20 Fun Things To Do In Kona Hawaii (2024)
Are you looking for a list of fun things to do in Kona on vacation? If so, this article’s for you.
Kona is a beautiful resort town on the west side of the Big Island. It has gorgeous white sand beaches, bays abundant with marine life for snorkeling, historic sites, agricultural farms, and much more. On my last trip to the Big Island, I spent half of my vacation in Kona, enjoying the sandy beaches and picturesque sunsets. But, Kona has a lot to offer beyond the beaches.
To help you get the most out of your trip, I’ve compiled a list of the best things to do in Kona.
From sunset cruises to hiking, snorkeling, touring coffee farms, there’s something on this list for every type of traveler.
Here are 20 of the best things to see and do in Kona Hawaii.
1. Relax At The Beaches
The coast of Kona and Kohala are home to many stunning white sand beaches. Some of the best beaches for swimming are Hapuna Beach, Anaehoomalu beach (A-Bay), and Spencer Beach Park. Hapuna and A-Bay have some of the most beautiful sunsets, and Spencer Beach Park is a great family-friendly beach with gentle waves.
Other beaches worth checking out are Magic Sands and Maniniʻōwali Beach (Kua Bay), both of which have bright blue waters, and perfect waves for boogie boarding.
All of these beaches are free to visit, with the exception of Hapuna Beach, which has a daily parking fee of $10/person, and $5/per nonresident entrance fee.
2. Go Snorkeling
Kona has the best snorkeling opportunities on the Big Island. If you want to spend the day snorkeling, Kahalu’u Beach Park, Kealakekua Bay, and Honaunau Bay (Two Step Beach) are the places to go.
Kahalu’u Beach Park is a popular snorkeling beach, with reefs close to the shore, filled with a variety of tropical fish and sea turtles. There’s a parking fee of $12, and the beach has lifeguards, and watersport rentals on shore, in case you didn’t bring snorkeling gear.
However, the absolute best place to go snorkeling on the Big Island is Kealakekua Bay. This is a secluded deep water bay that’s only accessible by hiking or going on a snorkeling tour. The hike to Kealakekua Bay is nearly 4 miles roundtrip, down a steep mountain, so it’s not ideal for families or those with mobility issues.
But if you’re traveling on a budget and snorkeling is high on your priority list, hiking is a great option. Once I arrived, the bay had crystal clear waters, and abundant coral reefs not far from the shore. The bay is also a resting site for spinner dolphins, so you may get to spot dolphins playing in the water if you arrive early in the morning! For more details on the hike, check out our article on how to get to Kealakekua Bay.
The last great snorkeling spot in Kona is Honaunau Bay (Two Step Beach). This beach is located right by the Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park in south Kona. It gets the name “Two Step Beach” for the two rock steps you can climb down into the water for easily accessible snorkeling.
It has abundant coral reefs full of tropical fish, and occasionally dolphins, since it’s located near Kealakekua Bay in south Kona. To get to Two Step Beach, you can park at the small parking lot ($5) by the beach, or do a short 5 minute walk from the parking lot at Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park.
3. Visit Historic Parks
Kona has a variety of historical beach parks, with the most known being Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park. Known as the “Place of Refuge”, this is considered one of the most sacred places on the island.
It was used historically as a sanctuary for Hawaiians that broke the law, and is surrounded by green coconut trees, and ancient structures built as far back as 400 years ago.
It’s tucked along the coast, and has a large visitor center where you can stop by to watch a film on the park’s history. It costs $20/car entering the park, or $10 per person.
The next park to visit is Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park in the heart of Kona. This park has a small visitor center, and a one mile petroglyph trail that leads down to the beach.
At the end of the trail, there’s ancient fishponds filled with dozens of sea turtles, an ancient canoe hale, and a calm beach for swimming on the far left.
You’re almost guaranteed to see dozens of sea turtles in the tide pools here. Just remember to keep a viewing distance of 10ft, as it’s against Hawaii’s law to touch sea turtles.
