12 Unique Things To Do In Waimea HI (2024)
Are you wondering what fun and unique things there are to do in Waimea? You’ve come to the right article.
Waimea is a beautiful lush green mountain town on the north side of the Big Island. Also known as “Kamuela”, it’s known for its amazing food scene, rich Hawaiian Cowboy culture, and thriving farming community, with 3 different farmer’s markets!
Beyond the town itself, it’s close to many nearby natural attractions, including the gorgeous Waipio valley, beaches, historic parks, and more.
I’ve put together this list of all of the best things to do in and around Waimea, so you won’t run out of fun things to do on your trip!
Here are 12 unique things to do in Waimea.
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase through these links we may earn a commission. This helps keep our content free, at no additional cost to you.
1. Tour Parker Ranch
The Parker Ranch is the birthplace of Waimea’s rich Cowboy culture, and the oldest business in Hawaii. It all started in 1788 when 5 cows were brought to the Big Island, and quickly multiplied in numbers.
After the cows began to wreak havoc on local neighborhoods, Kamehameha I (first ruler of Hawaii) ordered a British sailor, John Palmer Parker to herd the cattle. In the following years, Parker founded the Parker Ranch, which spans 130,000 acres on the slopes of Mauna Kea.
In Waimea, you can visit the Parker Ranch headquarters for a self-guided tour of their historic homes, gardens, and grounds, which they offer Mon-Thurs. You can also visit the Paniolo Heritage Museum (Tues-Sat) in downtown to learn about the fascinating history of Waimea’s Paniolo culture.
Fun fact: Paniolo means cowboy in Hawaiian. It’s a derivative of español, named after the Mexican vaqueros who were brought to Hawaii in 1833 to teach locals how to herd cattle.
2. Visit A Farmers Market
Waimea has three main farmer’s markets throughout the week, where you can shop for local produce, crafts, jewelry, and more. These are a great place to try tropical fruit, and they have food trucks where you can pick up some delicious food for cheap.
The Kamuela Farmers Market and Waimea Town Market are open Saturday from 7:30am to 12-1pm, whereas the Midweek Farmers Market is open Wednesday from 9am-2pm.
3. Try New Restaurants
Waimea has some of the best restaurants on the island, from Hawaiian comfort food to brewpubs and roadside barbecue stands.
If you’re a foodie, here are some restaurants worth trying out while you’re in Waimea:
- The Fish and The Hog: Amazing bbq restaurant popular for their brisket and banana cream pie
- Hawaiian Style Cafe: Hawaiian comfort food with hearty breakfasts and traditional dishes
- Merriman’s: Upscale farm to table restaurant that uses local ingredients
- Big Island Brewhaus: Brewpub famous for their beer, fish bites, and Mexican food
- Gj’s Huli Chicken: Roadside bbq stand that makes incredible huli huli chicken (pineapple marinated teriyaki chicken), open weekends only
- 🌱 Vegan options: Yong’s Kal-Bi & Harmoni Foods (Korean), Racha Thai
Beyond restaurants, you can also visit the Kahua Ranch for their Paniolo Sunset BBQ dinner, where you’ll get to watch the sun set over the rolling green hills of Waimea.
The dinner includes live country music, a cowboy show, dancing, and campfire smores so it’s perfect for families.
4. Go On An ATV Tour
If you’re up for an adventure, go on an ATV tour to see waterfalls, rivers, and end the tour by cooling off in a pond.
The tours take place along the scenic Hamakua coast, which is around a 45-60 minute drive from Waimea.
This area of the island is a mix of lush jungle and cow pastures, so you’ll get to enjoy really beautiful scenery throughout.
5. Visit Spencer Beach Park
Spencer Beach Park is the closest beach to town, and one of the best places to set up a picnic or camp overnight.
The beach has soft white sand and gentle waves so it’s perfect for swimming, and there’s excellent facilities. It has picnic tables, large grassy areas, a covered picnic pavilion, bbq grills, and restrooms with showers.
I camped overnight at Spencer Beach Park on a family vacation growing up, and it was one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had.
To camp overnight, you’ll need to purchase a permit online, which costs $21/adult and $20/child per night.
6. Visit Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historic Site
The Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historic Site is an interesting free-to-visit historic park, located just up the street from Spencer Beach Park.
It has an amazing visitor center with a film on the story of King Kamehameha (Hawaii’s first ruler), and a trail leading out to an ancient temple site, built back in 1790-1791 by Kamehameha and his soldiers.
It’s just a short hike to the temple site, and you’ll have a sweeping view of the ocean.
7. Go Ziplining At Umauma Falls
Another fun adventure-filled activity to do near Waimea is to go ziplining.
You can go zip lining over waterfalls in a 9-line course with Umauma Experience, a tour company located along the scenic Hamakua coast (45-60 min. from Waimea).
If you don’t want to make the long drive, Kohala Zipline also offers a zipline course over the Kohala countryside, just 30 minutes from Waimea.
8. Stop By The Hamakua Macadamia Nut Co
Head to the Hamakua Macadamia Nut company to try a variety of flavored macadamia nuts, and delicious ice cream.
They sell everything from rum butter glazed macadamia nuts to taro ice cream, and offer tons of free samples.
This is the perfect place to shop for gifts to bring home, and they’re less than a 10 minute drive from Spencer Beach Park.
9. Spend The Day At Hapuna Beach
Hapuna Beach is arguably the best beach on the Big Island, just a 20 minute drive from the town of Waimea.
This is a beautiful beach with soft white sand, clear blue water, and waves perfect for swimming and boogie boarding.
It has all the facilities you need for a day out on the beach, with large covered picnic pavilions, bbq grills, and restrooms with showers. Entrance to the park cost $10 for parking, and $5/person for nonresidents.
10. Tour The Waipio Valley
The Waipio Valley is a breathtaking valley tucked along the Hamakua coast, just a 30-45 minute drive from the town of Waimea.
You can view the striking coastline for free from the Waipio Valley Lookout, or take the Waipio shuttle to drive down into the valley.
Down in the valley, you’ll get to see a black sand beach, taro fields, horses, and the magnificent 1,450 feet tall Hi’ilawe Waterfall!
The shuttle cost around $70/adult, and $40/children.
11. Visit The Lapakahi State Historic Park
The Lapakahi State Historic Park is another unique historic park to check out on the northern tip of the Kohala coast.
It’s around a 30 minute drive from Waimea, and is completely free to visit.
The park has a small visitor center, and a short trail overlooking the ocean that leads to an ancient fishing village site. This is also a popular area for whale watching, where you may be able to spot whales from the shore during their peak migration season (November–April)!
12. Get Malasadas For Dessert
Manuela Malasada Co is an amazing donut stand, located just off the side of the road near Hapuna Beach (~20 min from Waimea).
Here you can try a famous malasada, a traditional fluffy Hawaiian yeast donut, filled with everything from guava to ube cheesecake.
I highly recommend visiting Punalu’u Bakery (30 minutes from the Volcanoes National Park) for the best malasadas on the island, but this is definitely worth a stop while in Waimea!
Waimea Attractions Map
Related articles you may be interested in: