Your Day-by-Day Guide to a 7 Day Big Island Itinerary with Local Tips and Details

Lastly, less than a mile away is Wailuku River Falls, my favorite of the three. Cross the bridge and park on the gravel shoulders.

You have two choices:

1. Get your photo op from the bridge
2. Take the 10-min hike through a narrow, jungle-y trail to the right of the river to reach the top of the waterfall. (Highly recommend!) 

The view from the top of the waterfalls brings you to a boulder filled river upstream and another separate “side” waterfall to the right of the trail. 

Kaumana Caves

Make your way to Kaumana Caves, a great rainy day activity. Park in the lot across the street from the entrance. Climb down the steep stairs and decide on whether to take the left cave or the right cave.

Be sure to have flashlights or headlamps.

The right cave is the main cavern and has lots of head room for quite a while.

The left cave will have you climbing and ducking at the beginning until you reach the part with enough ceiling room.

The entire cave system is about 2-miles long, so take the lava tube as far as you want/can; you’ll reach some questionable spots and it’s okay to turn back when you are uncomfortable.

Hilo Farmers Market

The Hilo Farmers Market runs all week, Wednesday and Saturday being their biggest days.

Find vendors selling all the tropical fruit you can imagine, homemade gingerade, artisan soaps, handstamped t-shirts, pressed flower jewelry, and so much more.

Kula Shave Ice serves homemade syrups using real fruit juice and has a mean haupia cream to top your ice dome with.

Afterwards, walk the streets of old downtown Hilo popping into quirky shops and talk story with the storekeepers. You’ll find an ukulele store, fine arts, fine jewelry, boutiques with Hawaiian apparel, thrift stores, and so many other things. 

Head up Hwy 19 to take a 4 mile scenic drive on the Old Mamalahoa Hwy, otherwise known as the Pe’epekeo Scenic Drive. 

Take your time on this windy road with the windows rolled down to let in that tropical air. This is the kind of Hawaiian road you dream of with towering trees, giant vines, and mossy rocks.

Stop for a short hike at Onomea Bay. Or explore the Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Garden with thousands of rare tropical plants, two waterfalls, and also has access to Onomea Bay.

Six Tons waterfall is more of a rushing section of river coming out of a man-made tunnel with a swimmable waterhole. My favorite “secret” is following the trail downstream until you end up at the top of an unnamed waterfall with a steep drop to the pool below.

What’s Shakin’

By now I’m sure you’re famished. The best lunch is at What’s Shakin’, a yellow shack at the end of the scenic drive that serves fresh wraps with their own garden fruit garnish and the creamiest, thickest smoothies you’ll ever have.

Akaka Falls State Park

About 8 miles further north on Hwy 19 is the Big Island’s other famous waterfall, Akaka Falls.

A short half-mile paved path loop takes you through jungley terrain before bringing you to the 442ft tall Akaka Falls plummeting down the straight, verdant cliffs. 

💁‍♀️Tab’s Trip Tip: Avoid the parking fee by just parking on the road outside the parking lot.

Pineapples

Have dinner at Pineapples for some burgers or tacos and an Insta-worthy fruity cocktail in a pineapple. The restaurant is open-aired dining, half indoor/half outdoor. Be prepared for a wait as this is a popular place to eat. 

💁‍♀️ Tab’s Trip Tip: if you make it during happy hour you might get seated faster at the bar.

Sleep in Hilo

If you have extra time, consider these add-ons…

Umauma Falls Experience Ziplining

Get your adrenaline pumping as you cover 2-miles of line flying across 9 zipline courses over 14 waterfalls. Enjoy the picturesque park with views of Mauna Kea, crossing a suspension bridge over a water filled lava tube and fern grotto, and always keeping an eye out for Hawaiian wildlife.

➡️ Book your Umauma Falls 9-Line Zipline Experience here!

Banyan Drive, Liliu’okalani Park, and Coconut Island

Take a leisurely drive down Banyan Drive, or the “Hilo Walk of Fame”, underneath a row of nearly 100yr old banyans. Each tree was planted by some celebrity and their names mark who’s is who’s. Most names may be unfamiliar but two big ones are George Herman “Babe” Ruth and Amelia Earhart.

As an extension to Banyan Drive, there’s Liliu’okalani Park and Gardens, a 24-acre Japanese garden donated by Queen Liliu’okalani herself back in 1917. The park consists of expansive lawn, ponds, bridges, pagodas, statues, and torii.

Moku Ola, or Coconut Island, is on the opposite side of the road from the park and was the site of an ancient temple dedicated to healing, no longer there.

Cross a long footbridge to reach this small island with picnic tables, grassy patches, and tiny white sand beaches.

An old footbridge remnant that was destroyed by a tsunami acts a jumping ledge into the ocean water.

One of the best free things to do on the Big Island is visit Panaewa Rainforest Zoo & Garden. This beautifully curated zoo has a surprising collection of animals like tigers, monkeys, lemurs, a sloth, anteaters…to name a few.

Sometimes you can catch animal feedings or a skateboarding parrot.

They have a decent sized playground for kids to let off steam if walking around the zoo grounds didn’t suffice.

Koana

Save your morning caffeine fix until you reach Koana in Mountain View with the BEST coffee on the island. Hands down, Brian makes “slow coffee” (pour over) that will make you into a coffee snob. He pours filtered water with added minerals over coffee from farms around the Big Island then perfectly times the brewing.

I have never had a cup of coffee before that tempts me to go buy a second one after finishing the first. 

Enjoy your coffee in the cozy cafe set in a historic building decorated with recycled materials found from the neighborhood. Also find seating outside on the old west type porch, in the gravel garden, or take it to-go.

Mt. View Bakery

Just a couple doors down from Koana, Mt. View Bakery makes amazing mochi donuts with different flavors everyday. Shaped like a baby teething ring, mochi donuts are chewy and soft made with rice or tapioca flour.

Open the creaky screen door to a small store with display cases showing off their donuts, baked goods, and bags of stone cookies. 

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Nowhere else in the country can you visit an active volcano that’s still spewing lava. This makes visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park one of the most unique places to visit on the Big Island. 

The time you need in the park is dependent on you. Some people pop in for an hour or two while others spend days here. There are numerous trails to explore, each with its own differences and character.

💁‍♀️ Tab’s Trip Tip: Pack a picnic lunch to eat within the park. Once you are deep inside the park there’s no food for miles. 

Highlights within the park-

• Steam Vents – fenced holes in the ground with steam rising up in your face like a natural outdoor sauna; walk the short distance for a view of the crater
• Uekahuna Overlook – a Grand Canyon-esque view of Kilauea Crater, pull out your panorama setting on your camera; see smoke from the fiery pit (no lava view)
• Nahuku Thurston Lava Tube – a short hike through a a lit up lava tube; listen for birds as you walk the paved forested trail
• Secret Crater – an unmarked, large, non-fenced crater just off of Chain of Craters Road (don’t fall in!)
• Mauna Ulu Fissure – a short hike through a lava field with carnival glass-type lava pieces, fissures in the ground, and lava tree molds
• Pu’u Loa Petroglyphs – 1.5-mile hike over a desert plain with a boardwalk viewing of petroglyphs at the end
• Holei Sea Arch – the end of Chain of Craters road rewards you with ocean cliff views and a rocky arch

➡️ Click Here for Your Complete Guide to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park with Insider Tips!

Be sure to also pop in at the Volcano Art Gallery for some fine arts and crafts shopping and also Volcano House for a view of the crater indoors (or save it for dinner).

The Shaka Guide does an excellent job of guiding you through the park, giving you history and science lessons.

🤙 Download the Shaka Guide app here! 🤙

Volcano Winery

If you finished with the park in time, head up to the Volcano Winery for a wine tasting. You’ll get 6 – 1oz tastings at a leisurely pace tasting wines made with jaboticaba berries, guava, and macadamia nut honey. Upgrade your experience by reserving a guided tour. 

Aside from wine, they also grow their own estate teas and offer a tea tasting as well.

The Rim

Have dinner with a volcano as your table guest at The Rim inside Volcano House. Your seats overlook Kilauea Crater, so if lava is active, you’ll be able to see the glow!

