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Volcano Garden Arts
You see artist Ira Ono's voluptuous masks everywhere. His gallery, Volcano Garden Arts - packed with other artists and including a small 'café' - is central to the recent upswing in the Volcano art scene.
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Volcano Winery
The friendly, attractive Volcano Winery offers free tastings of its six vintages. Two mix in jaboticaba berries and another uses guava for sweet, unusual variations. A rich honey wine is almost like mead. Who knew Hawai'i had a wine country?
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Waikoloa Petroglyph Preserve
A lava field, Waikoloa Petroglyph Preserve, etched with impressive petroglyphs, many dating back to the 16th century, is located beside the Kings' Shops. Some are graphic (humans, birds, canoes) and others cryptic (dots, lines). Western influences appear in the form of horses and English initials.
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Wailoa River State Park
The first thing you notice about the Wailoa River State Park is its imposing 14ft, Italian-made bronze statue of Kamehameha the Great; erected in 1997, and restored with gold leaf in 2004, the statue has an outstretched arm that seems to beckon you, and actually, the park's lawns, ponds and arched bridges make a nice stroll.
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White Sands Beach Park
White Sands Beach Park is a mini-paradise with crystal turquoise waters and shady palms. Its ability to lose its sand literally overnight during high winter surf has earned it nicknames such as Magic Sands and Disappearing Sands. When its rocks and coral are exposed, the beach becomes too treacherous for most swimmers. Gradually the sand magically returns, transforming the shore back into its former beachy self.
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Wood Valley Temple & Retreat Center
If you're into temples, this Tibetan Buddhist Temple outside of Pahala is worthy of a detour. It is decoratively painted in colorful detail and is striking against the backdrop of the center's lush, 25-acre property. Peacocks roam freely through the grounds and the relaxing property of the valley's silence is enhanced by the constant sounds of birds and humming insects.
