Aloha and whoa! Animal: parrot fish, turtles, butterfly fish. Vegetable: rain forest, flower leis, fresh pineapple. Mineral: Lava tubes, sea caves, active volcanoes, black-sand beaches. Add crystalline water, canoeing, hiking, snorkeling, biking. And plenty of opportunities to lounge poolside, hit the waterslide or head to the spa. You guessed it: Hawaii.
Day 1 The sensational Waipio Valley,
where sheer cliffs are blanketed by thick greenery and strung with waterfalls 
Bike along Hamakua's high coastline - postcard-perfect valleys and lush tropical hills greet you around every turn Hear a rushing sound? A rain forest walk leads to Akaka Falls, where water plunges more than 400 feet.
Days 2-3 Hike across a caldera and through a forest of ginger
with a local guide in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, home to Kilauea, the Earth's most active volcano Spin past ferns and ohia lehua trees on Crater Rim Drive before descending 4,000 feet to the stunning Kau Coast Kids: get ready for an authentic paniolo experience with horseback riding on a working ranch Is that rock moving? No, it's a sea turtle on the black sand of Punaluu Beach! Learn the stories of people who sought refuge at Puuhonua long ago.
Day 4 Kayak past rocky cliffs and secluded sea caves in crystalline Keauhou Bay
Want a closer look? Don a mask and snorkel for a swimming adventure among colorful parrot fish, moorish idol and Hawaiian lionfish Fresh Kona coffee tempts at a small independent farm.
Days 5-6 Kids refine their paddling skills in the water with the Kona Boys and
explore tide pools or learn to make leis Spin along the sun-drenched Kohala Coast, tracing 30 miles of the Kona Ironman Triathlon's cycling course Rather relax? Lounge on white sand or indulge at the spa, snorkel or play tennis Glimpse Hawaii's royal heritage on a visit to the temple of Kamehameha the Great, Hawaii's most renowned king.
Trip Highlights
- The sensational Waipio Valley, where sheer cliffs are blanketed by thick greenery and strung with waterfalls
- Bike on Crater Rim Drive before a huge descent to the stunning Kau Coast
- Plenty of quality beach time - and canoeing if you like
- Snorkel and kayak with sea turtles and colorful fish
- Hike across a caldera with a certified volcanologist
Casual & Premiere Inns
Kilauea Lodge (2 nights): An up-country bed-and-breakfast with ideal access to Volcanoes National Park.
Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa (1 night): This full-service resort overlooks an ancient lava flow on the Kona coast. (pool, spa, tennis)
Fairmont Orchid (2 nights): Blissful resort offering abundant amenities, a lovely half-moon beach and sweeping views of the Pacific. Condé Nast Traveler Gold List. (pool, spa, tennis, golf)
Routes For All Abilities
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of
interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one
day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat
from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each
day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
| Daily Route Options | |||||||||||
| Day | Activity | EASYGOING | ACTIVE | AVID | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | |||||||
| miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | ||
| 1 | Biking | 17 | 500 | ||||||||
| Walking | 0.5 | 100 | |||||||||
| 2 | Biking | 15* | 200 | 38 | 1800 | ||||||
| Walking | 4.9 | 850 | |||||||||
| Kids | Afternoon activities at Pa’ani Ranch (petting zoo, fishing pond, horseback riding) | ||||||||||
| 3 | Biking | 24* | 1000 | 40* | 1500 | ||||||
| Other | Pu`uhonua o` Honaunau National Park visit (1 hour) | ||||||||||
| 4 | Kayaking | And snorkeling in Keauhou Bay (3 - 4 hours) | |||||||||
| 5 | Biking | 28* | 0 | 35 | 1000 | 50 | 1500 | 70 | 1500 | ||
| Other | Optional afternoon swimming, tennis, or golf | ||||||||||
| Kids | Stand-up paddle boarding and canoeing (3 - 4 hours) | ||||||||||
| 6 | Walking | 1.0 | 200 | ||||||||
* Includes a shuttle
2013 Dates & Pricing*
FAMILY TRIPS
- 6/9-14 Price: $3298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1110 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/16-21 Price: $3298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1110 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/23-28 Price: $3298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1110 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/7-12 Price: $3298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1110 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/21-26 Price: $3298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1110 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/28-8/2 Price: $3198 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1110 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/4-9 Price: $3298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1110 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/11-16 Price: $3198 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1110 for sgl. occ.)
- 12/15-20 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1110 for sgl. occ.)
- 12/17-22 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1110 for sgl. occ.)
- 12/22-27 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1110 for sgl. occ.)
- 12/24-29 Price: $3198 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1110 for sgl. occ.)
- 12/29-1/3 Price: $3498 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1110 for sgl. occ.)
- 12/31-1/5 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1110 for sgl. occ.)
*Prices may change. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed.
2014 Dates & Pricing*
FAMILY TRIPS
- 2/16-21 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 3/9-14 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 3/16-21 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 3/23-28 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 3/30-4/4 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 4/6-11 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/8-13 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/15-20 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/22-27 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/29-7/4 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/6-11 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/13-18 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/20-25 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/27-8/1 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/3-8 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/10-15 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/17-22 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 12/14-19 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 12/16-21 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 12/21-26 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 12/24-29 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
- 12/28-1/2 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $900 for sgl. occ.)
*Prices may change. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed.
Recommended Kids Ages
Minimum Ages:
- Recommended minimum age for the trip: 6 years
- Minimum age restriction to ride own bike: 9 years
- Minimum age restriction to kayak and for surfing lessons: 6 years
- No Burleys available on this trip
General Info on Minimum Ages:
We strongly encourage families to join our Family Trips, designed with kid- and adult-friendly features. Please note that we have a minimum age requirement of 1 year for all Inn trips and 2 years for all Camping trips. Other than that, we do not restrict trips to a minimum age except in the rare case of a hotel age restriction. We do, however, recommend minimum ages based on the following criteria:- 12+ amount of cultural appreciation, difficulty of activities, routes
- 9+ difficulty of activities/activity age restrictions, routes
- 6+ several longer dinners; routes are difficult for pulling a Burley and therefore not appropriate for younger children; difficulty of activities/activity age restrictions
Guest Trip Reviews
This was the best family vacation we ever had, and a great part of that was due to the wonderful leaders we had, who were simply outstanding. They not only were sensitive to our every need and concern, they were wonderful with the children, all of whom clearly ended up worshiping them and wishing - like us - that the trip would not end. I think our son would have preferred to go with them at the end than to come home with us! All in all, we're with Backroads for the long haul and look forward to another trip soon.- Manhattan Beach, CA
Best family vacation we've ever had!!!!! It was great seeing the enthusiasm of all of the local people. I noticed our leaders make a great effort in maintaining a good relationship with all of the locals. We love going on Backroads trips. It's a true vacation for everyone. It was definitely the best family trip we've ever taken.- Pittsford, NY
Superb operation, wonderful (WONDERFUL) family vacation experience. Taking the logistics/planning out of the equation made everything better. And the guides did a tremendous job enabling everyone in our family and our group to customize their daily activities to match their individual preferences. Truly a wonderful family experience.- San Francisco, CA
The best leaders on a Backroads trip I've experienced. Their knowledge of the area, culture, animals, plants, myths/stories was excellent. They were all encouraging and worked to make sure everyone got to do what they wanted (levels, activity, whatever). I appreciated the down time built in to the schedule.- Los Altos Hills, CA
This trip far exceeded my expectations!!! A big part of it was the group dynamics, the ages of the kids worked extremely well, and the adults family members seemed to get along very well. Leaders were outstanding, variety of activities was a plus, guess that's why we picked the "multisport" trip. Great options. The right amount of biking, hiking etc. Leaders were fabulous in adding on additional miles for my husband on the biking days. Very flexible!!! Very accommodating.- St. Louis, MO
Our trip leaders were off the chart. Their attitude of caring and having fun and encouraging us to relax as well as go for it was really great. The level and variety of activity was great and you accommodated our family's diverseness.- Malibu, CA
This was the best family trip we have ever had. The leaders, arrangements, accommodations, choice of routes and sights to see, timing of adult and childrens separate activities -- all worked superbly well for our family. This kind of vacation, because of combination of specific activities tends to draw a group that shares common interests. This certainly was our experience. The group had similar interests, and people felt comfortable participating to whatever extent they wished.- Newton, MA