If you're looking for a fairly quick hike with amazing views, be sure to check out Pololu Valley while you're on the Big Island. I can't believe we lived here over a year before exploring it! The access point is about 20 minutes north of Hawi and is basically the end of the road as you head north. We had a beautiful clear day with a bit of a breeze. Perfect. After catching the breathtaking view at the top, we headed down the trail. It is definitely rocky and a bit steep in places, but overall very manageable for anyone in decent shape. My kids were down it twice as fast as we were!! If you have smaller children though, watch out for a few dropoffs that can surprise you around the corners. Perfect opportunities for mothers to freak out and 12-year-old sons to roll their eyes. My parents used the plentiful walking sticks available and went slower due to the uneven footing, but they both thought it was well worth the effort. Probably 20 minutes down if you don't need to rest. The valley was peaceful and quiet with a hundred different spots for the kids to explore. Next time, I'll definitely bring a lunch and plan to stay a while. Trees, paths, swings, weird stuff that the tide brought in, the kids were in heaven. There's also a lookout past the other side of the beach and up the hill, but we didn't quite make it that far. Next time. The hike back up was a bit more strenuous, but easier to find your footing. Anyway, I highly recommend this as a family friendly hike in Hawaii!
