Scattered across the Islands are one-of-a-kind neighborhoods, from historic plantation districts to idyllic surf hubs and oceanfront streets. Filled with history and charm, you can explore these local towns, that are each home to a variety of top-notch restaurants, trendy boutiques and hidden gems. These are the best towns in Hawaiʻi, according to HAWAIʻI Magazine’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards. 1. Lahaina, Maui Lahaina will always be loved. Known […]
With its sunny weather, world-renowned coffee and rich history, region marked by fields of lava rock formations and, offshore, crystal clear waters. It’s also home to the community of Kailua-Kona, where the annual Ironman World Championship takes place. On Oct. 11, nearly 3,000 of the best triathletes in the world will take on the iconic
*This story was originally published on March 6, 2019 and updated on Aug. 20. On a Sunday at sunrise, the South Kona sky painted in pastels, I drive bleary-eyed on Māmalahoa Highway heading south past monstera and banana plants toward the hulking mass of Mauna Loa, rising nearly 1,500 feet into the sky. Two
It’s that time of the year when elite athletes from across the globe test their mettle in the annual IRONMAN competition. Recent changes to the race format have seen the competition split between Kailua-Kona for the women’s competition and Nice, France for the men’s. But even as the competition sizes down, plenty of people from
From historic bungalows to a family-friendly resort with the longest waterslide, here are our writers’ picks for Kailua-Kona’s best stays.
It should be a rule that if a restaurant (or, in this case, a food truck) gets recommended to you more than five times, the question isn’t if it’s good—it’s how good. When I was first introduced to Island Style Grindz on Hawai‘i Island, I immediately tried to Google when and where I could get
On a Sunday at sunrise, the South Kona sky painted in pastels, I drive bleary-eyed on Māmalahoa Highway heading south past monstera and banana plants toward the hulking mass of Mauna Loa, rising nearly 1,500 feet into the sky. Two quick turns past roadside fruit stands and my car rumbles into the parking lot of
There’s so much to do and see on the Big Island. Come with us as we take you down breathtaking ziplines to the base of a private waterfall with Hawaii Forest & Trail, to a Greenwell Farms tasting tour of one of the Big Island’s most famous products, Kona coffee. Finally, relax with us oceanside
It’s 6 a.m., Thursday, in Kealakekua. The sun has yet to break through the morning haze lazing over the small town on the slopes of dormant Hualālai volcano, just south of Kailua-Kona. Not a car is in sight on Māmalahoa Highway, winding through town. On the pastures below the Kona Historical Society’s H.N. Greenwell Store
