September 15 - Ring Around the Island

Yes, we drove the whole Island today. I was on a mission to the Hawaiian Style Cafe, which had been on a top ten list of pancakes in the nation.

From Pahoa, we took Route 130 to Highway 11. We headed through Hilo to Highway 19, which goes to the north side of the Island. About 6 miles up Highway 19, you'll see a sign denoting a scenic drive. This is the Onomea Scenic Drive, which is a winding, narrow road. This is absolutely gorgeous! Do not bypass it! After a few miles, it hooks back up with the highway. The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden (which we didn't visit) is located on this road.

Continuing on Highway 19. we drove to Waimea, where the Hawaiian Style Cafe is located. The pancakes did not disappoint. I had banana macadamia nut pancakes and Rex had the Loco Moco. Loco Moco is a Hawaiian dish of burger, rice, egg, and gravy.

We then took Highway 19 to Highway 250, which leads to the Polulu Valley. This is a lovely overlook to the ocean with a trail to the beach. After leaving Polulu, we headed south on Highway 270, which links to Highway 19. The junction of these roads is confusing so make sure you know which town you're heading toward. (Note: Hawaii isn't good at marking road numbers so know which town you're heading for).

Near the junction of 19 and 250 is Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site. Heiau means temple. The heiau was built in 1791 at the time of King Kamehameha I's rise to power. (Note: There is at least one Kamehameha Road on every island).

Now it was beach time. Adjacent to Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site is Spencer Beach Park. However, the beach was closed. Upon talking to some local people, Wednesdays are when some beaches close for work. They didn't seem to know what kind of work gets done or why it takes all day, but it's part of living in Hawaii. About 5 miles south is Puako Bay and Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area. This is a small, somewhat crowded beach, but lovely as all Hawaiian beaches are. The plus side for non-swimmers is that the water is calm.

We then drove through Kailua-Kona. This is the touristy side of the Island. People from Hilo head to Kona for Costco and Home Depot. There is also an airport there. We stopped at the Donkey Balls Chocolate Factory. The Balls are chocolate-covered mac nuts. They come in many different variations: milk, dark, salty, coconut, etc. They are ono but very expensive.

Then we headed south to Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park. This is a lovely bay from which the Captain Cook Monument can be viewed, but from very far. Captain James Cook was reportedly the first westerner to set foot in Hawaii. The Monument can only be seen close up by water. You can rent kayaks on site.

Also located in this area is St. Benedict's Painted Church. The interior walls were painted by Father Velghe and represent various religious stories. It is still an operating parish. There is a cemetery adjacent to the Church (which you cannot go into) with lei-decorated graves.

We then headed for the southern part of the Island and dined in Na'alehu at Shaka Restaurant. The chicken caesar salad was ono. This restaurant has a real local feel.

To finish our day with a bang, we went to HVNP to view the volcano glow. There is a viewing site from the Jagger Museum. Bring a flashlight, as the parking lot isn't lit.