How Long Does It Take To Drive From Kona To Hilo

Getting from Kona to Hilo can be a quick 1.5hr bulldoze or an all day venture. I like to be efficient with my time by checking off sites if they are on the mode. I also just like breaking up road trips.

So, I've composed some Kona to Hilo itineraries for you to consider to brand the road trip a little more interesting. I will also give yous some alternative modes of transportation.

Some of these itineraries can be reversed if you lot are going from Hilo to Kona but be aware of open and endmost times that may non match upwards schedule-wise.

Southern Route

If you lot were to take the south route down Hwy eleven it would take you about 3hrs of driving without stopping . But this is a adept opportunity to make stops you lot may non otherwise visit.

Hither'southward an itinerary suggestion through Captain Cook and South Point for breaking up the south route from Kona to Hilo. Exist forewarned, information technology's coffee heavy because that'due south what I like! 😀

Greenwell Subcontract

Address: 81-6581 Mamalahoa Hwy, Kealakekua, HI 96750
Hours: 7 days a week viii:30am-5pm

Brainstorm the day with a Kona coffee tour, a must for acquiring an appreciation for why people pay the big bucks for 100% Kona java.

At Greenwell you'll get a free, rugged java bout experience. They'll take you on a 30+ min informative tour around the working farm, showing the processing steps in action and answer any questions you might have.

The gift shop is an openair, covered pavilion with rows of different coffee roasts and flavors, similar macadamia nut.

This is a good stop for learning but not for relaxing as they don't have a comfortable identify to sit and savour a cup of coffee.

Melt'south Bounty Fruit Stand

Accost: 82-6087 Mamalahoa Hwy, Helm Melt, HI 96704
Hours: 7 days a week 9am-6pm

One of my favorite fruit stand stops is Melt'south Compensation. They are e'er loaded with tropical fruits, often ones you've never heard of. I highly recommend getting a jar of their lilikoi butter, so good on toast!

Park on the shoulder of the road and catch some fresh fruit to enjoy on your trip!

Sacred Grounds Coffee Farm

Address: 82 Anoi Pl, Helm Melt, Hello 96704
Hours: Monday-Fri 10am-5pm; Sat 10am-5:30pm; Sun closed

My favorite stop for a serene, sit down-downwards cup of java is Sacred Grounds Coffee Farms. Bill, the owner, will warmly greet you and serve you the best Kona coffee straight from his little ii-acre subcontract. Relax on the back balcony with a view of Kealakekua Bay, likely all to yourself.

The shop is also a working pottery studio. Y'all'll see Nib's many stages of dirt art sitting around. His last products, mostly vases, are displayed in a museum-like way that are available for purchase.

Ask to wander through his property to look at his many coffee and fruit trees, which he will let you lot harvest. If it'due south java picking flavour you lot might besides earn a few bucks by picking the coffee cherries for him.

Kaaloa's Super J'due south

Address: 83-5409 Mamalahoa Hwy, Captain Cook, HI 96704
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-half dozen:30pm; Lord's day closed

If it's lunchtime, Kaaloa's Super J's  is THE place to go authentic Hawaiian Lau Lau: pork and butterfish steamed in a taro leafage and ti leaf.

This hole in the wall eating place with its distinctive brilliant yellow exterior might be intimidating but don't permit the cover fool you. The family is super friendly and good natured and their lau laus are even better.

Y'all can eat within and feel like you are at the dining table of a family's home, just it'south also dark and cluttered for my gustatory modality. Outside there are benches along the wall to eat on, or you can take them to go. It's best if they're eaten warm, so if you take information technology to-go I would accept it no farther than Honaunau, the next cease.

Pu'uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park

Accost: State Hwy 160, Hōnaunau, HI 96726
Hours: 8:30am-4:30pm Price: $20 per vehicle

Pu'uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park, aka The City of Refuge, is a popular historical stop on the Big Island. A quick summary, if yous were a avoiding running from the police and you fabricated it to the City of Refuge earlier getting defenseless, you'd be forgiven your punishment of death. No 1 is sure on the age of this identify, but it is speculated to exist about 450 years old.

Watch a 20min informative video in a covered, open-air auditorium earlier exploring the bounds. The grounds accept reconstructed hales and tiki statues to bring the place to life. Learn to play Kōnane, Hawaiian checkers, ahead of fourth dimension so you can play on an bodily lath here.

Wander the lava tidepools, it's the all-time I've found on the Big Island and then far. It's a great manner of seeing the diverseness of fish, body of water urchins, and eels without snorkeling.

It can get scorching hot at the City of Refuge so ready accordingly with hats and water and such.

Notice 2 Step next door to the park. This is a popular place for snorkeling on the Big Island.

St Benedict's Painted Church building

Address: 84-5140 Painted Church Rd, Captain Melt, How-do-you-do 96704
Hours: Tues-Thurs 9:30am-three:30pm; Fri-Mon closed

Before getting back on the highway, make a left on Painted Church building Road to visit….the Painted Church. Information technology's a quick, gratis stop but sooooo worth information technology (and a great site for viewing if information technology's raining).

The white chapel/church is magnificently painted within by Begetter John Velge back in 1899. He was an untrained artist who took regular old house paint and went to boondocks painting the interior from floor to ceiling.

Some of the art is decorative and some of information technology depicts bible stories. What yous see is all the original painting, no refurbishments take been made.

I was expecting to be a snob about information technology since I've seen incredible European cathedrals and churches. But I was actually surprised at the beauty of the art and the serenity of the church building. It chop-chop rose to a favorite stop on the Big Isle for me.

Paradise Meadows

Address: 93-2199 S Point Rd, Naalehu, HI 96772
Hours: 7 days a week 9am-v:30pm

You'll have about an hour drive until your adjacent terminate. Presently after you plow on South Point Rd from Hwy 11, you tin can't miss Paradise Meadows. Many-a-sign volition warn you nigh chocolate, java, macadamia nut, and honey tastings. Plough RIGHT!

Park among the alpine trees and enter into the Local Fizz shack. You will become a bout of so many costless samples you will inevitably start turning away some flavors, I guarantee it.

This is one of my favorite stops for Ka'u java. See if you tin tell the difference from your Kona coffee this morning. There'due south less acerbity and different fruity undertones.

I likewise like this cease for their dehydrated macadamia nuts. By dehydrating the nuts you get a snappier well-baked and nuttier flavor. These are by far some of the best macadamia nuts on the island.

After you've filled up on samples, walk information technology off past taking a map and wandering around their farm.

See an aquaponics organisation at work, find fruit trees of all kinds, meet muscovy ducks and guinea fowl, say hi to their rescued parrots, and have a await through the art gallery inside the house.

S Bespeak

Y'all've come up all this way that y'all must visit the southernmost indicate in the US. Only almost 15min downward South Signal Road yous'll meet the drop off into the sea.

Brave souls will face up their fear of heights by jumping off the cliff edge into the glowing blue waters beneath, about 40ft downwardly. I accept jumped (barely) and honestly, climbing upward the ladder was about scarier lol!

Wander further by the jumping spot and watch the waves come crashing at the shoreline. Some days they tin get huuuge!

Further down South Point Rd is the trailhead for Light-green Sands Embankment. The trail is almost 5 miles roundtrip and it is a HOT trail with no shade. The all-time times to do this trail are early morning or late afternoon.

Locals will give you a ride in the back of their pickup for about $20pp roundtrip. It's a steep price but saves you a lot of time. Plus it's like a bumpy amusement ride.

If you don't wish to exercise this hike but still want to see green sand, go along your eyes peeled around South Indicate or anywhere on the island y'all see gravel or sand. Green sand blends in with its surroundings but gives itself away by existence sparkly like glitter on the ground. And you'll know it's dark-green sand if you pick it upwards and see the olivine grains.

Punalu'u Bake Shop

Address: HI-eleven, Naalehu, HI 96772
Hours: 7 days a week eight:30am-5pm

DO NOT turn down on Punalu'u Bake Shop. This is THE all-time place for Big Island malasadas, in my humble opinion. They are made fresh daily and come in a diverseness of flavors; my favorite is lilikoi.

A little hack for you, if the line out the front door is long, check the other door by the malasada case, it could be a heck of a lot shorter. This cashier likewise tends to be faster because the front door cashier takes more than lunch and drink orders (even though you lot can order everything from both cashiers).

One time you've picked your malasada flavors, sit in a gazebo while you lot savor your sweet fried Portuguese treat. Or take it to go and enjoy it at its namesake….

Punalu'u Black Sand Beach

When y'all call back of the Big Isle, yous'll undoubtedly think of Punalu'u Blackness Sand Beach. It'due south non merely famous for its unique night sand but too for the ocean turtle popularity. I don't call back I've been to Punalu'u and Non seen a body of water turtle basking on the warm sand.

The water in this bay is colder than other spots on the island due to the freshwater spring underneath. Simply people yet swim in it and like to snorkel hither too.

