Larger than all the other Hawaiian Islands combined, the Big Island truly deserves its nickname. Its 4,028 square miles—a figure that’s growing, thanks to an active volcano—contain 10 of the world’s 13 climate zones. In less than a day, a visitor can easily traverse tropical…
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Hawaii (The Big Island) Attractions
Although parks are open year-round, some of the other attractions below may be closed on major holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s, or Thanksgiving Day. Admission is often reduced for Hawaii residents (kamaaina) with state ID.
75 Results
- Park
Ahalanui Park (Hot Pond)
Warmed by one of the area’s many volcanically heated springs, this balmy, shallow pool lined with lava rocks and shady trees is protected from the surging ocean by a concrete wall, although very high surf can crash over it. It’s not a snorkeling site per se, but silver fish use… - Natural Attraction
Akaka Falls
See one of Hawaii's most scenic waterfalls via an easy 1-mile paved loop through a rainforest, past bamboo and ginger, and down to an observation point. You'll have a perfect view of 442-foot Akaka and nearby Kahuna Falls, which is a mere 100-footer. Keep your eyes peeled for… - Garden
Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden
You can pick up a brochure to tour this 12-acre garden yourself, home to more than 200 native plants as well as Polynesian introductions, but you’ll learn so much more about Hawaiian culture and plants on a guided tour (especially since the lush vegetation can occasionally overgrow… - Cruise
Atlantis Submarines
If you have what it takes (namely, no claustrophobia), you’ll enjoy venturing up to 100 feet below the sea in a 65-foot submarine, with a large porthole for every passenger. During your 45 minutes underwater, the sub glides slowly through an 18,000-year-old, 25-acre coral reef in… - Sports Venue
Big Island Country Club
Designed by Perry Dye, this par-72, 18-hole course offers sweeping views of towering Mauna Kea and the bright blue coastline from its perch 2,000 feet above sea level. Although it’s not on the ocean, water features wind around nine of the holes, including the spectacular par-3 No.… - Cruise
Body Glove Cruises
Body Glove’s Kanoa II, a 65-foot, solar-powered catamaran carrying up to 100 passengers, runs an environmentally friendly, 4 1/2-hour snorkel/dive morning cruise, along with shorter lunch and dinner excursions for those who just want to enjoy the views, as well as seasonal… - Natural Attraction
Botanical World Adventures
Just north of Hilo is one of the largest botanical gardens in Hawaii, with some 5,000 species. Although it no longer offers a vista of spectacular, triple-stacked Umauma Falls (see below), it still lays claim to a huge children’s maze (second in size only to Dole Plantation’s on… - Cruise
Captain Dan McSweeney’s Whale Watch Learning Adventures
Hawaii’s most impressive visitors—45-foot humpback whales—return to the islands’ warm waters, including those on the Big Island’s Kona side, every winter. Capt. Dan McSweeney, who founded the Wild Whale Research Foundation in 1979, works daily with the whales and has no problem… - Travel Provider
Captain Zodiac
If you'd prefer to take a snorkel cruise to Kealakekua Bay in a small boat, go in Captain Zodiac's 16-passenger, 24-foot inflatable rubber life raft. The boat takes you on a wild ride 14 miles down the Kona Coast to Kealakekua, where you'll spend about an hour snorkeling in the bay… - Cruise
Fair Wind Snorkeling & Diving Adventures
I love Fair Wind, for several reasons, starting with its home in Keauhou Bay, 8 miles south of Kailua Pier and so that much closer to Kealakekua Bay, where its two very different but impressively equipped boats head for snorkel/dive tours: Fair Wind II: When traveling with kids, I… - Beach
Green Sand Beach (Papakolea Beach)
Hawaii’s famous green-sand beach is located at the base of Puu o Mahana, an old cinder cone spilling into the sea. The place has its problems: It’s difficult to reach; the open bay is often rough; there are no facilities, fresh water, or shade from the relentless sun; and howling… - Museum
H. N. Greenwell Store Museum & Portuguese Bread Baking
This charming museum tells the story of rural Kona through costumed interpreters in a vintage setting—the region’s oldest surviving store, built of lava rock in 1870. Coffee grower and rancher Henry Nicholas Greenwell, his wife, and daughter-in-law sold everything from denim and… - Sports Venue
Hamakua Country Club
As you approach the sugar town of Honokaa, you can't miss this funky 9-hole course, built in the 1920s on a very steep hill overlooking the ocean. It's a par-33, 2,520-yard course. Architect Frank Anderson managed to squeeze in 9 holes by crisscrossing holes across fairways -- you…Hamakua
- Tour
Hamakua Macadamia Nut Factory
The self-guided tour of shelling, roasting, and other processing that results in bountiful varieties of flavored macadamia nuts and confections is not that compelling if production has stopped for the day, so go before 3pm or plan to watch a video to get caught up. But who are we… - Sports Venue
Hapuna Golf Course
Since its opening in 1992, this 18-hole championship course has been named the most environmentally sensitive course by "Golf" magazine, as well as “Course of the Future” by the U.S. Golf Association. Designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay, this links-style course extends nearly 6,900… - Garden
Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden
More than 2,000 species of tropical plants thrive in this little-known Eden by the sea. The 40-acre valley garden, nestled between the crashing surf and a thundering waterfall, includes torch gingers (which tower on 12-ft. stalks), a banyan canyon, an orchid garden, a banana grove, a… - Park
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Before tourism became the islands’ middle name, their singular attraction for visitors wasn’t the beach, but the volcano. From the world over, curious spectators gathered on the rim of Kilauea’s Halemaumau crater to see one of the greatest wonders of the globe. More than a century… - Natural Attraction
Hilo Bay
Old banyan trees shade Banyan Drive, the lane that curves along the waterfront from Kamehameha Avenue (Hwy. 19) to the Hilo Bay hotels. Most of the trees were planted in the mid-1930s by visitors like Cecil B. DeMille (here in 1933 filming "Four Frightened People"), Babe Ruth (his… - Sports Venue
Hilo Municipal Golf Course
This is a great course for the casual golfer: It's flat, scenic, and often fun. Warning: Don't go after a heavy rain (especially in winter), when the fairways can get really soggy and play can slow way down. The rain does keep the course green and beautiful, though. Wonderful trees…Hilo - Historic Site
Hulihee Palace
John Adams Kuakini, royal governor of the island, built this stately, two-story New England–style mansion overlooking Kailua Bay in 1838. It later became a summer home for King Kalakaua and Queen Kapiolani and, like Queen Emma’s Summer Palace and Iolani Palace on Oahu, is now… - Beach
Kahaluu Beach
The most popular beach on the Kona Coast has reef-protected lagoons and county park facilities that attract more than 400,000 people a year. Kahaluu is the best all-around beach off Alii Drive, with coconut trees lining a narrow salt-and-pepper-sand shore that gently slopes to… - Natural Attraction
Kahuku Unit, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Few visitors are familiar with this 116,000-acre portion of the national park, some 24 miles from the Kilauea Visitor Center and accessible only since 2009. But if your timing is right—it’s open just 3 days a week—you can hike through forest and fields that include a cinder cone,… - Landmark
Kailua Pier
This is action central for water adventures. Fishing charters, snorkel cruises, and party boats all come and go here. Stop by around 4pm, when the captains weigh in with the catch of the day, usually huge marlin -- the record-setters often come in here. It's also a great place to… - Historic Site
Kalahuipuaa & Anaehoomalu Fish Ponds
Like their Polynesian forebears, Hawaiians were among the first aquaculturists on the planet. Scientists still marvel at the ways they used ponds along the shoreline to stock and harvest fish. There are actually two different types of ancient fish ponds (or loko i‘a). Closed ponds,… - Historic Site
Kaloko-Honokohau Historical Park
With no erupting volcano, impressive tikis, or massive temples, this 1,160-acre oceanfront site just north of Honokohhau Harbor tends to get overlooked by visitors in favor of its showier siblings in the national park system. That’s a shame for several reasons, among them that it’s a… - Tour
Kamanu Charters
The Kamanu, a sleek 38-foot sailing catamaran, provides a laidback sail-and-snorkel cruise from Honokohau Harbor to the marine preserve of Pawai Bay. The 3 1/2-hour trip includes a tropical lunch (deli sandwiches, chips, fresh fruit, and drinks), snorkeling gear, and personalized… - Historic Site
Kamehameha's Compound at Kamakahonu Bay
In the ocean side of the Kona Beach Hotel is a restored area of deep spiritual meaning to Hawaiians. This was the spot that King Kamehameha the Great chose to retreat to in 1812 after conquering the Hawaiian Islands. He stayed until his death in 1819. The king built a temple, Ahuena… - Tour
Kau Coffee Mill
In the former sugarcane fields on the slopes of Mauna Loa, a number of small farmers are growing coffee beans whose quality equals—some say surpasses—Kona’s. More and more tasting competitions seem to agree; in any case, this farm and mill in tiny Pahala provides an excellent excuse… - Natural Attraction
Kaumana Caves Park
Pick up an inexpensive flashlight or headlight ($5–$15) at Walmart in Hilo or Kona before visiting this wilder, longer sibling to the more famous Nahuku (Thurston) lava tube in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. As the sign warns, there are “no lights, no walkway” in this eerily… - Natural Attraction
Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park
The island’s largest natural sheltered bay, a marine life conservation district, is not only one of the best places to snorkel on the Big Island, but it’s also an area of deep cultural and historical significance. On the southern side, now called Napoopoo (nah-poh-oh-poh-oh), stands… - Beach
Kekaha Kai State Park
Formerly known as Kona Coast State Park, this beach park is known for its brilliant white sand offsetting even more brilliant turquoise water. With several sandy bays and coves well-hidden from the highway, the park has two official entrances. About 4 1/2 miles north of the airport… - Beach
Kiholo State Park Reserve
To give yourself a preview of why to come here, pull over at the marked Scenic Overlook on Highway 19 north of Kekaha Kai State Park, between mile markers 82 and 83. You’ll see a shimmering pale blue lagoon, created by the remains of an ancient fish pond, and the bright cerulean… - Monument
