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Visiting Puna/Paradise Park where do I spend my mainland $$

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  • Visiting Puna/Paradise Park where do I spend my mainland $$

    My family and I are comming out for a visit in September for one week doing research for possible relocation.
    I like to support local privately owned business,does anyone have any leads on a place to stay,scuba shop/guide and anything else we may need?
    There will be 4 of us,wife and I,our 4 month old daughter and my cousin.My cousin is deaf and never learned to speak or sign he's from a small town originally and I'm kinda his caretaker so I'm wondering if there is much of a deaf community out there.
    Anyone know what company does the yellow pages out there? Having trouble finding listings with the web.

    /thank you for any help

  • #2
    Re: Visiting Puna/Paradise Park where do I spend my mainland $$

    At first look, this is going to appear to be useless advice, since you didn't ask for it and I don't really have any of the info you requested. However, just take my word and go with it.

    In Hilo, have breakfast at Ken's House of Pancakes (it's open 24 hours!) and order the corned beef hash with eggs.

    Later in Hilo, order the roast pork loco moco from Blaine's.

    You'll thank me later.
    But I'm disturbed! I'm depressed! I'm inadequate! I GOT IT ALL! (George Costanza)
    GrouchyTeacher.com

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    • #3
      Re: Visiting Puna/Paradise Park where do I spend my mainland $$

      food talk is always welcome Thats pretty funny scrivener that you don't have advise on that managery of questions I posted but have such specific advise about food.You sound like a person who has there priorities straight he he

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      • #4
        Re: Visiting Puna/Paradise Park where do I spend my mainland $$

        Originally posted by Fondoo
        .
        I like to support local privately owned business,does anyone have any leads on a place to stay,scuba shop/guide and anything else we may need?
        Check out Kate's Cottage in Volcano, it's within driving distance of Hilo/Puna, and is in a beautiful setting (you might as well enjoy your trip!).
        http://www.volcanogallery.com/lodging/Kates.htm

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        • #5
          Re: Visiting Puna/Paradise Park where do I spend my mainland $$

          thx for the link SK that place is so nice,only trouble is I live for the ocean so we were hopeing to find a place in the Kapoho area.Any more Ideas sure would be welcome

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          • #6
            Re: Visiting Puna/Paradise Park where do I spend my mainland $$

            Originally posted by Fondoo
            My family and I are comming out for a visit in September for one week doing research for possible relocation.
            I like to support local privately owned business,does anyone have any leads on a place to stay,scuba shop/guide and anything else we may need?
            There will be 4 of us,wife and I,our 4 month old daughter and my cousin.My cousin is deaf and never learned to speak or sign he's from a small town originally and I'm kinda his caretaker so I'm wondering if there is much of a deaf community out there.
            Anyone know what company does the yellow pages out there? Having trouble finding listings with the web.

            /thank you for any help
            Look for a vacation rental in Kapoho or Volcano. Then you will be staying in communities where all business is small and locally-owned. Pick up the Hawai'i Island Journal (its a free weekly newspaper) and plunk $.50 on a Hawai'i Tribune-Herald, and get a feel for the isle that way.

            There are a couple of big-chain stuff like Starbucks, but skip those and head to Bear's Coffee in downtown Hilo, or any other coffee shop that you don't recognize the name of, and strike up a conversation with the people next to you.

            Look people in the eye, nod, smile, and look away. Be courteous and friendly, but don't stare or "check em out". If someone shakes your hand, clasp back with both of yours. If someone comes to kiss you goodbye, understand that this is normal, and your best response is to "cheek-butt" back.

            pax

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            • #7
              Re: Visiting Puna/Paradise Park where do I spend my mainland $$

              thank you Pua'i

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              • #8
                Re: Visiting Puna/Paradise Park where do I spend my mainland $$

                Originally posted by Fondoo
                thank you Pua'i
                Aloha Fondoo,

                Although it might appear to be intimidating, the Puna area is one of the better ones where Hawaiians, locals and haoles can get along, because tourism doesn't have a strong footprint in Puna, so everyone pretty much assumes that the next guy is your neighbor.

