Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1492979
Flying Out – On Our Way To The Island of Hawaii If you have ever gone to any of the Hawaiian Islands for a special vacation, you know that each island has its own history, culture and uniqueness. Also, the weather is perfect ... mid-to-high 80s with ocean breezes and plenty of sunshine! This was our second trip to the island of Hawaii ... the "Big Island" as it is called. It's probably our favorite--as the offerings and amenities are plenty and the terrain takes you from a "sea" of black lava rock with sparse vegetation to a beautiful Pacific Ocean coastline where you can walk for miles---not to mention steep elevation changes as you get closer to the Mauna Kea Volcano, with several hundred coffee farms, and dense tropical rain forests throughout the middle of the island with drops in temperature until you reach the island's eastside. The cities on the Big Island are also so diverse – Kona is a hustling, bustling vacation paradise with farmers markets, numerous water sports, nightly Polynesian luaus under the stars, bars and fabulous restaurants, and vacationers from all around the world. On the opposite side of the island is the city of Hilo that receives over 300 inches of rainfall a year. Complete with the University of Hawaii at Hilo, plenty of restaurants and boutique shops, it's definitely worth a visit for a day. On the north side of the island is the towering Mauna Kea Volcano and the luxurious Marriott Mauna Kea Resort, and the lush resort area and residential city of Waikola as well as the beautiful Hilton Resort and many, many high-end condos, residential homes, shops and of course, golf courses! This trip to the Big Island was an anniversary trip that had been postponed in 2021 due to the pandemic. So, we had hoped and planned to go in 2022, especially when Southwest Airlines had a few killer sales on airfare offered at the beginning of the new year! However, the process to travel to Hawaii due to the pandemic was quite extensive and we had to jump through a lot of hoops! Our excitement continued to bubble over as we left for the Marriott Midway Hotel to spend the night before we flew out the next morning on a 6am flight to Los Angeles, California and then on to Kona, Hawaii. Dinner at FRIDAY'S the night before was awesome and Calvin our server was super attentive, and the food was delicious! Marriott King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel – In The Heart Of Kona We flew out on a 6am Southwest flight out of Midway Airport into Los Angeles, California, changed planes for our second flight and landed in Kona around 2pm. GOLF NOW! Chicago 45