Kona
🌺 Things to do
10 curated experiences
Aliʻi Drive Evening Stroll & Dinner, Kailua-Kona
Kailua-Kona
Easy, flat, walkable strip along Kailua Bay past Mokuaikaua Church and Huliheʻe Palace, ending at oceanfront restaurants for sunset dinner; good low-key evening for travelers already based in Kona town.
Island Breeze Lūʻau, Kailua-Kona
Kailua-Kona
The in-town Kona lūʻau (no shuttle needed for clients staying in Kailua-Kona), set at Kamakahonu / Ahuʻena Heiau, Kamehameha the Great's former residence — standard buffet-and-Polynesian-show format. Schedule and price are third-party-confirmed, not pulled from the operator's own price page, so verify the current adult rate and that the date is running before quoting a client.
Manta Ray Scuba Dive — Garden Eel Cove
Kailua-Kona
The nocturnal manta experience from below the surface is even more extraordinary than snorkeling — mantas circle in feeding spirals within arm's reach at 20–30 foot depth. Multiple mantas typically present; the record in a single evening is 78. The best night dive in the Pacific.
Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park
Kailua-Kona
A national historical park 10 minutes from Kona that almost no tourists visit — ancient Hawaiian fishponds, lava coast, and a sheltered bay where Hawaiian green sea turtles rest on the beach in numbers that rival Punalu'u. The ʻAiʻōpio Fishtrap area is the focal point: a large enclosed lava pool used for ancient aquaculture, now filled with fish and surrounded by turtles on the rocks. Swimming is possible from a small beach in the protected cove. The combination of free entry, no crowds, and genuine wildlife makes this one of the best-kept secrets on the island.
Manta Ray Night Snorkeling — Keauhou Bay
Keauhou
Pacific manta rays with wingspans up to 18 feet perform feeding rolls through plankton-rich water illuminated by boat lights — and you float on the surface as they rise toward your face. Sighting rate is 90%+. The most magical wildlife encounter in all of Hawaii, full stop.
Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park
South Kona
The most significant cultural site on the Big Island — a Hawaiian Place of Refuge where kapu (law) breakers, defeated warriors, and civilians could reach safety and receive absolution from priests. The reconstructed royal grounds, carved ki'i akua (deity figures), royal fishponds, and enormous mortarless stone wall (built without metal tools around 1550) are extraordinarily well-preserved. A self-guided audio tour walks you through the site's role in Hawaiian society. The ocean setting — palm trees, ancient lava coast, crystal water — is as beautiful as any resort. Do this before or after Two Step snorkeling directly next door.
🏨 Where to stay
7 vetted properties
Royal Kona Resort
Kona
Oceanfront in downtown Kona with a saltwater swimming lagoon. Not luxurious but the location and views are excellent at the price. Walking distance to restaurants and the snorkeling at Snorkel Bob's. Skip the garden-view rooms — only ocean view is worth it.
Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa
Kailua-Kona
Built into a lava flow on Keauhou Bay — manta rays feed below the restaurant terrace on most evenings. Oceanside pool over lava. Best resort in Kailua-Kona proper.
Casa De Emdeko
Kailua-Kona
Oceanfront condo complex on Aliʻi Drive south of Kailua-Kona with a saltwater pool and a sandy sunbathing area; one-bedroom units 110, 116, 121, 124 and 202 are the ones she books. Her default Kona stay.
Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel
Kailua-Kona
The only hotel on a beach in Kailua-Kona town, at the pier where the Ironman starts. Walk to restaurants; parking and resort fee at check-out.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Kailua-Kona
Kailua-Kona
Reliable chain stay above the town with breakfast included and free parking; standard rooms with two queens. The budget-conscious Kona pick.
Kona Coast Resort
Keauhou
Condo resort on the Keauhou golf course above the manta-ray bay; one-bedroom villas with kitchens, two pools. Ten minutes to Kailua-Kona.
🍽️ Where to eat
4 places our scouts eat
Da Poke Shack
Kailua-Kona
Da Poke Shack (Kailua-Kona) — the best poke in Kona and consistently rated among the best on the island. Small counter, limited daily batches — arrive before noon or it sells out; closed Saturday and Sunday. Ahi shoyu and spicy ahi are the moves. Take it to the seawall.
Huggo's on the Rocks
Kailua-Kona
Huggo's on the Rocks (Kailua-Kona, on Alii Dr) — toes in the lava, drinks in hand as the sun drops into the Pacific. Not the strongest menu but the location is the point: an open-air bar built directly on the volcanic rock above the water. The best sunset drink spot in Kona. Go for drinks, not dinner.
Island Lava Java
Kailua-Kona
Island Lava Java (Kailua-Kona, Ali'i Drive) — oceanfront cafe with local Kona coffee. Eggs Benedict with Portuguese sausage and macadamia nut pancakes are essential. Best breakfast in Kona with open-air ocean seating.
The Coffee Shack
Captain Cook
The Coffee Shack (Captain Cook, on Hwy 11) — breakfast and lunch with one of the best views of any restaurant in Hawaii: a cliff-edge terrace looking directly down over Captain Cook Bay from 1,200 feet. Eggs, sandwiches, and genuinely good coffee from the farms below. Closed Wednesdays. ~15 min from Kealakekua Bay.
📅 Events
49 on the calendar
2026-01-01
New Year's Day Virtual Run - Hilo (Big Island)
2026-01-03
Quadrantid meteor shower (peak)
The Quadrantids are one of the year's strongest meteor showers, with a brief, sharp peak in early January that can produce 40 or more meteors per hour under dark skies. Because Hawaiʻi has some of the clearest, darkest skies in the U.S., the islands are a superb place to watch. Look in the hours before dawn, away from town lights — a high-elevation spot or a dark leeward beach is ideal. No telescope needed; just let your eyes adjust for 20 minutes.
2026-01-18
Playtri Hawaii Camp
2026-02-28
Big Island Road Runners Waikaumalo Fun Run
2026-03-29
HATA 5K Fun Run
2026-04-04
43rd Annual Mac-a-thon
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