King Kamehameha Statue
Here stands King Kamehameha the Great, right arm outstretched, left arm holding a spear, as if guarding the seniors who have turned a century-old, New England–style courthouse into an airy civic center. It’s worth a stop just to meet the town elders, who are quick to point out the… - Historic Site
Kohala Historical Sites State Monument
It takes some effort to reach this windswept, culturally important site on the northern tip of the island, but for those with 4WD vehicles or the ability to hike 3 miles round-trip, it’s well worth it. The 1,500-year-old Mookini Luakini Heiau, once used by kings to pray and offer… - Natural Attraction
Kohala Petroglyph Fields
The Hawaiian petroglyphs are a great enigma of the Pacific—no one knows who made them or why. They appear at 135 different sites on six inhabited islands, but most are found on the Big Island, including images of dancers and paddlers, fishermen and chiefs, and tools of daily life… - Beach
Kohanaiki Beach
Hidden behind the Kohanaiki golf course development, 2 miles north of the main entrance to Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park off Highway 19, the 11/2 miles of shoreline here include a white-sand beach on a reef- and rock-lined bay that’s home to a popular surf break called… - Winery/Brewery/Distillery
Kona Brewing Co. and Brewpub
This microbrewery is the first of its kind on the Big Island. Spoon and Pops, a father-and-son duo from Oregon, brought their brewing talents here and now produce about 25 barrels (about 124,000 gal.) per year. Drop by anytime during their business hours and take a quick, informal… - Historic Site
Kona Coffee Living History Farm
With money earned from working the sugar plantations, a number of Japanese immigrants bought small farms and became pioneers in growing coffee. Learn more about their daily lives during the 1920s to 1940s and how their flavorful, hand-picked beans are still produced today on the 5… - Natural Attraction
Kula Kai Caverns & Lava Tubes
Before you trudge up to Pele’s volcanic eruption, take a look at its underground handiwork. Ric Elhard and Rose Herrera have explored and mapped out the labyrinth of lava tubes and caves, carved out over the past 1,000 years or so, that crisscross their property near South Point.… - Beach
Laaloa Beach (White Sands/Magic Sands Beach)
Don’t blink as you cruise Alii Drive, or you’ll miss Laaloa, often called White Sands, Magic Sands, or Disappearing Beach. That’s because the sand at this small pocket beach, about 4 1/2 miles south of Kailua-Kona’s historic center, does occasionally vanish, especially at high tide… - Historic Site
Lapakahi State Historical Park
This 14th-century fishing village, on a hot, dry, dusty stretch of coast, offers a glimpse into the lifestyle of the ancients. Lapakahi is the best-preserved fishing village in Hawaii. Take the self-guided, 1-mile loop trail past stone platforms, fish shrines, rock shelters, salt… - Natural Attraction
Laupahoehoe Point
This idyllic place holds a grim reminder of nature’s fury. On April 1, 1946, a tsunami swept across the schoolhouse that once stood on this lava-leaf (that’s what laupahoehoe means) peninsula and claimed the lives of 24 students and teachers, who had at first not known what to make… - Tour
Lava Ocean Tours
The unpredictability of Pele, at least as evidenced by the on-again, off-again lava flows into the sea from Kilauea, means it’s hard to know in advance if you’ll be able to take one of the lava-viewing tours aboard the Lava Kai catamaran (34 ft. long; 24-passenger capacity but… - Natural Attraction
Lava Tree State Monument
In 1790, a fast-moving lava flow raced through a grove of ohia lehua trees here, cooling quickly and creating lava rock molds of their trunks. Today the ghostly sentinels punctuate a well-shaded, paved .7-mile loop trail through the rich foliage of the 17-acre park. Facilities… - Beach
Leleiwi Beach Park
This string of palm-fringed black-lava tide pools fed by freshwater springs and rippled by gentle waves is a photographer’s delight—and the perfect place to take a plunge. In winter, big waves can splash these ponds, but the shallow pools are generally free of currents and ideal for… - Historic Site
Lyman Museum & Mission House
Yankee missionaries Rev. David and Sarah Lyman had been married for just 24 days before they set sail for Hawaii in 1832, arriving 6 months later in a beautiful but utterly foreign land. Seven years later, they built this two-story home for their growing family (eventually seven… - Sports Venue
Makalei Golf Club
This par-72, 18-hole upcountry course—some 1,800 to 2,850 feet in elevation—goes up and down through native forests, cinder cones, and lava tubes over its championship length of 7,091 yards. The signature hole is the par-3 No. 15, offering a distant view of Maui and the best chance… - Natural Attraction
Mauna Kea
The 13,796-foot summit of Mauna Kea, the world’s tallest mountain if measured from its base on the ocean floor, is one of the best places on earth for astronomical observations, thanks to its location in the tropics, pollution-free skies, and pitch-black nights. It’s home to the… - Sports Venue
Mauna Kea Golf Course
This breathtakingly beautiful, par-72, 7,114-yard championship course, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., and recently updated by son Rees Jones, is consistently rated one of the top golf courses in the United States. The signature 3rd hole is 175 yards long; the Pacific Ocean and… - Sports Venue
