Super experience. We learned a ton from the guided tour, and the cloud forest was breathtaking…read more This is a must if you're visiting the big island! We wanted to do the sound bath but couldn't fit it in, sadly.

Our family of 4 did the 1.5 hour tour. Heather our guide was great and she was very knowledgeable…read more Definitely recommend to addd to your list of things to do if you have time.

The ranch is open from 10am to 2pm with their hours clearly listed by the parking lot…read more It's a quaint little museum that records how the Parker family contributed, and continues to give back, to the Big Island community. The gift shop has a range of clothing, books and other information pertaining to the cowboys. It was fun to learn about how Hawaii came to grow to what it is today. Apparently they have fun events with plenty of vendors frequenting the ranch on weekends and holidays.

Parker Ranch is such a nice gem in Waimea (Kamuela) and full of history; in fact, they have been…read morefeaturing on Scenic Hawaii Channel (now Experience Hawaii). As of Summer 2024, they only offer self-guided tours at 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, and 1:00 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. But if you are able to make it out to Parker Ranch, it is so worth it. There are a couple houses that you can go into (including the main one which you check-in with the staff), and then select parts of the grounds, and you might even see the cattle and horses along the way.

THEY DONT DO RETAIL OR TOURS ANYMORE…read more I love monarch. But their coffee online, support them however you want but don't drive, text or call them. They are closed to the public Again, love them but don't go here thinking you're going to be able to buy coffee or do a tour. Their website goes into more detail.

On our recent visit to the Big Island, coffee was at the top of our list. We looked through tourist…read moreguides and travel blogs to find 1 or 2 since our time was limited on Kona. My friend found Monarch and off we went. It's located in an area with quite a few other coffee plantations. It was quite a trek to find it. But when we did, it was worth the trip. Upon entering the plantation you drive through coffee trees and emerge into a clearing with a circular driveway and a main building. As soon as we parked, we were greeted by Abby. She asked where we were from and we told her Northern California. She asked where in NorCal and we told her Sacramento. It turns out they're also from the area (specifically Woodland.) What a small world! Abby showed us around their tasting room and retail area. It was very small, but very cozy. She told us a bit about the plantation and how they came to be on the Big Island. She told us about the coffees available for tasting and the beans in their retail shop. Another gentleman, Greg, stopped by to tell us more about the plantation and it's operations. Since we didn't have the time to do the complete tour, he gave us an explanation of coffee from tree to cup. I'm not very knowledgeable about coffee, but my friend is and he was a fountain of information. The farm was so homey and cozy. It was like I was invited to a friend's home and enjoyed a leisurely chat on their patio. I highly recommend a tour of Monarch coffee plantation. You will get award winning coffee and an unforgettable experience.

We had a great time on the Hawaii Forest & Trail Secret Waterfalls of Kona Excursion! Our guide,…read moreMark, was incredible--he kept everyone talking and he was genuinely interested in hearing everyone's travel stories. He was very knowledgeable and provided us with a wealth of fascinating information about the island. After a comfortable van ride, we hiked a beautiful trail that led us to a series of truly stunning, pristine waterfalls. We were treated to a delicious lunch from a local deli, and we loved that it was served in eco-friendly, completely reusable containers. On the way back, we made a perfect final stop at a local macadamia nut store. It was a fantastic experience from start to finish, and we recommend it!

We went on an almost 100% full (flower) moon. It was special to see the terminator line on the…read moreCelestron telescope - it had such great definition! The color of Mauna Kea with the moon shining on it was so magical all around us. There were some clouds that cleared pretty well by the end of our star gazing. We were the last ones up there so it got dark enough to see more than you'd expect with the moon. Jeff, our awesome tour guide, used a laser pointer to help us see the constellations we usually can't back at home. The images on the digital telescope like nebulas, the moon & star clusters were an amazing addition to have as keepsakes. My husband and I felt he made the tour a great balance of learning and fun. He had the group feeling like family before we even left from the pickup lot. Things to consider: I do recommend following the moons cycles booking this tour/your trip if this is especially important for you to see as many stars as possible. The sunset and views of the observatory's make it awesome anyways :) I struggled with altitude sickness around 12,000 ft. Jeff had made sure to let us know beforehand if we experienced any issues to speak up. I was hesitant as I know it would mean turning the whole tour around, but some tingling turned to dizziness and then a brief fainting. He immediately stopped the bus and helped ground me and make sure I was completely okay & coherent before letting me know our options for the tour. We made it up to the top with 2 more (included in tour) stops and I felt better with each one having more time to acclimate :) Thank you Jeff!! You handled this so professionally and I appreciate your check-ins for the rest of the trip. It's cold even with parka and gloves. It's so worth packing warm shoes and layers. The bus had ac and heat so that was great! Do it if you can! Awe-inspiring! Such an unreal environment that makes you wonder about so many things. Just take the precautions seriously, move slow and breathe deep.

