Located in Captain Cook, the Royal Kona Coffee Company is a quaint roadside stop that, while not a must-see, was mildly engaging. First off, there is plenty of parking and there are also several clean bathrooms. As you meander up the ramp into the Reddish wooden building, you can see the ocean. As you walk further up into the building, there is a coffee sample station with many coffees and teas to try. 100% Kona Dark-Medium roast is delish. There's a small gift shop and coffee museum as well. The gift shop was underwhelming and the museum is small but informative. The folks working here are pleasant. The coolest part of this stop is the Lava Tube that you can walk through. You just need to walk down the stairs from the visitor center and follow the signs for the Lava Tube. It's a little bit of a hilly walk, so be prepared. The tube itself is short, but it is neat to see. There is no cost to visit this place which is a plus. So, if you're in the area, definitely stop by, but I wouldn't make a long trip or go out of your way to visit this place. Mahalo. read more

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Loved this place on my recent trip to the Big Island. They've got tons of merch from clothes to a variety of different coffees and teas. If you're interest, they offer samples of everything before you buy to even include the rare peaberry Kona Coffee. If that's not enough, they've got a coffee bar inside that served one of the best blended drinks I've ever had from a coffee joint. On the off chance you're looking at more than just the store, this location also has a small museum with amazing views of their coffee mill. It's also home to a small lava tube that is free to view. I highly recommend giving this place a shot. read more

Royal Kona Coffee Center - Milling site - Visitor Centers Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

Great place to visit, has a museum and you can see the roasting factory behind it. Catch cold brew when there... read more

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Such a beautiful place!! Definitely reccomend you stop by even if it's just to grab a coffee and sit on the lanai and enjoy the view. Staff are great too. Also all of their coffee drinks are literally delicious read more

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Recently, we were in Honolulu, HI we purchased Private reserve 100% Kona Coffee. We were not that impressed with the flavor or the aroma. We paid $34.00 for 7 oz bag and we didn't think it is worth it. read more

Such a cute little place tucked away on the side of the road. When you first walk up the stairs there are small cups with about 10 different local coffees to try. Even just the aroma of the coffees were sensational. There is a small museum as well that shows the history of Kona coffee as well as how it's made. Then we went to the coffee bar and each person in my family ordered a coffee. I had an iced cold brew with almond milk and toasted marshmallow syrup. This coffee was so incredible and I am not even someone who drinks coffee. My brother and mother were also very satisfied with their drinks. Not to mention that the view from the back patio was gorgeous. We then went to the gift shop where my brother and mother bought 100% Kona coffee as gifts for their friends. It was very reasonably priced. It probably is about a 1 hour stop in total. read more

Royal Kona Coffee Center - Visitor Centers Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

Good place to visit. Coffee is a little bit expensive. However, there are a variety of coffee you try and buy at the shop. Anyway, It is a good place to visit and chill out. Also, staffs are pretty nice. read more

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There is no shortage of coffee farms on the big island but I am so glad we stopped at Royal Kona. Absolutely breath taking views of the ocean as you sit on the deck and enjoy free coffee tasting. They have placards all around explaining their process of making coffee and a museum downstairs, which was fascinating. We picked up some great souvenirs and of course, coffee to bring home! They also have a coffee stand to purchase iced blended drinks. We found ourselves dreaming of packing up our whole lives and becoming coffee farmers on Hawaii. What a fun business to be in! read more

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I think this place is just a tourist trap. It's listed as a destination spot on all the paid tours and this place was on the way south to the volcanoes so we stopped by. The restroom is downstairs and the store is upstairs. There must be about 15 coffee and 3 teas that you can sample all you want. There's also rum cake for sample. The store sells everything from towels, coffee, teas, macadamia nuts, candles, clothes, basically a gift shop. Bonsai trees for sale. The museum is free and small. It's cool to see all the antique instruments. You can spend time here to read all the placards for each antique items. There are chairs to watch a documentary that's on replay. There is a great view outside and a paid telescope for a closer look. I did end up getting sucked into buying coffee because it's says it's "exclusive" to Royal Kona. I got the miniature bags that they sell in threes for $15 to give out as gifts. Same thing with the tea. Plenty of parking in the lot. Downstairs hallway towards the restrooms have some cool paintings and facts. For example, macadamia nuts are from Australia. I never knew that! read more