Mauna Lani Francis H. I’i Brown Championship Courses
Carefully wrapped around ancient trails, fish ponds, and petroglyphs, the two 18-hole courses here have won "Golf" magazine’s Gold Medal Award every year since the honor’s inception in 1988. The South Course, a 7,029-yard, par-72, has two unforgettable ocean holes: the over-the-water… - Tour
Maunaloa Macadamia Nut Factory
It's a 3-mile drive through macadamia nut orchards before you reach the visitor center of this factory, where you can learn how the islands’ favorite nut is grown and processed. (It’s best to visit weekdays, when the actual husking, drying, roasting, and candy-making takes place;… - Religious Site
Mokuaikaua Church
In 1820, just a few months after King Kamehameha II and Queen Regent Kaahumanu had broken the kapu system at Ahuena Heiau, the first missionaries to land in Hawaii arrived on the brig Thaddeus and received the royals’ permission to preach. Within a few years a thatched-roof structure… - Museum
Mokupapapa Discovery Center
You may never get to the vast coral-reef system that is the Northwest Hawaiian Islands—the protected chain of islets and atolls spanning 1,200 nautical miles is remote (stretching from Nihoa, 155 miles northwest of Kauai, to Kure Atoll, 56 miles west of Midway), and visitation is… - Historic Site
Mookini Luakini Heiau
The 1,500-year-old Mookini Heiau, once used by kings to pray and offer human sacrifices, is Hawaii's oldest, largest, and most sacred religious site (and now a national historic landmark). The massive three-story stone temple, dedicated to Ku, the Hawaiian god of war, was erected in…North Kohala - Historic Site
Naha Stone
Tradition holds that this massive stone was brought to Hilo from the sacred valley of Wailua, Kauai, centuries ago, and was later used as a test of royal heritage and strength. If the infant of an ali‘i was placed on the stone and didn’t cry, its chiefly status was confirmed. The… - Natural Attraction
Nani Mau Gardens
In 1972 Makato Nitahara turned a 20-acre papaya patch just outside Hilo into a tropical garden. Today Nani Mau (“forever beautiful”) holds more than 2,000 varieties of plants, from fragile hibiscus, whose blooms last only a day, to durable red anthuriums imported from South America.… - Sports Venue
Naniloa Country Club
At first glance, this semi-private 9-hole course just off Hilo Bay looks pretty flat and short, but once you get beyond the 1st hole—a wide, straightforward 330-yard par-4—things get challenging. The tree-lined fairways require straight drives, and the huge lake on the 2nd and 5th… - Cooking Class
Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority
Technology buffs should consider a visit to NELHA, where the hot tropical sun, in combination with a complex pumping system that brings 42°F (6°C) ocean water from 2,000 feet deep up to land, is used to develop innovations in agriculture, aquaculture, and ocean conservation. The… - Aquarium
Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm
On the coastline just behind the Natural Energy Lab (NELHA) lies this 3-acre, conservation-oriented “aqua-farm” that breeds and displays more than half of the world’s 36 species of seahorses. The farm began breeding seahorses in 1998 as a way of ending demand for wild-collected… - Landmark
Original King Kamehameha Statue
Here stands King Kamehameha the Great, right arm outstretched, left arm holding a spear, as if guarding the seniors who have turned a century-old New England-style courthouse into an airy center for their golden years. The center is worth a stop just to meet the town elders, who are…North Kohala - Museum
Pacific Tsunami Museum
Poignant exhibits on Japan’s 2011 tsunami (which also caused significant property damage on the Big Island) and the 2004 Indian Ocean tragedy have broadened the international perspective in this compact museum in a former bank, which also offers displays explaining the science of the… - Zoo
Panaewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens
This 12-acre zoo, in the heart of the Panaewa Forest Reserve south of Hilo, is the only outdoor rainforest zoo in the U.S. Some 80 species of animals from rainforests around the globe call Panaewa home, including tigers Tzatziki and Sriracha, as do a couple of “Kona… - Natural Attraction
Pololu Valley Lookout
At this end-of-the-road scenic lookout, you can gaze at the vertical dark-green cliffs of the Hamakua Coast and two islets offshore or peer back into the often-misty uplands. The view may look familiar once you get here—it often appears on travel posters. Linger if you can;… - Park/Garden
Pua Mau Place
Perched on the sun-kissed western slopes of the Kohala Mountains and dotted with deep, craggy ravines is one of Hawaii's most unusual botanical gardens, Pua Mau Place, a 45-acre oasis with breathtaking views of both the ocean and the majestic mountains. It's dedicated to plants that…North Kohala - Beach
Punaluu Beach
Green sea turtles love to bask on this remote, black-sand beach, beautifully framed by palm trees and easily photographed from the bluff above. The deep-blue waters can be choppy; swim only in very calm conditions, as there’s no lifeguard present. You’re more than welcome to admire… - Historic Site
Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park
