Although we only had a few days to spend in Hawai'i, and a lot of activities to experience, we were…read moreexcited about trying out the variety of food available in Hilo. Thankfully, Pono and the Hilo Food Tours delivered. It was a treat to hear about the food we sampled through the lens of Hawaiian history. I would recommend Hilo Food Tours to anyone interested in sampling some great flavors. We hope to come back some time for the cocktail tour too!

From the owner: Hilo Food Tours is an experience, a walking culinary and historical journey which we make together…read morethrough Hilo town. These tasty dishes have become a part of the food landscape of Hawaii and are enjoyed by everyone. Our customers will experience the history and culture of Hawaii through their taste buds, leaving them with an appreciation for a place known for its beauty and mystery. This is what makes Hawaii unique and this is what we want you, our customers, to experience. Our 2 hour walking tour takes place in our quaint town of Hilo. We will tour five different eateries throughout Hilo town and sample the wonderful flavors each offers in their dishes. As we walk her streets you will learn the history and background of the area and be taken away to another time and place. A place rich in diversity that makes Hilo unique. You will experience each individual culture through your taste buds, savoring the richness and unique spices used in every dish.

Bigger of an operation now compared to back when I was growing up in Hilo. But they have always…read morekept the fact that you can walk in and see the workers hand dipping cookies and whatnot. They've not changed much besides having newer items here and there. They've classic chocolate dipped shortbread cookies are always a winner. Best part about visiting is that you get samples of their products if you just ask kindly! The staff are always so friendly and helpful. I wish they would bring back the Peanut Butter Crunch Bars!

Make sure to check this place out if you're in the area! We stopped by around 8:30 AM and honestly…read moreweren't even sure it was open at first--the building looks pretty dark from the outside because of the tint. But as soon as we walked in, we were warmly greeted by the wonderful staff, and the whole vibe completely changed. Inside, the space is bright, inviting, and thoughtfully set up. We were offered samples of their Kona coffee along with a couple of treats of the day, which was such a nice touch. As you walk around, you can actually watch them making their delicious goodies, which makes the experience even more fun and tempting. The shop was beautifully decorated for the upcoming Easter holiday, and they also had some really lovely gift boxes--perfect if you're looking to bring something home for family or friends. There's also a small area where you can grab drinks (and possibly ice cream too). I ordered a green tea latte, and it was absolutely wonderful. Overall, such a cozy, welcoming spot with great treats and friendly service. Definitely worth stopping by--whether you're craving something sweet or looking to pick up a thoughtful gift!

The OK Farm tour is a great way to learn about post sugarcane agriculture in Hawaii. Cassie was…read moreour tour guide and was very informative of the OK Farm history teaching us about all the crops growing on the farm. The in season fruit and macnuts were a nice treat as we overlooked the best view of Rainbow Falls!

One of the most interesting, informative tours I've ever been on. If you're a foodie or like to…read morecook this is a great place to visit! Ala and Cassie were great tour guides, driving us on a tour bus and stopping a few times to show us different fruit crops, but my favorite was spice road. Tasting, smelling and learning about the harvesting process. Don't misunderstand this was not at all a boring tour, it was just enough information and then we would move on while sipping seltzers,beer, and trying unusual fruits of the island not to mention snacking on macadamia nuts by some beautiful waterfalls. They also have a store where they sell some of their products and produce.

This place is absolutely magical! I really don't think I can express in words how incredible the…read moreVolcano Eco Retreat was, and I truly don't think we'll ever find something as magnificent again. My wife and I came here to celebrate our 1 year anniversary/late honeymoon, and we could not have DREAMED of a better experience! Emily and Court were such gracious hosts and you can immediately tell how much love they put into this place. The cottages were absolutely PERFECT, equipped with a mini fridge, WiFi and a smart TV, and a ceiling fan for temperature control. The shower was fantastic, and the bed was like sleeping on a cloud! The resort itself was STUNNING, with beautiful lush greenery as far as the eye can see. We found ourselves easily able to fall asleep to the sounds of nature every night. It was so wonderful to be able to unplug and just enjoy the sounds of the forest around us, and the rain falling. Unbelievably relaxing! If you've never been to Hawaii before, the weather changes pretty frequently. It rained every day we were there, but only for about 30 minutes or so. Definitely don't worry about getting rained out on vacation, because if you drive even just a few minutes down the road it'll be clear skies and sunshine! All of Emily's recommendations were spot on! She really knows her stuff and I felt like we had an inside source to all the best spots on the island - the ones only known to locals. The handmade breakfasts every morning were to die for, Court is an exceptionally talented chef - seriously Michelin star quality food that was breathtaking to look at and some of the most delicious food I've ever tasted! Not to mention everything comes from their own garden! I myself am not vegan but every meal we had was filling and absolutely DELICIOUS. A VERY special shout-out to Naomi the massage therapist! If you get a chance to do Naomi's retreat I HIGHLY recommend it! She really gave us such an amazing experience and we came away from it feeling relaxed and rejuvenated! Plus being able to see all the great work they're doing for the land is truly incredible. Whether you're vegan or not this place should be at the absolute top of your list. We can't thank Emily and Court (and Will!) enough for making our honeymoon a truly unforgettable experience! We will DEFINITELY be back!

