One of the better farmers markets on the Big Island. We play 'tourist' when we have…read morevisitors from the mainland or other islands and it's always an enjoyable field trip. Local vendors selling their wares -- art, clothing, jams/jellies, baked goods, Kona coffee, fruits/veggies. There are vendors selling hot/cold foods. They open early on Saturdays and parking can be challenging. Get there early!

Tourists far and wide - if you're looking for a farmers market on this island, this is it. And if…read moreyou visit over Christmas, be sure to stop by and see Santa. Fresh coconut, fresh fruits, tasty food made ready at each stand, great crafts for sale, and a great uncrowded layout. It's a mix of tourists and locals and the playground just across the street seals the deal for families with little ones. We ate so much I thought we wouldn't fit back in the car! Even my family members who were dragged into the experience against their will (I have a habit of doing that) loved it. Super friendly vendors who were all ready to answer questions about their products, farms, and life in Hawaii. Love this market!

Would you pay $99 for AYCE prime rib dinner for two? Yes, but how about if you had to attend a…read moretimeshare sales presentation? 48 Hilton guests took the $99 offer, and came up a packed bus 20 miles from Hilton Waikoloa Village. Gathered in a large dining room sitting around six tables to hear the host give a long talk on the cultural history of the Ranch. Everyone attentive until the singer started playing Hawaiian songs, at which point everyone started talking to the others around the table. Had to talk really loud to be heard across the large table, due to the large amount of background noise. Dinner buffet self serve by table in multiple courses, including unlimited wine and lemonade. Fabulous mixed salad, so good that everyone finished their salad, even those that don't like vegetables. Main course included broccoli, potatoes, fish, and prime rib. I got a double portion of prime rib, while everyone else got a 12 oz to start off with. Thought the outside portion was way too salty and tough. Not for someone to chew with a temporary crown. Center portion was tender and juicy. Threw out a good portion of the outside and fat and gristle. Meal topped off with a dessert of cheesecake covered with sweet mango sauce. Met the host outside. Turned out we were both UC Berkeley graduates, me of class of 1975, and he of class of 1963. Oh, by the way line outside the mens bathroom, as the urinal was out of order. Those people who didn't show up for the Hilton timeshare presentation would be assessed the full $390 price of the event for two!

Fabulous opportunity to come up to Anna Ranch for a dinner with Chef Ipi via a special weekly…read morecultural event managed by the Hilton Grand Vacation folks. We were treated to oral history of the area, music, and an impromptu Hula. Truly honored to be part of this event. Oh, the food? Locally made ricotta in a crostini, mixed green salad with toasted sesame dressing, local shrimp, beef, zucchini, potatoes, and a lava cake with strawberry ice cream.

This is a great way to spend a Saturday morning. This farmer's market is really chill, with lots of…read moregreat food options, baked goods, fresh coconuts, and beautiful orchids. There's a big grassy area for the kids to run around, live music, and plenty of picnic tables. Some of the highlights for us were: + Sourdough booth with fluffy sourdough english muffins + The coconut guy was fun to watch as he hacked a coconut for us + Gourmet crepes with your choice of filling Overall, it was a fun place and the kids didn't get bored.

Great variety of fresh local fruit and vegetables, handmade items, clothing and hats.read more

Not only do they source local beef, they make a mean brisket and pulled pork, AND they make dog…read morefood! I'm so glad I come down to Waimea regularly for work that I can restock on food for my pup. He absolutely loved the raw dog food mix with beef and sweet potato. Oh! Don't forget that this isn't just a butcher shop, it's a take out and sit down restaurant with a nice bar selection! On certain nights they have live music too. Vibes are everything here. Service is so on point. Everyone is super nice and friendly. I learned a lot about Empress Gin (now my favorite choice for a cocktail). The food always comes out amazing. Pulled pork was moist and flavorful and the brisket, perfect! I truly recommend this to anyone driving through or staying in Waimea!

Nice ambiance for dinner Our wait-help was amazing he was…read morepersonable knew his products well and kind. Also super attentive Food was ok but the Cesar's salad was amazing.

