Off the Beaten Path

A day with Dawn Marie is an infusion of natural island wonder, aloha, and great energy. We toured the Red Road with Dawn and had an amazing day. Some highlights were coconut hunting, warm pond soaking, Island History, lava science, Hawaiian traditions, ‘explosive’ tide pooling and a sunset stroll through a wild coconut grove.
Dawn’s warmth and intuitive nature made for a perfectly comfortable, well paced, and unforgettable day on the Big Island. We recommend Dawn Marie and Off the Beaten Path tours enthusiastically.

Awesome, personalized tour. Very much off the beaten path, I am certain that we experienced things we would not have on a canned tour. Dawn is great, she reminded me of one of my favorite aunts. We brought along our two boys, and she did great with them.
If you are uncomfortable on a very up close and personal tour, this might not be for you. For my family, I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Dawn is simply amazing! My wife and I took all the parents to Hawaii for the first time and they thoroughly enjoyed Dawn and the tour she put together for us. Wonderful explanations provided throughout the tour (lava flows and Volcano National Park were a few of the highlights) and Dawn gave us a lot of interesting facts about the local culture and history behind Hawaii. Hands down, one our best guide experiences ever. Thanks again Dawn!

Easy five stars. Dawn Marie is a captivating storyteller, and boy does she know her field. She took us in her 4×4 («Terra») while getting off the road in unmarked places, driving through forests to magical spots. One after another. Then she gave us tips about other places we can go without her. IMPORTANT — DM is a gifted photographer. Have her take your picture.

We wanted to find a guide who was knowledgeable, authentic and easy to be around. Fortunately, we found Dawn. There were 6 of us, 3 generations, and we were all pleased and happy with our experience. I was particularly impressed that the teenagers even found it fun and fascinating. She took us to places we never would have found and gave us insight into the land and the Hawaiian culture. We left with our hearts full of happiness and respect.

Private beaches! Dawn Marie took us to places on the Red Road and WaWa Road where we were the only people. It was magical. As a tour guide, she is knowledgeable, funny, and safety conscious. I highly recommend her. Try to book a massage to. She is the best massage therapist I’ve had.

I found this tour through Unilocal with all the awesome reviews the day before we were flying out to the Big Island. I called Dawn Marie and left her a message, and she called back promptly within a couple hours. Tropical Depression Hilda caused some cancellations, so my brother and I were lucky enough to book a tour with her for 2 days later. We flew into Kona on Friday, and it was still raining on the Hilo side where we were staying. On Saturday, the sun finally came out.
So our first real experience of the Big Island was Dawn Marie’s tour — The Red Road Tour. I’ve taken a lot of guided tours on all my travels, and this was THE BEST! Dawn took us to places that tourists don’t know about (even some locals don’t know about them if you can believe that). This was exactly the tour we were hoping to take. We saw where lava spared a building by going around its fence (insane!). Dawn then took us to a market where the best sandwiches are made. We loaded up her cooler with our drinks and sandwiches and went on with the tour (we ate those sandwiches later at a beautiful lookout).
We saw where houses were rebuilt on top of the lava. It wasn’t a neighborhood per se any more, but some people came back. We offroaded a couple times (which was so fun) to get to some beautiful lookouts and a tidal pool that we got to lay in. We also went to a place, where we hoped to see a black sand beach. However, with the recent storms, rocks were now where the sand used to be. Nevertheless, it was a great walk (about a 0.25 mile) and beautiful views.
Then, we went to a park with a spring-​fed pool that is volcanically heated, so it felt like bath water. There were locals there too, but it was definitely not overcrowded, which was really nice. There is a small inlet that separates the pool from the ocean. The ocean water comes over the inlet, so there are ropes you can hang onto and then feel the cool ocean water mix in with the warm spring water. It feels so good. There are also grassy areas to lay out and have picnics.
The sights Dawn Marie were incredible. However, she helped make the tour as incredible as it was. She is so good at engaging people. We ran into several of her friends (old and new) along the way, and we were able to witness the true Hawaiian culture. It was so beautiful to be a part of it. She went out of her way really to connect with us too. Along the tour, she gave us historical tidbits of the island, the neighborhood, the landscape and how it has changed over time.
You will most definitely not be disappointed if you take a private tour with Dawn Marie. You will remember it forever and have a hard time picking what was your favorite part of the day!!! We will definitely be seeing her the next time we visit the Big Island.

