Places in Ocean View - St. Jude`s Episcopal Church

Transcription

To get to St. Jude’s, turn off Hwy 11 between
mile markers 76 & 77 – North onto Donala dr.
Keep left and in ½ block veer left onto Paradise
parkway
Drive two blocks and turn right onto Paradise
circle.
St. Jude’s is on the outside of the circle at the
corner of Keaka Pkwy and Paradise circle.
By: Don Hatch
Draft Document
version: 2014.03.d
Printed: 26 March 2015
Work In Progress
Table of Contents
What is This Guide For? ........................................................................................ 4
Getting Around the Big Island ............................................................................... 5
Places in Ocean View .............................................................................................. 6
Restaurants in Ocean View ...................................................................................................... 6
Mehe’s - Ka’u Bar & Grill (new under construction) ........................................................... 6
Ka-Lae Garden Fruit & Vegetable Stand ............................................................................... 6
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue ........................................................................................................ 6
Coffee Grinds .......................................................................................................................... 6
DJs Pizza and Bakeshop ......................................................................................................... 6
Ocean View Pizzeria............................................................................................................... 7
Farmers Markets ..................................................................................................... 7
Ocean View – Swap Meet & Farmers Market ........................................................................ 7
Ka’u Naalehu Farmers Market ............................................................................................... 7
Kona Farmers Market ............................................................................................................. 7
Hilo Farmers Market ............................................................................................................... 8
Keauhou Shopping Center – Farmers Market ........................................................................ 8
Naalehu..................................................................................................................... 8
Waiohinu: Monkey Pod Tree – Mark Twain ......................................................................... 8
Restaurants in Naalehu ............................................................................................................ 9
Panalu’u Bakery...................................................................................................................... 9
Hana Hou Restaurant .............................................................................................................. 9
Beaches ................................................................................................................... 10
Ho’okena State Park & Beach ............................................................................................... 10
Panalu’u Black Sand Beach ................................................................................................... 11
Whittington Beach & Park .................................................................................................... 11
Two Step Beach ....................................................................................................................... 12
Places You Must See: ............................................................................................ 12
St. Benedict's better known as the Painted Church ............................................................ 12
City of Refuge or Place of Refuge ......................................................................................... 13
Volcano Park - Kilauea Visitor Center................................................................................. 13
South Point .............................................................................................................................. 14
Kona........................................................................................................................ 16
Along the Drive to/from Kona ............................................................................................... 16
Coffee Shack ......................................................................................................................... 16
South Kona Fruit Stand......................................................................................................... 16
Places to Shop in Kona ........................................................................................................... 17
Costco ................................................................................................................................... 17
Walmart, Ross’s, Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc......................................................................... 17
Farmers Market ..................................................................................................................... 17
Restaurants.............................................................................................................................. 17
Quinn’s almost by the Seaside .............................................................................................. 17
Kona Brewery & Pub ............................................................................................................ 18
Bongo Ben’s Island Café ...................................................................................................... 18
Things to Do When You’re in Ocean View
2
Bianelli's Gourmet Pizza & Pasta ......................................................................................... 19
Aloha Fridays ........................................................................................................................ 19
Sam Choy’s ........................................................................................................................... 20
Teshima's Restaurant ............................................................................................................ 20
Royal Thai Cafe .................................................................................................................... 21
Los Habaneros or Habaneros Grill ....................................................................................... 21
Los Habaneros Grill - Keauhou Shopping Center (fast food) ...................................... 22
Los Habaneros Grill – corner of Walua Rd & Alii Dr (family restaurant) ..................... 22
