Tips from the Locals for enjoying Kona
Fun things to do
This is right up the road!!
Founded in 1998, Mountain Thunder is a family-owned and –operated coffee farm located in the Kaloko Cloud Forest in Kailua-Kona. They grow premium as well as organic Kona coffee and have been featured on TV shows, such as Dirty Jobs, Unwrapped and A Taste For Adventure. Visitors can take part in either a free farm tour or VIP tour.
Admission:
Free
Farm tours available
Hours:
Daily from 10 am to 4 pm
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Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation
This is right up the road!!
Founded in 1998, Mountain Thunder is a family-owned and –operated coffee farm located in the Kaloko Cloud Forest in Kailua-Kona. They grow premium as well as organic Kona coffee and have been featured on TV shows, such as Dirty Jobs, Unwrapped and A Taste For Adventure. Visitors can take part in either a free farm tour or VIP tour.
Admission:
Free
Farm tours available
Hours:
Daily from 10 am to 4 pm
If you don’t get sea sick riding in the darkness this experience gets rave reviews. It’s other worldly to swim with the mantas at night!
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Manta Adventures Inc.
74-429 Kealakehe ParkwayIf you don’t get sea sick riding in the darkness this experience gets rave reviews. It’s other worldly to swim with the mantas at night!
If you enjoy a good hike to a beautiful ocean sanctuary, this is a good one. It’s a hike to go down to the Captain Cook Monument at KEALAKEKUA Bay to snorkel. It is intense going up when you go out —but beautiful. Absolutely bring water!!! Snorkel Boats anchor there because it’s a protected sanctuary area.
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Captain Cook Monument Trail
Napoopoo RoadIf you enjoy a good hike to a beautiful ocean sanctuary, this is a good one. It’s a hike to go down to the Captain Cook Monument at KEALAKEKUA Bay to snorkel. It is intense going up when you go out —but beautiful. Absolutely bring water!!! Snorkel Boats anchor there because it’s a protected sanctuary area.
Getting a shave ice (aka snow cones) is the Hawaii thing to do! The trick is finding the ones the locals like 😉 Try the Hula Moon shave ice with a snow cap (condensed milk) drizzle. Refreshing on a hot Kona day and so yummy!
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Original Big Island Shave Ice Co, Inc.
69-250 Waikōloa Beach DrGetting a shave ice (aka snow cones) is the Hawaii thing to do! The trick is finding the ones the locals like 😉 Try the Hula Moon shave ice with a snow cap (condensed milk) drizzle. Refreshing on a hot Kona day and so yummy!
Aloha Adventure Farms
Cool ride with a little cultural villages along the way…
Our Favorite Beaches
Beaches we recommend checking out!
This is about a 45-50 minute drive north along the main highway. Mauna Kea beach has beautiful white sand beach, very clean, with easy access to restrooms since it’s off the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. There are a limited number of beach passes given each day and at the security guard shack you simply tell them you’re interested in getting a pass for the beach. If you go there in the morning you increase your chances of getting in.
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Kaunaʻoa (Mauna Kea) Beach
This is about a 45-50 minute drive north along the main highway. Mauna Kea beach has beautiful white sand beach, very clean, with easy access to restrooms since it’s off the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. There are a limited number of beach passes given each day and at the security guard shack you simply tell them you’re interested in getting a pass for the beach. If you go there in the morning you increase your chances of getting in.
This has the longest stretch of white sand beach on the west side. It also has waves for bodyboarding, some shady spots here and there if you get lucky. It’s about a 35 minute drive from Kona town.
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Hapuna Beach
This has the longest stretch of white sand beach on the west side. It also has waves for bodyboarding, some shady spots here and there if you get lucky. It’s about a 35 minute drive from Kona town.
This is right in town on Ali’i Drive (the main road fronting the ocean). Good snorkeling. Can get crowded but
overall easy to access for first-timers not wanting to drive far and looking for calmer water to snorkel in.
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Kahaluu-vík
Ali‘i DriveThis is right in town on Ali’i Drive (the main road fronting the ocean). Good snorkeling. Can get crowded but
overall easy to access for first-timers not wanting to drive far and looking for calmer water to snorkel in.
The locals call this Beach 69 because you take a left on the highway at the 69 mile marker. This is where we go when we don’t want to go where there are tons of tourists but still has parking, bathrooms and is walkable. You’ll see beach goers hanging hammocks between trees and shade is abundant there.