All the reviews here dont lie. Dawn Marie is extremely honest and a lovely person to talk to. If you call her during the day, you leave a message since she is most likely leading a tour and giving her undivided attention to her guests. But she immediately gets back to you in the evening of the same day. She talks to you like you are a personal friend of hers. Yet we’ve never met in face before but I was addressed like I was a long time friend of hers in her message.
I asked her if she offered tours to see live lava flow. I’ve called other tour groups and they charged outrageous prices. After speaking to Dawn Marie, she was so honest in telling me that there was no lava flows as of 2015 in public places we could access. She told me live lava was only limited in private property and we would be trespassing. Yeah imagine if it wasnt for her, I would have been sitting in Hawaiian jail and short a huge chunk of change now if I went with other tours that claimed they could bring me and my husband to see live lava flows.
She offers a huge array of tours and places to go. Regretfully even though I never booked a tour with her due to time constraints, she gave me very useful pointers for going around the island. Wow! I really never expected that and you wont get that from other tour guides. You really cant go wrong with her!

Before we met Dawn Marie, my husband and our two teenage girls had seen the sunset on Mauna Kea, and snorkeled with Manta Rays, but our time with Dawn was the most memorable! We really did go «Off the Beaten Path» with Dawn to some very special places. Dawn is gracious and accomodating, and gives a very healing massage! She also communicated with us promptly and helped with some planning in our phone calls before the trip!

Dawn was amazing! My 2 young boys and I went to the Big Island for the first time and Dawn took us to several places that were both safe AND kid friendly. The 2 days we spent with her were unforgettable. Not only was she great with me and the kids, she also knew the history, heritage and culture of the beautiful areas she took us to. I will absolutely go back to her again!!!

I was skeptical from the Unilocal reviews but this wound up to be one of the highlights of our trip.
Dawn Marie is such a kind and genuine person. She really treats you as her own personal guest so it really is like going around with a friend on the island.
I won’t spoil it for you but I do recommend the Red Road Tour. We felt we had a good look into local Hawaii and Hawaiian culture which we did not get elsewhere.
We were also very lucky and were able to see an eel having lunch and dolphins swimming around. Those are not guaranteed on the tour but I’m sure your tour will have its own special highlights.

My boyfriend and I reached out to Dawn Marie when we saw the reviews on Unilocal.To our surprise, our time spent with Dawn Marie in the Big Island is one of our most unforgettable and life changing experiences. We originally had our skepticism and are so glad we went through with an open heart. Obviously, we HIGHLY recommend doing a personal tour AND a massage session with Dawn Marie.
We originally reached out to Dawn Marie with very high interest in getting an up close experience with the lava. I wanted to poke the lava with a stick =) Unfortunately with the recent lava flow event, we were told that nobody was doing this tour. We spoke to Dawn Marie to hear our options and she was very accommodation and genuinely interested in making sure that we were going to enjoy our time. We talked about having Dawn Marie take us to private local spots that were non-​accessible to the public and wanted to understand the local ways. So we booked a whole day of personal guided tour with Dawn Marie and a massage session with he afterwards.
The day of the tour with Dawn Marie arrived and it started to rain after several weeks of drought in Pahoa. Mother Nature had her way of putting a spin on things and so my boyfriend and I had our doubts about moving forward with Dawn Marie, who had kindly called us in the morning to offer a different option or all-​together cancel if we wanted. We were conflicted about doing the tour with concerns that the rain making our experience less enjoyable. After several back and forth calls, we moved forward with tour and did the Red Road.
It was Remarkable! Dawn took us to places that were privately owned with spectacular views, educated us about the local politics and challenges, and shared with us about the native Hawaiian culture. Dawn is so knowledgeable and well connected with the locals. We went off-​road several times with her awesome SUV and it was extremely fun! We hiked to areas with lava tubes, untouched natural formations, and diminishing historical sites. The best part of all is that she’s so spiritual, funny and genuine! I couldn’t really understand what people meant on Unilocal about meeting a new friend; now I do.
Now for her massage; talk about a physically and spiritually healing experience! After talking to my boyfriend about his experience, we realized that she tailored her massage depending on the individual. As for the hot stones… it’s not just a sales pitch.. it really is a must =)
If you’re you like exploring, hiking, learning, and experiencing the beauty that Hawaii has to offer, my boyfriend and I highly recommend you giving Dawn Marie a call. I almost forgot to mention, her prices are very affordable compared to the other local guided tours with bigger groups.

