ENJOY LOCAL FLAVOR
With its unique tropical climate, Hawaii is an agricultural paradise, and the Kailua-Kona area is no exception. Your group can smell, taste, and feel these special exports at places like The Vanillerie, a small vanilla farm which offers tours highlighting the vanilla production process and the history of vanilla cultivation. Each tour concludes with a vanilla ice cream tasting in one of this plant’s most delicious expressions.
Hawaii is also a famed coffee producer, and groups can dive into that history at Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation. Mountain Thunder offers free tours seven days a week, covering how coffee is grown and why the coffee that comes from Kona is so prized around the world. For a brew of a different kind, head to Kona Brewing Co., maker of the Big Wave lager that’s a hit even on the mainland. They offer daily tours, complete with tastings that are as fresh as can be.
DISCOVER NATURAL BEAUTY
Your tourgoers will want to get their fill of island life on Hawaii’s world-famous beaches, and Kailua-Kona is home to some of the best. Manini’owali Beach is a favorite among locals for its crystal-clear waters and beautiful sand. At Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, visitors can get up close to tide pools, view wildlife like birds and sea turtles, and learn about the history of this site and its importance to the Hawaiian people past and present.
For a closer brush with wildlife, head to Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm. Here, visitors can chose from a variety of tours to come face to face with one of the ocean’s most popular creatures. Expert marine biologists will lead guests through fascinating educational programs, including the opportunity to hold a seahorse in your hand!
EXPERIENCE LOCAL CULTURE
The luau is a staple of entertainment for visitors to Hawaii, and Island Breeze Luau is consistently voted one of the best in the state. Located at the Courtyard Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel, an Island Breeze Luau features traditonal Polynesian entertainment and dancing along with a fresh, delicious meal featuring local ingredients. The luau is located close to other Kona cultural attractions like the Hulihe’e Palace, a former vacation home for Hawaiian royalty, and Moku’aikaua Church, the oldest Christian church built in Hawaii.
LEARN MORE
Hawai’i Tourism Authority
gohawaii.com
Main Image: Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park; Credit: Adobe/Janine