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Waialea Beach
Old Puako RoadThe locals call this Beach 69 because you take a left on the highway at the 69 mile marker. This is where we go when we don’t want to go where there are tons of tourists but still has parking, bathrooms and is walkable. You’ll see beach goers hanging hammocks between trees and shade is abundant there.
This beach is directly down the hill from us and with historic national park protections in place, a pleasant place to enjoy the sun and calm water. You’ll pass the boats at Honokahau harbor and look for the signs that say shoreline access. It’s a two to three minute walk into the beach and the water is calm enough to bring our toddler here. Turtles come out frequently at sunset and there’s a great reconstructed ancient Hawaiian beach shelter (Halau).
I hear visitors saying it’s a great snorkel area.
We stop at the Honokahau mini mart/gas station before going because there are GREAT local lunch boxes we call bentos, sandwiches, chips, and musubis. Easy lunch, great views. Priceless.
Honokohau Beach
This beach is directly down the hill from us and with historic national park protections in place, a pleasant place to enjoy the sun and calm water. You’ll pass the boats at Honokahau harbor and look for the signs that say shoreline access. It’s a two to three minute walk into the beach and the water is calm enough to bring our toddler here. Turtles come out frequently at sunset and there’s a great reconstructed ancient Hawaiian beach shelter (Halau).
I hear visitors saying it’s a great snorkel area.
We stop at the Honokahau mini mart/gas station before going because there are GREAT local lunch boxes we call bentos, sandwiches, chips, and musubis. Easy lunch, great views. Priceless.
But have you ever seen black sand beaches? Our friends say snorkeling here is awesome too.
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Punalu‘u Beach
But have you ever seen black sand beaches? Our friends say snorkeling here is awesome too.
Food scene
For local fusion food, fresh fish, good poke and local feels— this is it.
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Umekes Fish Market Bar & Grill
74-5599 Pawai PlFor local fusion food, fresh fish, good poke and local feels— this is it.
Ocean front. Breathtaking views for brunch or dinner! The food is good too, our favorite is the local twist on eggs Benedict.
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Papa Kona Restaurant & Bar
75-5770 Ali‘i DrOcean front. Breathtaking views for brunch or dinner! The food is good too, our favorite is the local twist on eggs Benedict.
If you’d rather have food brought to you we recommend this food delivery service. Website: foodsohawaii.com
They have a bit more local restaurant selections than door dash. We order from Magic’s Beach Grill, Broke Da Mouth and Chubby’s Diner.
Foods O' Hawaii Delivery
75-5742 Kuakini HwyIf you’d rather have food brought to you we recommend this food delivery service. Website: foodsohawaii.com
They have a bit more local restaurant selections than door dash. We order from Magic’s Beach Grill, Broke Da Mouth and Chubby’s Diner.
The only location now is in the industrial area in Kona Town.
This takeout joint was featured by Guy Fieri on The Food Network. A mix of local Hawaiian, Filipino and Korean foods.
Locals call it “plate lunch”. We love doing take out then eating our plates on the beach while watching sunset.
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Broke Da Mouth Grindz & Catering
74-5565 Luhia StThe only location now is in the industrial area in Kona Town.
This takeout joint was featured by Guy Fieri on The Food Network. A mix of local Hawaiian, Filipino and Korean foods.
Locals call it “plate lunch”. We love doing take out then eating our plates on the beach while watching sunset.
This is right in the string of shops and restaurants along Ali’i Drive and shave ice is a cool sweet treat to enjoy while strolling or taking in the view of the horizon. It’s also by the beach volleyball courts so it’s a people watching place too. I love to get mochi (Japanese cubes of chewy sweet rice) and condensed milk drizzled all over the shave ice. SO ‘ONO!!
Gecko Girlz Shave Ice and Ice Cream Shop
This is right in the string of shops and restaurants along Ali’i Drive and shave ice is a cool sweet treat to enjoy while strolling or taking in the view of the horizon. It’s also by the beach volleyball courts so it’s a people watching place too. I love to get mochi (Japanese cubes of chewy sweet rice) and condensed milk drizzled all over the shave ice. SO ‘ONO!!
Looking for a lovely coffee shop with local flair? Pink mocha is one of our faves with cute sitting areas and a few minutes away near Costco.
Try the peach mango mamaki iced tea! Something different, something yummmmy.
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Pink Mocha Café
73-4976 Kamanu StLooking for a lovely coffee shop with local flair? Pink mocha is one of our faves with cute sitting areas and a few minutes away near Costco.
Try the peach mango mamaki iced tea! Something different, something yummmmy.
We take our parents here for lunch when they are visiting for a lovely midday view of Keauhou Bay.
People love it for happy hour or after a round of golf.
The View Restaurant Bar & Grill
We take our parents here for lunch when they are visiting for a lovely midday view of Keauhou Bay.
People love it for happy hour or after a round of golf.
Arise Kona Bakery and Cafe
HiCO - Hawaiian Coffee
74-5599 Pawai PlConsistently good local food in a diner restaurant setting in town. Loco moco, chicken katsu, kalua pork and fresh island catch are the kinds of local flavors you’ll get here.
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Big Island Grill
75-5702 Kuakini HwyConsistently good local food in a diner restaurant setting in town. Loco moco, chicken katsu, kalua pork and fresh island catch are the kinds of local flavors you’ll get here.
Island fusion foods if you plan on being in the waikoloa area.
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Tommy Bahama Restaurant, Bar & Store
68-1330 Mauna Lani DrIsland fusion foods if you plan on being in the waikoloa area.
Great bbq and home cooked flair in this cowboy country town of Waimea.
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The Fish And The Hog
64-957 Hawaiʻi Belt RdGreat bbq and home cooked flair in this cowboy country town of Waimea.
Izakaya Shiono
74-5599 Pawai PlaceFor the Japanese food lovers and good sushi…
If you want oceanfront dining and live music for a fun time, go here. We meet up with friends here when there’s a special occasion to be celebrated. Wait times are long and they don’t take reservations so go early.
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Huggo's
75-5828 Kahakai RdIf you want oceanfront dining and live music for a fun time, go here. We meet up with friends here when there’s a special occasion to be celebrated. Wait times are long and they don’t take reservations so go early.
Live music nightly, fun open air bar scene, good food, GREAT sunset views. Could be long wait times for a table or skip it and sit at the bar ; )
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On the Rocks
75-5824 Kahakai RdLive music nightly, fun open air bar scene, good food, GREAT sunset views. Could be long wait times for a table or skip it and sit at the bar ; )
Sightseeing
Here is the actual summer palace of Hawaiian royalty. A beautiful ocean front view of Kailua Bay and a glimpse of true culture.
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Hulihe'e Palace
Here is the actual summer palace of Hawaiian royalty. A beautiful ocean front view of Kailua Bay and a glimpse of true culture.
Free chocolate samples and watching the warehouse actually make the chocolate goodies is quite satisfying. It’s a 90 minute drive to Hilo but stop here if you’re on the east side.
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Big Island Nammi
585 Hinano StFree chocolate samples and watching the warehouse actually make the chocolate goodies is quite satisfying. It’s a 90 minute drive to Hilo but stop here if you’re on the east side.
Græna Sandströndin Leiðangur Hafnarstöðvar
Papakōlea grænum sandströnd
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Sign
See Halemaumau crater, lava tubes, and sulfur banks.
Shop Local
An island boutique that offers Hawai’i made gifts that are not cheap, overseas manufactured junk. They also offer products from our family business, MOEĀ— Perfume, Body Mists and Candles.
Located in the Kona Marketplace on Ali’i Drive. Awesome sushi around the corner, a two minute walk from Hulihe’e Palace, and in the other direction a two minute walk from the Farmer’s Market.
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Pueo Boutique
75-5729 Ali‘i DrAn island boutique that offers Hawai’i made gifts that are not cheap, overseas manufactured junk. They also offer products from our family business, MOEĀ— Perfume, Body Mists and Candles.
Located in the Kona Marketplace on Ali’i Drive. Awesome sushi around the corner, a two minute walk from Hulihe’e Palace, and in the other direction a two minute walk from the Farmer’s Market.
We love island gourmet for souvenirs, mochi Malasadas, Waikiki lemonade with boba and hot deli lunch before or after the beach!
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Kings' Shops
250 Waikōloa Beach DrWe love island gourmet for souvenirs, mochi Malasadas, Waikiki lemonade with boba and hot deli lunch before or after the beach!
Borgartillaga
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Support local artisans, BUY THE ART in your rental
You’ll notice the Cloud Forest Guest House features the photography of Denise Bird. Please support local artisans by seeing her work at BLUE SEA ARTISANS GALLERY @ Keauhou Shopping Center. Follow on Instagram (dbirdinparadise) or Facebook. Website: birdinparadise.com
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LAUNDROMAT
Tykes Laundromat is 7.1 miles away to do your personal laundry (~15 minute drive). Please consult your smartphone apps to navigate.