If you want to skip the hike, you can park at Honokohau Small Boat Harbor, and it’s a short 5 minute walk to the beach area. Tip: To find the parking, continue driving past the “Gentry’s Marina” sign on the left until you reach the large parking lot.
Another interesting park to visit is the Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site, just up the street from Spencer Beach Park in Waimea. This historic park has an excellent visitor center with a gift shop, and a film on the story of King Kamehameha (first ruler of Hawaii). From the visitor center, there’s a short trail that leads to an ancient temple site built around 1790, by Kamehameha and his soldiers.
If you’re in Waimea, another park worth stopping by is the Lapakahi State Historic Park. It has a small visitor center, and a short trail that leads to an ancient Hawaiian fishing village. Both Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site and Lapakahi State Historical Park overlook the ocean, so they’re amazing places to watch whales during whale migration season (Dec.-March).
4. Tour A Kona Coffee Farm
Kona is the largest coffee growing region in Hawaii, with over 600 farms! If you’re a coffee lover, touring a Kona coffee farm is a must to learn why it’s one of the world’s most expensive types of coffee.
Not only are the coffee cherries grown on nutrient-rich volcanic soil, but they’re delicately handpicked, ensuring every cup’s bold and brewed to perfection!
I visited Greenwell Farms, one of the oldest Kona coffee farms, for their free tour. They walked us through their farm to teach us about the in-depth cultivation process, and gave us free coffee and Hawaiian sea salt samples.
They’re located in south Kona, so they’re a great stop if you plan on visiting Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park. For more options, check out our full list of the best Kona coffee farms.
5. Go On A Night Time Manta Ray Tour
Swimming with manta rays is one of the most unique experiences you can have on the Big Island. You’ll get to cruise out to a manta ray feeding site at night, and snorkel around huge manta rays. Reef manta rays inhabit the waters of the Big Island, and have an average wingspan of 11 feet.
Unlike stingrays, they don’t possess stingers, and are completely harmless to humans. On a tour, the guide will use a light board to attract plankton that the manta rays feed on, so you’ll get within inches of these gentle giants!
6. Hike To A Secluded Beach
If you love hiking, there’s a few hikes in Kona that lead to serene, secluded beaches. For experienced hikers, you can hike down to Kealakekua bay to snorkel, spot dolphins, and see the Captain Cook monument.
The hike is nearly 4 miles, first through tall grasses, then an open volcanic area with a rocky trail consisting of loose lava rocks. Throughout the hike, you’ll likely see feral goats, mongooses, and get to enjoy beautiful views of the coastline.
There’s 8 trail markers that help you determine how far you’ve hiked, but no restrooms or facilities along the hike.
This bay is an amazing snorkeling spot away from crowds. I hiked on a weekday afternoon, and there were only a few other people on snorkeling tours.
If you want to relax on a secluded beach, the hikes to Makalawena beach and Mau’umae Beach are great options. To get to Makalawena beach, you’ll hike north of Kekaha Kai State Beach for around 30-40 minutes, through lava rock fields. This is a gorgeous beach with perfect waves for boogie boarding.
To get to Mau’umae beach, you’ll hike the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, from the south end of Spencer Beach Park for around a half mile. This is an excellent beach away from crowds, for swimming or sunbathing. There’s no restrooms or facilities on either of these trails, and they’re exposed to the sun, so make sure to wear sunscreen and bring water.
7. Tour A Vanilla Farm
Beyond coffee, Hawaii’s volcanic rich soil is ideal for growing vanilla orchids, to produce high-quality vanilla beans! In Kona, there’s two vanilla farms you can visit to learn the process of vanilla-making:
- The Vanillerie: Offers tours Tues-Sat, starting at $25/person. Tours include free photo and fresh vanilla ice cream.
- Hawaiian Vanilla Company: Offers vanilla-infused lunch, vanilla tastings, and farm tours, starting at $41.50. Gift shop and cafe open daily from 10am-3pm.
