Things To Do In Kona, Hawaii

Aloha! The Big Island of Hawaii is full of big adventures! I’ve spent about 2 weeks of my life on the Big Island, exploring all that it has to offer. My first trip with my family a few years ago was just 4-5 days. Most people visit more than one Hawaiian island in one trip, so we split our time between the Big Island and Kauai. However, my most recent trip was 8 DAYS LONG! All on the Big Island! This allowed my friend Mairin and I to explore the west coast (Kona side), east coast (Hilo side), along with the north, southern coast, and even inland. This guide is going to cover the top activities to enjoy on the Big Island, with special attention on the things to do in Kona, Hawaii.

Disclaimer: This blog post is written in partnership with the Mango Sunset B&B. The boutique hotel recently hosted my friend and I for our trip for the Big Island, but everything written below is my own opinion!

This post contains affiliate links. If you click and book through any of these links, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for reading and supporting my little corner of the internet!

Where Is Kona, Hawaii?

Kailua-Kona is a town on the west coast of Hawaii Island (the Big Island). The Big Island is the largest of the 6 Hawaiian islands, as the name suggests, and Kona is one of the main tourist areas on the island. The largest town on the Big Island is Hilo, which is on the east side and has its own airport. I’ll provide a few recommendations for Hilo below, but this guide is going to mostly focus on things to do in Kona.

The sunny Kona District stretches almost two-thirds of the entire West side of the island of Hawaii—from just south of Waikoloa Beach Resort to Manukā Park (Kaʻū). Here, you’ll find everything from coffee farms to historic Hawaiian landmarks.

Pro-tip: Looking for accommodation in Kona, Hawaii? Lucky for you, I have a complete guide dedicated to where to stay on the Big Island! In this post I provide options for Kona, Hilo, and the Volcanoes National Park area. For Kona, you must stay at Mango Sunset BnB. They are located just 15 minutes from the airport, serve the BEST homemade breakfast each morning sourced with local ingredients, and the charming inn is so serene and peaceful, with the KINDEST staff. You’ll love it.

How Do You Get To / Around Kona?

Kona is easily accessible from the continental US or other Hawaiian Islands via the Kona International Airport. Once you land, I recommend renting a car so that you can explore the best gems on the island! We used our car every day, whether adventuring to local beaches and restaurants in the downtown, or across the island to Hilo for a day — you’ll need it! I always recommend my readers check out Discover Cars for rentals.

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What Is Kona Known For?

Kona is home to several historic landmarks, including the Captain Cook Monument and the Kamakahonu National Historic Landmark. This historic area is full of reconstructed thatched houses. Kona also has Hawaii’s oldest Christian Church. The Mokuaikaua Church was built in the 1800s. The area is also famous for its 100% Kona Coffee — you HAVE to try some during your trip!

Kona is full of sights to see and experiences to have under the sea as well! The area is famous for its deep-see fishing, and hosts an International Billfish Tournament every year in August. You also CAN’T leave Kona without going on a manta ray boat tour and snorkeling with these gentle, giant sea creatures. More on this below!

7 Things To Do In Kona, Hawaii

1. Go Snorkeling With Manta Rays

This HAS to be at the VERY top of my list of the best things to do in Kona, Hawaii! Did you know that Kona, Hawaii is the only place in the world where you can snorkel and swim with wild manta rays? Don’t feel nervous reading this… although they can have a wingspan stretching up to 15 feet in length and weigh over 1,000 pounds (ok, maybe you’re feeling a little nervous), these gentle giants can’t hurt you! Their throats are the size of a dime, and they feed almost entirely on plankton.

For this excursion, I recommend booking a tour through GetYourGuide — we did this one! You will need to go on a night tour to experience the mantas in all their glory, as a blue light is used to attract the plankton in which they feed on. Most tours run from about 7-9 pm.