Annie’s Island Fresh Burgers ............................................................................................... 23
Organic Produce & Natural Foods Stores ........................................................................... 23
Island Natural Market and Deli ............................................................................................ 23
Kona Natural Foods .............................................................................................................. 24
Ruderman-Russel: Island Natural Market and Deli ............................................................. 24
Shopping Centers .................................................................................................................... 24
Keauhou Shopping Center .................................................................................................... 24
Hilo .......................................................................................................................... 25
Along the Drive to/from Hilo ................................................................................................. 25
Akatsuka Orchid Gardens ..................................................................................................... 25
Places to Shop in Hilo ............................................................................................................. 25
Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc. .................................................................................... 25
Farmers Market ..................................................................................................................... 25
Restaurants.............................................................................................................................. 26
Pineapples Restaurant ........................................................................................................... 26
Café Pesto ............................................................................................................................. 26
Hilo Bay Café ....................................................................................................................... 27
Kens House of Pancakes ....................................................................................................... 27
Concerts / Plays in Kona ....................................................................................... 28
Hulihe’e Place – Free Concert – Kailua-Kona .................................................................... 28
Keauhou Shopping Center – Free Monthly Concert – Kailua-Kona .................................... 29
Aloha Theatre – Community Theatre ................................................................................... 29
North West Coast - St Columba's Church .......................................................... 30
St. Columba's Episcopal Church........................................................................................... 30
Hotel Honokaa Club ............................................................................................................. 31
Cafe Il Mondo ....................................................................................................................... 31
Suggested Outings .................................................................................................. 32
Lunch at the Beach - Black Sand Beach or Whittington Beach ........................................ 32
Place of Refuge and Painted Church .................................................................................. 32
South Point............................................................................................................................ 32
Ho’okena Beach and Park..................................................................................................... 32
Volcano Park......................................................................................................................... 33
Two Day Northern Loop of the Big Island ........................................................................... 33
3
What is This Guide For?
There are several good guide books for the Big Island and I suggest you use them as you are
navigating and explore around the Big Island. They identify lots of very interesting things to do,
many places to see, and many wonderful restaurants to try. However, their focuses are mostly on
the northern, more populated, and plush parts of the island.
Ocean View is a rural community located around the 76 to 78 mile markers on the Belt Road which
is near the southern tip of the Big Island. It’s an hour or more drive to most of the populated and
touristy places on the island. In this guide, I’ll try to give you a few ideas of things to do or see
close to home.
In addition to things close to home; I also include some of my favorite places in Kona and Hilo and
some of the places you may want to stop at while driving to/from either of those places.
Some people use their imagination to make their own entertainment while in Ocean View and
sometimes they didn’t go any farther than St. Jude’s to make your wish
come true.
The first time Rev. Elaine Barber was here one of her sons and his family
visited her, including her seven year old grand-daughter Chloe. Chloe wanted
to learn how to hula. A hula group practices at St. Jude’s twice a week; so,
she asked them if she could join their group and learn how to hula.
The next Sunday was the first Sunday of the month which is when they
usually perform a hula prayer as part of our services. They put Chloe in the
front row center and she stole the show. If most of the ladies in the hula
group weren’t close friends of mine I would even say she was one of the
better dancers.
If this was such a memorable moment for me, I can’t imagine how Chloe’s parents and grandmother
felt.
4
Getting Around the Big Island
Warning: Something you need to be careful of in this area is the drivers. Around here, some of
them drive on the wrong side of the road and some don’t even slow down at stop signs.
Although the speed limit in the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates ( HOVE) neighborhood is 25 mph, it
is far too common to see someone going 50-60 mph and sometimes they speed through the stop
signs without even slowing down – when a wreck happens here it is likely to be a bad one. It’s up to
you to avoid them.
Especially be careful and take a second look at 4-way stops and even if you think the other
driver sees you, wait until he stops.
The same caution applies as you drive around the Big Island, although it usually isn’t quite as bad.
To get anywhere around the Big Island you need to become familiar with the “Hawaiʻi Belt Road”.
It circles the island and in some places is the only available road. In the past, it was called the
Mamalahoa Hwy and is still called that on some documents.
To add a bit of confusion, as highways were built and
road were assigned numbers the Hawaiʻi Belt Road is
now made up of three highways. Hwy 11, Hwy 19,
and Hwy 190.