8. Drive To The Mauna Kea Summit
The Mauna Kea summit is the tallest mountain in Hawaii, sitting at an elevation of 13,803 feet! At the top of this mountain, there’s 13 large telescope observatories used to explore the universe.
You can go on a stargazing tour to the top of the summit, or drive to the visitor center (Onizuka Center For International Astronomy) yourself.
Any vehicle can drive to the visitor center (9,200 ft in elevation), but a 4×4 vehicle is required to drive to the top of the summit. I drove to the visitor center, and hiked the “sunset hill trail”, a short hike up a small hill, across the street from the visitor center.
From this short hike, you’ll have an amazing view of the sunset above the clouds during sunset! Just remember to wear warm clothes, as it’s very cold (~40°F) due to the elevation.
9. Tour A Honeybee Farm
Head to Big Island Bees for a beekeeping tour to learn about honey production, sample fresh honey, and purchase a variety of unique honey products at their gift shop. If you’re afraid of bees, don’t worry, you’ll get to watch the beekeeping process from a safe, screened area.
They offer tours Monday through Friday, from 10am-3pm, starting at $30/person. They’re located in south Kona, around 15 minutes from Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park.
10. Shop At Kona’s Farmer’s Market
No Big Island vacation would be complete without sampling different tropical fruits at the farmer’s market. Although Hilo has the best farmer’s market on the island, Kona’s farmers market is still worth checking out.
It takes place along Ali’i drive, right across the street from the shops in downtown Kona (Wed-Sun, from 7am-4pm). Here you can shop for a variety of tropical fruit, and get souvenirs at a cheaper price than most shops in Kona.
11. Visit Waterfalls & Waimea
Akaka Falls State Park is a gorgeous 442 foot waterfall tucked in the rainforest, along the Hamakua coast. It’s around 1.5 hours from Kona, but the drive is very scenic, so I highly recommend seeing it.
It’s a short 10 minute hike to the waterfall, and it costs $10/hour for parking at the main lot and an additional $5/per person entrance fee. However, you can avoid the parking fee by parking along the street leading up to the park.
If you’re up for an adventure, head to the Umauma experience to go ziplining over Umauma falls. This tour company’s also located along the Hamakua coast, just 15 minutes away from Akaka Falls. They offer 9-line ziplining tours over Umauma falls, ATV tours, and kayaking or swimming tours in the Umauma river.
On the way to these waterfalls, I recommend stopping in Waimea for food, as it’s home to some of the best restaurants on the island. Here are some restaurants worth trying in Waimea:
- The Fish and The Hog: Try their famous poke nachos and banana cream pie
- Hawaiian Style Cafe: Makes huge pancakes and the classic Hawaiian loco moco (rice, with hamburger patty, gravy, and sunny side up egg)
- Gj’s Huli Chicken: Small roadside stand that makes huli huli chicken (Hawaiian style BBQ chicken marinated in pineapple juice)
12. Tour the lush Waipio Valley
The Waipio Valley is a lush valley located along the north Hamakua coast, with waterfalls, rivers, taro fields, black sand beaches, and more. You can view the spectacular coastline from the Waipio Valley lookout, but the hike into the valley is no longer accessible to the public.
To get into the valley, you’ll have to take the Waipio Valley shuttle. On the tour, you’ll get to explore the valley, and see the magnificent 1,450 foot Hi’ilawe Falls (one of the tallest waterfalls in Hawaii)!
13. Attend a Sunset luau
If you’re looking for a fun way to end the night, attend a sunset luau! Luaus are Hawaiian celebrations that involve live music, dancing, fire shows, and a feast of foods like Kalua pig (roasted whole pig).
One of the most popular luaus is the Voyagers of the Pacific Luau, which includes a lei greeting, live dancing, fire show, mai tais, and buffet dinner at the Royal Kona Resort. There’s also a variety of other hotels that feature luaus throughout the week.