                It is a much different vibe than the other areas across Hawai'i where tourism is prevalent, and one cannot tell if the lady standing in front of you at the coffee shop is a tourist or not.

                pax

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                • #9
                  Re: Visiting Puna/Paradise Park where do I spend my mainland $$

                  Originally posted by Pua'i Mana'o
                  It is a much different vibe than the other areas across Hawai'i where tourism is prevalent, and one cannot tell if the lady standing in front of you at the coffee shop is a tourist or not.
                  It's usually pretty obvious if they're tourists here in Honolulu too.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Visiting Puna/Paradise Park where do I spend my mainland $$

                    Originally posted by Glen Miyashiro
                    It's usually pretty obvious if they're tourists here in Honolulu too.
                    Yeah, but you would be suprised at how many born-here-75-years-ago haoles get asked "so, where are you visiting from?" questions (usually if eating out and the waiter is trying to be friendly). This happens to my dear friend (who is 1/8 Hawaiian, 1/8 Chinese and the rest haole) and her old mother--and that friend catches a rash every time.

                    pax

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                    • #11
                      Re: Visiting Puna/Paradise Park where do I spend my mainland $$

                      Originally posted by Pua'i Mana'o
                      Yeah, but you would be suprised at how many born-here-75-years-ago haoles get asked "so, where are you visiting from?" questions (usually if eating out and the waiter is trying to be friendly). This happens to my dear friend (who is 1/8 Hawaiian, 1/8 Chinese and the rest haole) and her old mother--and that friend catches a rash every time.
                      Heh, touché. Yeah, that happens. I know a middle aged lady, born and raised in Kailua, attended Punahou and then UH Mānoa, lived on the Windward side her whole life. Not quite missionary stock, but the family's been in the islands almost 100 years. Pureblooded haole. But if you didn't know her, you would swear that she's a tourist. Pale as a ghost. Twangy voice, no pidgin, not even a trace of a local accent.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Visiting Puna/Paradise Park where do I spend my mainland $$

                        good to hear! we just bought our tickets for our visit whoooo hoooo!!!! Staying 9/3 thru 9/11 The 9/11 date got us a discount wierd but true

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                        • #13
                          Re: Visiting Puna/Paradise Park where do I spend my mainland $$

                          Originally posted by Glen Miyashiro
                          Heh, touché. Yeah, that happens. I know a middle aged lady, born and raised in Kailua, attended Punahou and then UH M?noa, lived on the Windward side her whole life. Not quite missionary stock, but the family's been in the islands almost 100 years. Pureblooded haole. But if you didn't know her, you would swear that she's a tourist. Pale as a ghost. Twangy voice, no pidgin, not even a trace of a local accent.
                          Oahu wa
                          Oahu waaaaa
                          how lovely art thy branches....

                          pax

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                          • #14
                            Re: Visiting Puna/Paradise Park where do I spend my mainland $$

                            There's a few bed and breakfast places up in the Volcano Village area and the weather is really nice around this time of the year.

                            Puna is divided into two areas: Lower and Upper Puna and is represented by different county reps. Lower Puna is from Volcano down thru Glenwood, Kurtistown and into Keaau. Not much happening in Glenwood or Kurtistown however when passing thru Kurtistown heading into Keaau you might want to stop by Koa Coffee shop. The food is pretty good but the prices are a bit high for what you get. Further down heading towards Keaau is the J. Hara store where you can pick up on some snacks and such. J. Hara's is pretty much the town center in Kurtistown and is the general store of Kurtistown with pretty good fish tackle and other sundries. Into Keaau there's the Keaau Town Center where you'll find an Ace Hardware and a variety of shops. Across the street from the town center there's a small open market that sells things from trinkets to plate lunches.

