Kona town and restaurants

From north to south, here is what you can find on Alii Drive in Kona:
Kailua Pier and Kamakahonu Beach are dreamy spots! The water is crystal clear by the pier and it's so tempting to jump in! People swim and snorkel here on the south side of the pier and enjoy wonderful views of the church steeple and the high mountains backing the bay. On the north side of the pier is Kamakahonu (King Kamehameha) Beach, a calm cove with a hei'au, Hawaiian holy temple, right there in the water. Waves gently lap the shore while palm trees sway, and little kids play in the sand. This is a wonderful place to swim in the late afternoon, and then catch some snippets of live music from the Island Breeze Luau that takes place on the lawn.
Kona has many homeless people, and the shower block at the pier feels unsafe at night.
Check out the ABC store on the corner of Palani Drive and Alii Drive, which has kids books, toys, clothes, jewelry, and snacks, all in the Hawaiian tradition. Kau Coffee Mill Cafe on Palani Rd and Alii Drive is a really nice place to get a sausage breakfast sandwich and cup of tea, and eat it outside with views of the pier. A breakfast food truck called Konalani Coffee Bar, with coffee, iced tea, and pastries is outside Pacific 19 Hotel on Palani Drive, and has nice seating in the shade with beautiful landscaping all around.
See the historic Hulihe'e Palace, with its lovely architecture, and across the street, the old Mokuaikaua Church. Both can be visited (see hours below).
Check out the Waterfront Row Shopping Center with Kona Oceanfront Gallery, where the waves crash on the rocks right by the railing, the breeze is lovely and cooling, and you can see a dozen yellow fish swimming in each crystal clear wave! The gallery has some inspiring ocean-themed art and carvings.
Between Waterfront Row Shopping Center and Huggo's, on Alii Drive, there are gorgeous little coves and rocky beach parks, where you can stop and take in the lovely views and listen to the ocean crashing on the rocks.
For a coffee shop with a view, check out Kona Heaven Coffee, a nice place to sit in the morning across from the water in an attractive Hawaiian Plantation style development with palm trees everywhere.
Huggo's (dinner) and On the Rocks (lunch and dinner offer dining right on the water. While the food is just average, you don't want to miss the wonderful experience of dining here! Come for lunch or an early dinner so that you can get one of the tables by the railing. The tables are situated in yellow sand, brought into the restaurant. Huggo's and On the Rocks have a rare location directly on the ocean shore. Nowadays construction so close to the ocean is not allowed, but Huggo's on the Rocks secured its amazing location years ago, and you are the one to benefit! Sit back in your chair, and listen to the ocean pounding against the rocks below. Watch swimmers snorkel in the perfect aquamarine water, and feel the wonderful sea breeze brush past your shoulders.
Like most of Hawaii, Kona has old, unattractive buildings, but it also has some lovely newer Hawaiian-style buildings with colorful red or green roofs.
Kona gets a bad rap because the hot, windstill days on Oahu are said to have "Kona winds." It is indeed very hot (and the airport is the hottest ever). Until 2018 there was vog (hazy polluted air) from the volcano erupting, but that is a thing of the past.
South of Kona is an exciting white sand beach called Magic Sands Beach with huge waves that slam dangerously onto the sand in a shorebreak. It reminds me of Sandy Beach on Oahu. Many teens gather to check out the waves and hang out.
Further south (35 minutes drive from Kona downtown) is a wonderful church that is worth an outing. Saint Benedict Catholic Church is a painted church with dreamlike scenes covering the entire inside. The church is very high up over the sea with stunning views. The sloped garden has gorgeous tropical trees and an adorable statue of Mary. Bring $5 to buy a bracelet or rosary at the by-honor-system booth outside. The drive to the church is on a lush, incredible road that is winding. It is a big part of the joy of going to the Painted Church. Eight minutes from it, to the west, is Place of Refuge, a Hawaiian religious site with statues, a lagoon, and turtles.
While on the leeward side of the island, check out the Kohala coast (Highway 19) and the most gorgeous beach on the island, Mauna Kea Hotel Beach, and a delightful beach for snorkeling, 69 Beach, both about 45 minutes drive north of Kona.
Which side of the island to stay on:
Kona is dry with lots of lava fields with amazing bougainvillea plants, and some lush landscaping in the tourist and residential areas, while Hilo is very lush and incredibly green. Sunny weather, a nice main strip with oceanfront cafes, and great snorkeling are the reasons to go to Kona and the Kohala Coast, whereas lush, gorgeous scenery, swims in natural seaside springs, and lovely mistings of rain are the reasons to go to Hilo. It's fun to stay in both towns for a few days each, and also check out Waimea town on the drive across (Highway 19).

Kona town and restaurants

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