My husband and I had Dawn Marie takes us down to Waipio Valley. We have always wanted to go, but are not «Tour People». By the end of our time together we felt like we had a new friend and an uncomparable memory of an amazing place. When we return to the Big Island we will definately make arrangements to travel the Red Road with her.

Awesome! Dawn Marie took us around some of the little known treasures of the big island. It made our honeymoon! She took us to a very special place that was hands down the highlight of our trip. She’s knowledgable, fun, outgoing and loves everything about this place. We are even going back for massages tomorrow!!! We both very highly recommend her to anyone wanting to see the best of the island.
UPDATE: We went back the next day for massages. True to form, Dawn Marie went out of her way to make us comfortable and relaxed. The massages, well… hands down the best massages we have ever received! Can’t wait for our next visit to the Big Island! We will be back Dawn!!!

Knowledgeable, Personable, Magical
I know this sounds like hyperbole, but Dawn Marie of Off The Beaten Path was all these and more. My husband and I visited the Big Island in celebration of our 30^th wedding anniversary. We stayed across the road from Kehena Beach in the Bali House. The owners provided a book with recommendations for things to do that included Off The Beaten Path tours.
We contacted Dawn Marie about a volcano tour. She kept us entertained and intrigued throughout the trip to the Volcano National Park with the history of the island, local politics and the latest on the Kilauea Volcano eruption. But it was the next day when we went to her home where I had a therapeutic massage that was really extraordinary.
It turns out Dawn is also a certified master massage therapist and something of a shaman — that is a healer. The massage she gave was restorative and calming, healing both my body and my mind. My husband enjoyed the beautiful view from Dawn’s backyard while I had my massage. He said that just sitting in her yard was «mediative.»
After my massage Dawn took us to a secluded pool by natural lava arch (am image of the arch and pool can be seen in one of the other reviews here). We hiked to the pool through a path dense with tropical vegetation and flowers and even that was hauntingly beautiful.
We would highly recommend Off The Beaten Path, both Dawn’s guide services and therapeutic massage to anyone.

We ***highly*** recommend Dawn Marie as your hiking guide. She is personable, funny, and knowledgeable about the island’s many hidden secrets — an extremely capable guide and special human being. We are so glad she was able to guide us on our hike to view the lava flowing into the ocean. It was a spiritual experience — a once in a lifetime glimpse of earth being formed. Dawn Marie offered us a fascinating perspective on the Big Island’s geology and way of life. We wished we had more time to learn from her!