With its fierce, haunting idols (ki‘i), this sacred site on the black-lava Kona Coast certainly looks forbidding. To ancient Hawaiians, it served as a 16th-century place of refuge (puuhonua), providing sanctuary for defeated warriors and kapu (taboo) violators. A great rock… - Historic Site
Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site
This seacoast temple, called “the hill of the whale,” is the single most imposing and dramatic structure of the early Hawaiians. It was built by Kamehameha I from 1790 to 1791. The heiau stands 224 feet long by 100 feet wide, with three narrow terraces on the seaside and an… - Cruise
Sea Quest
With a head start from Keauhou Bay, Sea Quest’s four rigid-hull inflatable rafts offer three varieties of Kealakekua Bay snorkeling cruises and one excursion to swim with spinner dolphins, which may also include a Kealakekua snorkel. The Zodiac-style rafts hold 18 passengers, but Sea… - Religious Site
Star of the Sea Painted Church
From the outside, this could be just another quaint wooden church, pale mint green with white trim around its arched windows, entrance, and belfry. But from the inside, it’s a wonderful kaleidoscope, starting with the detailed life-size paintings of Bible scenes and Catholic… - Natural Attraction
Umauma Falls
Formerly accessed through the World Botanical Gardens, the triple-tiered, cascading pools of Umauma Falls are now the exclusive province of visitors to the neighboring Umauma Experience, which offers an array of ziplining, hiking, swimming, and kayaking excursions on its lush 90… - Sports Venue
Volcano Golf & Country Club
Located at an altitude of 4,200 feet, this public course got its start in 1922, when the Blackshear family put in a green using old tomato cans for the holes. It now has three sets of tees to choose from, all with a par of 72. The course is unusually landscaped, making use of the…Volcano Village - Sports Venue
Waikoloa Beach Resort Courses
Two 18-hole courses beckon here. The pristine 18-hole, par-70 Beach Course certainly reflects the motto of designer Robert Trent Jones, Jr.: “Hard par, easy bogey.” Most golfers remember the par-5, 505-yard 12th hole, a sharp dogleg left with bunkers in the corner and an elevated tee… - Sports Venue
Waikoloa Village Golf Course
This semiprivate 18-hole course, with a par-72 for each of the three sets of tees, is hidden in the town of Waikoloa and usually overshadowed by the glamour resort courses along the Kohala Coast. Not only is it a beautiful course with great views, but it also offers some great… - Natural Attraction
Wailuku River State Park (Rainbow Falls)
Go in the morning, around 9 or 10am, just as the sun comes over the mango trees, to see Rainbow Falls, or Waianuenue, at its best. Part of Wailuku River State Park, the 80-foot falls (which can be slender in times of drought) spill into a big round natural pool surrounded by wild… - Natural Attraction
Waipio Valley
This breathtakingly beautiful valley has long been a source of fascination, inspiring song and story. From the black-sand bay at its mouth, Waipio (“curving water”) sweeps 6 miles between sheer, cathedral-like walls some 2,000 feet high. Hawaii’s tallest waterfall, Hiilawe, tumbles…
More About Hawaii (The Big Island) Attractions
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii (The Big Island)
South Point: Land's End in Hawaii (The Big Island)
The Hamakua Coast in Hawaii (The Big Island)
The Kohala Coast in Hawaii (The Big Island)
The Kona Coast in Hawaii (The Big Island)
Hilo in Hawaii (The Big Island)
Puna in Hawaii (The Big Island)
Mauna Kea in Hawaii (The Big Island)
Especially for Kids in Hawaii (The Big Island)
Puna
Hawaii (The Big Island) Shopping
This island is fertile ground, not just for coffee, tea, chocolate, macadamia nuts, honey, and other tasty souvenirs, but also for artists inspired by the volcanic cycle of destruction and creation, the boundless energy of the ocean, and the timeless beauty of native crafts. For those cooking meals or packing a picnic, see the Edibles at the bottom of this page.
Note: Stores are open daily unless otherwise stated.
The Kona Coast
Kailua-Kona
For bargain shopping with an island flair, bypass the T-shirt and trinket shops and head 2 miles south from Kailua Pier to Alii Gardens Marketplace, 75-6129 Alii Dr., a friendly, low-key combination farmer’s market, flea market, and crafts fair, with plenty of parking and tent-covered stalls (open 10am–5pm Tues–Sun). You’ll find fun items both handmade in Hawaii and manufactured in Chinese factories. Visit the Kona Natural Soap Company stand (www.konanaturalsoap.com) and learn about the ingredients grown on Greg Colden’s Keauhou farm.
In Kailua-Kona’s historic district, the funky, family-run Pacific Vibrations (808/329-4140) has colorful surfwear; it’s at 75-5702 Likana Lane, an alley off Alii Drive just north of Mokuaikaua Church. Across the street, the nonprofit Hulihee Palace Gift Shop stocks arts and crafts by local artists, including gorgeous feather lei, silk scarves, and woven lauhala hats (www.daughtersofhawaii.org; 808/329-6558).
Keauhou Shopping Center, above Alii Drive at King Kamehameha III Road (www.keauhouvillageshops.com), has more restaurants and services than shops, but check out Kona Stories (www.konastories.com; 📞 808/324-0350) for thousands of books, especially Hawaiiana and children’s titles, plus toys, cards, and gifts. Also in the mall, Jams World (www.jamsworld.com; 808/322-9361) boasts colorful comfortable resort wear for men and women; the Hawaii company was founded in 1964. Hula troupes perform at 6pm Fridays on the Heritage Court Stage.
Holualoa
Charmingly rustic Holualoa, 1,400 feet and 10 minutes above Kailua-Kona at the top of Hualalai Road, is the perfect spot for visiting coffee farms and tasteful galleries, with a half-dozen or more within a short distance of each other on Mamalahoa Highway (Hwy. 180). Most galleries are closed Sunday and Monday; see www.holualoahawaii.com for listings. Among them, Studio 7 Fine Arts (www.studio7hawaii.com; 808/324-1335) is a virtual Zen garden with pottery, wall hangings, and paper collages by Setsuko Morinoue, as well as paintings and prints by husband Hiroki.
Revel in the Hawaiian art of weaving leaves (lau) from the pandanus tree (hala) at Kimura’s Lauhala Shop, farther south on the makai side of Mamalahoa Hwy., at 77-996 Hualalai Rd. (808/324-0053). Founded in 1914, the store brims with locally woven mats, hats, handbags, and slippers, plus Kona coffee, koa wood bowls, and feather hatbands. It’s closed Sunday.
South Kona
Many stores along Highway 11, the main road, are roadside fruit and/or coffee stands, well worth pulling over for, if only to “talk story” and pick up a snack. Fabric aficionados must stop at Kimura Store, a quaint general store and textile emporium with more than 10,000 bolts of aloha prints and other colorful cloth, at 79-7408 Mamalahoa Hwy. (makai side), Kainaliu (808/322-3771; closed Sun).
The Kohala Coast
South Kohala
Three open-air shopping malls claim the bulk of stores here, hosting a few island-only boutiques amid state and national chains. The real plus is the malls’ free entertainment (check their websites for current calendars) and prices somewhat lower than those of shops in resort hotels.
The Waikoloa Beach Resort has two malls, both off its main drag, Waikoloa Beach Road. Kings’ Shops (www.kingsshops.com) has a keiki (children’s) hula performance at 6pm most Fridays and live music at 5 or 6pm Monday to Thursday. Along with luxury stores such as Tiffany & Co. and Michael Kors, you'll find affordable swimwear at Making Waves (808/886-1814) and batik-print fashions at Noa Noa (808/886-5449). Across the road, the shops at Queens’ MarketPlace (http://queensmarketplace.net) include the Hawaiian Quilt Collection (808/886-0494), which also offers purses, placemats, and pottery with the distinctive quilt patterns of the islands; Mahina (http://shopmahina.com; 808/886-4000), known for casual chic women’s apparel; and other island style-setters such as Volcom, Reyn’s, and Local Motion. Free shows include hula and Polynesian dance 6pm Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
In the Shops at Mauna Lani (www.shopsatmaunalani.com), on the main road of the Mauna Lani Resort, Hawaiian Island Creations (www.hicsurf.com; 808/881-1400) stands out for its diverse lineup of local, state, and national surfwear brands. Look for hula and Polynesian fire dancing at the shops on Monday and Thursday at 7pm.
In Kawaihae, an unassuming shopping strip on Highway 270, just north of Highway 19, hosts Harbor Gallery (www.harborgallery.biz; 808/882-1510). Browse the works of more than 150 Big Island artists, specializing in koa and other wood furniture, bowls, and sculpture; Sew Da Kine cork purses are an easy-to-pack item. Stock up on savory souvenirs at Hamakua Macadamia Nut Factory.
North Kohala
When making the trek to the Pololu Valley Lookout, you’ll pass a few stores of note along Hwy. 270. As Hawi Turns, 2 miles west of the Kohala Mountain Road (Hwy. 250), features eclectic women’s clothing, locally made jewelry, home decor, and a consignment area cheekily called As Hawi Returns (808/889-5203). Across from the King Kamehameha Statue in Kapaau, Ackerman Gallery features Big Island arts and crafts (including paintings by owner Gary Ackerman), colorful clothing, and gifts (www.ackermanhawaii.com; 808/889-5138).
Waimea
The barn-red buildings of Parker Square, on the south side of Highway 19 east of Opelo Road, hold several pleasant surprises. The Gallery of Great Things (www.galleryofgreatthingshawaii.com; 808/885-7706) has high-quality Hawaiian artwork, including quilts and Niihau shell leis, as well as pieces from throughout the Pacific. Bentley’s Home & Garden Collection (www.bentleyshomecollection.com; 808/885-5565) is chock-full of Western and country-inspired clothes, accessories, and cottage decor.
East Hawaii
Hamakua Coast
Park on Mamane Street (Hwy. 240) in “downtown” Honokaa and peruse the mom-and-pop shops, such as the Green Chair (808/747-4046; closed Sun), which includes collectibles and thrift clothing among brightly hued vintage furnishings and small gifts. If you’d like something newer, head to Big Island Grown, selling edibles such as coffee, tea, and honey, plus locally made gifts and clothing (808/775-9777; closed Sun), or Taro Patch Gifts (www.taropatchgifts.com; 808/775-7228), which adds books and international goodies to the mix. Waipio Valley Artworks (www.waipiovalleyartworks.com; 808/775-0958), on Kukuihaele Road near the overlook, offers handsome wood items, ceramics, prints, and more, plus a simple cafe.