Here are some of the best Big Island luaus, with pricing and details:
- Island Breeze Luau (King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel): Sun, Tues, Thurs, starts at $175+
- Legends of Hawaiʻi luau (Hilton Waikoloa Village): Sun, Tues, Fri, starts at $200+
- Mauna Kea luau (Mauna Kea Beach Hotel): Tues, Fri, starts at $94
- Sunset luau (Waikoloa Beach Marriott): Mon, Wed, starts at $150
- Voyagers of the Pacific Luau (Royal Kona Resort): Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri, starts at $140
14. Day Trip To Volcanoes National Park
The Volcanoes National Park is around a 1.5 hour drive from Kona, and a must-see for anyone visiting the Big Island. It covers over 50% of the Big Island’s landmass, and is home to two of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa! Although most people recommend exploring the park for 2 days, you can see a lot within a few hours.
There’s several excellent hiking trails within the park to see lava craters, tubes, steam vents, sulphur banks, active lava flows, and more.
It costs $35/vehicle for a 7 day pass, and you can stop by the visitor center to pick up a map, and find out which hikes are open, before exploring.
Itinerary tip: On the way to Volcanoes National Park, stop by Punaluʻu Bakery to try their famous malasadas (Hawaiian fluffy yeast donuts), sweet bread, or pastries. Additionally, check out Punaluʻu Beach, a stunning black sand beach with sea turtles, located just 20 minutes outside of the park.
15. Go On A Sunset Dinner Cruise
Looking for a romantic activity? Or interested in Hawaiian history? Go on a sunset dinner cruise to Kealakekua Bay.
You’ll get to admire the picturesque Hawaiian sunset, learn why Kealakekua Bay’s considered a sacred site for Hawaiians, and spot dolphins along the way. The cruise includes live music, narration, dinner and a complimentary cocktail in the price.
16. Visit Kona’s Sea Salt Farm
Kona Sea Salt is the only sea salt farm in Hawaii, located right by Kona’s airport. You can tour their farm to learn about the sea salt making process, taste flavored sea salts, and enjoy a mineral foot soak. Their farm tours start at $27/person, and foot soaks at $20/person.
17. Hold A Seahorse At Kona’s Seahorse Farm
If you’re traveling with kids, the Ocean Rider Seahorse farm is less than a mile away from the sea salt farm. This is an aquaculture farm, home to thousands of seahorses, that offers tours where guests can hold a seahorse. Tickets start at around $71 for adults, and $61 for children when booked online.
18. Have A Picnic at Spencer Beach Park
Spencer Beach Park is an amazing family–friendly beach to have a picnic at in north Kona. It has a sandy beach with gentle waves, shaded picnic tables, a large picnic pavilion, barbecue grills, showers and restrooms.
It’s completely free to visit, and allows camping overnight (with a permit) on the south end of the park.
Just 5 minutes north of Spencer Beach Park, you can stop by the Hamakua Macadamia Nut Company for snacks. They make incredible ice cream and let you sample flavored macadamia nuts for free.
19. Visit Kona’s Cloud Forest Sanctuary
The Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary is a tropical cloud forest on the slopes of Hualālai volcano, at an elevation of 3,000 feet.
You can go on a 1.5 mile hiking tour of the forest to see the diversity of plant life, walk through the mist of the clouds, and learn all about its unique ecosystem! They also offer sound bath meditations, and yoga experiences in the clouds.
20. Stroll around historic Downtown Kona
Before leaving the island, historic downtown Kona is a great place to stroll around, dine out, and shop for gifts during the day. It has a variety of gift shops, restaurants, bars, and the historic Hulihe‘e Palace.
The Hulihe‘e Palace is a former Hawaiian royalty summer vacation home built in 1838, filled with old artifacts and furniture that now operates as a museum. They offer educational tours and self-guided tours Wednesday through Saturday.
Right across the street from the palace you can also see the Mokuaikaua Church, the oldest church on the Big Island built from 1835-1837.
And for dinner, you can stop at one of the oceanfront restaurants facing the water, to watch the sunset overlooking Kailua Bay. On The Rocks Grill, Huggo’s, and Don’s Mai Tai Bar & Restaurant are some of the best downtown Kona restaurants with sunset views.
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