Great quality and value! We rented snorkel equipment and a…read morecooler for our trip and it was definitely worth it. Danny was great and made for easy pick up and drop off!

The best rental shop in Kona for snorkel gear. The owner is very experienced and sizes you up…read moreperfectly. Loved it and he told us right where to go, awesome snorkeling for 2 days thanks to him. New equipment very compfy!!

I say LDT a few years ago! Fabulous performance and great latin beats. I honestly had no idea they…read morewere based on the Big Island! Don't miss their performances, Loved them! They get the audience moving!

Leche De Tigre performed during the cocktail hour for our wedding at Puakea Ranch on the Big Island…read moreand it was absolutely fantastic. They are really great, laid back and so much fun. I really wanted people to dance right after the ceremony, and you bet so many did. Thank you so much!

Amazing FREE tour to learn about Kona coffee beans, Hawaiian fruit, and chocolate! There are lots…read moreof different samples of hot coffee to try before and after the tour. Our tour guide, cannot remember his name, was SO funny and was really engaging with our group. He went around the group to learn everyone's names and where they were from, very personable. While waiting to start, they also have umbrellas for shade. Unfortunately, the storm had happened a couple of months prior to our May visit and we weren't able to explore any of the equipment where they process the coffee beans. But our tour guide was still able to make it really exciting for us. We learned about kona coffee and peaberry beans. We also got to see coffee flowers that smell like jasmine. They usually only last for four days before they die. Purchased a couple of bags to bring home. They don't have manufacturing dates on their bags because they always sell them out within five days.

I'm so glad we came here for a tour. I love learning about different things and this was a cute…read moreplace to visit during our stay. Upon arrival, everyone was so friendly and directed us on how to book a tour which ran every 30 minutes or so. While we waited, we were able to sample coffee and check out the little store. Our tour guide was very amusing and kept the tour fun and amusing even though we couldn't do much on the farm due to the recent floods causing a gaping hole of grand canyon through the middle of the farm. Despite the disadvantage, the tour guide still found a way to keep the tour engaging with lots of fun facts, history and merriment. I enjoyed my time here and we also took home some coffee.

Fantastic beer Staff is excellent as well…read more Didn't try the food but worth finding for the beer alone

My wife and I stopped by Ola Brew on a Monday afternoon for some beers and the brewery was not too…read morebusy, with plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors. Ordering is at the bar and you find seating wherever you can. Ola Brew has it all covered in terms of your typical bar amenities: they had two large TVs setup broadcasting hockey and an NBA game, board games, outlets for charging your devices, and I even saw somebody with their laptop out getting some work done. I ordered their Kiawe vanilla porter and really enjoyed the subtle vanilla notes and that the beer was not sweet. Having just done a vanilla tour earlier in the day on the north side of the island, I had a new appreciation for how vanilla is used across different food products. Far too often vanilla is associated only with sweet items, so I liked its application here in beer as an after-note on the palette. Definitely a beer I would get again!

Super cool spot Kinda hard to find…read more But worth the adventure Chili was fantastic Atmosphere is very casual

Richard Pickle - 4/5 - note: we got this without the cheese. Great sandwich! Lots of meat, great…read moreflavor combination. Only complaint: it was a bit on the salty side. Blast Unicorn - 4/5 - also a really good sandwich! Love the vegan cheese crumble, thick sourdough bread slices, sweet sauce, and the umami mushroom flavor. It wasn't overly salty which we appreciated. Some extra freshness from veggies would have been a nice addition as the flavors start to become a bit dense after a few bites.

What an amazing time my family and I had zip lining with Kohala Zipline. Everything from the moment…read morewe got there was well organized and extremely safe. Our Tour guides Jake and Kodie, were so knowledgeable and so very friendly and reassuring for this a just a little scared 61 year old. It was a great time and we all would highly recommend. Can't wait to come back and try a different tour with Hawaii Forest and Trail.

This was one of the coolest experiences I have ever done before. From the pick up to the drop off…read moreat the end, this was hands down one of the best tours I have ever been on. Our guide was knowledgeable, and the scenery and grounds we walked were absolutely stunning. This tour really celebrates the beauty and culture of the Big Island and our guide was the best to make sure we all understood what he was saying. Even though the zipline was fun, learning about the nature on the island and walking around was one of my favorite parts. The zipline was so cool though! It is a mix of starter and long runs. Having had been on zipline before, it was a good course with plenty of great runs where you got to see everything around you for a good period of time before slowing down and stopping. Between the zipline, waterfalls, hiking views, and all of the knowledge we were taught about the nature and beauty of the island, this tour was absolutely worth it. Next time we are on the big island, we will have to go again. Highly recommend to anyone visiting the island.