Traveling to the Big Island?

I've spent a lot of time on the Big Island of Hawai'i, but the answer to your question really depends on your preferences.

For instance, I often stay in Kona at the Kona Seaside Hotel -- nothing fancy at all, pretty inexpensive (around $120/night), clean rooms, right in town and a block from the ocean. This is a good economy choice. Many people prefer to rent condos (perhaps $150 to $200), which give you more space and a full kitchen. Others prefer the luxury resorts north of Kona on the Kohala coast, where a room can easily cost several hundred dollars. They are really upscale, but they are also isolated, far from the town of Kailua-Kona. You have a huge choice of lodgings on the Kona side (both in town and along the Kohala coast).

Here are five more places you might consider in or near Kona:

- Hale Kona Kai -- condos so close to the ocean the waves might keep you awake

- Silver Oaks Ranch -- bed-and-breakfast in the mountains above Kona (I've never stayed there, but have heard people recommend it.)

- King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel -- on the waterfront in the heart of Kona, a bit fancier than the Kona Seaside

- Sheraton Keahou Beach Resort -- one of the most upscale hotels near Kona, several miles south of the main tourist area

- Manago Hotel -- 11 miles south in Captain Cook; an inexpensive "old Hawai'i" kind of place, just the opposite of big corporate hotels

In Hilo, the choices are much more limited. My favorite place there is the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel (roughly $150/night). Some rooms have a spectacular view of Hilo Bay, and it's probably the nicest big hotel in Hilo. There are also some condos and small inns.

As for airports, you really have only two choices -- Kona or Hilo. They're both small airports. It's easier to fly to Kona simply because there are more flights there (because Kona is a bigger tourist destination than Hilo). Either one is fine; just pick one that's convenient for you.

It takes about two hours to drive (via the north route through Waimea) between Kona and Hilo airports.

Where should you spend more time? That's also a tricky question. I spend more time in Kona because I do a lot of scuba diving. If you are into diving or snorkeling, or even if you just want nice swimming beaches, the Kona side is much better. There are beautiful beaches elsewhere, but many are dangerous for swimming. Aside from beaches, there are great places to visit all over the island.

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is one of the great attractions of the entire state of Hawai'i, and it's much closer to Hilo (about 45 minutes) than Kona (a bit over two hours). You can also stay in the park (although Volcano House was closed the last time I was there) or just outside in the town of Volcano. Be prepared for cool, drippy weather at an elevation of 4000 feet.

Keep in mind that the Hilo and Kona areas are very different. Hilo is on the wet side of the island (east side), and the scenery around there looks like what you expect in Hawai'i -- lush vegetation, waterfalls, steep ravines. It rains a lot, and that's why many tourists prefer Kona. The Kona side is much drier and looks something like a moonscape, entirely covered with lava (except where landscapers have altered the scenery).

The towns of Hilo and Kona are also very different. I like Kona, but the main part of town has a strong touristy atmosphere to it. Hilo, on the other hand is a genuine small city. It has a slow-paced old-time atmosphere. I find it charming, but some people find it a little seedy -- it all depends on your tastes.

Finally -- and maybe the most important part of my answer -- you should definitely get the following guidebook before your visit:

Hawaii The Big Island Revealed

It will answer just about any question you have. You can buy it from Amazon or from the book's web site:

http://www.wizardpub.com/bigisland/bigisland.html

You have to pay for the book, but information on lodging is available free on the web site:

http://www.wizardpub.com/bigisland/bigresort.html

One last thing to keep in mind: There's a reason it's called the "Big Island." Driving around the island takes about five hours without stops. Often people who stay in Kona will visit Hilo or the volcano for the day, but they spend a lot of time driving. If you want to see the whole island, I think it's more pleasant to split your lodging between the locations.

Most airlines fly into either Kailua Kona or Hilo. As for where to stay, it really depends on what you want to do during your stay. Most of the nicer swimmable beaches, snorkeling and big resorts are on the western, Kona side of the island. Kona is also home to the world-famous Kona coffee so if you're a java junkie, it's worth a trip to check out how they grow and process coffee. There are hiking trails throughout the island. Volcanoes National Park is on the East side about 30 minutes' drive from Hilo (the major East-side town) and Mauna Kea is around 30-45 minutes' drive from Hilo and is most definitely worth a visit if you want to see some of the clearest star-gazing on the planet. It's about 2.5 to 3 hours to drive from Volcanoes to Kailua Kona so it's totally doable to drive around the entire island in a day - something I'd also recommend since our island is so diverse (it has 12 of the 14 climate zones found on earth). You don't say whether you're visiting any of the other islands at all. If you are and are limited on time, I would recommend staying in Hilo so you have easy access to Volcanoes Park and the lava viewing at night (which is outside of the park) since none of the other islands have an active lava flow. Good luck planning your trip! Aloha!

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RE:

Traveling to the Big Island?

I am familiar with O'ahu, but this time we'll be going from O'ahu to Hawaii, so I'm looking for hotel recommendations.

Also, should we spend more time in Hilo area or Kona? And which airport is cheaper/easier to fly in and out of?

There is a good list of hotel options to choose from here - http://www.hotelscombined.com/City/Hawaiian_Beache...

Personally I would recommend spending more time in Kona.

spend time in Kona