As good as it gets when it comes to exploring Hawaii's nature. No need for a tour guide here, just…read morepark on the side of the highway and take in the magnificent open sky. Wear long sleeves and pants- I cannot emphasize that enough! Not only is getting a cut on these sharp rocks annoying for the bleeding, but it's actually dangerous given there are TONS of bacteria living in these freshly volcanic rocks that can cause some serious infections to brew in your wound. If you do get cut, make sure you clean it thoroughly with water before applying some antiseptic. If in doubt, try to get medical attention (and if you do, be aware of your insurance as a traveler).

Well, we went here based on reading how we could explore, however, there are signs posted all along…read morethe highway "no parking" and "keep out". Plus, they built up sort of a wall out of lava rocks to prevent you from being able to climb down. What a bummer. We were hoping to get down there and explore inside. At least I got a pic.

I highly recommend this as one of the best chocolate tours!…read moreWe took the two hour tour with our family - it was a nice small group of six in total. Mike was not only an expert in all things chocolate, but he is easy to understand, he takes time to teach you and answer any questions and he has a great personality! It was pouring down rain the day we went, yet the tour was still a great success. We started out at the farm and then concluded down at the shop. You get to taste fresh cacao, nibs, cacao tea and kakao brew - of course at the shop are the full chocolate bars. Mike clearly loves what he does and enjoys sharing that love with his customers. The only down side is that after listening to Mike you will be ruined forever on eating any other general retail chocolate. So long Hershey and friends!

Experienced the VIP cacao tasting tour and enjoyed every last second of it! Mike was an amazing…read moretour guide. He built his cacao farm from the bottom up and it was amazing to witness his progress ever since 2017. He walked us through the seed germination process, the growing process, the fermentation process and everything before, in between and after that.. from seed all the way to chocolate bar. This tour is meant to expand your knowledge and change your perspective on how you think about, taste, and experience chocolate. At the end of the farm tour, you drive down to the gift shop (about a 3 min drive from the farm) to make any potential purchases as well as taste even more chocolate! What an amazing and unique experience in Honaka'a and 100% recommend adding this tour to your Big Island itinerary. P.S. my favorite chocolate bar is the barrel aged bourbon bar!! Notes of dark cherry with a bourbon finish :)

My husband and I were married in Hawaii, and we've been back three times since. This has always…read morebeen our fav beach. My husband snorkeled with dolphins there. It's just a magical little place! Make sure you arrive early to secure a parking spot and a great spot on the beach.

This beautiful beach is well hidden and parking is very limited. We arrived about 10:00 and that…read moreseems to be a good time if you are not one of the first to arrive earlier in the day. Cars who have been here for a few hours will start to leave and spots open up. There is no fee to enter and the showers are nicely sun warmed. But do note that these black sands are HOT and either wear sandals or remain in the shade of the trees. Your feet can burn quickly. There are random picnic tables in the shade for anyone to use but bring a sun umbrella and sand chairs if you have them for sitting on the beach. Bring snorkel gear and watch for the turtles and fish who enjoy the shoreline reef. But also be aware that the tide is strong and you can be swept along and scraped by the reef and rocks by surprise. The underwater view is lively and fish abundant so take your time and float with open eyes. There are camp sites for those who wish to do so. And watch for dolphins who rest near shore during the day. It is a lovely beach that is worth visiting.

Hula daddy is a boutique Kona farm where quality & detail is not overlooked. All coffee beans are…read moremeticulously assessed several times by the resident roaster, Laura. Only the best beans are eventually qualified for their roast and all hand packaged by Laura. This focus on quality & personal touch is reflected in their coffee price. They are more expensive than the Kona coffees you can purchase from local store, but you can be guaranteed of the quality from bean to coffee with Hula. We ended up not purchasing any bags but we definitely had a great time & would recommend the tour. Our tour guide was so bubbly & exceptional! Just FYI- the tour encompasses the history of Hula Daddy, & information about the land/trees/coffee making process. Tour ends with sample of chocolate covered coffee bean. You'll have to purchase flights or Individual cups to try specific batches. Otherwise they have free samples of their general medium & dark roast coffees near their entrance.

We had the best morning tour and coffee flight at Hula Daddy. Joyce was amazing as our guide and…read moreeveryone was so friendly. We truly enjoyed our morning and drinking coffee on the sofa in their breezeway. If you want Fresh roasted award winning coffee, this is your place! We will be back.

This is the only place I found in the area with big size T-shirts. He also sell some baby clothes…read more I would call in advance to see what the hours will be for that day. The place is very small the owner is extremely friendly and nice. I will definitely go back if I'm in the area, or you can order online.

A small clothing shop located on Alii Drive, behind Crazy Shirts. They specialize in their own…read morebrand of men's shirts-especially BIG MENS, and infant clothing, with their own special messages. You gotta check out the infant wear. so cute and guaranteed to make you laugh. Perfect gifts. I love the Biggah Mo Bettah mens tshirts. Visiting the islands, you gotta take one of the tshirts home!!