Make reservations well in advance as they get booked out.

Lava Flow Hike

If the lava is active, once it gets dark, head back to the Devastation Trail parking lot to hike the 2-mile round trip Crater Rim Road trail. This paved trail will take you to the overlook where you can see the lava flowing inside the lava lake. 

Everyday is a different “show” as the lava is in constant motion. Some days it’s spewing lava from the cinder cone, other days it’s just the cracks in the lake that are glowing. Regardless, you have to try and see the action because when else are you going to see real live lava?

Sleep in Hilo 

If you have extra time, consider these add-ons…

Mauna Loa Rd Scenic Drive

Outside of the main park but still within Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park is the 13-mile Mauna Loa Rd scenic drive. Make a quick stop at large lava tree molds and a 1.2-mile loop hike on Kipuka Puaula Trail through a forest and past a lava tube.

Continue up the road through fascinating leftover forest fire terrain until you reach the lookout at the top. See the park sprawling down below with Kilauea smoking in the distance. Take the path to hunt for endangered Mauna Loa silverswords.

Ka’u Desert Trail

Also known as the Footsteps Trail, the Ka’u Desert Trail takes you across a lava-y desert. Plaques to read about Hawaiian history that took place here are scattered along the way.

Less than than a mile into the trail, a pavilion houses a footprint in the lava rock; I can’t distinguish it, but maybe you can.

More footprints are out among the trail but I never found any. The ever-shifting sand covers and exposes them.

These footprints in the lava rocks are thought to be over 200 years old from women and children escaping an erupting Kilauea.

Volcano Garden Arts

Volcano Garden Arts is a cute fine arts and crafts shop nestled in a zen-like garden. Browse the creaky floored rooms and find creative trinkets, colorful paintings, and useful gadgets, all Hawaiian-made.

Cafe Ono is attached to the shop and is open for lunch where you can eat out in the garden or in their craftily adorned tents.

🤩 UPGRADE your Hawaii vacation experience by booking a Big Island Private Tour!
Check Out Options Here!

Day 4: Black Sand & South Point

Punalu’u Black Sand Beach

Probably the most famous beach on the Big Island is Punalu’u Black Sand Beach. This black sand beach has easy access and an almost guaranteed sighting of honu, sea turtles. 

Entrance is free.

People do swim and snorkel here but the water is surprisingly chilly for Hawaiian waters as there is a freshwater source that runs right underneath the bay. 

Most people bypass the other things to be seen at this park: Kane’ele’ele Heiau and Hokuloa Church. Not to mention when you are coming in or out of the park on Ninole Loop Rd, look in the golf field for nene, Hawaiian geese; they’re almost always there. 

My favorite stop for Ka’u coffee is at Honua’s Coffeehouse in Naalehu. Friendly staff will make you a cup to your liking. My iced latte is always consistent and reminds me of Sugar Puffs cereal. 

Chill in their cafe with the giant octopus mural or take it to-go.

OKK Farmer’s Market

On Wednesdays and Saturdays the OKK Market is open from 8am-12pm. This is a good opportunity to browse local Ka’u vendors selling handmade soaps, fresh fruits and vegetables, pottery, art, and food.

There are also two coffee vendors that sell unique ways to take your Ka’u coffee:

• Pohaku Coffee – whipped espresso “cloud” over milk
• Aikane Plantation – a cup of coffee in Jell-O form with whipped cream

Punalu’u Bake Shop

Punalu’u Bake Shop is absolutely THE BEST place to get malasadas on the Big Island. These sweet, Portuguese donuts come in a variety of flavors, my favorite being the lilikoi. 

Enjoy your sweet treat in a gazebo while live music often plays. 

💁‍♀️ Tab’s Trip Tip: there are two lines for ordering, so if one is long check the other line, it’s likely shorter.

Address: HI-11, Naalehu, HI 96772 Hours: 7 days a week 8:30am-5pm

Green Sand Beach

Drive down to the end of South Point Rd to the trailhead for Green Sand Beach.

This almost 5-mile roundtrip hike takes you across dusty, grassy plains along a turquoise water shorefront. At the end you’ll see the bay with the green sand beach down the steep slope.