Hilo
The second-largest city in Hawaii has both mom-and-pop shops and big-box stores. The Hilo Farmer’s Market is the prime attraction, but you should also hit the following for omiyage, or edible souvenirs: Big Island Candies, 585 Hinano St. (www.bigislandcandies.com; 808/935-5510), and Two Ladies Kitchen, 274 Kilauea Ave. (808/961-4766). Big Island Candies is a busy tourist attraction that cranks out addictive macadamia-nut shortbread cookies. A cash-only, hole-in-the-wall that’s closed Sun¬day and Monday, Two Ladies Kitchen makes delicious mochi, a sticky rice-flour treat with a filling of sweet bean paste, peanut butter or a giant strawberry, and manju, a kind of mini-turnover.
Visit Sig Zane Designs, 122 Kamehameha Ave. (www.sigzane.com; 808/935-7077, closed Sun), for apparel and home items with Zane’s fabric designs, inspired by native Hawaiian plants and culture, including wife Nalani Kanakaole’s hula lineage. Basically Books, 1672 Kamehameha Ave. (www.basicallybooks.com; 808/961-0144), has a wide assortment of maps and books emphasizing Hawaii and the Pacific.
Puna District
One of the prettiest places to visit in Volcano Village is Volcano Garden Arts, 19-3834 Old Volcano Rd. (www.volcanogardenarts.com; 808/985-8979; closed Mon), offering beautiful gardens with sculptures and open studios; delicious Café Ono; and an airy gallery of artworks (some by owner Ira Ono), jewelry, and home decor by local artists. Look for Hawaiian quilts and fabrics, as well as island-made butters and jellies, at Kilauea Kreations, 19-3972 Old Volcano Rd. (www.kilaueakreations.com; 808/967-8090).
In Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the two gift shops at Volcano House stock tasteful gifts, many made on the Big Island, as well as attractive jackets for chilly nights. The original 1877 Volcano House, a short walk from the Kilauea Visitor Center, is home to the nonprofit Volcano Art Center (www.volcanoartcenter.org; 808/967-7565), which sells locally made artworks, including the intricate, iconic prints of Dietrich Varez, who worked at the modern Volcano House in his youth.
A Feast for the Senses: Hilo Farmer’s Market
You can’t beat the Hilo Farmer’s Market (www.hilofarmersmarket.com), considered by many the best in the state, from its dazzling display of tropical fruits and flowers (especially orchids) to savory prepared foods such as pad Thai and bento boxes, plus locally made crafts and baked goods, all in stalls pleasantly crammed around the corner of Kamehameha Avenue and Mamo Street. The full version with 200-plus farmers and artisans takes place 6am to 4pm Wednesday and Saturday; go early for the best selection. (About 30 vendors set up at 7am to 4pm the rest of the week, but it’s not quite the same experience.)
Edibles
Since most visitors stay on the island’s west side, the Hilo Farmer’s Market isn’t really an option to stock their larders. The Keauhou Farmer’s Market (www.keauhoufarmersmarket.com), held from 8am to noon Saturday at the Keauhou Shopping Center (near Ace Hardware), can supply locally grown produce, fresh eggs, baked goods, coffee, and flowers. Pick up the rest of what you need at the center’s KTA Super Stores (www.ktasuperstores.com; 808/323-2311), a Big Island grocery chain, founded in 1916, at which you can find island-made specialties (poke, mochi) as well as national brands. Another KTA is in the Kona Coast Shopping Center, 74-5588 Palani Rd. (808/329-1677), open daily until 11pm. Wine aficionados will be amazed at the large and well-priced selection in Kona Wine Market, now near Home Depot at 73-5613 Olowalu St. (www.konawinemarket.com; 808/329-9400). For Costco members, its local warehouse is at 73-4800 Maiau St., near Highway 19 and Hina Lani Street (808/331-4800).
On the Kohala Coast, the best prices are in Waimea, home to a KTA in Waimea Center, Highway 19 at Pulalani Road (808/885-8866). Buy smoked meat and fish, hot malasadas (doughnut holes), baked goods, and a cornucopia of produce at the Waimea Homestead Farmer’s Market, Saturday 7am to noon behind the post office at 67-1229 Mamalahoa Hwy. (www.waimeafarmersmarket.com). The best deals for fresh fish are at Da Fish House, 61-3665 Akoni Pule Hwy. (Hwy. 270) in Kawaihae (808/882-1052; closed Sun). Among resort options, Foodland Farms in the Shops at Mauna Lani (www.foodland.com; 808/887-6101), has top-quality local produce and seafood, while the Kings’ Shops hosts a decent farmer’s market Wednesday 8:30am to 3pm. Island Gourmet Markets (www.islandgourmethawaii.com; 808/886-3577), the centerpiece of the Queens’ MarketPlace, has an almost overwhelming array of delicacies, including 200-plus kinds of cheese.
More About Hawaii (The Big Island) Shopping
Hawaii (The Big Island) Nightlife
With few exceptions, the Big Island tucks in early, all the better to rise at daybreak, when the weather is cool and the roads (and waves) are open. But live Hawaiian music is everywhere, and it’s easy to catch free, engaging hula shows, too, at several open-air resort malls (see Shopping).