I can't express enough how amazing our stay here was. The property itself was well kept, beautiful…read moreand extremely clean! The owners Gabby, Tony and their fashion forward dog Sushi were welcoming, accommodating and kind! My favorite part was brunch! They brought out an amazing spread of pineapple pancakes, spinach bubble waffles and a papaya filled with overnight oats-a straight up chefs kiss! It's the perfect place to relax, unplug and enjoy yourself!

What can I say about wonderful, delightful, knowledgeable Tara within the space and time allotted…read moreto me? EVERYBODY GO ON HER TOUR!! Just do it. If you are someone with an interest in anthropology, culture, history, food, and getting to know an area of the world, you will love this tour. We had the most delicious time with her. It was spent in a small van instead of a giant bus, and I believe that facilitated obtaining the information and experiencing the island in the unique ways by which we, as a small group, connected with our surroundings. As someone who loves to take friends around my home towns, I appreciated Tara's perspective and love for sharing about her home with visitors. No matter how prevalent social media is, there are just some spots that only locals know about, and Tara definitely has the scoop on the Big Island. I would love to go on another one of her tours and look forward to doing so.

Trekked all the way over from Kona and was disappointed with the experience…read more If you have a Costco Membership save yourself the time and buy your Mauna Loa nut products there, much cheaper. If not, venture on over to the visitor center. There's free parking and clean bathrooms, plus if you have children you could kill a couple of hours in the outside self guided tour. They also sell some simple lunches and ice cream with an outdoor seating area where you can watch an informational video. There's an employee giving out free samples of multiple types of the Mac nuts. I did learn that the Hawaiian Host brand is their sister company.

Great place to try some free macadamia nuts!…read more I didn't realize how many flavors of macadamia nuts were available. The staff was super friendly and generous on giving away samples. Nice tour of the factory, gift shop and small eating area. The back has a nice wildlife sanctuary.

This review is for the Twilight Volcanoes and Stargazing Tour, with tour guide Drew…read more My partner and I had never been to the Big Island before, so we chose a tour that would essentially bring us around the island and visit some of the major "must-see" locations. We also happen to love astronomy, which made the stargazing tour an easy choice for us. It was also extremely important that we selected an experience that offered *small* tour groups and was locally owned and operated. Drew was an absolutely fantastic and entertaining host. His enthusiasm and knowledge shines through the way he spoke non-stop from the moment he picks you up. On this tour, we visited Bay View Coffee Farm, Punalu'u Bake Shop, Punalu'u Black Sand Beach, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, and stargazed near Mauna Kea. This was a LONG tour, but was filled with so much fun that time flew by. Although we missed Kīlauea's most recent fountaining episode (51) by a few days, Drew still made time for us to catch the lava glow which was super cool and a highlight of the tour. Our weather was not super favorable with thick, overcast skies; and my partner and I actually gave up on our hopes of stargazing. But Drew is so observant of the weather that when a window to view the night sky opened up, he did so. He provided thick coats to those that needed them and spent some time pointing out different stars and constellations. By this time in the evening, it was really cold and we didn't mind our limited stargazing time. We truly enjoyed our experience, as well as Drew's expertise and respect in regards to Hawai'i's culture and history. We highly recommend that you take a Wasabi Tour early in your trip (like first day if you can), and then you can tailor the rest of your Big Island afterward.