This place is so good it brings tears to your eyes. Nowhere outside of Italy will you taste food…read morelike this. 10/10

Cipriano's Kitchen - Kawaihae's Italian Treasure…read more Cipriano's Kitchen is one of those rare restaurants that keeps you thinking about your meal long after you've left. Chef Gino is generous with both his talent and his portions. Every dish showcases fresh ingredients, expert preparation, and a genuine love of Italian cooking. The menu is seafood-forward, featuring fresh local catches, handmade pasta, and flavors that are both authentic and creative. This family-run restaurant is made even more special by Claudia, Chef Gino's wife and culinary partner. Claudia bakes fresh focaccia daily and prepares the restaurant's gnocchi and pasta from scratch. As hostess, she warmly welcomes every guest and effortlessly serves as the restaurant's "walking menu," describing each dish with passion and detail. The presentation is stunning. Lobster, octopus, shrimp, clams, scallops, and house-made pasta arrive beautifully plated and bursting with flavor. The fresh focaccia alone is worth the visit. Every meal feels thoughtfully prepared, from the first bite to the last. What keeps me coming back is that the food is genuinely craveable. I find myself dining here every couple of weeks for lunch, and more often than not, I leave with a takeout order for dinner because I know I'll be thinking about it later. Cipriano's Kitchen isn't just serving Italian food--it's creating an experience centered around family, hospitality, and exceptional cooking. Kawaihae is fortunate to have this gem, and anyone who appreciates fresh seafood, handmade pasta, and heartfelt hospitality should make it a destination. A true Big Island favorite. "Come hungry. Leave happy. Plan your next visit before you've even finished your meal."

Great beach! It has shade and some good views. Definitely a good place to bring the family as it is…read moresomewhat protected. Parking is expensive kind of a bummer. The area itself didn't have much amenities, but definitely have palm trees and shade, which was nice in the afternoon. Happy to make it on our first day

We swim here regularly, year-round. IMHO this is the best all-around snorkeling beach on the…read moreisland, but as with any ocean activity the surf and tide will affect your experience, so ask the lifeguards or the volunteers for advice. This protected bay has over 120 species of resident fish, and usually has clear water. Other than urchins (7 species) there is no marine life to worry about. Turtle sitings are more likely at high tide when their salad bar (the algae on the rocks) is available. Typically from 9 to 3 daily the Reef Teach volunteers have photo guide books and other reference materials available, along with free advice, defog spray, and reef-safe sunscreen. Water access is the narrow and shallow rocky channel in front of the lifeguard station by the parking and pavilion. Swim fins or sand shoes are recommended. The locals value their feet and swim through it even at low tide when it is only a foot deep. Coming back in you can actually swim all the way back to the sandy channel. The water is usually noticeably warmer and clearer away from the entry. The bay is shallow with only a few places that are even 8' deep at high tide. Unless you really need to, don't stand on the bottom or coral - fins and feet damage it.

This was one of my favorite moments from our recent visit to Hawaii. I swear that we were…read moreliterally treated like ohana. Leslie and her small staff were so kind and welcoming. There is something to be said about the view and the fantastic coffee!!!! Wow was it top tier! It feels like a custom tropical treehouse. We sat around her concrete table as we sipped sample after sample of award winning Kona coffee. On the TV we watched a live feed of the volcano. It was such a genuine experience all the way through. She took the time to walk us around the farm and explain the entire process. So much effort goes into making such a delicious cup of coffee. This place is highly recommended. It has extremely limited hours so be sure to be mindful of that .

A fantastic and personal tasting and tour that was so gratifying and wonderful. Leslie and Etsi…read morewere wonderful and really made us feel like old friends! We were served several tastings of the coffee (7 or 8 small cups) and every cup was delicious! My favorite was the SL34 and I purchased a purchased a pound and half of it. After the tastings, we were taken on a tour around the farm and processing areas and it was so great to see Leslie treat the workers with love and respect. It was genuinely the best coffee farm we had been to...and we've been to several! The view is beautiful as well. The hours are extremely limited so make sure to make plan to come.

This is a state park beach with a lifeguard…read more Ok, so parking can be very difficult and I see the parking go all the way back down to the highway on the outside which is probably like a mile or more - just fyi. There are rips and strong currents here and they sometimes put out red flag warnings but I like to swim here, I enjoy it, I think its fun. Lots of people snorkel and scuba dive here because there are a lot of reefs and rocks with fish and turtles. There are also a lot of great spots to take photos.

Small beautiful bay. waters can be rough with lots of shore breaking waves. Beach is rocky and…read morechallenging to get to... Parking and park fees are expensive... Hawaii is gouging tourists with fees and taxes nowadays... but if you are on the Kona side this is worth the trek if you are a beach lover .

Beach Tree getting refreshed, so very limited seating currently. So Surf Shack does a Sunset Lounge…read more4pm-8pm (no reservations needed). They have the partial menu from Beach Tree. It was great eating right on beach! Food/service was so good, we went twice. Mascarpone and Mushroom pizzas are delicious. Their crust is great! Burger is big (double patty), cooked perfectly. Fries and onion ring are cooked perfectly. Sooo good! Lemon meringue ice cream pie is sooo good. Great combination of flavors. Awesome service. Multiple staff came around to check on us. Special Mahalo to Precious (awesome, friendly service)!

Beach Tree is hands down my favorite restaurant in all of Hawaii. It's located at the Four Seasons…read moreResort Hualalai, and I make it a point to come here every single trip, even the ones where I'm not staying at the property. I'm in Hawaii about twice a year, and this spot is always locked in. The sunsets here are unreal. Depending on the time of year and when your reservation is, you can catch some of the best sunsets in all of Hawaii right from your table. It's one of those places where the view alone makes the night. Food is consistently great. The pizzas are always a safe bet, the chicken parmigiana is a must, and honestly any of the pastas don't miss. Everything is just solid across the board. Drinks are on point, cocktails are strong in a good way, well made, and they've got a great wine list plus plenty of beer options. Service is exactly what you'd expect from Four Seasons, top tier, attentive, and smooth without being over the top. Also a great spot if you're vegetarian or dining with someone who is. They actually have real options, not just afterthoughts. They'll occasionally have a show with fire dancers which adds to the experience. Great food, great service, great drinks, and one of the best views you'll get anywhere. Easily my favorite restaurant in Hawaii and it's not even close. Parking: Visitor Parking is free!