- Travel to the Island of Hawai’i
- Visiting Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
- Drive to Waipiʻo Valley from Hilo
- What to Do, Eat, and See in Hilo, Hawaii
- A Day in Kona -Beer, Coffee, and Tourists
Kailua Kona or simply Kona, is a city of the western side of the Big Island of Hawaii. Kona has a rich history. Because of the ideal climate here, many ancient people settled in the area to include King Kamehameha I. Today, Kona is known for their coffee primarily but Kona Brewing Company has helped put Kona on a map. Not only is Kona famous for their beverages but it’s also a great place for visitors to come to and relax and enjoy water activities.
We opted to stay in Hilo instead of Kona for a few simple reasons. First, hotel and rental properties in Kona were a lot more expensive. Hilo had more Airbnb options that were in our price range. Hilo was also closer to a lot of the attractions we were interested in like Akaka Falls and Volcanoes National Park. Lastly, Kona is more of a touristy destination. I’ve been to places like Cozumel, Mexico, Caye Caulker, Belize, and even Nassau in the Bahamas, and all these places to include Kona have a similar touristy vibe. You know, drunk tourists, expensive souvenir shops, and chain restaurants. To us, Hilo seemed more laid back and far less touristy. That is not to say that there is a lot of great places to explore around Kona. In fact, we spent a day here and enjoyed every minute of it, to the point where there was to much to do and see in a single day.
How we Maximized our Time in Kona
We drove the 1.5 hours from Hilo to Kona for a day. Jill and I had a Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) exam, that we had to take the morning of. We also had to take Covid tests so we could fly back to Japan, so our time in Kona was limited. We really only had an afternoon and evening to spend here, but we maximized our time in Kona and managed to still experience a lot.
Kona Coffee Living History Farm
At $20 a person, we felt the Kona Coffee Living History Farm was a bit pricey. But we figured we were on vacation and it’s not everyday you get to experience a coffee farm, so we bit the bullet, paid the fee, and honestly this was one of the better attractions on the trip.
This was a self guided tour, and there were interpreters there that demonstrated what life on a coffee farm was like in the early 1900’s. The first stop was at the mill, one of the employees was there and talked about life at the coffee farms, how the beans are picked and turned into coffee.
To this day, coffee beans are picked from trees by hand. Each bean on the tree produces one coffee bean. Can you imagine how much work that is to do by hand? Picture every café, grocery store, or breakfast joint around the world that serves coffee, imagine the amount of coffee beans that is being used around the world, and to think it’s all picked by hand, still baffles me.
After visiting the mill, we toured the Uchida Farm House. This was a house on the farm that was owned by Japanese Immigrants. The woman there who was of Japanese decent gave an excellent demonstration of the house that she grew up in on the grounds. The house was very traditional Japanese and she was so kind and a great story teller!
Kona Brewing Company
I’d be lying to you if I’d say that a stop at Kona Brewing Company wasn’t my main reason for visiting Kona. I love beer and really love breweries. Breweries have the best atmosphere and usually some of the best local food you can find. Kona Brewing Company sells their beer all around the world. Honestly, prior to visiting the brewery, I haven’t had a beer from them I really liked. All their beers are pretty average, but that didn’t stop us from visiting the brewery.
This brewery seems to always be crowded. When I got here, they told me it was an hour wait, so while everyone else was looking for a parking spot, I grabbed a pint of their Castaway IPA and patiently waited to be called. It wasn’t but 15 minutes before the buzzer went off and we were seated. Atmosphere wise, Kona Brewery gets an A+. We were seated outside in the corner surrounded by tropical plants. I could have sat there all day sampling beers.
My parents and me all ordered beers for starters. Food wise, they are known for their pizzas. I ordered their Hawaiian Lu’au and it was fantastic! The pizza was made with a BBQ sauce made with their porter brew along with Kalua pork, cheese, chevre, and onions with a pineapple salsa. It’s been a while since I’ve had a pizza that good.
Beer wise, I was pleasantly surprised by the beers they had on tap. They do have their traditional beers like the Big Wave, Fire Rock, Longboard, etc. but I wasn’t after those. I got a glass of their Old Blowhole Barleywine, Hibiscus Haze, and Hula Hefeweizen. The Barleywine was the standout beer for me, I rated it on Untappd a 4.25 out of 5, so not bad Kona Brewing Company, not bad!
Royal Kona Coffee Center
Royal Kona Coffee Center is a coffee farm and shop that we briefly visited while driving down Hwy 11. We stopped in here mainly to grab souvenirs, free samples of coffee, and we couldn’t leave without getting a Mocha Frappuccino which was delicious!
Downtown Kona
Downtown Kona was within walking distance from Kona Brewing Company. In fact, we left our vehicle in their parking lot and walked about ten to fifteen minutes to the downtown area. Kona’s downtown was full of resorts, restaurants, shops, beaches, and everything else you would find in a touristy destination.
We stoppped on the Kailua Pier and enjoyed a Lua off in the distance. It quickly turned to evening and we strolled up and down the main road looking at the ocean, historical sites, and just taking in the relaxed atmosphere.
What we Missed
Captain James Cook Monument
I really wanted to do the Captain James Cook Monument. But I realized it was a 1.8 mile hike one way on a steep hill. None of us were really prepared for a hike like that. If I ever find myself in the Kona area, I’ll make note for next time to bring the proper clothes for a hike to see the Captain James Cook Monument.
Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park
My parents were lucky enough to visit Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park. We had a morning flight while there was later that night. They dropped us off and drove down to the park. My mom kept sending me amazing photos of the park and said it was one of their highlights. I was totally jealous, so I guess I’ll have to visit some other time.
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Plan Your Trip:
Booking Accommodations
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Activities and Tours
Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator has a lot of great options.
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Comments (2)
It’s awesome you got to spend so much time on the Big Island! So much to do and see! I only spent 4 nights in Kona this February…I should have stayed a full week and spent 3 nights in Hilo as well. Great food, a mix between American/Hawaiian/Asian cuisines. The hike to Captain Cook is an ordeal, but I thought it was a really cool experience. And really peaceful when you get down by the ocean. I sat on the rocks in the shade and just looked out at the bay for awhile. Definitely need to be prepared-it was soooo hot climbing back up, no shade at all! I was soaked in sweat, haha! Glad I started down at 8am! I still need to visit Kauai, but Hawaii is my favorite of the Hawaiian islands that I’ve visited so far.
Yeah man, we loved it! Did you make it to the Hilo side? If I make it back to the Big Island, I’d like to stay in Kona maybe two nights to explore more on that side. I really want to do the Captain Cook hike, so it will have to wait until next time! No matter where you go, there is just always to much to see and do.