Likewise black sand and turtles you can detect other interestings points to visit. A big heiau hides through a trail beyond the foliage south of the beach by the big concrete pad. A quaint, open-air chapel with a cemetery sits above the north parking lot.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Save Hawaii Volcanoes National Park for another twenty-four hours when you lot accept time to explore the whole park. EXCEPT, if it'due south night this could exist a proficient opportunity to do the 2-mile roundtrip walk to run into the lava.

If y'all pay to get into the park now your ticket is skillful for 7 days, so you can reuse it to visit the rest of the park another day. Drive to the Devastation Trail parking lot. If information technology'southward full, park rangers will redirect yous to Pu'upua'i Overlook parking lot, which adds an actress mile roundtrip to your hike.

This map will make the directions make more than sense.

Exist sure to take flashlights as you walk the nearly flat, paved Erstwhile Crater Rim Bulldoze trail a mile in. A sandwich board volition direct y'all to the right which will veer you off the pavement onto a gravel trail a brusk distance downward to the crater's border.

Here yous can see real live lava! How much you get to meet will be dependent on the volcano's action, simply even if it's simply a glow and not a total on exploding cone, where else are yous gonna get to see bodily lava? If you have binoculars, bring them; this is a good identify to use them.

Ola Brewing

Accost: 1177 Kilauea Ave, Hilo, HI 96720
Hours: Monday-Thur eleven:30am-10pm; Friday-Sabbatum eleven:30am-11pm; Sun 11:30am-8pm

You've made it to Hilo after a busy day; now information technology's time to relax with a brewski and food. Ola Brewing serves delicious beer with burgers and bao buns.

Their beer tap carte du jour always has something new to try, so y'all'll get to taste flavors others earlier you lot haven't. If their Dragonfruit Lemonade Cider is at that place though, that's my absolute favorite.

Need aid deciding where to stay in Hilo? Check out this post on Where to Stay!

Northern Route

An alternative style getting from Kona to Hilo is taking the north route via Hwy nineteen, detouring to Hawi. This route is also a 3hr trip if yous don't stop, which is why we are gonna break information technology upwards.

Manuela Hot Malasada Truck

Address: 1 Puako Beach Dr, Waimea, HI 96743
Hours: 7 days a week 8am-5pm

Grab your breakfast at the Manuela Hot Malasada Truck. In that location may be a line just it's okay, there'southward only i person working inside and they are fabricated fresh right there, which is why it's a HOT malasada truck.

In that location are many flavors to choose from and yous take to buy in groups, no single orders. So take this opportunity to endeavor flavors out of your comfort zone. The li hing mui is pretty delicious.

Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site

Address: 62-3601 Kawaihae Rd, Waimea, HI 96743
Hours: 7 days a week 7:30am-four:45pm

This heiau was built by King Kamehameha I himself in 1791. A chain of men 20 miles long transferred the rocks from Pololu Valley to build this heiau. The first human cede fabricated here was Kamehameha I's cousin and nemesis Keōua Kūahu'ula, giving Kamehameha I victory over the Large Island.

The park is free to enter. A 0.5mile paved trail loop gets you upwards close to the heiau and other ancient ruins.

Download the NPS audio tour, available here or QR code at the ranger station. Information technology will explain the history of the site in particular giving yous a better appreciation for what you're looking at.

On your way out of the park, take a popover look at Spencer Embankment to see a white sand beach.

Hamakua Visitor Center

Address: 61-3251 Maluokalani St, Waimea, HI 96743
Hours: seven days a week 9am-4:30pm

The Hamakua Company Center is an like shooting fish in a barrel end for complimentary samples of macadamia nuts. They pride themselves in only selling 100% Hawaiian grown macadamia nuts, something sadly that isn't true of all Hawaiian macadamia nut companies.

Their flavors range from the expected to the outlandish, the craziest season beingness Spam. They as well have rotating seasonal flavors y'all won't notice elsewhere like birthday block or pumpkin spice.

Afterward you've tasted the various unique macadamia nut flavors and java samples, wander to the back of the store where you can watch their kitchen at work through glass windows. Run into how the macadamia nuts are candy and packaged in real time.

Lapakahi State Historical Park

Accost: HI-270, Waimea, HI 96743
Hours: 7 days a week 8am-4pm

Call back of this as a costless "City of Refuge-blazon" end. Information technology is an ancient fishing village about 600 years former with remains of sometime buildings. Most of them are just rock wall foundations. Sometimes the park will recreate the grass roofs and have some common salt bowls displayed, a fascinating way of making sea salt in lava rocks.

