Hawaii, the Big Island Trailblazer: Where to Hike, Snorkel, Surf, Bike Drive

Guide to the Guides, October 1, 2003
Trailblazer guides are tops in their field, and with their Big Island book the Sprouts have done it again!


Sorensen's Resort, November 6, 2003
Beautiful new book enticing us beyond our own worlds and giving us works of art besides. Off we go!


Adventure Photojournalism, November 3, 2003
A wonderful Big Island book. Can really appreciate all the detail and work put into this one.


Hale Aloha Aina Bed & Breakfast, November 2003
What a beautiful guide! Our guests enjoy reading about Hawaii's hidden treasures.


About Scuba Guide, December 15, 2003
Don't want to be limited to resort and tourist areas? This is the book. Series among best guides for Islands.


Midwest Book Review, January 2004
Energetically presented, highly recommended resource guide for families wanting shared recreational experiences. Ideal for solitary vacationers seeking memorable do-it-yourself adventures.


Book Description
A guide for families and outdoor adventurers alike, Trailblazer takes you to all of the Big Island’s famous attractions, as well as its hidden spots. Nearly twice the size of the rest of Hawaii combined, the Big Island presents a challenge to adventure travelers with limited time. Trailblazer comes to the rescue with its trademark organization and clear directions for . . . 142 hikes and strolls: the peaks of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, the shores of Waipio Valley and Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, rain forests and tropical gardens, waterfalls, petroglyph fields, and the Kona Coast 71 snorkeling and swimming spots including remote hike-to specials 39 surfing spots: boards, bodyboarding, and body surfing 24 bike trails for adventure cyclists: mountain, coastal, forest, pasture 25 campgrounds and rustic cabin hideaways Hawaii the Big Island Trailblazer also includes . . . 9 maps and more than 200 photographs A Best Of section that lets you pick the right activity for the right day Resource Links with hand-picked accommodations and restaurants,recreational outfitters, transportation, and visitor information Hawaiian culture and history Museums and a Big Island "Kids Only" section Driving tours to the Parker Ranch and Kohala Coast, Hilo and the Heritage Coast, and Kona coffee country Safety tips and trip-planning advice


From the Publisher
With its obscure roads and enormous size—nearly twice that of the rest of the Hawaiian Islands combined—the Big Island presents a challenge to adventure travelers who have limited time. Hawaii The Big Island Trailblazer comes to the rescue with clear driving and trail descriptions to all of nature's all-stars, from the top of Mauna Kea to the shores of Kealakekua Bay. Presenting vivid maps and its easy-to-use format, Trailblazer is a personal tour guide that fits in your knapsack. Hikers, snorkelers, and surfers can zero in on all the island's scenic masterpieces, as well as seek out the quiet wonders the Sprouts are known to discover. You'll find jungle valleys, blue lagoons, red-hot lava, hidden beaches, and starry nights on the tallest peak in the world. A separate map and listing shows bicyclists the island's hottest single tracks, along with trans-island cycling routes. Several driving tours take you to the Big Island's panoramas, but don't neglect the local-style galleries and restaurants, coffee and macadamia farms, and cultural curiosities. Handpicked accommodations present campsites and rustic digs, plus choice B&B's and resorts, both glitzy and budget. Hundreds of beautiful photographs illustrate a text rich with historical and cultural background. Reading Trailblazer gives you the feeling of being there, and then makes you want to get up and go!


From the Author
HAWAII TRAILBLAZER is an offering to the strong and beautiful and intelligent people of the Big Island. May your message of Aloha spread to the farthest reaches of the earth and live on forever.


From the Inside Flap
STRATEGIES FOR VISITING THE BIG ISLAND You can get anywhere on the island in one day, but in some cases it will be a long day of driving with little time for hikes and stops. You’ll need an active week to be able to see most of the best stuff. With two weeks, you won’t have to choose which featured attractions will have to be postponed until the next trip. A visit of three weeks or more is required to take a thorough gander. Depending on the type of visit you’d like to have, you can choose from among four different strategies for where to stay and for how long. KONA BEACH HOG Stay your whole visit in Kailua-Kona or Kohala resorts, choosing from among the modest to the swank. This option takes advantage of beaches and snorkeling. You can easily spend a week exploring beaches from Miloli‘i north to Hapuna. On alternating days, take day trips to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Mauna Kea, Hilo, Mauna Loa, and Waipio Valley. This may be the best strategy if you only have one week. Downside: You won’t see much of Hilo and the Puna coast, the island’s green windward side, and you will spend a longer time driving. KONA-HILO YIN-YANG Stay about half the time in Kona and half the time in Hilo. While in Kona, focus on the Kohala beaches, Kealakekua Bay, North Kohala, and South Point. While in Hilo, see Hamakua and Waipio, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, Hawaii Volcanoes, and the Puna coast. As a variant on the yin-yang, rob a day or two from Hilo and stay in Volcano, which is one mile from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Seeing sunrises and sunsets at the park is a big plus. You can pull off this strategy during a week’s stay, but it is perfect for a 10-day stay, or longer. Downside: The west side is normally sunnier and has better beaches. ISLAND HOPPER Stay at several spots on a trip around the island. You’ll enjoy mornings and evenings in different locales, and spend less time driving. For example, if you have 14 nights, spend the first 3 in Kona, the next 2 in Volcano, then 4 in Hilo, 1 or 2 nights in Waimea, and the last 3 or 4 back in Kona. Island hoppers will also want to consider Wood Valley and Hawi. This strategy makes most sense for longer visits and people who aren’t all about beaches. Downside: This is a lot of check-ins and checkouts. Two-night minimums are less hectic. CAMP & INN HOPPER The Big Island is ideally set up to circle around, spending some nights staying in rustic cabins and campgrounds, and then going modestly upscale in tasteful inns and B&Bs. Money-wise, you can do this for the price of a mid-level resort, or even less. See Camping and Rustic Lodging map, for these options. Look at Where to Stay to cherry pick among the top inns and B&Bs. Downside: Why does there always have to be a downside?


About the Author
Travel writers Jerry and Janine Sprout have been exploring Hawaii and the American West for more than 20 years. They have authored two other best-selling Hawaiian guides—for Kauai and Maui—as well as their classic Alpine Trailblazer which covers the Sierra from Lake Tahoe to Yosemite and Golden Gate Trailblazer for San Francisco and Marin.


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The book is great. Now we have to go to the Big Island and explore those special places you write about. — President and CEO, Suite Paradise, Kauai


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