Don't forget to take your rain gear. Kona is the dry side of the Island but Hilo get a lot of rain!

Try these web sites. We had a lot of fun at the Farmers Market in Hilo. There was a great bakery somewhere around Black Sand Beach in one of the small towns, but I can't remember where. Also visit South Point and Waipio Valley outlook. The island is about the size of Connecticut so driving distances are longer than the other Islands. Traffic around Kona can be bad at certain times of the day.

http://www.gohawaii.com/big-island/regions-neighborhoods/kau/punaluu-black-sand-beach

http://www.gohawaii.com/big-island

http://www.gohawaii.com/big-island/regions-neighborhoods/hamakua-coast/waipio-valley-lookout

My wife probably wouldn't let me go.....
My images are from film. Haven't scanned.
Search UHH and Google images.

The travel guide is what we used and was able to get a rental car and "hit the road running and with a plan". It worked very well for us.
Sounds like you will have a rental car. Back then the rental companies had a thin magazine that included maps of the island and plenty of ads for activities. Don't know if they still have that or not.

I would try to go to a big luau. Big luau will be a bigger production. Do your very best to sit up close!!!!!!!
Maybe, a big hotel. The King Khomeimei (spelling?) Hotel in Kona had one when we were there.
Pat

The black sand beach on Kona

The King Kamehameha Hotel is located right on the Bay in Kona. Convenient and used to have reasonable prices. I believe the Luau was outside of the Hotel by the Bay. Downtown Kona has many interesting shops, not necessarily filled with touristy stuff. Downtown is only about 4 or 5 blocks long. Volcanoes Natl Park is worth the trip. You will be able to walk on the lava flow to about a 1/4 mile of the current flow. The Kilauea Caldera has an observation center from which you can view the Caldera. Walking around the rim of the Caldera you can come across some fumaroles, where the volcanic gases exit the ground and leave a sulfur deposit. Towards the North end of the Island (Kona side) by some of the major hotels you will find King's Trail or Mamalahoa Trail, which contains hundreds of Petroglyphs. Further north is King Kamehameha's birthplace as well as some major Heiau's. Just south of Kona is a small recreational area (Kahaluu Beach Park), pretty much known to locals only, where in the early morning you can swim with turtles, parrot fish (Humuhumunukunukuapuaa), and occasionally dolphins. Pu'uhonua O Honaunau (Place of Refuge) is a park site well south of Kona and in olden Hawaiian times was a place to go, if you could make it without being killed first, to be forgiven for breaking sacred Kapus. On the way there on the right hand side of the road past Kealakekua is a coffee shop (good food) where you can grab a light breakfast or sandwich and some Kona coffee with an excellent view of the ocean. Have a safe trip and enjoy. :) :thumbup:

There are about 10 microclimates on the island and some are cool to cold and dry to very wet depending on elevation and wether you're on the windward or lee side of the island so bring a windbreaker or rain jacket and fleece or similar (you're from southern Maine so you know what I mean). There are many things to see but you can drive the circumference of the island in two days if you push it but you have the luxury of time with two weeks. Some things to see are the Parker Ranch, Puako Petroglyph Park, Hulihee Palace, Captain Cook Monument and the City of Refuge, Kona Coffee Farms, St Benedict's Painted Church, Boiling Pots/Rainbow Falls, Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Farm, Thurston Lava Tube, The must-see Hawaii Volcanos National Park and many others. One word of caution-do NOT leave any valuables in sight in your car at any time. Car break-ins are very common. Beware of suspicious looking kids near parking lots, especially those in rural areas.
This is a most fascinating island and one of the least populated by density. All the other islands would fit on top of Hawaii (Big Island) with some room to spare.
The attached photos were taken in 2005 with an old Canon G5 and are not the best. Would love to return now with better gear. Make sure you drive every road on the circumference!

my first post so I apologize if I'm doing something wrong...I went there in 2010 and basically went around the isle. I'm posting pics from my website. the first 103 pix are from the big isle; the others are from Oahu. volcano nat park and day trip up mauna kea to the observatories was probably my favorite but I enjoyed the entire island. let me know if you have questions about specific pix and I'll try to remember the details. have fun...

http://gerrypang.smugmug.com/New-Photos/Hawaii-July-2010/13535300_NmgzJH#!i=944358319&k=n2R7Pwn

Last time I was there several years ago I splurged on a doors off helicopter tour. At that time there was only one company that offered doors off. Sorry I can't remember the company name but it was an easy Google find. I would highly recommend this as an addition to all the rest of your photos. Don't be shy with the pilot, you can (and should) ask hime to spin around, go back, come at it from a different angle, etc. My pilot was very obliging and I ended up with a fantastic shot of two idjits walking on the lava right next to an open lava tube with lava flowing bright red. Definitely worth the price. Not to mention all the great steam shots from the ocean side as the lava spewed into the ocean. hmmm maybe it's time to go back... :thumbup: