Sunday: Lapakahi State Historical Park

We all woke up fairly early on Sunday thanks to the time change. We had a leisurely hotel breakfast buffett (including Kona coffee) to start our day!

What a view to wake up to!

Juices: papaya, pineapple, orange, and a mixture of all three.

The Big Island is deceptively large. It actually takes more than 6 hours to drive around without stopping. There's a lot to do so we had to be quite selective and hit the priorities early on. On Sunday, we hit two historical spots on the Kohala Coast. The first stop was Lapakahi State Historical Park.

The park preserves the ruins of the once-thriving fishing village of Koai'e, which dates as far back as the 15th century.

We took the 1-mile self-guided hiking loop around the windy coast.

I would love to have this view out my front door!

The coast here is a designated Marine Life Conservation District and it was flawless.

We saw carved lava rocks used to dry ocean water and gather salt as well as traditional games.

But more than anything, the rugged coast was a feast for the eyes and I can't imagine picking a better spot for a fishing village.

Despite the wind, the crashing waves were spellbinding and we even saw a few whale splashes in the distance. What a great adventure to start our trip off with!