In the southern part of the island section between Hilo
and Kailua-Kona, including Ocean View, the Belt
Road is Hwy 11.
Between Hilo and Waimea it is Hwy 19.
Between Waimea and Kailua-Kona the highway splits
and both Hwy 19 and Hwy 190 are called the Belt
Road. Hwy 190 takes the mountain rout and Hwy 19
takes the lower ocean route.
To add yet another level of confusion, sometimes local maps will refer to Hwy 19 as “Makai”
which means "towards the sea" and Hwy 190 as “Mauka” which means "towards the mountain"
There are green mile marker signs along the Belt Road. The zero mile marker for the Belt Road
is located in Hilo at the corner where Hwy 11 and Hwy 19 intersect. When I can, I’ll include a
mile marker in the directions so you can tell about where you are when you are driving and so you
can calculate how far it is to your turn-off.
Note that while the zero point for the mile marker is at the intersection where Hwy 11 and Hwy 19
intersect it is the zero point for both directions.
If you drive a mile on Hwy 11 north from the zero point you will be at the 1 mile marker
If you drive a mile on Hwy 19 west from the zero point you will be at the 1 mile marker
Even more confusing is when the three highways that make up the Belt Road intersect in KalaheoKona where Palani Road meets with the Belt Road.
South of the intersection is Hwy. 11 it is 0.3 miles to the 122 mile marker (Zero marker Waimea)
North of the intersection is Hwy. 19 it is 0.8 miles to the 99 mile marker (Zero marker Hilo)
Inland of the intersection is Hwy 190 it is 0.5 miles to the 38 mile marker (Zero marker Waimea)
5
Places in Ocean View
Ocean View is a small rural community near the southern tip of the Big Island. It is an hour or
more drive to most of the populated and touristy places on the island.
It has a post office, two grocery stores, Ace Hardware, and several small businesses. It also has 5-6
places to eat, but at the time of this writing there was no place to go out for a nice lunch or dinner.
The Ocean View grocery store, Ace Hardware, and post office are all located between mile
markers 77 & 78 on the north side of the Belt Road. The Malama Market and the Saturday Swap
Meet and Farmers Market are located on the south side of the Belt Road.
Restaurants in Ocean View
Currently there is no “set down” restaurant to go out for dinner in Ocean View, but there is a new
restaurant in the process of starting up here that we have high hopes for.
Mehe’s - Ka’u Bar & Grill (new under construction)
This is a new restaurant that is almost ready to open. The new owners are doing major renovations
before opening.
It is located one block west from the post office on the north side of the Belt Road.
Ka-Lae Garden Fruit & Vegetable Stand
This is a combination Restaurant and Fruit stand. The restaurant specializes in Thai Food and it is
good.
Although they are mostly a take-out restaurant, they do have 4 or 5 tables available to sit and eat.
They are located between 76 and 77 mile marker closer to the 76 marker south of the Belt Road.
You can see their business from the belt road, but to get to it you have to turn south on Kohala
Blvd. as if you are going to the Ranchos entry gate, then turn left onto the small road running
parallel to the belt road – sounds complicated, but when you see it you will understand.
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue
This is a Hawaiian chain of fast food restaurants and it is quite popular.
It is located next to the Malama Market, between the market and the Belt Road.
Coffee Grinds
It is open for breakfast and lunch.
This is probably the most popular place to eat in Ocean View.
Coffee Grinds is Located one business away from the Post Office - Next to DJs listed below.
DJs Pizza and Bakeshop
They have very good pizza and Calzone. They also have pizza sold by the slice. A large variety of
sandwiches including Panini sandwiches. Their baked goods include cakes, cheesecakes, and pies.
They have several tables outside on the sidewalk.
They are located next to the Post Office.
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Ocean View Pizzeria
They have very good pizzas and sandwiches – we especially like their Hawaiian pizza with
Canadian bacon and pineapple.
This is mostly a take-out restaurant.
