Frommer's Review
The paniolo (cowboy) tradition began here in 1809, when John Parker, a 19-year-old New England sailor, jumped ship and rounded up wild cows for King Kamehameha. There's some evidence that Hawaiian cowboys were the first to be taught by the great Spanish horsemen, the vaqueros; they were cowboying 40 years before their counterparts in California, Texas, and the Pacific Northwest. The Parker Ranch, after six generations of cowboys, is smaller today than in its glory, but it still is a working ranch; some 12 cowboys work 250 horses and over 30,000 head of cattle on 175,000 acres.
The Visitor Center, located at the Parker Ranch Shopping Center on Highway 190 (tel. 808/885-7655), is open daily from 9am to 5pm and houses the Parker Ranch Museum, which displays items that have been used throughout the ranch's history and illustrates six generations of Parker family history. An interesting video captures the essence of day-to-day life on a working ranch.
You can also tour two historic homes on the ranch. In 1989 the late Richard Smart -- a sixth-generation heir -- opened his 8,000-square-foot yellow Victorian home, Puuopelu, to art lovers. The French Regency gallery here includes original works by Renoir, Degas, Dufy, Corot, Utrillo, and Pissarro. Next door is Mana Hale, a little New England saltbox built from koa wood 140 years ago.
If you want to get out and see the ranch itself, take the 45-minute narrated Kohala Carriage Tour (Tues-Sat), which takes place in an old-fashioned wagon pulled by two large Belgian draft horses, with seating for 20, roll-down protection from the elements, and warm blankets for the upcountry temperatures. The tour rolls past ancient Hawaiian artifacts, 19th-century stone corrals (still in use), and miles of vast rolling hills; it stops at a working cowboy station, where visitors can get out, take photos, and stretch their legs.
Allow about 1 1/2 hours to see the ranch on a riding tour.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
