get the chance to enjoy traditional Hawaiian food, music, and dance.

For more Big Island fun, visitors can go horseback riding at Parker Ranch (808-885-7655), tour a Kona coffee farm (Bay View Farm 808-328-9658 or Kona Mountain Farm 808-322-9297), or go hiking on the Big Island in the lovely Waipi'o Valley (call 808- 974-4221 for current trail conditions).

Visitors staying in can swim with dolphins on the Big Island at Dolphin Quest Hawaii (800-248-3316), located at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. Other popular Big Island activities include golfing on incredibly scenic courses and learning about ancient Hawaiian culture at sites such as Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park. Special events for guests of include the International Billfish Tournament in August and the Ironman Triathlon World Championship in October.

Hawaii Big Island helicopter rides are a fantastic way to see the island and witness the awesome power of nature with a birds-eye view of the Kilauea volcano. Guests of can choose from several helicopter companies, including Blue Hawaiian (808-961-5600), Sunshine Helicopters (800-469-3000), and Safari Helicopters (800-326-3356).

At Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, vacationers staying in have the rare opportunity to explore one of the world's most active volcanoes. Visitors can take a cruise around Crater Rim Drive, an 11-mile loop that circles Kilauea's summit, passing through rain forest and desert. Stop along the way to walk through the Thurston Lava Tube, see the steam rising from Halemaumau Crater, and explore the bizarre landscape of black lava flows, cones, and craters.

The scenic Chain of Craters road descends 3,700 feet in 20 miles, ending at the point where lava flows covered the coastline road in 2003. Depending on the volcanic activity at the time of your visit, you may be able to see active lava flows. The park also offers day hikes and wilderness hiking opportunities for guests of .

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is about a four-hour drive from and about one hour from . The park is open 24 hours a day year-round. The Visitor Center is open from 7:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and the Jaggar Museum is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Park admission is $10 per vehicle.

On the east side of the Big Island of Hawaii, make a great base for a Big Island volcano tour. Other activities for guests of include touring colorful tropical gardens, visiting picturesque Big Island waterfalls, and exploring black sand beaches.

The Lyman Museum in Hilo (Waianuenue Street, 808-935-5021) houses Polynesian artifacts and a fantastic collection of rocks and minerals. Not far past the museum on Waianuenue are lovely Rainbow Falls and Pe'epe'e Falls. The Pacific Tsunami museum (808-935-0926) on Kamehameha and Kalakaua offers interesting displays and a video about the devastating tsunamis of 1946 and 1960.

About eight miles north of Hilo, off Highway 19, visitors staying in can tour the fabulous Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden (808-964-5233). This colorful tropical paradise includes rainforest, waterfalls, dramatic ocean views, and more than 2,000 species of tropical plants from around the world. The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day) and admission is $15 for adults and $5 for children ages 6-16. Allow an hour and a half to stroll the one-mile path through the garden.

Just north of the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden is the road to Akaka Falls, which features lush tropical foliage and exotic Big Island flowers in addition to a 420-foot waterfall. South of Hilo, vacationers staying in can explore the Puna area, with attractions such as Lava Tree State Park and the Kapoho Tide Pools.

Restaurants on the Big Island offer delicious fresh seafood and Hawaiian specialties, as well as American food and a wide variety of ethnic cuisine including Japanese, French, Italian, Indonesian, Greek, Korean, Mexican, and Thai.

Popular include , , , and . With so many things to do on the Big Island of Hawaii, you're sure to have a fabulous vacation. Reserve your today!

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Attractions for Guests of Big Island Hawaii Condo Rentals

The island of Hawaii, known as The Big Island, is the largest of the Hawaiian Islands, measuring 93 miles long and 76 miles wide. In fact, Hawaii's Big Island is larger than all the other Hawaiian Islands combined.

The youngest of the Hawaiian islands in geologic terms, the Big Island is characterized by lush tropical vegetation and spectacular Big Island waterfalls on the east side, snow-capped Mauna Kea peak to the north, the very active Big Island volcano called Kilauea on the south side of the island, and the sunny Kona Coast and Kohala Coast to the west.

Vacationers can enjoy a wide variety of Big Island activities, including water sports, fishing, beach activities, mountain biking, whale watching, and even snow skiing on Mauna Kea. Big Island luaus are always a treat, as guests of

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