The green color comes from the olivine crystals that have been crushed up from the cinder cone there. These crystals can be found all over the Big Island, so if you see sparkling gravel that’s green sand. 

You might feel a little underwhelmed by the color as the sand is more golden than green. If you pick some up you’ll be able to see the green crystals clearer.

The hike has no shade and no shade at the beach, so you will be extremely exposed to the elements.

If you don’t want to make the hike, locals take tourists in the back of pickup trucks for about $20pp roundtrip.

Make your way back to the South Point cliffs for a vista view of the Pacific Ocean at the southernmost point in the US.

Keep an eye out for sea turtles and whales. 

This is a good opportunity to put your bravery to the test and also cool off from the Green Sand hike by jumping the approximate 40ft off the cliffs and into the clear blue water below. (*Insert warning label here*)

A rusty ladder gets you back up to the top, but I swear, climbing that was scarier than jumping off.

If you’re looking for some wave action, walk to the left following an ancient rock wall that leads to the ocean. Sometimes the waves can get enormous here as they crash right onto shore.

Paradise Meadows

As you drive back up South Point Road, make a stop at Paradise Meadows.

You will never have had a faster speed round of free sampling in your life. Try neverending chocolates, macadamia nuts, cookies, honey, and Ka’u coffee. 

Take a map of their farm and wander through their aquaponics pond, greenhouse, gardens, coffee trees, art gallery, parrots, and herb stroll.

Miranda’s Coffee Farm

If you need some caffeine before your long drive to Kona, stop at Miranda’s Coffee Farm.

This award winning Ka’u coffee is family owned and operated. Their cute yellow shop is set amongst the coffee trees and they sell bean varieties not seen elsewhere like Red Catuai and Yellow Caturra (my favorite). 

They also do farm tours if you reserve online ahead of time.

Kona Brewing Company

For dinner get some of the best pizza on the island and beer flights. Beer choices are plentiful from porters to IPAs, or wheats to lagers.

Tables outside are moodily lit with tiki torches in the evenings, while inside has a warm ambience with an open kitchen to watch your food being made. 

Check into your hotel and sleep in Kona or Waikoloa

🛏️ Best Kona/Waikoloa Hotels:
· Royal Kona Resort
· Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel
· Four Season Resort Hualalai
· Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection

If you have extra time, consider this add on…

Kahuku Unit

An extension of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park sits between Naalehu and Ocean View at the Kahuku Unit. Hike a collection of trails through lava fields, cinder cones, ohia forests, and grassy plains on the edge of Mauna Loa.

Day 5: Kona Coffee & City of Refuge

Greenwell Farms

Get to know all about Kona coffee at Greenwell Farms on their 45-60min free guided tour through their property seeing their machines and processes and coffee trees. 

Sample a seemingly endless row of free coffee varieties. They have every roast, bean, and flavor you can think of.

Kealakekua Bay

Drive down windy Napoopoo Rd to Kealakekua Bay Boat Ramp. This is the only view from land where you can see the Captain Cook Monument. Across the bay you will see the white obelisk marking the spot where Captain Cook was killed.

The only way to get a closer look of the monument is to kayak/standup paddleboard to it, take a snorkel tour, or hike the 4-mile round trip down the steep mountain.

Also at this boat ramp, to the right is Hikiau Heiau, a human sacrifice temple built by King Kalani’opu’u and visited by Captain Cook.

Keep following Puuhonua Rd until you reach the City of Refuge. This sacred, historical site was a safe place for fugitives. If you could outrun the law and get here before getting caught you would be forgiven and your life spared.

There’s a 20min video you can watch in an open-air amphitheater before heading out to the grounds. You’ll see grass roofed hales, ki’i (tiki statues), lava tree molds, and a kanane game board, Hawaiian checkers. 

The lava pads out by the ocean make for some great tidepooling.

Two Step

Leave your car parked at the City of Refuge and walk next door to Two Step beach for some of the best snorkeling on the island. All the lava rocks create a great environment for sea life to thrive and the bay is pretty protected for safer snorkeling conditions.

