Fun things to do in Kailua-Kona

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The streets at the Big Island can be really narrow. Some parts pedestrians/bikers are walking/riding next to the cars. It looks dangerous, but if you use your common sense....

These street scenes can be really nice.

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On the Big Island you will find a few volcanoes. During eruption there is lava coming out. Due to this lava Hawaii has been created. This lava makes a rocky coastline. I think it is a pretty face to see the rocky coastline and the water splashing into this.

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We went to the office of the Atlantis Submarine Tours on Alii Drive.
There we checked in for the tour that we had booked online.

It was a short walk from the office over to the pier, across the highway.
We waited there for a ferry that took us out to the submarine located in the bay.
While waiting on the ferry everyone was lined up and everyone got their picture taken.
This was so they could sell you copies later, not for identification.

We were on the ferry about 10 minutes before we arrived at the submarine.
Once on the sub, we were told to climb down the ladder. Below there were rows of seats facing large port hole windows.

After everyone was seated we went down 104 feet and was able to see some beautiful fish swimming by us. At one point we were sitting on the sandy ocean bottom.

After 30 minutes below we surfaced, went up the ladder, got on the ferry, there we were offered the chance to buy the package with our photos and CD of submarine for $20.

It was a bit pricey at $89 each for adults but I would do it again.
There offer 3 tours a day.

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We were staying on the east cost near Hilo but most of the touristy things to do are on the west coat. That is a three hour drive.
Early one morning me made the drive to the Kona coast to join Captain John Sweeney on his whale watching tour.
When we arrived in Kona it was a beautiful sunshiny day. It had been raining on the east coast when we left.

We had an exciting 3 hour trip out in the bay looking for whales. We saw one whale breach on our way out. After about 15 minutes we saw a mother whale with her baby. They were being closely followed by 6 or so male whales trying to impress the mother.

It was definitely worth the drive to experience seeing the whales.
The 3 hour tour was $79.50 for adults plus I bought a t-shirt that they sell on the boat for $20.
Tours leave at 7 and 11am from Dec-April
There are different times in other months.

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One of the easiest (and one of my favorite) activities was to look at sea turtles. In this case, I was simply able to look over the railing of my hotel's veranda, and view them. As luck would have it, my first night was the best night for spotting them. Beginner's Luck, perhaps?

One warning: Though you're welcome to watch them, be sure not to touch or otherwise bother them. It's not very nice, and it's also illegal.

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This beach, very handy to my hotel, offers a very pleasant place to lie on the beach. I'm also told it's an excellent place to go snorkeling. But even for those who aren't snorkeling, it's fun to look at the bright fish in the water. It's also a good place to see sea turtles. One warning: the rocks off the beach are very sharp. Be sure to bring beach shoes if you want to wade.

If you have the slightest interest in the history and culture of Hawaii's original inhabitants, then this is a must see sight. This rock field has hundreds of petroglyphs depicting human figures and other forms. There is a trail that goes around the area, so it is easy to see them without walking upon or damaging the petroglyhs.

This classic old theater is located in the town of Kainaliu, between Kona and Captain Cook. It is worth looking into the schedule of events to see what is offered while you are in the area. This is a good way to support local arts and culture. We got to see a fine production of the play "Vincent."

There is also a fine cafe' adjacent to the theater.