Kailua Kona - What to do

We will be in Kailua Kona on May 2 - on the Solstice - there are no tours on Celebrity that interests us.

Could someone give us some idea what we could do for the day? We are not beach people, but enjoy sightseeing, shopping etc.

Thanks

We will be in Kailua Kona on May 2 - on the Solstice - there are no tours on Celebrity that interests us.

Could someone give us some idea what we could do for the day? We are not beach people, but enjoy sightseeing, shopping etc.

Thanks

You can rent a car and drive up to Puuhonua O Honaumau National Park, stop to see the painted church, Kona coffee plantation tours. You could also go to the Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm for their tour.

Lots to do.

If you don't wish to go far, check out:

http://www.gohawaii.com/big-island/plan-a-trip/activities/things-to-do-in-kona?membersPageNumber=1

Willing to travel a little? Check out:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60872-Activities-Kailua_Kona_Island_of_Hawaii_Hawaii.html

For a scenic drive, I would rent a car at the King Kam hotel across from the pier and drive up to Pololu Valley with a stop in Hawi for lunch. There are some interesting shops/galleries there with local art ... amazing works, and this drive gives you a chance to see a lot of rural Hawaii, plus 'old towns'. The drive along the coast to Hawi is spectacular, and again back down the Kohala Mountain Road from Pololu to Waimea! This is the route (starting and ending at the King Kam Hotel - "E" on the map)

Or, as an alternative to the above, another trip that we also enjoyed was Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Park (mentioned by pizzalady above) - and on the same day, we did a coffee tour at Greenwell Farms. You can just drop in as the tours run throughout the day - and they're free.

Holualoa is a quaint town that has become an artist centre and you could fit that into your drive.

This is the route for those places, starting/ending at the King Kam Hotel in Kailua Kona ("E" on the Map)

It appears that Enterprise is only about a mile walk from the landing and is about 1/2 the price of Thrifty @ King Kam Hotel.

Does anybody have any experience with Enterprise at this location in Kona?

smithma - no experience with Enterprise in Kailua Kona, but I believe they provide shuttle service. It's not a very walking friendly route - if they don't provide a shuttle, a taxi would be a good option.

Just to add - this is shown on the website for that location: Need a ride from your place to our place? We'll Pick You Up.

"Book online now, then call your rental office at Tel.: (808) 331-2509 for details about our pick-up service. (Geographic restrictions apply)".

Suggest giving them a call before your trip to confirm if they'll pick you up or if you'll need to take a taxi. Note that 808 is the Hawaii area code, not a toll free #

Kona is a great place just to get off the ship and walk around. The tenders drop you off right in the middle of town. There are several historical sites (a church and a palace) within steps of the pier. There are plenty of little shops along the waterfront. There are also fun restaurants, bars and coffee shops where you can stop and relax.

It appears that Enterprise is only about a mile walk from the landing and is about 1/2 the price of Thrifty @ King Kam Hotel.

 

Does anybody have any experience with Enterprise at this location in Kona?

We rented from Enterprise in Kona in 2008--they had just opened up their office. It took about 10 minutes from the pier to their office and they sent a shuttle. They open at 8am and the shuttle met us at the banyon tree about 10 minutes later. Everything went fine, and we would do it again if it were 1/2 the price of the King Kam rental.

You can rent a car and drive up to Puuhonua O Honaumau National Park, stop to see the painted church, Kona coffee plantation tours. You could also go to the Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm for their tour.

we are going on the Seahorse Farm tour .. it sounded so interesting. NCL offers that as one of their shore excursions though.

http://seahorse.com/shop/Ocean-Rider-Hawaii-Tour-Tickets/

For a scenic drive, I would rent a car at the King Kam hotel across from the pier and drive up to Pololu Valley with a stop in Hawi for lunch. There are some interesting shops/galleries there with local art ... amazing works, and this drive gives you a chance to see a lot of rural Hawaii, plus 'old towns'. The drive along the coast to Hawi is spectacular, and again back down the Kohala Mountain Road from Pololu to Waimea! This is the route (starting and ending at the King Kam Hotel - "E" on the map)

...

This!!!

No matter how many times I get to the Big Island, I always make one day for my drive up to Hawi and the Pololu Valley lookout and then back via Kamuela/Waimea. Hawi is a good little place to stop for a bite to eat and some ice cream. I stop back in Kamuela for dinner or just to pick up some good poke and taro chips at the KTA market...

Slidergirl - Glad you agree and that you enjoy this drive a much as we did - so many scenic drives on the BI, but this is one I would do each time too. :)

The hike down to Pololu Beach is good too, as long as you have the right shoes for it and the trail isn't wet.

Slidergirl - Glad you agree and that you enjoy this drive a much as we did - so many scenic drives on the BI, but this is one I would do each time too. :)

The hike down to Pololu Beach is good too, as long as you have the right shoes for it and the trail isn't wet.

Absolutely! That trail can be wicked nasty when it's wet, regardless of footwear!! But the drive is gorgeous, regardless of the weather. Such a diverse geological and geographical area!!!

The Big Island was always our "default" vacation when my now-ex and I couldn't decide on anything else (he HATED the idea of cruising). He loves to golf and snorkel and I love to chill out on the beach and snorkel. Made good sense. Favorite place to stay is up on the Kohala Coast. I always wanted to rent a place out on Puako - it always seems like a very mellow place!!!