You’ll leave the marina and take a boat ride about 15 minutes through the dark (Ooo, spooky!) to the feeding spot. Once there, your guides will provide wet suits, go over the instructions, anchor the boat, and start to shine blue lights to attract the rays. Then, you’ll be given snorkel equipment and take the leap of faith into the dark, cold ocean (it’s not that dark, and you won’t be too cold!). You’ll then hold onto a board that floats with your arms, rest your feet up on a noodle so you’re floating at the surface, and put your head in the water so you can watch one of nature’s best shows underneath the ocean.

I couldn’t believe how close the manta rays got to us! They were twirling, dancing, and flipping RIGHT below our faces, even sometimes brushing up against our arms. It was the most mesmerizing thing to watch. I ended up staying in the water for almost an hour before re-boarding the boat and sailing back to the marina.

You NEED to do this if you visit! It’s the best thing to do in Kona, Hawaii!

2. Visit Punalu’u Black Sand Beach + Bakery 

Located about 1.5 hours away by car from downtown Kona is the southern coast of the Big Island. I am including this recommendation in this section of the guide since it’s not near Volcanoes National Park, and is separate from Hilo — although both are less than an hour away.

Sights To See On A Road Trip From Kona To Hilo: Southern Route

When driving from Kona to Hilo (west side to east side, or vice versa), there are a few different routes to take. You can drive up through the north, which I’ll cover below, or straight across the island via HI-190/Hawaiʻi Belt Rd and Saddle Rd. This is the most direct route and only takes 1.5 hours. Plus, you’ll get to drive right next to the Mauna Kea volcano… it feels like a movie!

During your trip to Kona, be sure to spend a few hours exploring the southern coast. Here, you’ll find Punalu’u Black Sand Beach, the most famous black sand beach on the Big Island. This beach is a public beach and is free to visit. There are restrooms and showers, along with an adjacent parking lot.

This beach gets HOT since the black sand absorbs all the sun. Plus, the current here is quite strong. For these reasons, I recommend just walking the beach! It curves beautifully and is lined with tall, swaying palm trees. The best part? Look closely in the roped off section of the beach for Hawaiian green sea turtles. I’ve visited this area 2x now and have seen a few each time! This time we saw 3!

Located a 10-15 minute drive from the beach is the Punalu’u Bake Shop, aka the southernmost bakery in the USA! This local bakery is known for its sweet bread and desserts. Try the malasadas, they are filled donuts.

Pro-tip: This bakery is very well-known and can get BUSY! We showed up right at 8:30 am when they open and already there was a small line.

Kalae is also located in this region. It’s the southernmost point in the USA — not to be confused with the famous landmark in Key West, Florida, which is the southernmost point in the continental USA.

3. Waimea Region, A Lookout, & Waterfalls

My next recommendation for things to do in Kona is another day trip! We hit these stops while driving to Hilo for a day on the northern route. From Kona, I recommend making these stops.

Pro-tip: When road tripping around the Big Island, make sure you are filling your gas tank often! Once you leave the greater Kona area on this road trip, for example, you won’t pass another gas station until you’re in Waimea. We always filled our tank before leaving the Kona area.

If you already did the southern route (say, to get to Volcanoes National Park for a day.. like we did!), I recommend driving on the northern route across the island from Kona to Hilo. We leisurely made a few stops on our way to Hilo, then toured the town, and road the central drive back — which is the most efficient route at just 1.5 hours (77 miles). If you’re looking for a few Hilo recommendations, I have a list for you below.

Sights To See On A Road Trip From Kona To Hilo: Northern Route

As you pull out of Kona, you’ll enjoy a scenic drive up through the northwest part of the island to the town of Waimea (about a 50 minute drive). This region is famous for its many cattle ranches, breath-taking scenery, and small town, rural feel. The grass here is a shade of green like I’ve never seen before… it is literally neon! This region is also quite hilly, so the views are truly spectacular. We loved driving through here and snapping photos! Be sure to stop in a Waimea Coffee Company as you’re driving through. They had the most delicious, house-made latte syrups, plus the shopping plaza here has a few quaint shops.

Next, head to the Waipio Valley Lookout (about 30 minutes from the cafe). There is a small parking lot in addition to street parking. This overlook is free to visit and has a few signs and stairs leading down to the main overlook. Here, you’ll get incredible views of the dramatic cliffs that line the northeast coast of the Big Island in addition to views of Maui in the distance!

From here, drive another hour to Akaka Falls. This waterfall is one of the most visited sights on the Big Island and is one of the top things to do during your time in Kona. You’ll have to pay a small entrance fee for parking (I think about $10 pp), and then hike down stairs and on a walking trail loop. The walk will bring you past several look out points, over a few bridges, past some creeks, and you’ll be surrounded by jungle plants and flowers. It’s beautiful! We probably spent about 45 minutes here. Note: It’s not very handicap accessible since there is no overlook spot right at the parking lot.

From here, I recommend driving another ~20 minutes to Hilo! Lots of driving, I know. But, in this case, the driving is part of the experience. This could easily be a full day of stops in and around Kona, eventually ending in Hilo. We just visited Hilo for an afternoon before driving back to Kona, but you could also stay in Hilo for a night. See more Hilo recommendations below.

4. Hapuna Beach & Lunch At The Westin

There are dozens of incredible, public beaches in the greater Kona area, but Hapuna Beach has to be my favorite! This beach has ample parking (you do have to pay a few dollars for it), public restrooms, water fountains, showers, and even picnic tables for lunches / events. The beach itself is spacious and clean — full of white sand, and is the perfect spot for swimming! Compared to some of the other beaches we visited during this trip, this one had minimal rocks and smaller waves.

Aside from soaking up the sun, another benefit of this beach is the access to the Westin Resort at the far end! I’m sure it’s walkable, but we had chairs and bags with us, so we drove over. You’ll have to pass a security gate to access the hotel — don’t worry! It’s not for guests only. Just tell them you’re getting lunch at the restaurant at the resort. They will direct you and you can valet your car for free.

Once inside, I recommend grabbing a light lunch or drink at the Naupaka Beach Grill. It’s casual (you can eat in a bathing suit), and right by the pool / beachfront, so the atmosphere is lovely! They serve lunch and dinner and are open until about 9 pm. I recommend an early dinner so you can catch sunset, which is at about 6 pm on most days of the year in Hawaii.

5. Swim At Queen’s Baths (Family-friendly!)

Queen’s Baths is one of the best places to swim and hangout in Kona with young kids! This recommendation is located right in Kona — about 15 minutes from the Mango Sunset BnB and just a few minutes from the downtown.

There are several “Queens Baths” all around Hawaii, and if you try to search it on Google, you may even find a few results for the Big Island. The most famous swim area is the one I’m about to tell you about!

Visiting here was highly recommended by the inn owner! It’s a sandy, small beach full of natural pools formed from lava rocks. The lava rocks form a natural barrier from the waves, making this a calm and shallow swim spot — ideal for families! Since there are some rocks here, you may want to bring some water shoes. Also, unlike some of the other beaches, this one doesn’t have any restrooms or showers. Remember to carry in, carry out!

Finding this beach is a little difficult. I recommend plugging Lex Brodie’s Kona Express Car Wash into your maps. Or, the Kona Community Aquatic Center which is located right next door. You can park anywhere around here. From here, walk across the soccer field towards the woods. There are gates / openings in the fence. Once here, you’ll be on Kona Bay Drive. This road is private and therefore not accessible through the main gate or by car. There are, however, clearly marked “shore access” signs that will lead you right down a short path to the sea!

6. Rent Kayaks At Captain Cook Monument & Snorkel

Aside from swimming with the manta rays, this was another highlight of the week! Renting kayaks and snorkeling at the Captain Cook Monument is one of the top things to do in Kona. The Captain Cook Monument is located in Kealakekua Bay on the Kona coast of Hawaiʻi about 12 miles south of Kailua-Kona.

There are two kayak rental spots right in this bay — Kona Kayaks and Ehu and Kai. We went with Ehu and Kai, and they were great! My friend and I rented a double kayak for 5 hours for $85 (a little over $40 each!). I recommend the double if you’re traveling with someone else so you can both paddle together — it is over a mile in the open ocean to the monument.

Pro-tip: If you want something more relaxing, you can book a snorkel tour to this bay. There are several catamaran-type tours that include drinks, lunch, and the boats have snorkel gear, slides, etc. However, these tours will cost well over $100 per person. The kayak is much cheaper and we loved being able to hop on /off it while swimming in the bay.

From the rental spot, you’ll have to paddle for about a mile across the bay to the Captain Cook monument. Don’t worry, the rental company will give you clear instructions and give you a dry bag for your valuables. Just remember to pack lots of water, a snack, and sunscreen!

The concept of the “drop off reef” in Finding Nemo came from this reef (remember, the one Nemo wasn’t allowed to swim past?). The reef quite literally drops off into the opening ocean, but most of it is quite shallow. This is the best snorkeling I’ve done outside of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia! The coral here is colorful, alive, and there is SO much marine life to see. There are sea urchins, eels, starfish, and dozens of fish species — we even say Nemo and Marlin themselves!

We took turns holding onto a rope to keep the kayak in place and loved being able to climb back on board to rest and tan. On the way back to the rental shop, we also kayaked past a few spinner dolphins! The cherry on top to a perfect morning!

7. Sunset Dinner In Downtown Kona

The final recommendation I have for things to do in Kona, Hawaii is to enjoy the downtown! There are plenty of shops around the coast here, and I have a few restaurant recommendations for you to try:

• Greenflash Coffee: Try their macadamia nut coffee syrup, coconut milk latte. It literally tastes like Hawaii.
• Kona Brewing: Fun, outdoor brewery setting offering salads, pizzas, and beers on tap.
• Kai’s: This was highly recommended by the inn owners and we LOVED it! Reasonable prices for pizzas and fish tacos. Plus, they have a full cocktail bar and the restaurant is right on the ocean. I recommend coming here for sunset!
• Huggo’s On The Rocks: The BEST sunset dinner in Kona, in my opinion. Get here around 5 to catch the end of happy hour and then enjoy your dinner on the sand as the sun dips down below the sea. Sometimes there is live music and hula dancers here too… what a treat!
• Sushi Sam: If I could eat here every night for the rest of my life, I would. This is a MUST. Sam is Japanese and speaks minimal English, and works the sushi bar himself. He is so delightful and the sushi was phenomenal. So fresh, so flavorful — ugh, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Other Ideas For Your Big Island Bucket List

Although this guide focused mostly on things to do in Kona, Hawaii, I also wanted to throw in a few ideas for Hilo and the center of the island, where Volcanoes National Park is located.

Hilo, Hawaii (Day Trip From Kona, Hawaii)

• Visit Rainbow Falls
• Weekly farmers market on Wednesdays and Saturdays (try the shaved ice — a classic Hawaiian dessert!)
• Coconut Island for jumping + swimming
• Japanese botanical gardens
• Pineapples Island Restaurant — fantastic spot for lunch or dinner
• Shop in the downtown

Volcanoes National Park (Day Trip from Kona, Hawaii)

• Start your visit at Kilauea Visitors Center (1 Crater Rim Drive, Hawaii National Park, HI 96718), and speak to a Park Ranger about your plan + get a map
• Drive (or walk!) one mile from the Visitors Center to the Steam Vents and Kilauea Caldera overlook
• Drive the Chain of the Craters Road to the very end and see the Holei Sea Arch (about 45 min each way from Visitors Center)
• Pull over and take photos in the lava fields and overlooks along the way; hike 1.5 mi round trip to the petroglyphs
• Hike 1-1.5 mi through the Thurston Lava Tube, a 500 year old lava tube where a river of 2000° F lava once flowed
• Drink or meal in the Volcano House — on a clear day, you have beautiful views of a crater from here. There are also a few souvenir shops located inside
• Visit the Volcano Winery on your way out of the area. Tastings are from 12-5 pm daily and cost $20 for 7, 1 oz glasses

That brings us to the end of this guide covering the best things to do in Kona, Hawaii! I hope this article, along with my guide for where to stay on the Big Island, help you plan your dream trip! Mahalo for reading!

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