                            If you turn right into Keaau town instead of going straight into Hilo, you'll eventually find yourself passing thru Keaau town and onto Highway 11 more commonly called: Pahoa Highway. This highway will take you to Pahoa town about 12-miles in and there you'll find the town of Pahoa. This town is much like Haleiwa in it's hippyish feel however it's a great place to park the car and walk the main road and check out some of the shops there.

                            As mentioned earlier Hilo offers Blaines Drive in however their food is pretty lack lusture. Ken's offers the best tasting in a coffee shop environment. If you want tasty plate lunches go kitty corner across the street from Ken's to Verna's. Their plate lunches are pretty good. Freddies is another decent plate lunch place in Hilo.

                            There's quite a few B&B's around from Volcano to Keaau and if you want to support the local little guy these are the places to stay. The open markets that dot Keaau/Pahoa/Hilo help the small farmers around the areas as well.

                            Hope that helps you!
                            Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Visiting Puna/Paradise Park where do I spend my mainland $$

                              Originally posted by craigwatanabe
                              There's a few bed and breakfast places up in the Volcano Village area and the weather is really nice around this time of the year.

                              Puna is divided into two areas: Lower and Upper Puna and is represented by different county reps. Lower Puna is from Volcano down thru Glenwood, Kurtistown and into Keaau. Not much happening in Glenwood or Kurtistown however when passing thru Kurtistown heading into Keaau you might want to stop by Koa Coffee shop. The food is pretty good but the prices are a bit high for what you get. Further down heading towards Keaau is the J. Hara store where you can pick up on some snacks and such. J. Hara's is pretty much the town center in Kurtistown and is the general store of Kurtistown with pretty good fish tackle and other sundries. Into Keaau there's the Keaau Town Center where you'll find an Ace Hardware and a variety of shops. Across the street from the town center there's a small open market that sells things from trinkets to plate lunches.

                              If you turn right into Keaau town instead of going straight into Hilo, you'll eventually find yourself passing thru Keaau town and onto Highway 11 more commonly called: Pahoa Highway. This highway will take you to Pahoa town about 12-miles in and there you'll find the town of Pahoa. This town is much like Haleiwa in it's hippyish feel however it's a great place to park the car and walk the main road and check out some of the shops there.

                              As mentioned earlier Hilo offers Blaines Drive in however their food is pretty lack lusture. Ken's offers the best tasting in a coffee shop environment. If you want tasty plate lunches go kitty corner across the street from Ken's to Verna's. Their plate lunches are pretty good. Freddies is another decent plate lunch place in Hilo.

                              There's quite a few B&B's around from Volcano to Keaau and if you want to support the local little guy these are the places to stay. The open markets that dot Keaau/Pahoa/Hilo help the small farmers around the areas as well.

                              Hope that helps you!
                              Those directions are a little off.

                              "Lower Puna" is comprised of Kea'au, Pahoa, Kapoho, and Kalapana and is represented in the Hawai'i County Council by Gary Safarik (Council District 5). "Upper Puna" is comprised of Kurtistown, Mt. View, and Volcano and is represented by Bob Jacobson (Council District 6). Highway 11 (the Hawai'i Belt Road) takes you into Hilo, not Pahoa. Highway 130 (the Kea'au-Pahoa Bypass) is the one that goes to Pahoa. The town of Pahoa is actually about the 10-mile marker on Highway 130 and you have to make a quick right turn followed by a quick left onto Pahoa Village Road. We have a small, new shopping center here called the "Pahoa Marketplace" that's at the junction of Highway 130 and Pahoa Village Road and it's probably worth a visit if one's in the area.

                              As for places to eat in the area, the Blue Rock Cafe, Meaner Wiener, and Athena's Huli-Huli Chicken are pretty good. As for a places to stay in the area, check out some of the rentals at www.vrbo.com. I'd recommend a vacation rental in either Kapoho, Pahoa, or Kea'au instead of Volcano if one wants to be closer to the ocean.
                              Ā Ē Ī Ō Ū ā ē ī ō ū -- Just a little something to "cut and paste."

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