Travel

Flight

Flights and rental cars

Aloha!! Flights to Hawaii this time of the year fill up early. You will want to plan as far in advance as you can, and book your flights early. Most airlines let you book 330 days in advance. We have had our best experiences flying Delta into Kona (airport code KOA). You can find flights direct to Kona from the west coast. If you prefer, you can fly to Honolulu and take a short flight to Kona. Hilo is the other airport on the Big Island (airport code ITO) and would work fine for you but it is an hour plus drive to the Mauna Lani area. For perspective, you can drive around the entire Island in a single day, but you won't have time to do much other than drive. Both airports have convenient rental car agencies, but these can sell out over the Holidays, so again be sure to book early. You do not need 4wd unless you intend to go in the mountain backcountry. Feel free to call Michael at 906.250.3589 if you want to chat about this topic.

House Or Rental

Lodging and Daily Logistics

As to lodging, the Mauna Lani Resort may open in time for you to stay at the resort proper though they are presently closed for major renovations (see Maunalani.com - they anticipate re-opening in November, 2019). We are staying in a condo on the resort grounds. Houses are available for rent on the grounds as well. We like to use Homeaway, Trip Advisor, and Airbnb to find our lodging. Other resorts are also nearby. The resort grounds are self contained, in that you can hike, golf, snorkel, eat out, and shop for everything from groceries to clothing on site. If you rent a home or condo, make sure you know if you have any pool, golf, or other privileges that come with the unit. Kona is about 20 miles to the south, if you need the amenities of a larger community. All of Kona, nearby resorts, and the small cowboy town of Waimea have excellent restaurants. Two of our favorites are The Kona Brewing Company in Kona, and Merriman's in Waimea.

Travel Note

Weather and clothing

The weather on the resort grounds should be between 70-85f and sunny most of the time, with comfortable breezes. Note that you can find parts of the Island that will be in the upper 90s (the hike along the ocean by the volcano, if open), or below freezing up in the mountains, depending on where you go and what activity you participate in. We usually bring a sweatshirt/fleece and raincoat for our "heavy" clothing.