Ride 'em cowboys
Parker Ranch on the Big Island has introduced a new activity, Cowboys of Hawaii, LLC, giving visitors a rare opportunity to explore the vast 200,000-acre working ranch on horseback over rolling hills.Rides are available three times daily at 8:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and a sunset ride at 4 p.m. Morning and noon rides run two hours; the sunset ride takes one-and-a-half hours. The cost is $79 per person for each of the three rides offered. The minimum age requirement is 7 years and older, making this an ideal family activity, whether family members are beginners, intermediate or advanced riders. Cowboys of Hawaii at Parker Ranch can arrange private rides for special excursions, and the tours can be conducted in Japanese.
Guests will feel like Hawaiian paniolo (cowboys) as they ride through stone corrals where up to 5,000 Hereford cattle were rounded up after being brought down from the slopes of Mauna Kea. Rides begin at the Blacksmith Shop on Pukalani Road.
Call 808-885-5006 or the Parker Ranch Visitor Center at 808-885-7655 for reservations.
Sailing Kealekekua
Exploring the marine sanctuary of Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island has never been easier. Guests using wheelchairs or needing special assistance will find that Fair Wind's snorkel cruises are accessible to all.Fair Wind's 60-foot catamaran has a specially designed covered cabin with a spacious layout for easy wheelchair maneuverability, cushioned seats, and two accessible restrooms.
Kealakekua Bay is calm and clear year 'round for snorkeling fun, offering underwater visibility of up to 100 feet. Every level swimmers will enjoy watching schools of tropical fish play hide and seek among the coral and dark lava reefs.
An assortment of water toys is available, as are safety vests, viewfinder boxes and boogie boards with built-in view window for guests to watch the underwater world without getting their faces wet. Fair Wind also offers scuba diving and snuba diving options.
A four-hour morning snorkel cruise with breakfast and a barbecue lunch is $87 for adults, $50 for keiki 4 to12, and free for 3 and younger. A three-hour afternoon snorkel cruise includes light snacks and runs $55 for adults, $35 for ages 4 to 12, and free for keiki 3 and younger.
Kamaaina can receive a 10 percent discount. For information or to make reservations, call toll-free 800-677-9461, direct at 808-322-2788 or go online at www.fair-wind.com.
Star-Bulletin staff