Kona Area Guidebook
Food Scene
Amazing breakfast place! Real Kona Coffee and Delicious Crepes!
A great starting point before catching the Fairwind Snorkel Cruise!
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Peaberry & Galette
78-6831 Ali‘i DrAmazing breakfast place! Real Kona Coffee and Delicious Crepes!
A great starting point before catching the Fairwind Snorkel Cruise!
Upscale and locavore dining. Lunch/Brunch or Dinner (get reservations). Beautiful setting with indoor/outdoor seating.
Also has a coffee shop with pastries/small bites to go!
61 personas locales recomiendan
Holuakoa Gardens and Cafe
765897 Kona Belt RdUpscale and locavore dining. Lunch/Brunch or Dinner (get reservations). Beautiful setting with indoor/outdoor seating.
Also has a coffee shop with pastries/small bites to go!
Because....the Mauna Kea Burger.
Enough Said.
(Not enough said -- Great Happy Hour!)
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On the Rocks
75-5824 Kahakai RdBecause....the Mauna Kea Burger.
Enough Said.
(Not enough said -- Great Happy Hour!)
Local Eats and I believe this is the closest restaurant to the house.
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Sam Choy's Kai Lanai
78-6831 Ali‘i DrLocal Eats and I believe this is the closest restaurant to the house.
This is our favorite teeny-tini sushi shop with a great chef tucked in on Ali'i Drive. It is a more casual establishment.
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Tunaichi Sushi & Noodle
75-5699 Ali‘i DrThis is our favorite teeny-tini sushi shop with a great chef tucked in on Ali'i Drive. It is a more casual establishment.
Great Thai food with an ocean view and very reasonable prices at the popular Coconut Grove Market place. Parking is behind the building - lots of spaces but can still get pretty full at popular times.
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Thai Rin Restaurant & Bar
75-5799 Ali‘i DrGreat Thai food with an ocean view and very reasonable prices at the popular Coconut Grove Market place. Parking is behind the building - lots of spaces but can still get pretty full at popular times.
A popular place for a Luau on Ali'i Drive. They also have a neat ocean front bar and restaurant. They can fit larger groups.
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Royal Kona Resort
75-5852 Ali‘i DrA popular place for a Luau on Ali'i Drive. They also have a neat ocean front bar and restaurant. They can fit larger groups.
Right in Honalo, this family local establishment has a long history and highlights the Japanese American culture in Hawaii. Excellent homestyle (Japanese homestyle :)) food provides a unique experience.
54 personas locales recomiendan
Teshima's Restaurant
79-7251 Hawaiʻi Belt RdRight in Honalo, this family local establishment has a long history and highlights the Japanese American culture in Hawaii. Excellent homestyle (Japanese homestyle :)) food provides a unique experience.
Arts & Culture
Art Gallery with Many Cultural Events.
My late Uncle was a fixture of Donkey Mill Center, teaching many about the local Japanese arts and crafts, and we loved our visits there!
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Donkey Mill Art Center
78-6670 Mamalahoa HwyArt Gallery with Many Cultural Events.
My late Uncle was a fixture of Donkey Mill Center, teaching many about the local Japanese arts and crafts, and we loved our visits there!
City of Refuge, an ancient and important historical and cultural site. Self walking tour - it can be very very HOT down there. Take water. This is also a place to be quiet and respectful of the Hawaiian Culture and history.
Keala O Keawe Road
Keala O Keawe RoadCity of Refuge, an ancient and important historical and cultural site. Self walking tour - it can be very very HOT down there. Take water. This is also a place to be quiet and respectful of the Hawaiian Culture and history.
A short stop to integrate to exploration of captain cook area. A beautiful painted church that many like to stop at. This is another place to be quiet and respectful.
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Painted Church Road
Painted Church RoadA short stop to integrate to exploration of captain cook area. A beautiful painted church that many like to stop at. This is another place to be quiet and respectful.
Shopping
KTA Superstores, Longs Drugs for Essentials. A variety of restaurants. A Movie Theater. Gas Station. A One Stop Shop!
Also has a Farmers Market on Saturdays.
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Keauhou Shopping Center
78-6831 Ali‘i DrKTA Superstores, Longs Drugs for Essentials. A variety of restaurants. A Movie Theater. Gas Station. A One Stop Shop!
Also has a Farmers Market on Saturdays.
A neat farmer's market with local goodies, music is often playing. If your trip is in spring time (May-ish) you will be stoked to see the beauty of the blooming Jacaranda in front of Mauna Kea.
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Kamuela Farmers Market
67-139 Pukalani RdA neat farmer's market with local goodies, music is often playing. If your trip is in spring time (May-ish) you will be stoked to see the beauty of the blooming Jacaranda in front of Mauna Kea.
Parks & Nature
Kahaluu Bay
Ali‘i DriveSnorkel and Learn to Surf!
Kailua pier at the North end of Ali'i drive has a few places (3) to jump in the ocean. In front of the hotel is a white sand beach and very protected (super easy entry). Though the hotel grounds are private, the beach is public. On the south side of the pier, there are two places to jump in deeper/less protected water. This spot is associated with the famous iron man swim.