Snorkel gear can be rented at Snorkel Bob’s in Kona or bought cheaply at stores like Costco or Walmart. Or try checking out the Facebook group Pass it On – Beach Gear and More for visitors giving away their beach gear for free before catching their flight home.

The Painted Church

Before you get back to Hwy 11, make a detour to St Benedict Catholic Church, or the Painted Church.

This small white chapel is free to enter and inside are beautiful floor to ceiling paintings of biblical scenes and designs, all in its original form as it has not been refurbished. Have a seat on a wooden pew and enjoy the serenity as you admire the art. 

It’s one of the best free things to visit on the island. 

Kaaloa’s Super J’s

Get lunch at Kaaloa’s Super J’s for some authentic lau laus. Don’t be turned off by the sketchy looking building. Inside are friendly staff working in a hot kitchen so you can have the best Hawaiian food. 

Lau lau is pork and butterfish wrapped in taro leaf, then wrapped in ti leaf and steamed for hours. Unwrap the ti leaf, eat the taro leaf with the melt-in-your-mouth meat. Order a la carte or as a whole meal plate. 

They also have a famous purple sweet potato haupia pie, but if they have banana creme pie choose that one instead, it’s heavenly!

They often sell out of lau laus, so the earlier you get there the better.

For my absolute favorite stop for Kona coffee, go to Sacred Grounds Coffee Farm. Bill, the owner, serves the smoothest coffee right from his coffee farm growing on only 2 acres below the shop. 

A panoramic view of Kealakekua Bay spreads out before you on the back porch and you will likely have it all to yourself without the crowds.

Ali’i Drive

Kill off the late afternoon/evening by wandering the famous Ali’i Drive for some shopping. You’ll find everything from ABC stores with made-in-China souvenirs to boutiques filled with Hawaiian-made items.

Aloha Toe Rings and Tasty Kona are my favorite shops for locally made goods.

At the end of the road is King Kamehameha’s last place of residence at Kamakahonu National Historic Landmark. Reconstructed grass roofed hales jut out over the water are accessible through the Courtyard by Marriott grounds.

Foster’s Kitchen

For a great dinner, eat at Foster’s Kitchen with a view overlooking Alii Drive and Kailua Bay. Their cocktails are flavorful and strong and their dishes have Hawaiian infused flavors like macadamia nut pesto or lilikoi bbq sauce. Definitely some of the best food I’ve had on the island.

Manta Ray Night Snorkel

The #1 activity you should definitely pay to do is a night snorkel with the manta rays. There is nothing to compare with the sensation of these gentle behemoths dancing and gliding literally in your face. 

From Keahou Bay, where most tours go out of, the boat ride is less than 5 minutes, so you are in the water faster and have less chance of seasickness.

➡️ Find a Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour Here!

Sleep in Kona

If you have extra time, consider these add-ons…

Kona Joe Coffee

Kona Joe Coffee is a Kona coffee farm with an “Instagram view”. Explore their gift shop, take a free self-guided tour around the property, and order some coffee at the cafe that overlooks their one-of-a-kind trellis coffee farm.

Pay for guided tours, roasting tours, and coffee picking tours.

Kayak/SUP across Kealakekuha Bay

Rent an ocean vessel to cross Kealakekuha Bay to get up close to the Captain Cook monument (however, you can’t park your boat on shore to land), snorkel in the famous waters with yellow tang and parrot fish, and maybe get a dolphin show.

If you are prone to seasickness, prepare accordingly. I speak from experience.

Ehu and Kai is the most convenient company to rent a kayak or stand up paddleboard as they have bay access and it’s only about 20-30min paddle across the bay.

• Reserve Ehu and Kai Kayak Rental Here
• Reserve Ehu and Kai Stand Up Paddleboard Here

Day 6: White Sand Beaches & Petroglyphs

Kua Bay

Kua Bay is an easy-to-access white sand beach that’s not too far north from Kona. It’s got powdery soft sand and clear, blue water straight outta Instagram. 

The parking lot gets full fast, so you’ll probably be parking in the gravel shoulder (watch out for jagged edges). Steps lead down to the beach and you can go to the more crowded right or more secluded left. 

