Synopses & Reviews
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. The Hawaii The Big Island Trailblazer for 2011 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!
Review
"An energetically presented and highly recommended resource guide, Hawaii: The Big
Island Trailblazer by Jerry and Janine Sprout is a thoroughly 'user friendly' travel
guide featuring truly great locales in which to hike, snorkel, surf, bike, or drive
anywhere in Hawaii. Specifically for families wanting shared recreational
experiences, and ideal for solitary vacationers seeking memorable do-it-yourself
adventures, Hawaii: The Big Island Trailblazer is enhanced with 9 maps and over 200
black-and-white photographs; a 'Kids Only' section; driving tours; safety trips;
resource links; information on Hawaiian culture and history, and a great deal more." Midwest Book Review, January 2004
Synopsis
Hike, bike, and snorkel in Hawaii's prime spots, and then relax on one of the island's best driving tours, visit a coffee or macadamia nut farm, and take in a local art gallery. Campsites, B & Bs, and resorts, plus tons of photos and details on Hawaiian culture and history.
Description
A guide for families and outdoor adventurers alike, the new and completely revised 2011 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...
- 156 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
- 75 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 Trailblazer Kids section for adventuring famiies
- 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, attractions and shopping
- Driving tours to the Parker Ranch and Kohala Coast, Hilo and the Heritage Coast, and Kona coffee country
- Safety tips and trip-planning advice
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.