The like shooting fish in a barrel, gravel trail meanders about ane mile and can get hot, since there's little shade.

Hawi Shopping

Hawi is a beautiful footling town that kinda comes out of nowhere. Park on the street and window shop to your centre's content.

In that location'due south lots of fine art stores, clothing, local groceries, and a teeny-tiny thrift store in a dorsum parking lot. You're sure to find a unique gift or two that's not "made in Red china".

Kohala Coffee Mill

Address: 55-3412 Akoni Pule Hwy, Hawi, HI 96719
Hours: 7 days a calendar week 7am-4pm

For tiffin I recommend Kohala Java Mill. They serve a delicious luncheon of cold or grilled sandwiches and salads. Wash your meal down with 100% Kona coffee and for your last class stop with a Tropical Dreams ice cream, xviii% butterfat ice cream made on the Big Island!

Kamehameha I Statue

Accost: Akoni Pule Hwy, Kapaau, Hi 96755

A few miles outside of Hawi in Kapaau, you'll drive right past the Kamehameha I statue. The history of this statue is really quite interesting.

Back in 1880, a brass statue of  King Kamehameha I was commissioned to commemorate Captain Melt'southward landing in Hawaii (which doesn't make sense to me since Kamehameha I wasn't even rex yet). On its way from France to Hawaii, the send conveying it shipwrecked close to the Falkland Islands and the statue was lost. Thankfully the visitor who ordered the statue had insurance, so a replacement statue was cast and that'southward the famous statue y'all tin find in Waikiki.

Withal, in 1882, the original statue was recovered from the shipwreck and a British helm saw information technology in a boondocks, bought and brought information technology to Hawaii and this statue in Kapaau is that very one!

Pololu Valley

If yous are looking for a quintessential Hawaiian panorama, Pololu Valley fits the pecker. I argue that this view is amend than the more visited Waipi'o Valley picket.

Parking here is a little cluttered every bit the route just dead-ends. Parkings spaces are tight and turning around requires a piffling tiresome maneuvering.

Withal, the view is breathtaking and worth the hassle. Treacherous waves crash onto black sand and a lush tropical forest carpets the wrinkly mountain walls.

If you are up for hiking, the walk down is worthwhile and is only about 15-twenty minutes. It will get you to the valley floor with an centre level view of the ocean and the pond with Jurassic Park vibing mountains as a properties. The ironwood tree forest gives off a mysterious, almost haunted tone.

Look for a rope swing to bring out your inner kid!

The hike dorsum upwardly is steep but short. I kept a steady stride, with a bad knee, and information technology only took me about fifteen minutes.

Tex Drive-In

Accost: 45-690 Pakalana St #nineteen, Honokaa, Howdy 96727
Hours: 7 days a week 6am-6pm

After about an hr of driving down Kohala Mountain Rd and through cowboy-country Waimea you lot'll go to Honokaa. The only reason to stop here is if you wanted to try withal another famous malasada shop.

Now, personally, these malasadas are a huge disappointment to me, they just aren't that bully to me. On the other hand, some argue that Tex's is their favorite malasada on the island, then I encourage you to taste test and decide who's you like best (and let me know!). I volition give them credit for size though, they come as big every bit your caput.

Waipi'o Lookout

If yous have a 30min detour to spare this is your chance to meet Waipi'o Sentinel. Over again, afterward coming from Pololu you'll find it a fiddling underwhelming, especially since you can't run into the back of this valley from the lookout. But there are waterfalls to be seen on the opposite side of the valley.

The hike down to the beach is closed for the indefinite hereafter due to damage and unsafe road weather.

Akaka Falls

Address: 875 Akaka Falls Rd, Honomu, HI 96728
Hours: 7 days a week 8:30am-5pm
Fee: $5pp

This might be pushing it for fourth dimension, but if you are doing swell on fourth dimension this is a good fourth dimension to finish at Akaka Falls. It'south a 0.five-mile paved loop hike with stairs that leads to 1 of the tallest waterfalls on the Big Island.

Pro Tip: save on a steep parking fee past parking along the shoulder of the road just outside of the parking lot.

Walk through a tropical forest with a variety of flora. You'll before long attain the viewing spot for Akaka Falls.

This 442 foot waterfall plummets downwardly the confront of a verdant cliff. Take a moment to relish its splendor before completing the loop.

Ola Brewing

Address: 1177 Kilauea Ave, Hilo, HI 96720
Hours: Monday-Thur 11:30am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11:30am-11pm; Lord's day eleven:30am-8pm

I'm gonna recommend the aforementioned restaurant as the South Road to end your day with because nothin' beats a cold one on draft after a decorated eventful day!