From Kailua pier you can take a number of boat tours - everything from a Canoe Ride (Kona Boys) to the Atlantis Submarine!
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Kailua Pier
Kaahumanu PlaceKailua pier at the North end of Ali'i drive has a few places (3) to jump in the ocean. In front of the hotel is a white sand beach and very protected (super easy entry). Though the hotel grounds are private, the beach is public. On the south side of the pier, there are two places to jump in deeper/less protected water. This spot is associated with the famous iron man swim.
From Kailua pier you can take a number of boat tours - everything from a Canoe Ride (Kona Boys) to the Atlantis Submarine!
A white sand beach just outside Kona (North of Airport). Parking area can get busy. It is a beautiful spot! Water conditions can be quite variable depending on the waves/current. Some days it is like a bathtub and some days only expert swimmers should enter - always play it safe!
Kua Bay Access Road
Kua Bay Access RoadA white sand beach just outside Kona (North of Airport). Parking area can get busy. It is a beautiful spot! Water conditions can be quite variable depending on the waves/current. Some days it is like a bathtub and some days only expert swimmers should enter - always play it safe!
This is a destination a ways down to South Kona. A decent (long) hike in but an incredibly unique spot featuring green sand. A definite photo opportunity. The water can be dangerous here, depending on conditions (this is true of most to all island beaches!)
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Mahana Beach
This is a destination a ways down to South Kona. A decent (long) hike in but an incredibly unique spot featuring green sand. A definite photo opportunity. The water can be dangerous here, depending on conditions (this is true of most to all island beaches!)
This is a 45 minute (approx) drive North out of Kona going up the Kohala Coast. It is the biggest white sand beach the island has to offer. Great for walking the coastline. The north end is home to an upscale hotel, but the beach is public. Parking is paid for non residents. This beach can get pretty windy when the wind is up. Surf can be variable here, undercurrent possible - play it safe and listen to warnings/lifeguards.
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Hapuna Beach
This is a 45 minute (approx) drive North out of Kona going up the Kohala Coast. It is the biggest white sand beach the island has to offer. Great for walking the coastline. The north end is home to an upscale hotel, but the beach is public. Parking is paid for non residents. This beach can get pretty windy when the wind is up. Surf can be variable here, undercurrent possible - play it safe and listen to warnings/lifeguards.
This is located near the Target/Car wash area in Kona. It is a good place to take a picnic lunch for sightseeing of the ocean. Old A's features a giant parking lot (because its an old airport) with a planted community garden walking trail on the mauka side and various tide pools and sandy (rocky sand) areas on the makai side. There are definitely a few areas to wade in/enter the tide pools but it is not an open swimming area, and care must be taken due to sharp rocks and tide pool dangers (e.g. urchins, eels). There are picnic tables, pavilions (sometimes rented), and bathrooms. There is a public pool with some open swim hours, but this has been closed in 2019 for renovations.
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Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area
75-5560 Kuakini HwyThis is located near the Target/Car wash area in Kona. It is a good place to take a picnic lunch for sightseeing of the ocean. Old A's features a giant parking lot (because its an old airport) with a planted community garden walking trail on the mauka side and various tide pools and sandy (rocky sand) areas on the makai side. There are definitely a few areas to wade in/enter the tide pools but it is not an open swimming area, and care must be taken due to sharp rocks and tide pool dangers (e.g. urchins, eels). There are picnic tables, pavilions (sometimes rented), and bathrooms. There is a public pool with some open swim hours, but this has been closed in 2019 for renovations.
Entertainment & Activities
Fair Wind Cruises
78-7130 Kaleiopapa StA great snorkel cruise!
A super fun horseback tour where you can live the paniolo life, if only for a few hours. Our trip gave us a spectacular view from Kohala of the coastline to the mountains - breathtaking! The horses are lovely and appear well cared for. The tour was very economical as well.
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Paniolo Adventures
A super fun horseback tour where you can live the paniolo life, if only for a few hours. Our trip gave us a spectacular view from Kohala of the coastline to the mountains - breathtaking! The horses are lovely and appear well cared for. The tour was very economical as well.
A neat experience - submarine trip in Kailua bay. Much enjoyed when I was a child, but I have not been for years.
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Atlantis Submarines Kona
75- 5660 Palani RdA neat experience - submarine trip in Kailua bay. Much enjoyed when I was a child, but I have not been for years.
Essentials
Closest grocery store should have what you need - prices will vary from Mainland, don't forget its an island! (For budget groceries - Costco is the Go to if you have a membership)
Try the local lunches (Bento Boxes and Poke) at KTA and enjoy the great beer and liquor selection (sold in grocery stores in Hawaii).
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KTA Super Stores
74-5594 Palani RdClosest grocery store should have what you need - prices will vary from Mainland, don't forget its an island! (For budget groceries - Costco is the Go to if you have a membership)
Try the local lunches (Bento Boxes and Poke) at KTA and enjoy the great beer and liquor selection (sold in grocery stores in Hawaii).
Drug Store that has conveniences/beach items, alcohol, and small food/snacks.
32 personas locales recomiendan
Longs Drugs
78 6831 Ali‘i DrDrug Store that has conveniences/beach items, alcohol, and small food/snacks.