The waves are good for boogie boarding and the sand perfect for castle creating. 

Back up the road about a block, if you want to make a quick hike up Pu’u Ku’ili you’ll get a 360° of the Kona Coast.

Take a relatively easy 1.5-mile roundtrip hike to the Puako Petroglyphs.

The first half of the trail begins in a kiawe forest where you’ll have to duck and dodge some branches and lava rocks feeling like a kid playing in garden bushes. But at least it’s shady!

Soon you’ll reach the petroglyph field filled with 3,000 carved figures and symbols. Take the trail around the field to get different angled views.

No one knows for sure what these ancient drawings mean. Theories include documentations of births, family censuses, or other significant events. 

Hot Malasada Food Truck

Make your way north to the Hot Malasada Food Truck for made-to-order malasadas.

This CASH ONLY truck has many toppings and fillings to choose from like ling hi mui powder or mango and haupia filled. Not to mention specials of the day.

Puukohola Heiau

One of the largest restored heiau, or temple, is Puukohola Heiau built by King Kamehameha I himself. Visit this National Historic Site for free and see just how massive it is in person. 

Also on the property are some ancient village ruins and a view into Pelekane Bay, known for its reef shark hangout.

Next door is Spencer Beach, another white sand beach the locals like to chill at. 

Hamakua Macadamia Nut Co. Visitor Center

Go nuts with free samples of macadamia nuts and Kona coffee at the Hamakua Macadamia Nut Co. Visitor Center. They have year round flavors like spam or wasabi and also seasonal flavors like birthday cake or pumpkin spice.

Watch the kitchen in action through windows in the back of the store and try your hand at hand cracking a macadamia nut. 

Kohala Coffee Mill

For lunch, stop in Hawi at Kohala Coffee Mill. They serve up great lunch plates, 100% Kona coffee, and for dessert, Tropical Dreams ice cream. This ice cream is made on the Big Island and is one of the creamiest ice creams as it has 18% butter fat.

Snag a table outside to people watch and savor your food. 

Afterwards pop into some boutique stores for Hawaiian-made shopping.

Kamehameha Statue

A quick photo stop just outside Hawi in Kaapau is the Kamehameha Statue on the side of the road. 

This statue was commissioned in 1878 and was originally for the 100th anniversary celebration on Oahu of Captain Cook landing on the islands. However, in 1880, the boat carrying the statue sank in the Falkland Islands so another statue was made and shipped over to Oahu.

Two years later, a British captain was passing through the Falkland Islands and saw the statue at a shopkeeper’s store. He knew what it was, bought it, and sold it back to Hawaii for $875. This statue in Kaapau is that original statue.

Pololu Valley

At the end of Hawi-Niulii Rd is the gorgeous view of Pololu Valley. While Waipio Valley is more famous (currently closed indefinitely without a tour), I believe Pololu is a better view. The vista expands from the ocean all the way up the green crinkly valley.

The hike down is steep but short, only about 20min each way depending on your walking speed. At the bottom you’ll be welcomed by a rough black sand beach, dangerous crashing waves, and a serene pond reminiscent of Jurassic Park. 

Walk through the mystical forest, find a rope swing, and potentially make friends with the cows that live down there.

Luau

Finish the night off with a celebratory luau. Luaus are a fun way of experiencing authentic Hawaiian foods, crafts, and entertainment. Sip on a mai tai as you watch the sunset. Performances usually include dances from other Polynesian islands as well as Hawaii. 

Resorts in Waikoloa and Kona host luaus so I recommend picking one that is easily accessible to where you are staying.

➡️ Find a Luau in Kona here!

Sleep in Kona

If you have extra time, consider these add ons…

Waikoloa Petroglyph Reserve

Waikoloa Petroglyph Reserve is in Waikoloa behind Kings Shops is another petroglyph field. This lava field has zero shade and gets hot easily but on the far end you’ll be able to find many petroglyphs with a diverse collection of symbols.

Kuleana Rum Shack

Come to Kuleana Rum Shack for a rum tasting at their flagship retail store and restaurant.