Cardinal Route

Now, if y'all want to take the fastest route possible from Kona to Hilo, you could have Saddle Road. The bulldoze is a straight shot that only takes about 1.5hrs.

The road "saddles" Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea and you reach an distance of half dozen,700ft. The terrain gets pretty bare upwards in that location, almost Mars-like, which is why NASA has actually used areas here for practise.

You practise take a couple of options to intermission up this route if you don't wish to flop it.

Mount Thunder Coffee Farm

Address: 73-1942 Ha'o St, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Hours: seven days a week 9am-4pm

Sitting amongst a cloud forest on the slopes of Hualalai is a coffee subcontract with free samples and free tours.

Every half hour they give a coincidental, gratuitous 15-minute coffee tour, explaining the process and showing you the machines used for sorting and roasting.

Endeavour gratis samples of their unlike roasts and browse their quaint gift shop.

For $x per group yous can take a self-bout of their lush garden grounds, see the entrance to a lava tube, and finish on an observation deck overlooking their coffee orchard.

Mauna Kea Company Eye

Address: Mauna Kea Access Rd, Hilo, HI 96720

Most people will endeavour to visit the Mauna Kea Visitor Center for sunrise or sunset/starry nights. The Company Middle is currently closed only it makes for a destination to park.

Bulldoze up the switchback road and become higher up the cloud line. You'll exist standing on technically the tallest mountain from base of operations to tip. While Mauna Kea is 13,796 ft in a higher place sea level it measures a whopping 33,500 anxiety from the body of water flooring; Mt Everest is only a wimpy 29,029 feet tall 😛

This is i of the least sky polluted areas in the globe which is why there is an observatory on the mountain and why information technology'due south a popular destination for stargazers.

Even if you don't get in here before or after the sun awakes, it'south all the same a fascinating area to feel and you might even go to bear on snowfall!

Kaumana Caves

Accost: 1492 Kaumana Dr, Hilo, HI 96720

Bring a flashlight or headlamp and spelunk through a lava tube! I love this costless action that hides in plain sight but and then casually off the side of the road.

Climb down a steep set of stairs so decide whether to go left or right. Going right will take you lot to the master cave with a cathedral high ceiling. Going left is the road less traveled past and will crave a fiddling more climbing.

Either way y'all go is an adventure. Y'all'll eventually run into crossroads where yous have to determine if you have the bravery and brawn to go on. But whether yous just step within with daylight even so in sight or y'all delve deep into the underneath, you'll still be awed.

The Booch Bar

Accost: 110 Keawe St, Hilo, HI 96720
Hours: seven days a week 8am-8pm

If you're feeling famished from your trip over the mountains and need some dejeuner, I would recommend The Booch Bar, the colorful eating house front for Big Island Booch kombucha.

Get refreshing kombucha on tap or mixed in a unique cocktail. Their Booch Bar Burger with kombucha ketchup and lilikoi mustard is one I still think well-nigh and drool over.

Tin You Wing From Kona to Hilo?

No, just yes.

There are no direct commercial flights from Kona to Hilo. All commercial airlines have a stop in Honolulu before coming dorsum to the island.

Yet, you could hire a private plane for the 20 min flight. Depending on the size of the aircraft, it will cost you lot at least $6,000 on the depression terminate.

Here are 2 private jet companies you could fly with:

Monarch Air Group

Evo Jets

Taking the Bus From Kona to Hilo

The Big Isle doesn't take a whole lot to offer in public transportation, just it does have a little. The Hele-On passenger vehicle has a few routes that will get you from Kona to Hilo in about 3 hours.

The price is simply $2.00 one fashion and must be paid in verbal modify when entering the bus. Or y'all tin can download their app to avoid carrying cash.

Epilogue

Now you have a more rounded idea of the all-time means to get from Kona to Hilo whether past simply bombing through or taking your fourth dimension with stops along the manner.

Also agreement that you lot could book yourself a four-effigy flight ticket or a omnibus ticket for a couple bucks; it's good to know your options.

Allow me know how you end up getting from bespeak K to point H!

Other Big Island route trip itineraries to consider:
Sunset to Sunrise Nighttime Itinerary
Pepe'ekeo Scenic Drive
Mauna Loa Rd Scenic Bulldoze
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Proceed the car passengers entertained with a Large Island Bingo game. Download the cards I've created hither.

Source: https://travelcompositions.com/kona-to-hilo/

Posted by: buchananlinlantrint.blogspot.com

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