing there. The coffee was well worth the price and like I said, very tasty.

I ordered the tako this time. Unfortunately, it had a strong fishy smell, and I couldn't finish it…read moreafter a few bites.

Fast service excellent tasting food. Clean facilities and great atmosphere to enjoying great…read morecompanionship with family and friends.

Today was our September 29, 2024 at our golf treasures for special Olympics East Hawaii golf…read moretournament at Hilo Municipal golf course and it was so much fun today and big thank you to the Hilo Municipal golf course and hosting our golf tournament here every year. Much appreciated and we are so blessed and everyone was super excited too!!

A very short walk to this sea arch. A bit underwhelming given how far the overlook is from the arch…read moreitself, but still cool to see the waves crashing against the rocks. An incredibly view coming down Chain of Craters Road. Park at the end and use the restrooms: it is an 1hr drive back. It's about 0.3mi to the sea arch overlook. If you have time, keep walking to the end of the paved portion of the road. There is a gate but it's for cars. Walk around for some great photos of lava.

I was blown away that the popular Hōlei Sea Arch wasn't on Yelp yet! I hate to break it to you but…read morethe sea arch itself wasn't all that spectacular. What makes it special is that this lava rock formation stands about 90 ft. high and was created by a lava flow about 550 years ago. Oh and the fact that it is a natural creation from lava cliff that constantly becomes eroded due to plummeting ocean waves that an arch is formed. Whether good or bad, each photo you take of it becomes history since the waves will eventually crumble it to a simple column then nothing at all. Perhaps after many years several other sea arches will form. What made this particular stop worthwhile for me was the drive along the Chain of Craters Road. The views of the ocean with recent and old lava flows were breathtaking--especially at the wayside stop of Kealakomo. However, you probably wouldn't venture out this far unless it were to capture a sea arch photo. The Chain of Craters Road ends here with a turn around and parking on one side of the street. Only native Hawaiians can continue on the existing road and fish here. Side fact: The word "hōlei" comes from a small endemic plant in the milkweed family.

I have ran the Kona Marathon 3x now, the last time being in 2011. I also ran the 1/2 marathon once…read morein 2008. What keeps me coming back to the race is that - besides being local for me, is the fact that the IronMan World Championships are held in Kona and the marathon route is used on the exact same strip of out and back as the Kona Marathon uses too. It inspires me to run this stretch of paradise knowing that - while I may not be running it as part of the IronMan course, I can crank out 26.2 miles of pure marathon bliss and still have something to be apart of and that makes the pain of victory so much more sweeter. The marathon route is basically an out and back course that begins just outside the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort and finishes on the grounds of the resort. Heading out on Alii Drive, it winds into Kona Commons Shopping Center, and out on Queen Ka'ahumanu Hwy towards the Kona Airport. Down a road for 1.5 miles near the weather station there at the turn around before heading back to the Outrigger Keauhou Beach resort for the finish. Being that race day is in late June, the weather does start of really nice and cool, but the sun comes out and it can be really daunting to finish 26.2 miles in the hot Kona sun. Race starts at 5:30am and you are given 9 hours to complete the course. I have fond memories of running this race year after year, the first being that the 2009 race was the first marathon I ran after joining the Marathon Maniacs club. It was a surreal moment that brought me to where I am today and beyond. The aid stations are filled with enthusiastic individuals and it's definitely a well put on event. The only gripe I do have about this event is that the finisher's medals do not change year after year. Even if you do run the 1/2 marathon, you get the same finisher's medal as the full marathon peeps. There's no distinguishing the half and the full marathon participant. While that may not matter to some people, since every individual knows what distance they are running, it just bothers me that it hasn't changed. For whatever reason you are running the marathon, the Kona marathon is one of the best small marathons in the country. The ocean front views are world class and just being in Kailua-Kona for the weekend will melt your cares away. Run more! B+ #Yelp Marathons

Although having been held in Waikoloa now for the past 2-3 yrs(?), still is a great half marathon…read morerun. Waikoloa gets a bit hot, and the full marathon just doubles back on the same course a couple times, which can get pretty humid by 8am. Since the half starts at 630am and you can finish by 8-830am, it doesn't quite get too hot at that point. But you are running on the highway for several miles for either race...the highway stretch means you are fully exposed to the sun with no shade. I always carry water bottles with me, but most runners don't (always puzzling to me why not....) I strongly recommend folks carry their personal water bottle for this race (I use Accelerade as my drink of choice along with Clif gel chews Cherry flavor for salt and caffeine). Still, having done this race multiple times now, it is great way to race on the Big Island with a good mix of locals and out of towners. The t-shirts are MUCH BETTER DESIGNED than a few years ago with the odd orange bands on the sleeves and neck. Great shirt design to the team!