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The coffee is ok, but Mason who was working today Feb 23, 2023 at Costco (on Ka Uka Blvd on Oahu) selling/promoting Kona Bar's is an imbecile. I will never buy another kona bar, chocolate or coffee from them ever again. And I will tell as many people not to as well. In the future, when someone places an order right in front of you, be sure to give them what they order. There are many other tasty options I'll be going with in the future...Lindt chocolate is a fine example. read more

The last stop on our Best of Kona excursion was to the Royal Kona Coffee Center. We are not really coffee drinkers, but when in Kona... This place is mostly a tourist trap, but they have lots of free samples, including some of their teas and rum cake in case coffee isn't your thing. And there are displays on the deck overlooking the bay explaining how the coffee is grown and processed.Would we have stopped here on our own? Probably not, as our visit to the Place of Refuge was too hurried on the tour. read more

Royal Kona Coffee Center - Royal Kona Coffee shop - Visitor Centers Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

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We had lunch in the surrounding area and decided last minute to stop by the Royal Kona Coffee Center. There's no coffee tour here but they have a small museum and placards to educate you on how coffee is grown and processed. There are so many coffee and tea samples for you to try (and rum cake also). The sales people are 0% pushy which I love. We ended up buying a bag of peaberry coffee. Also, the lava tube at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was closed so it was a treat getting to walk through the lava tube at the Coffee Center. Worth a quick stop if you're in the area! read more

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Hello Kona Coffee...Just in Time... First Tour Stop to check out Locally Grown and Roasted Beans 100% Peabody Bean is Strong but Smooth, Just a little Raw Sugar for Me. The Macadamia Nut Rum Cake is Devine and both Coffee and Cakes are Free Samples until your Tour Leaves. Nice Coffee Bite with energy to Boot. I came away with "Da Captain's Rub" Kona Coffee, Hawaiian Sea Salt Rub, and Secret Seasoning...Yum's going on my next Grilled Steak. Great Little Shop soo expect tourist prices but remember Free Coffee!! read more

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Cool place to stop, staff was very nice, things were cheap! Good free samples. Lava tube was cool to check out!

This place was fun. Especially if you're running low on cash and just want to explore a little. They give you a quick tour and tell you all about how they produce their coffee. The shop is cute , staff is very friendly and the property is beautiful. read more

Stopped by for a quick pick me up after visiting Pu'ohonua O Hōnaunau Park. The staff were very helpful on helping us decide which coffee we should bring home with us. They also offered samples! And they have a bathroom! read more

Royal Kona Coffee Center - Visitor Centers Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

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Bottom Line: Lots of free coffee samples, an informative video and some artifacts. I really liked this place. For me the highlights were the video about Kona coffee and all of the free samples. Regarding the video, it talks about how coffee is made and the requirements for coffee to be labeled Kona coffee. Understanding the manual labor and quality standards really helps me appreciate the 100% Kona coffee I purchased earlier in the week. I thorough enjoyed the video and then headed to the lanai for free samples of tea, 10% Kona coffee, 100% Kona coffee and even some decaf. I must say that all of the teas and coffees were tasty. Ordinarily I "pollute" my coffee with cream and sugar but there was no need to do that with any of the samples. The visitors center also included some antiques from old coffee farms and a whole wall of photographs of Miss Kona Coffee Queen from several decades. Hot coffee and hot girls, what's not to love?!? In all seriousness, I love how the photos show the pride the community rightfully has for their beloved Kona coffee. read more

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I absolutely love that the only prerequisite to trying as much coffee as you'd like is that you have to climb a few stairs. (not sure if there's a handicap entrance) You don't have to talk to anyone or anything, just walk up and sample away! If you're not a coffee drinker, they have 3 tea samples. Love the green tea with yuzu, delicious! read more

Royal Kona Coffee Center - Visitor Centers Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

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Drove all the way there with my 3 small kids excited to see the lava tube and learn about the farm and they were closed, despite their website saying they were open. They disclosed their being closed per a tiny little sign on the stairs in the back of the building. We wandered up towards the door because it was weird and someone came out and was unhappy we were there. We asked why they were closed and didn't post about it and were told "hours subject to change". Don't waste your time with this place, they clearly don't want your business! read more

Dont waste your time. All the tourist books talk about this place so we stopped on our way heading south. There's absolutely nothing here no tours no phone and it looks like a half stocked ABCConvenientStore. There were two employees on the property they were both sitting on the back porch playing on their phones not wanting to work or ring anybody up it's just a small convenience store with a bunch of coffee you can sample. Only plus is nice view out back porch read more