Kailua-Kona
When the sun goes down, the scene heats up. Among the hot spots: Gertrude’s Jazz Bar, 75-5699 Alii Dr., pairs tapas with live jazz, Hawaiian swing, Latin dance and more, 6 to 9pm Tuesday to Saturday and 4 to 7pm Sunday (https://gertrudesjazzbar.com; 808/327-5299). On the Rocks, next to Huggo’s restaurant (p. ###) at 75-5824 Kahakai Rd. (www.huggosontherocks.com; 808/329-1493), has Hawaiian music and hula nightly, from 6 to 10pm (until 11pm Fri–Sat). Inside Huggo’s, the stylish, oceanview hBar (www.huggos.com/hbar) offers the area’s best artisanal cocktails; it’s open till midnight Friday and Saturday, with live music 7:30 to 10:30pm.
Farther afield, Rays on the Bay, at the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa, lures locals and visitors to Keauhou with fire pits, a great happy hour, nightly live music, and free parking. The motto of the lively, gay-friendly MyBar, 74-5606 Luhia St., a block makai of Hwy. 19 (www.mybarkona.com; 808/331-8789), is “We accept everyone as long as you want to have fun.” It has darts, drag nights, and $6 cocktails.
Sharing Stories & Aloha Under the Stars
Twilight at Kalahuipuaa, a monthly Hawaiian-style celebration, takes place on the lawn in front of the oceanside Eva Parker Woods Cottage on the Mauna Lani Resort (www.maunalani.com/about/big-island-hawaii-events; 808/881-7911). On the Saturday closest to the full moon, revered entertainers and local elders gather to “talk story,” play music, and dance hula. The 3-hour show starts at 5:30pm, but the audience starts arriving an hour earlier, with picnic fare and beach mats. Bring yours, and plan to share food as well as the fun. Parking is free, too.
The Kohala Coast
All the resorts have at least one lounge with nightly live music, usually Hawaiian, often with hula. Members of the renowned Lim Family perform at varying times and venues in the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows, while award-winning singer Darlene Ahuna typically sings from 5 to 8pm Tuesday to Thursday at the Westin Hapuna Beach Hotel. Enjoy creative cocktails and choice small plates with nightly music and hula at the chic Copper Bar at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. The lively Lava Lava Beach Club offers nightly music and hula on the sands of Waikoloa Beach Resort, where the three-screen Waikoloa Luxury Cinemas includes a restaurant, bar, and leather loveseats (http://hawaiicinemas.com).
For a uniquely Big Island alternative to a luau, try An Evening at Kahua Ranch (www.kahuaranch.com; 808/882-7954), a barbecue with beer and wine, line dancing, rope tricks, live country music, campfire sing-along, and stargazing. The 3-hour event costs $139 for adults and $70 for kids 6 to 12 (younger free) with shuttle to the ranch; drive yourself and it’s $115 and $58, respectively. Festivities start at 6pm Wed in summer, 5:30pm in winter; call to check for additional evenings.
Hilo & the Hamakua Coast
Opened in 1925, the neoclassical Palace Theater, 38 Haili St., Hilo (www.hilopalace.com; 808/934-7010), screens first-run independent movies and hosts concerts, festivals, hula, and theater to pay for its ongoing restoration. Hilo Town Tavern, 168 Keawe St. (808/935-2171), is a Cajun restaurant and dive bar open until 2am daily, with a pool room and live music ranging from hip-hop to Hawaiian. The Grand Naniloa Hotel offers nightly live music 6 to 8pm in either its Hula Lounge lobby bar or poolside restaurant Hula Hulas. Quaint Honokaa boasts the island’s largest theater, the restored 1930 People’s Theatre, 45-3574 Mamane St., seating 525 for first-run movies, concerts, and other events. The town also holds a festival the first Friday of each month, with sidewalk vendors and live music from 5 until 9pm.
Puna District
Although the revered founder of Uncle Robert’s Awa Club (808/443-6913) passed away in 2015, the bustling Wednesday-night marketplace (5–10pm) continues at Robert Keliihoomalu’s Kalapana compound with live music from 6 to 9pm. Sample the mildly intoxicating ‘awa (the Hawaiian word for kava) at the tiki bar, or come back Friday at 6pm for more live music. In Pahoa, Kaleo’s Bar & Grill offers nightly live music, including jazz and slack key.
Luaus’ new taste of Old Hawaii
You may never have a truly great meal at a luau, but on the Big Island you can have a very good one, with a highly enjoyable—and educational—show to boot. Buffets offer more intriguing, tasty items such as pohole ferns and Molokai sweet potatoes, while shows feature more local history, from the first voyagers to paniolo days, plus spectacular fire knife and Polynesian dance. Try one of these oceanfront affairs:
- Haleo (www.haleoluau.com) at the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa is simply the best in Kailua-Kona (Mon and Fri 4:30pm; $95 adults, $45 children 6–12).
- Hawaii Loa (www.gatheringofthekings.com) at the Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, has the best selection of island-style food, including the taro leaf stew that gave lū‘au its name (Sat 5:30pm; $115 adults, $79 children 6–12).
- Legends of Hawaii (www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com/resort-experiences) at Hilton Waikoloa Village is the most family-friendly, with pillow seating upfront for kids (Tues, Fri, and Sun 5:30pm; $128 adults, $70 children 5–12; free for children 4 and under). Add VIP options for $29 more per person.