Sunset, Food, Relaxing! Way up north of Kona in the rolling green hills of Waimea/Kohala, there is…read morea hidden gem, the Evening at the Ranch. This is a true Hawaiian experience most people don't know about. Hawaii, especially Big Island, is known for a rich ranching background. A working ranch by day and every Wednesday night, they turn it into a BBQ Dinner experience. It kind of reminds me a bit like a Luau, but country style. Rolling green hills and pasture lands. Open bar, all you can eat feast and those slabs of macadamia nut pie are delightful! A great activity for all ages. Very relaxing and low key. If you have done a Luau then try this next.

Attended a lunch thru dinner (corporate) event for 150 at the ranch. They did an excellent job for…read morethe 7+ hour event. ATV, horseback, Pinzgauer (jeep) and helicopter rides. This pilot liked the (Paradise Helicopters) operation; good equip, plenty of safety staff, flown by former Marine Corp aviators. Pinzgauer drivers were exceptionally knowledgeable about plants, birds, geology and Pacific island history. Other entertainment included roping, saddle making and branding demos. Lunch buffet was salad, BBQ pork ribs, BBQ chicken, corn, mashed potatoes, rolls, pie, soft drinks and water. After returning from our events, appetizers included shrimp, sushi, sashimi, fruit, Italian meat roll-ups, beer, wine and water. John (Ranch owner/manager) had a good patter about Ranch ops and history. Staff was knowledgeable, attentive, helpful and focused on fun (with appropriate safety) ops. Band was good. They have a wide ranging repertoire. A bit too loud, as it was difficult to chat with co-workers and spouses that we only see once per year.

Cute, small farmers' market but with a good variety of fruit - like dragon fruit! -- and…read morevegetables, vendors selling jewelry and Hawaiian-made, reef-safe sunscreen (Little Hawaii Hands - mahaloz!) and food trucks, including Red Barn. There was also a seamstress at work on her sewing machine; it seems that she offers on-the-spot alterations, which is genius. The crowd was mostly locals, with some visitors. The Red Barn food truck was very, very popular, and for good reason. They serve different types of grilled cheese sandwiches and they are uh-MA-zing. I got "the Frenchman": crisply toasted bread, heavily buttered, piled with high-quality cheese and two types of mushrooms. You must also get a side of their flavorful homemade tomato soup so you can dunk your sandwich. Oh, the sandwiches also come with a pickle spear and taro chips. Besides the Red Barn, there were other food trucks selling Chinese bao (filled steamed buns), filipino food (pancit and halo halo, need I say more), and boba tea. I'm sure I'm forgetting a few of the food trucks, but they all seemed to have their fans. Parking can be tricky during peak hours. And if you park on the side of the road, be on the lookout for pedestrians and cars.

This market has everything. Produce, food, coffee, small souvenirs, etc. Plenty of parking down the…read morestreet.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Wilson and the Mauna Kea Summit & Stars excursion…read more Wilson was incredibly well spoken and knowledgeable and I learned so much! He did all of this while navigating steep roads (not all paved) and feeding us amazing chicken stew, cookies, and hot cocoa. This was a truly memorable and magical trip and the weather was just perfect! Everything was well organized and I cannot recommend them enough

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.

The memorial to the brave soldiers from Camp Tarawa is very nice, but I was very disappointed in…read morethe rest of it. A small sign marked the entrance to Parker Ranch. Six flagpoles stand at the entrance without one flag flying. Driving up the driveway, no signs direct visitors where to go or what to do. We parked, got out, saw a woman walking toward one of the houses who did not speak to or acknowledge us, spoke to her and ask where we were supposed to go. She handed us two papers and went about her business. We walked around, looking at artifacts, not marked as to what they were, so I asked her what the deal was. She said, "The trustees are putting their efforts into the cattle ranching now." "So, in other words, they don't really care whether tourists come to the ranch or not?", I asked. She said, "Their efforts are in the cattle." We went ahead and toured the Mana Hale, the original Parker home, with it's rich Koa wood throughout. Lots of pictures and artifacts decorated this small home and most items were labeled. As we left the Mana Hale for the walk, again no signs and only the briefest description on the two papers made it impossible to know what we were seeing. One highlight, though, was seeing the giant pine tree in the front yard that was planted in 1852. Overall, I would advise, just going to the Camp Tarawa memorial out on the highway, pay your respects, and move on to the spectacular drive from there to Hawi on highway 250. We love this drive where you can view the Kohala mountain range (you're actually on it), Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, and Maui and the vistas from the highway are amazing. In Hawi, we got coffee, shopped, visited, then drove back on the coastal highway past the harbor, the Lapakahi State historic park, and all the Kohala resorts. Great drive!

What a strange visit, and a complete letdown after being so excited to visit. We drove around for…read morequite a while trying to find this place. Once we found it we weren't even sure we were in the right place. But, we went inside anyway. We walked around inside the building for a solid 20 minutes looking at artifacts on the walls before speaking to anyone. Nobody would have spoken to us either had I not asked what was going on and if they were closed to the public. It was as if we were in their office space and they just completely ignored us while sitting at their desks. The lady I spoke to looked rather bothered by my inquiry. She handed me 1 well used sheet of paper with some information on it for our group of 4 people. She very unenthusiastically said we could go look at the house if we really wanted to and pointed in its general direction. She was uninterested in having any additional conversation with us after that. So, after passing around and reading the sheet of paper we handed it back to her thinking it was the only one they had. She again looked bothered. We then went to find the house she mentioned. It had some nice koa wood and other historical artifacts. We saw nobody else while we were inside. We left with that what just happened feeling. The day wasn't a complete bust. The drive out to this place is very pretty and scenic. They should just close this place to the public and stop promoting it. They obviously don't want any visitors.

The Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary has a truly special history as a multi-generational reforestation…read moreproject, and that profound energy is palpable the moment you step into its lush, misty trails. At a transitional point in my life after some major changes, I discovered their Forest Bathing (Shinrin-Yoku) experience. As a first-timer, I was blown away--it felt deeply spiritual and cleansing, with guided invitations to slow down, breathe in the cool forest air, listen to the birds and rustling leaves, and connect mindfully with the ancient trees and vibrant ecosystem. I highly recommend this for anyone seeking personal growth, healing, or simply a reset amid life's junctors. Our guide, Bri, was exceptional--knowledgeable, intuitive, and truly essential to unlocking the full magic of the experience. Request her if you can! For visitors to Hawai'i, don't miss this hidden gem on the uplands of the Big Island. It's a serene contrast to the beaches, showcasing the island's diverse, restorative natural side. As a lucky Holualoa resident, I'm excited to explore more offerings, especially the Sound Bath Meditation Journey, tree-planting volunteer opportunities, and Bri's new Exploring Within: A Music & Movement Journey in Nature. p.s. make sure you use their natural mosquito spray before heading out!

I loved everything about this tour and our tour guide Daniel was amazing. He was so knowledgeable…read moreabout the cloud forest and able to point out different species of trees and the overall history of the called forest along our tour. This place is definitely up in the clouds and gets really cold. There are a variety of tours that are offered and I ended up taking a hike and a sound bath. The hike was about a mile long and it looped around the cloud forest, so there's no way you can get lost. They are still actively working to plant trees and they have volunteer opportunities on the weekends for locals which I think it's a great option. This is such a peaceful and amazing way to learn about the history of the island along with ways to protect the trees and other plants that are being planted there. In addition to the hiking, there is also birdwatching and there's also a sound bath that is offered. I ended up doing the sound bath and it was just absolutely amazing, and it was really amazing right after the hike. I highly recommend both of these activities and to try to do them back to back. Both are such a relax and experience and it's also helping to reclaim the natural Kona world from deforestation.

Kailani Tours is a first rate business. Our tour was wonderful. Our driver (Thaia I believe) was so…read morekind, informative and enthusiastic about our tour. The van is very comfortable. We enjoyed our Kona Coffee stop and of course the stop to the "southernmost bakery in the USA". Dinner was good. Not very flavorful for ordering the blackened fish, but good. Travelling into the National park at night was so cool. We enjoyed walking down into the lava tube and then back to the lodge to view the crater. The tour is a solid 11 hours. But it goes fast. I highly recommend for everyone. As long as you're up for an adventure.

Everything was amazing and way more then was described Our…read moretour guide Thia was unbelievable her knowledge and her wonderful personality just made the day I have taken tours all over including Europe and this was by far the best