Royal Kona Coffee Center - Visitor Centers Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

If you like coffee take a little detour and visit. You get the opportunity to sample the coffee then make your purchase. Make sure to visit the lava tube on the property. Would definitely visit again. read more

OK, it's not much of a museum, but the continuous loop movie did give a rundown of what makes Kona coffee unique. The coffee bean plant itself is not unique, being an Arabica brought to the Big Island 175 years ago. What gives Kona it's special flavor and richness is the mild climate, rainfall, volcanic soil and farming practices. At the top of the heap of coffee beans is the Peaberry bean. Only 5% of the harvest is this cremé de la cremé of coffee beans. After sampling this super rich brew, the flavor just transports you to the top of the fire mountain and you swear you can taste the volcanic essence of the islands. At $60 per pound, it was really rich for my wallet, but how often do you get to treat your tastebuds like this? read more

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The old ladies working the store/coffee shop have zero aloha. One was so rude I actually just walked out mid-order, couldn't handle the snarkiness. Bad vibes scare me away But really, as a local I know there are way too many better spots around here to spend money on a cup of coffee (hiCo, kayas, menehune) to put up with that silliness. But the lava tube was cool! This place would be a gem with a new refresh, rebranding, and nicer employees. read more

This place never disappoints! Love their coffee and espresso beans covered in chocolate. Will be back every time I'm in Kona. read more

Royal Kona Coffee Center - The shop! - Visitor Centers Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

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Our tour bus stopped at this coffee place. I hoped more authentic, interesting Kona place. Everything in this place was just ok. Didn't buy coffee here. though I bought coffee at the other Kona place.. read more

Royal Kona Coffee Center - Visitor Centers Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

We wanted to learn how coffee is made by taking a tour. Go elsewhere for that; there is no tour. What this little gem does offer is about a dozen different blends of Kona coffee that you can sample, self-served, at your leisure. I kept expecting someone to come pressure us to buy something, but it never happened. Very rare these days, and much appreciated. If you want to learn about coffee-making, there are signs and a movie. I was too busy enjoying my 100% Kona coffee samples, coupled with a great ocean​ view. read more

The Royal Kona Crystal Meth Visitor Center Mill and Museum was closed..... so we went to this place instead for our stimulant/caffeine fix. The passion pound cake was edible.... http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/jkKTKLJN8n6Y_Byuk-BG2w?select=qzdme4dWEOO-K1mg64O9uA but can someone please tell me why the FU*K I'm awake at EIGHT AM whilst I am supposedly on vacation!?!? read more

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This was my first stop on a self guided road tour of coffee plantations on the Big Island. I probably could have skipped the others and just visited here. When you walk towards the main building, you can smell cakes baking - in addition to being a coffee plantation, it is the home of the Kona Gold Rum Co. who produce awesome macadamia nut rum cakes. Mmmm. But the coffee is what I came for and coffee was what I had. They had no less than 10 different samples for tasting, along with a couple of tea tasting carafes. So I sampled just about everything. There wasn't a bad one in the bunch. Also, they do seasonal coffees and the pumpkin spice was sooo good. The tour and museum is self guided and free, which is nice. Their gift store has a ton of stuff besides coffee - a good place to get some Kona specific cookies/chips/bath soaps and what not. read more

Royal Kona Coffee Center - The view from the seating area at Royal Kona Coffee - Visitor Centers Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

Compared to a few other Kona coffee plantations we visited, Royal Kona was just okay. There was a self-guided tour through their museum, about 10 coffee tastings, and a gift shop. The museum included old farming equipment and a short video on the history of Kona coffee farming on the island. At the end, we did not buy anything at the gift shop. We wanted estate peaberry beans, but they were out. Admission and tastings are free. read more

Royal Kona Coffee Center - Visitor Centers Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

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Beautiful views, and over 15 different samples. I was here about 45 minutes sampling the same thing over and over 100% Kona Peaberry and enjoying the view. read more

Royal Kona Coffee Center - Visitor Centers Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

Even though this is a bit of a tourist trap, you do learn a thing or two about Kona Coffee. Parking is available in the back. There's the occasional tour bus here and there, but the lot has plenty of space. There isn't too much signage, so if in doubt, follow the busloads of tourists. The upstairs is a giant gift shop, with tons of coffee goodness. The coffee is reasonably priced (but identical products can always be had for less at places like Wal-Mart). There is a small but hidden museum on the other side of the cafeteria. I found it by accident while looking for the washroom (which is actually downstairs around the back). At the back of the gift shop are several pots of coffee for you to try. Some good stuff there. A couple of random tips: a) If you really want to try Kona, be sure to buy the "100% Kona Coffee" bags. There are some others (such as Hazelnut coffee) but if you look at the label they're only 10% Kona! Almost had me there. b) The mango tree in the parking lot out back (where they built the treehouse) drops some seriously ripe mangoes. Yes, I think the best few mangoes I have ever eaten in my entire life came from the ground in a parking lot. read more

Super awesome young girl that works here who knows the product very well. Lots of samples.

This is THE place to go if you're looking to bring some authentic Kona coffee back home. They have every single coffee they offer on sale brewed in tiny thermoses to try. You can try all the coffees before you buy them - they even offer sugar and milk for mixing! I really liked the macadamia nut coffee blends they offered. They also have amazing green tea for sale. It's a bit pricier than Walmart but it's the good stuff so I think it's worth it. read more

One of our favorite coffees is Kona Coffee. So we were excited when we got the opportunity to visit the Royal Kona Mil where it is actually grown and producedl. This is a very nice attraction. When you walk up the stairs the first thing you see is the coffee sample bar. You can try any or all of their varieties. They provide the small cups, sugar and cream. They also have tea to sample as well. I tried many of the coffee flavors but, my favorite was the macadamia nut. They have a wonderful gift shop where you can purchase the coffee, tea or souvenirs. They have a small roasting area on the side and a small museum. There are restrooms downstairs which are very clean. You should try this if you enjoy coffee. read more

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A neat little place to stop for FREE KONA COFFEE during that long drive from one side of the island to the other. They have a small museum and gift shop in which you can learn all about Kona coffee and buy bags of either 10% or 100% Kona coffee, as well as coffee mugs, stuffed animals, hats, shirts, and fine jewelry. read more

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People are nice and helpful. You can purchase coffee and tea here. You can sample several of the flavors. You can also purchase snack type things, post cards, cards, sunglasses, and a few other things. You can also order fancy coffee drinks. I think you can do tours but we haven't done that. I'd really like to give the 4.5 stars. The only thing I'd take 1/2 star off for is the parking. Kind of tight and if you're not used to the area, you might miss the place . read more

Needed to get some Kona coffee to bring back from my trip. Stopped by here and there was a LOT of coffee to choose from. Not only that but they had thermoses with all the different coffee roasts that were available so you can taste before you buy anything. The view from the back deck was really beautiful. It wasn't crowded when I stop, which made shopping easy. They also had other souvenirs and jewelry for sale. I didn't bother with the museum part. Didn't care to. Overall, great place to get Kona coffee. It's pricey but it's the good stuff. read more

The visitor center is not as large as you may think from its name, but it is worth going to. They have a huge table of about 15 different types of coffees and teas for sampling. There are also some snacks that you can sample, too. My favorite was the peaberry kona coffee and the chocolate kona coffee. It's been awhile since I've had such delicious coffee! Even my coffee-indifferent boyfriend couldn't get enough of it. They also have lilikoi and chocolate bark that was very good. This is a great place for buying consummable gifts for friends and family back home. read more

Free samples are ample and staff is knowledgeable. Try their iced coffee. Don't miss out the walk around the grounds...there's a lava tube at the bottom! read more

Royal Kona Coffee Center - The drying process. Wonderful experience! - Visitor Centers Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

This place was a huge disappointment! The roasting was sub par, with the beans being over roasted and oily. There were also just a few roast available for purchase with no light roast. You also need to pay attention to the percent of Kona coffee they use, with some roast being 10% Kona coffee and the other 90% being cheaper filler beans from other parts of the world. Not the type of thing you would expect in Kona. The inside seemed very outdated and and tacky, with cheap knick knacks for sale. The museum was had good content but looks like it hasn't been updated in 30 years and was a bit dusty. The only thing going for this place is the view which is stunning overlooking Captain Cook. If you're visiting coffee farms on the Kona coast I would highly advise against the Royal Kona Coffee Center unless you like the taste of oily, burnt, bitter coffee. read more