We had seven days on the Big Island and, unlike some of our past family trips, we did way more than lay by the pool. Most mornings we jumped in the car and started exploring: We typically had one destination in mind, and from there we would see where the day took us.

One of my favorite visits was to Hapuna Beach, the island’s largest white-sand beach – and listed in guidebooks as a must-see. There are two sections of the beach, and when we came upon the first (smaller, less crowded, more shaded) part and I first saw the pristine beach and lava rock formations, I gasped. It’s one of the prettiest spots I’ve ever been.

Another morning we grabbed snorkeling equipment and headed to a spot Q and I had discovered on our last trip: Makaiwa Bay, featuring a half-moon shaped beach and schools of yellow tang (my favorite) and other small fish to explore just a few feet out. It was the girls’ first time snorkeling, and Zoe’s summary was a simple “awesome.” After that came exploring one of our favorite little farm towns up north, where we spotted our first rainbow and browsed art at our favorite gallery, and the more touristy Kailua-Kona down south, where we sampled exotic fruit at a farmer’s market and had a sunset dinner on the beach.

-M

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