They have four different rums distilled from Hawaiian sugar cane. I have been searching for the best mai tai on the Big Island and I can safely say that it is here.

If you’re hungry, they also serve full meals in the restaurant. Reservations recommended.

Lapakahi State Historical Park

Lapakahi State Historical Park is an ancient Hawaiian fishing village with ruins to explore. Partially restored hales and canoe houses and salt bowls are scattered over a rocky 1-mile loop.

Think of it as a free City of Refuge.

Day 7: Go Home 🙁

Depending on your flight departure you can still squeeze in some last minute activities or hit places you might’ve missed.

Tealicious Cafe

Tired of coffee? Tealicious Cafe is a cute, hole-in-the-wall tea cafe that makes you feel like you’re at grandma’s house. They have 30 teas from around the world to choose from (check out their test tube wall full of the loose leaves) and they create specialty tea mocktails as well. 

Sit in a comfy, high-back couch by the front door or in a cozy corner table in the back of the room. Fresh baked pastries, light breakfast dishes, or baguette sandwiches are on the menu. 

More of a European ambience than Hawaiian, this little gem will leave an impression.

‘Alula Beach

If you have some time to kill before your flight I suggest visiting ‘Alula Beach. Park amongst dry-docked boats on Kealakehe Pkwy and walk about 0.2-miles across a lava field and through some trees that open up to a beautiful white sand beach.

The Aiopio Fish Trap creates a shallow pond not much deeper than your ankles making for some warm water to wade through and walk over smooth, moss lava rocks. A grass roofed hale decorates the beach in a dramatic fashion.

But the best part of all is the amount of sea turtles that like to congregate here. At first you’ll think the lumps in the water are rocks but soon realize that it’s sea turtles. And yes, there will almost always be multiple sea turtles here.

It will be tempting to wade in the water right up to them but remember to keep back at least 10-20ft.

If you still haven’t had your fill of Kona coffee, make your way about 15min from Kona up Hualalai mountain, into a cloud forest and visit Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation. 

Try free samples of different coffee roasts, browse the charming gift shop, watch an informative video about the company and process, and take a quick 15min guided tour learning about how coffee is made and walking through their dry mill warehouse. 

Afterwards, pay to wander their garden grounds, see an unexplored lava tube, and view their coffee trees from an observation deck. 

Kona Sea Salt Farm

For a salty experience, take a tour of the Kona Sea Salt Farm where they harvest deep ocean water right off the Kona shores. See how the different stages of processing sea water to produce sea salt crystals.

End the tour with an enless array of flavored salts paired with vegetables and fruit.

Located just below the airport, a Kona Sea Salt Farm tour is a great way to kill time before a flight.

➡️ Check Availability for Kona Sea Salt Farm Tour here!

Leave For Home

I’m sorry to say but it is time to say goodbye to paradise. Return your rental car and check in for your flight out of KOA. 

Book Your Reservations

Secure your flights, hotel, and car rental as soon as you know your dates!

✈️Flights: prices for flights tend to be cheapest the more in advance you book. Book and secure your flights here.

🛏️Hotels: if you have a particular hotel and room in mind, you also want to secure that booking before it’s sold out. Browse rates and availability for hotels here.

🚗Car Rentals: there may not be as much of a rush for a car rental, but I would book now and if rates drop you can cancel and rebook. Find a car rental here.

🛏️Condos: if you’re looking for more independence and lower costs, a popular alternative to a hotel is renting a condo, which can be a good option. Not only are they (typically) cheaper than hotel rooms, if you get one with a kitchen you can save money on food by making some of your own meals potentially curated from fresh food found at farmers markets. Find a condo rental here.

🪂Tours: you should book your tours ASAP. Popular tours can easily sell out, so once you know the date you want to do an activity BOOK IT! You don’t want to miss out on an exciting adventure because of procrastination (speaking from experience here!) Find and Book your tours here now!

🚨Travel Insurance: you never know if an emergency will occur, before or during travel. Maybe a family matter prevents you from taking the trip or the airlines loses your luggage in transit. Travel insurance will help reimburse you for the expensive trip you’ve saved so long for! Find travel insurance to protect you here!