Our family of 6 decided to tour the big island in Hawai'i also called Hawai'i. After checking out…read moresome touring companies we decided on Wasabi Tours. We did a 2 day package encompassing the islands most beautiful waterfalls, nature reserves, botanical gardens, volcanoes, beaches coffee farms on old town Hilo. On our first day with Jason our driver and guide picked us up on time and with a smile. He shared his knowledge along the way wearing a microphone in the van so everyone could hear comfortably. At the attractions he was with us giving us history of all the waterfalls. Whiles driving he told us about the sites inbetween. At lunch time he provided us a delicious meal from a local restaurant. Day 2 with our driver Derek was in another new van that was also comfortable and roomy. Derek took us to a working coffee plantation to see, smell and walk through the farm. At Kīlauea volcano national park where we got to see upclose and personal the caldera in all its majesty. All the time telling the history and recent activity of the volcano. We saw and walked on a beautiful black sand beach with segregated sea turtle nesting area where we saw a turtle swimming ashore and resting at waters edge before digging a hole in the black sand to lay her eggs in preparation for the next generation of turtle, we walked down and into a 30 meter lava tube and got to visualize the path of a whole lotta molten rock traveling through centuries before. Culminating the day's trip by stopping on a mountain top in almost complete darkness, the moon was in a waxing crescent and producing very little nighttime light. We bundled up to stay warm in the 50 degree Fahrenheit temperature to stargaze. It was refreshing in the cold air, outside the van huddled in a group while Derek pointed out, planets, stars, constellations and galaxies as we stood in awe of the majesty above us. Wasabi Tours, Jason and Derek were on-time, safe, informative and most of all fun to spend our time with. I highly recommend taking a Wasabi tour to REALLY see the big island. Thank you all!

I first came across Ka'u local buzz coffee and Paradise Meadows a couple of years ago and decided…read morethat this was the best coffee I've ever had. Same for the Mac Nuts. I immediately subscribed to their newsletter so I could keep up to speed on what they where offering. In a recent trip to Hawaii, we were finally able to visit in person and it was a fun experience. Enthusiastic staff, lots of laughter, delicious fruit slushies, Art Gallery with featured local artists, penny the pig, baby ducks, parrots that would squawk at you until you engaged in conversation. Premium Kau Coffee, Macnuts, chocolate, short bread, slushies, pizza (on the day we were there) made by two Italian guys. Yes please! After we gorged on free samples and margarita pizza, we went on a shopping spree at the well stocked gift shop (not sure if that's the correct term, maybe farmstand?). Since we spent a certain amount on goodies, a discount was given along with free shipping to Alaska (what?!?). It makes me so happy just knowing that places like this exist. My only regret about stopping is that because we were in go, go, go mode to get to a birthday party, we didn't spend nearly enough time here as I would've liked. Next time!

I truly thing this place is amazing and should be on your list as a stop as you explore the Big…read moreIsland It's the only place that we found clean bathrooms. Not just one but 4 of them with in a beautiful art gallery filled with art by the Resident / Owner and Artist They have the most amazing macadamia nuts and cookies we have found on the Island. They literally have you try and sample everything they have COFFEE HONEY SHORTBREAD COOKIES & Macadamia nuts Salted and in some of the most amazing flavors as well as delicious chocolates..... The property is beyond peaceful and tranquil and is educational. There was a pizza vendor and he is from Italy..... we tried 2 of the pizzas and it's the best we have eaten in a very long time. The staff is inviting and friendly and go out of their way to have you try their delicious goodies. MAKE IT A MUST ON YOUR TRIP TO THE BIG ISLAND

I can't recommend Aloha 'Āina Tours Hawaii enough! From start to finish, the entire experience was…read moreheartfelt, educational, and full of aloha spirit. The guides are incredibly knowledgeable and truly passionate about Hawaiian culture, history, and the land. This isn't your average tourist tour it's a deep, personal journey through the beauty and meaning of Hawaii We got to see breathtaking landscapes, learn about native plants and traditions, and experience Hawaii in a respectful and meaningful way. It felt like we were exploring the island with family, not just tour guides. If you're looking for a more authentic, cultural, and sustainable way to experience Hawaii this is the tour to book. Mahalo nui loa to the whole team. I'll be recommending you to everyone I know!

Had so much fun on this tour! Steve is truly the best tour guide we've ever had. we were thrilled…read moreto hear about all the culture and history. He treated us like family. He also plays the ukulele. A true Hawaiian experience. Mahalo and can't wait to bring our friends next time we come to big island. Highly recommended