A lush life on the edge of the sea

The Tropical Botanical Garden bursts with green life. Once you pass through those gates, you down a long flight of wooden stairs, both sides flanked with exotic plants. The backstory told us that the original caretakers found this breathtaking piece of land basically trashed as a dump. They nurtured it, loved it, and brought it…

We fall hard for the big water sight in Hilo

A few twists and turns from the Waipio Lookout, and we’d made our way closer to Hilo and at the tourist point Akaka Falls. We paid our five bucks for the car full. Fair price for a state park, I figured as I followed the attendant’s instructions at the big meter and was handed the…

That’s one beautiful view from the Hawaiian mountain

Kona sits by the sunny sea. Hilo stands next to the rumbling volcano. That simplifies the geography of the Big Island, sure, but that’s the way it looked to our Dodge Journey stocked with tourists for a day of wandering from the former to the latter smack dab in the middle of our dream family…

In the middle of Kona, we meet a sea turtle

Fielding questions, our Dolphin Watch captain Nick told us that all we had to do to see sea turtles was go to the corner of the Kona Harbor. We walked there the next day. Bingo. My terrific daughter Elisabeth and sensational significant George Three went up close. We all appreciated the experience, my dear wife…

What do the farmers bring to the Hawaiian markets?

Our natural curiosity brought us to the Kona Farmers Market PDQ. Two of them, in fact. The whole family reunion spilled into the collection of white tents in the middle of busy Ali’i Drive the first full day of our dream vacation. We sweltered in the morning sun. The whole dang thing was set up…

There’s plenty to see while walking around Kona

There’s an attitude you feel while walking around Kona. Sure, Ali’i Drive is set up for shopping. Tourists are more than welcome to buy and dine. We walked, too, my dear wife Karen, terrific daughter Elisabeth and fantastic significant George Three and I. Every dang day of the family reunion and dream vacation. I noticed…

We saved Hawaii Friday for Drew and Maritza

Nephew Drew had announced on the Family Reunion Facebook chat page a while back that everybody had to reserve our Hawaii Friday for he and his girlfriend Maritza. No problem. Once in Kona a few days, we were told that we were all going to a beautiful beach resort 20 or so miles toward Hilo.…

We spot many dolphins on a whale of an adventure

My wonderful daughter Elisabeth booked this special excursion for her significant George Three and my dear wife Karen and I far in advance. Sister-in-law Jana and niece Dacia spotted that news on the Family Reunion Facebook news-chat page and signed up, too. We met at a well-hidden Kona public launch for a 7:30 a.m. send-off,…

This makes it easy to rise in Hawaii

Mother Nature makes it easy to rise early in Hawaii. And I’m not (just) talking about the six-hour time difference. At our Aston Kona By the Sea staying place, the sun came up on the mountain side of our week stay. I chased the magical moment out on the road with my iPhone 6s. Too…

When you must stay inside in Hawaii, it can be suite

When you travel from Central New York to Kona, Hawaii, you don’t want to stay inside much. But if you must, a suite at Aston Kona By the Sea will do the job quite well, thank you. That’s where my dear wife Karen set up ourselves, my wonderful daughter Elisabeth and her terrific significant George…