Parker Ranch Tour in Hawaii

Looking out the windows of your plane as it approaches Hawaii, you may catch the impressive sight of a rainbow in a complete circle! Welcome to Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii. You will begin your adventures in travel with your guide and others who share your interest in the Parker Ranch and Hawaii. Experience the Aloha spirit, the power of volcanoes, breathtaking natural landscapes, the wonders of the sea, and the legacy of the Parker Ranch.

After a long travel day to reach here, relax in the botanical gardens of the Paleaku Gardens Peace Sanctuary. Walk among ancient Hawaiian petroglyphs and Tibetan sand paintings. Walk a labyrinth and a Native American medicine wheel. If you’re looking for authentic Hawaiian gifts to take home, you’ll find beautiful items from local artists and farmers here.

Enjoy a welcoming dinner in historic Kailua Village, once the retreat of Hawaiian royalty. 

Today begins with a stop at an island coffee shop with more beautiful views overlooking an incredible coastline. Here you can actually see the trees where the Arabica coffee you are drinking is grown in volcanic soil.

Explore the archaeological site of an ancient Hawaiian “place of refuge” at Pu’uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park. Then learn more about Hawaii’s connection to coffee with a visit to the Kona Coffee Living History Farm with its coffee orchard and agricultural museum showing the life of the Japanese immigrants that worked on the farm. You can also visit the Hiki’au Heiau, an ancient Hawaiian temple dedicated to Lono, the god of fertility, agriculture, rainfall, music, and peace. Appreciate a unique view of the past at the Waikoloa and Puako Petroglyphs dating back to the 1500s.

You’ll continue to Waimea where you will visit a unique part of Hawaii known for cowboys, rodeos, farms, ranches, and specialty craft beers that have won 17 national and international awards ─ and home of the Parker Ranch.

There was a time that the Parker Ranch, founded in 1847, was the largest ranch in the United States. Presently, the ranch includes 130,000 acres and more than 19,000 cattle and is dedicated to the environmental sustainability of the business and stewardship for the water, wildlife, habitat, and community of Waimea.

Learn about their sustainability and renewable energy efforts and tour two historic homes on the grounds of the ranch. Discover the story of the family and the patriarch who built the Parker cattle business into a legacy with an ongoing commitment to improving the community. It was the talent and foresight of Richard Parker Smart who made the dramatic changes in cattle breeding and feeding that grew the ranch to eventually having 30,000 Herefords and providing benefits to ranch employees in education and health care. His long-range plan intends to assure that the community will retain its rural character for future generations amidst continuing growth and development.

With Richard’s death in 1992, the ranch was left to the Parker Ranch Foundation Trust and is responsible for implementing Richard’s vision and supporting a socially and community-driven mission for his beloved Waimea.

Today you head towards Hilo and Volcanoes National Park. Along the way are the dramatic vistas of Waipio Valley with its dramatic 2,000-foot cliffs, lush gardens, and black sand beach with waterfalls cascading into the ocean. Hike down into the valley to explore up close!

In Hilo, you’ll find a valley along the ocean where you can explore the trails and waterfalls of the Tropical Botanical Garden, dedicated to preserving the remarkable natural environment of Onomea Bay for future generations. Visit the fascinating Kaumana Caves with its lava tube formed almost 150 years ago.

Today you’ll explore breathtaking Volcanoes National Park, located between Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. When you arrive at the Park, you’ll check in with the rangers for the latest information and current situation with the active lava flows. You’ll be able to take a hike on volcanic trails and also find the best views of actively flowing lava. Stop at the Jagger Museum to learn more about volcanoes and get a great view inside the crater of Kilauea!  

Your experienced guide will bring this living landscape to life with an in-depth exploration of the natural and cultural history of recent eruptions. As you hike to the crater of Kilauea, the world’s most active volcano, you’ll discover that Hawaii’s volcanoes are not like most others around the world. Volcanoes like Kilauea have long-lasting stable eruptions that create rivers of constantly flowing lava, rather than those where the pressure builds up to a violent explosion.

At twilight, watch the incredible glow of the Kilauea Volcano under the stars.

Rise early as you head back towards Kona today. Contribute to the rebirth of a Hawaiian forest by planting your own koa tree on the land that was once the forest of King Kamehameha. Only a few of these ancient trees remain and grow nowhere else on earth. Using the seeds of those trees, help rebuild an ancient forest.

Sail the Kona Coastline and enjoy some of the best snorkeling sites in Kealakekua Bay. Your guides will bring it all to life with stories of the past as well as provide you with equipment for snorkeling among the lava formations and vibrant sea creatures. Enjoy a great time on the water!

End today with a relaxing sunset dinner with serene ocean views, and perhaps a dolphin or sea turtle sighting!

Saying Aloha goodbyes to Hawaii is never easy. The unique beauty of the sights and sounds of Hawaii will always be with you. Cherish your memories of how one man’s vision makes an ongoing difference in improving the quality of life in his community. Remember the incredible raw beauty of volcanoes, black sand beaches, and the famous coffee and award-winning beer made right here ─ and of course, the new friends you met along the way.