Product Description
Where Vacations Meet Adventures! First, Hidden Big Island of Hawaii reviews the destination’s famed attractions. Then (more importantly!) it invites the reader to go further to "Hidden" spots other guides overlook, including small inns and local restaurants. The guide also focuses on outdoor adventures with detailed information on beaches, parks and outdoor activities. Special traveler-friendly features include hidden spots, author’s favorite picks, getaway itineraries, driving and walking tours, websites and e-mail addresses, and multiple scaled maps that zoom in on each area. Hidden Big Island of Hawaii leads to tropical gardens in Hilo, upcountry hiking in Waimea, and diving spots along the Kona coast. The author offers recommendations and opinionated reviews for over 100 restaurants and over 70 hotels. This updated edition includes 11 maps. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Big Island of Hawaii
Ray Riegert the author of 8 travel books and Joan Conrow the update author have written the perfect companion for your dream vacation to The Big Island of Hawaii.Though other reviews here state that this book is lite on information I find that hard to believe.I am not a seasoned traveler but found this book to be complete in every imaginable scenario for a traveler's questions.I would definitely purchase this book, it is well organized and easy to use.I think this book would be perfect for any experienced traveler, first time vacationer or even the armchair dreamer.

Kamaaina (Local) Approved
A truly hidden Hawaii does not exist anymore, thanks to a multitude of guidebooks and millions of tourists. So if you are hoping to find something not touched by tourism on your Hawaiian vacation, you are going to be disappointed regardless of which guidebook you read.

Hidden Big Island of Hawaii: Including the Kona Coast, Hilo, Kailua, and Volcanoes National Park is a thorough guide for visiting the popular and the less popular sites. Included in the book are local favorites such as Ken's House of Pancakes; Punaluu Bake Shop; and Green Sand Beaches - and less popular sites such as Waikoloa Petroglyph Field and the original Kamehameha Statue.The book is logically organized so you can follow the listings as you travel down the road.

The first third of the book is devoted to Hawaiian history and culture. Too often "ugly Americans" visit Hawaii expecting to experience the Tiny Bubbles Hawaii without understanding and appreciating that Hawaii is a state where people live everyday lives, not one large resort for their pleasure only. Visiting Hawaii offers mainlanders the opportunity to experience a truly unique and diverse culture without leaving the United States. Hopefully, readers will read this section so they can truly appreciate the land and the people they are visiting.

The book could benefit greatly from color and quick reference aids. The section on history and culture should be set apart by colored pages, enticing tourists to read them. The guide pages would be easier to thumb through if the listings were differentiated by a color-code system. Colored pages or tabs would distinguish each section. Since Hawaii is unlike any other state, there can be a lot of information to remember, so pictures and lists of items such as flowers and foods would be helpful. Also, the author suggests taking five days to explore the island. A suggested day-by-day itinerary would help readers process the information and focus their visit.

The book fails to address one important safety issue. The kamaaina are overwhelming the most loving people you will meet. However, Hawaii, like the rest of America, suffers from an undercurrent of racism. Tourists need to remember that they are the minority either as haoles or mainlanders; a new experience for most. As with visiting any state, they will not be welcomed in certain areas. Violence against mainlanders occurs. Be safe, and ask locals and rangers about the safety of certain areas, especially if you are camping.

Grab a copy of Hidden Big Island of Hawaii, and open your mind and heart. As with any vacation, you will need to be flexible because it rains in Hawaii and the lava flow is not always visible. With this guidebook you will be able to find something to do.

Dull and low on information
I recently took this book on a trip to the Big Island. While it was definitely better than not having a guidebook at all, this book provides only basic information. In fact, we referred to the free magazines from the rental car company at least as much as we referred to this book. The writing style is dull, and the book is not organized in a way that makes it easy to find information. Zero photographs other than the one on the cover. In addition, I found some of the recommended restaurants less than satisfactory. If I had a suggestion for the publishers of this book, it would be to add some specific discussion on seeing the lava flows. I think a lot of the visitors to the big island are there because they want to see the lava, but it's not always possible. When we were there, the volcano wasn't doing much and there was nothing to see. A month or so later, they had such a big flow that the Park Service had to shut down part of the park. Seeing the lava is a hit and miss thing, as I found out. I still enjoyed the island immensely, but only after adjusting my expectations.

Lightweight
I've used the Hidden series before and liked them but this one is not up to speed. I found the pages to be light on information and the places that they recommended were where all the tourists go. In other words, "Hidden" was misleading. Better books are on the market. ... Read more

Product Description
A pack containing five copies of one of a series of special-needs readers. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Parks & Recreation, published by National Recreation and Park Association on January 1, 2005. The length of the article is 2101 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Paving the way: key to snow removal success is effective leadership.
Author: David Ray
Publication: Parks & Recreation (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2005
Publisher: National Recreation and Park Association
Volume: 40Issue: 1Page: 28(4)

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Product Description
This digital document is an article from Parks & Recreation, published by National Recreation and Park Association on December 1, 1998. The length of the article is 743 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: IN OVER YOUR HEAD.(Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton introduces underwater adventure)(Brief Article)
Author: Ray Simon
Publication: Parks & Recreation (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 1998
Publisher: National Recreation and Park Association
Volume: 33Issue: 12Page: 70(1)

Article Type: Brief Article

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Product Description
This digital document is an article from Parks & Recreation, published by National Recreation and Park Association on December 1, 2001. The length of the article is 988 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Team America's Air Force conquers the challenge: team America's Air Force trudges up Mt. Cook during the 2001 Eco-Challenge New Zealand. The four airmen placed 12th in the Annual International Expedition Race.(Brief Article)
Author: Ray Johnson
Publication: Parks & Recreation (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2001
Publisher: National Recreation and Park Association
Volume: 36Issue: 12Page: 64(3)

Article Type: Brief Article

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Product Description
Chapters: Lambeau Field, Joannes Stadium, City Stadium, Ray Nitschke Field, Hagemeister Park, Don Hutson Center, Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena, Bellevue Park, Clarke Hinkle Field, Aldo Santaga Stadium. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 41. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Lambeau Field -In 1955, the other NFL owners had threatened to force the franchise to move to Milwaukee if the stadium conditions in Green Bay were not improved. In 1956, Green Bay voters responded by approving (70.3%) a bond issue to finance the new stadium. The original cost in 1957 was $960,000 (paid off in 1978) and its seating capacity was 32,500. The new stadium would be the first modern stadium built specifically for an NFL franchise. At that time, all the other NFL teams were playing either in facilities shared with Major League Baseball teams, or in other pre-existing shared facilities. The site, now bordered on three sides by the village of Ashwaubenon, was selected because it had a natural slope, ideal for creating the bowl shape. The nearby outdoor practice fields (Clarke Hinkle Field and Ray Nitschke Field) and Don Hutson Center are all in Ashwaubenon, as was the Packers Hall of Fame until 2003. The new City Stadium was officially opened on September 29, 1957, as the Packers beat the Bears 2117. In a ceremony before the game, the stadium was dedicated by Vice President Richard Nixon. Although they now had a modern facility in Green Bay, the Packers continued their tradition (since 1933) of playing two or three regular-season games a year at County Stadium in Milwaukee, 120 miles to the south. Beginning in 1995, regular-season games were no longer scheduled in Milwaukee, and Lambeau Field became their only home field. Former Milwaukee ticket holders receive tickets to a preseason game and games...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=149583 ... Read more

Product Description
Commemorative book for the founding of the Lakewood BlueClaws, the Phillies organization Class A baseball team in South Jersey. ... Read more