I highly recommended Dawn Marie of Off the Beaten Path! We came to Big Island primarily for the active volcanoes and the chance to see the lava flow up close, literally forming the land. It was spectacular (and yes, you will get close enough to poke it with a stick, and yes, beware it is hot!) and something you can’t really do anywhere else in the US — if you are fit and capable it is a must do!
The owners of the villa we stayed at on Red Road (called Kehene Kai — also highly recommend) know Dawn Marie and suggested we use her as our lava tour guide. We called her a few days before arriving and were glad she was available! She costs slightly less than other lava tour companies you may have heard about plus she doesn’t do large groups, so along with her and Marianne it was just me and my partner and we were able to go at a good pace. She is a natural storyteller, easy to talk with, and a truly kind, fun, warm and personable person who shares her passion as well as the real «aloha» of the islands with you. Her and Marianne brought so much more to the trip than if we had tried to do it alone — she may start as guide, but you will leave with a friend, and gain a much better understanding of the Island, the people and local way of life and way of thinking. [BTW she has many other talents — she’s a great photographer so ask her to take your picture once in awhile :) and she also does massage body work — she’s previously been hired by television and movie stars]
The roundtrip hike will take 4 – 5 hours and it is across vast lava fields (that are private, but Dawn is almost like family) so wearing good shoes helps — I had sneakers but I think hiking boots with ankle support is ideal for all the uneven terrain. We started a little earlier — around 3:30pm and got to the lava entering the ocean area right before sunset. We were lucky the rain didn’t appear (although Dawn Marie came prepared with ponchos, umbrellas, and caps, plus snacks, water, and flashlights) but the full moon that night was hidden behind clouds. It would have been nice to stay at the lava flows until it got a little darker, but I also wanted to catch the farmers market party going on that night so we kind of rushed back, and to be honest, I’m glad now we didn’t spend more than 2+ hours walking back in the darkness and possible rain — that would not have been fun and also why I think a guide is super important. Very easy to get lost. We ended with drinks at the awa bar and party in full swing and Dawn just seemed to know everybody! She is just a wonderful person and will truly enhance your experience on the Island!

Ive been to many a Hawaiian Island and always LOVED HI. This time I was specifically going to make a series of short Yoga videos. I wanted some gorgeous places to have in the video and also have it be somewhere I could safely practice Yoga. It also needed to work for the fabulous videographer.
The Big Island has so many different types of places. This is such a large Island, and we didnt know where to start. I asked Dawn Marie of Off the Beaten Path to guide us on this adventure. She was incredibly helpful, as well as having a beautiful spirit and heart. She is someone who is open, easy to talk to and makes sure you have fun ! She wants to make your experience as enjoyable as possible for you. She is well connected and had great suggestions for people and places on BOTH sides of the Island. She is an excellent, dedicated guide and really cares about your experience.
No matter what your idea of your trip calls for: Getting something done, like a video, :) , Romance, Adventure and just plain Fun„ Dawn Marie will help it manifest! As a side note, she is an excellent photographer as well if you want pictures from your trip!
Have fun!
To see what we shot in HI.

Dawn Marie of Off the Beaten Path made our honeymoon on the Big Island unforgettable!
After our week at a cushy condo in Kona and wanted to head to the other side of the island for some unexplored territory, raw nature and local experiences. We rented a camper van from the folks at Happy Campers, and once we contacted Dawn, we were assured we didn’t need to worry about a thing in terms of deciding where or how to camp. She would take care of everything. And boy did she ever! We had a private forest along the raw coastline of lava, tide pools, arches and clean ocean breezes. The place was too beautiful to believe, and made even more so by the fact that there was not another person to be found for miles. She led us to the site, helped us get comfortable, scrambled to make our fire out of damp coconut husks (and ended up making a roaring bonfire) and then left us just as darkness was setting in to enjoy the full moon, clean air and sounds of the frogs and ocean to lull us to sleep. We would never have found this magnificent place — one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen! — without Dawn. She knew the secret and she shared it with us.
The next day, we wanted to see some common visitor attractions like Volcano National Park and the Black Sand Beach, but traveling around the island with Dawn, there is always something to see along the way, and the whole experience is peppered with interesting facts about the island and local lore. We ended up way off the beaten path, in warm ponds, tide pools so deep you can swim in the cascading waves, sampling delicacies at a giant local party and getting to know a completely different side of this island. I would never tell anyone (let alone the internet) about some of the places Dawn showed us, because that is how the Big Island can retain its wild spirit and the feeling of beautifully remote, uncharted territory. Dawn let us in on the secret, and we’re gonna keep it until we can meet up with her on her next trip to the island. I know it’s nearly limitless how many magnificent places she has yet to share…