Customer Reviews

Hawaii The Big Island Trailblazer: Where to hike, snorkel, surf, bike, drive

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

We recently spent ten extraordinary days on Hawaii. It was our first visit and had we not read this guide cover to cover before arriving we would have wasted alot of time and money taking packaged tours $$$. The book is literally overflowing with activities and has a finetuned list of recommended hotels, b&b's and restuarants. Itinerary planning was easy knowing how far and long the trails were and previewing the locations using the photos in the book was an enormous advantage. The hikes are grouped with the snorkeling beaches and so we didn't end up doing alot of extra driving. Taking advantage of the insider tips and advice it became our loyal travelling companion. Our timing couldn't have been better with the volcano spewing rivers of lava. This turned out to be a real adventurous vacation that Jenny, Patrick and I will long remember.

This is another winner in the Trailblazer series. For travelers to the Big Island who don't want to be limited to the fancypants resort areas, the Sprouts have clearly laid out hikes, bike rides, water sport spots, drives, campgrounds, historic sites, and adventures galore all around this most fascinating and diverse of all the islands. My wife and I had the guidebook in hand for hikes to Pololu and Waipio Valleys, a wonderful excursion to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a drive to historical sites on the north end of the island, and an architectural walking tour of Hilo. Along with clear trail guides and maps for active adventures, the guidebook also helped us find magnificent and not overcrowded public beaches for catching some sun, art galleries, bakeries, public markets, restaurants, and two of the best B & B's we've ever stayed in anywhere--Acacia Palms and Shipman House. As all the guidebooks in this series, the writing is clear and helpful and the design is stunning; this one has a particular richness of black and white photos. All the practical stuff, from what to pack to ideas for kids to resource links, is included. The authors are always respectful of local history and customs, and this volume--with its Hawaiian glossary and brief history--is particularly infused with that aloha spirit. And we always enjoy the "Free Advice and Opinion" sections: "Never walk downhill with your hands in your pockets." This is one useful guide to the rich delights of the Big Island.

We were in complete awe of this place the whole time we were there. We took it a day at a time with our Trailblazer book which did a nice job previewing the trails with pictures of the terrain. Put on your lists the Parker Ranch, the treefern forests near Volcano, Hamakua Coast and by all means hike to the Mauna Kea summit. No other book is as comprehensive or as well researched.

Now in a completely revised, updated and expanded second edition, Hawaii The Big Island Trailblazer: Where to Hike, Snorkel, Surf, Bike, Drive is a user-friendly guide to families and outdoor adventurers, offering 153 hikes and strolls on Hawaii's big island from the peaks of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, rain forests, botanical gardens, waterfalls, petroglyph fields, the Kona Coast, and much more. Also included are 73 snorkeling and swimming spots, 41 surfing spots, 24 bike trails, 25 campgrounds, a wealth of resource links with hand-picked accommodations and restaurants, safety tips, planning, advice, and much more. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this easy-to-follow travel guide. An absolute "must-have" for any Hawaii vacationer who wants to explore the wondrous outdoors of the big island. Also highly recommended to anyone exploring Hawaii's other islands are the companion volumes, "Maui Trailblazer" and "Kauai Trailblazer".

Five years ago we visited this island and never got beyond Kona. This time we brought this red guide along and spent three weeks hiking around the place. The authors have sliced the island up into six pieces and within each section tell you exactly where they've found the best hikes, how long they are, what you'll see and what in history took place there. There are plenty of photos so you get a nice preview. If the snorkeling is good, they let you know and if it's too dangerous to get in it's noted. We never would have realized we could summit Mauna Kea. Trailhead 66 gave us all our options and we timed it perfectlly to witness the dazzling sunset. If you want the full impact of the Big Island by all means read this all purpose intriguing book.

There are so many reasons we liked this guide. What stands out is the abundent mix of activities. We got a good solid workout everyday in the water and out on the rainforest trails. We scrambled down to the Captain Cook monument early enough to get there before the tour boats and kayaking groups and would have never known there was a way down without Trailblazer. It lives up to its name. A fabulous first trip to the Hawaiian Islands.

Very informative book especially on where to stay for each area. Good recommendations on snorkling and drives too.

We just returned after spending one solid month on the Big Island. It wasn't until we got there that we realized a guidebook was absolutely essential and we picked this one up at a bookshop in Hilo. After that essential was out of the way, our exploration of the island really began. This book scored big points for accuracy and wealth of outdoor information. The only trail we found closed was to Alakahi Falls so scratch that one off your list. There's a whole section on biking and another on camping and we had time to do both. We would recommend this guide to anyone seeking a supercharged Hawaiian experience.

Although we had rain, my girlfriend and I managed to make every day count with the help of Hawaii Trailblazer. The driving tours filled in the days when the trails were too wet. The Onomea Scenic Drive was green quintessential old Hawaii, bring alot of film.
We've used these books before on the islands of Kauai and Maui and like the classy way they lay out all the juicy stuff blended with a nice mix of legends and photos. There's enough beef in this one to keep you going for a year and we wish we could have stayed three weeks instead of two.
Note for campers: there are separate maps for mountain biking and camping with routes and treks. We're already making plans and getting equipped to return in September.

Honeymooning in Hawaii was my new wife's idea and buying this guide was mine. Both turned out to be perfect choices. We stayed at the Mauna Kea which was expensive but we balanced it off by exploring the coast using this guide. We felt very adventurous going down unpaved roads through lava fields and were rewarded with beautiful blue lagoons and expansive solitary beaches. We only touched the surface of all the cool places they listed inside. Until nextime Big Island . . . .