It is located ½ block from the post office - next to Ace Hardware.
Farmers Markets
As you drive around the island you will find hundreds of farmer markets. Most towns and some
shopping centers have one. Some are open every day, some are open Wednesday and Saturday,
and others are only open Saturday morning. Some are better than others, but I think they are all
worth stopping to see what they have.
The Farmers Market in Volcano is supposed to be one of the better ones, but I haven’t been by
there when it was open.
Ocean View – Swap Meet & Farmers Market
Each Saturday morning there is a Farmers Market/Swap in Ocean View where you can buy fresh
fruit, plants, used tools, and some handicraft items.
It is located between the 77 and 78 mile markers and is 1/2 block below the Belt Road (south) on
Princess Kuhno Blvd. It is in the open area below the Malama Market.
This doesn’t compare to the other Farmers Markets I listed - the selection is smaller and the prices
are higher, but it is close. This is one place where you need to bargain with the seller.
Ka’u Naalehu Farmers Market
The Ka’U Naalehu Farmers Market is open Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
It recently split into two locations. The original market is located in the parking lot in front of Ace
Hardware and the other is across the street and ½ block south in the Shaka Restaurant parking lot.
Located near the 64 mile marker which is around 13 miles north east of Ocean View.
Kona Farmers Market
Open Wednesdays through Sundays, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm
This is a great place to buy fresh local fruit and handicraft items.
They have a huge selection of locally-grown produce, flowers,
hand-made arts and crafts, Kona coffee and a whole lot more.
Their price for fresh fruit is less than half the cost in Ocean View.
The only place I’ve found with a better selection and price is the
farmers market in Hilo on Wednesdays and Saturdays when their
entire market is open..
Located at the corner of Haulalai rd and Alii Drive in the heart of
Kailua Kona.
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Hilo Farmers Market
Part of this market is open every day with day from 7:00 am until 4:00 pm with over 30 farmers
and crafters participating.
On Wednesday and Saturday the entire market is open with over
200 local farmers and crafters participating. This is a must see to
believe…
In addition to fresh fruit and vegetables, they have very
inexpensive cut flower arrangements.
It is located at the corner of Kamehameha Ave & Mamo Street.
Kamehameha ave. runs parallel to the belt rood, but around 200 ft
north of it. It is around two miles west of the 0 mile marker on
Hwy 95.
Keauhou Shopping Center – Farmers Market
On Saturdays 8:00 am until 12:00 noon
I haven’t been to this farmers market, but included it here because I recommended other events
and merchants in or near this shopping center.
Naalehu
Naalehu is the closest town to Ocean View. It is located 13 miles north east from Ocean View in
the direction of Hilo. All of the places I suggest are located near the Belt Road 64 mile marker.
It features a Farmers Market on Wednesday and Saturdays, a great bakery, and a restaurant with
good food.
Waiohinu: Monkey Pod Tree – Mark Twain
Naalehu is a small village located on the belt road A couple miles before you get Naalehu. (Around
the 66 mile marker)
In 1866 Mark Twain spent four months in Hawaii and much of that time was on the Big Island in
the village of Waiohinu.
While he was there he planted a monkey pod tree. The tree blew down in 1957, but a shoot from it
was replanted, and a mature monkey pod tree now stands along the main road where Mark Twain
planted the original tree.
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Restaurants in Naalehu
Both of the restaurants mentioned here are located near the 64 mile marker.
Panalu’u Bakery
The Punalu’u Bakery is the southernmost bakery in the U.S.A.
It has a varied menu of plate lunches, sandwiches, vegetarian fare,
fresh garden and fruit salads, and lots of sweet bakery favorites.
Some of our friends stop to buy something every time they drive
by.
They are best known for their pastries and breads, which are
wonderful. We especially like their raisin breads to make French
toast.
Outside the bakery is a park type setting with outside tables in two gazebos. The park setting has a
wide variety of tropical palms, flowers, fragrance and culinary gardens, and other floral exotica
from Hawaii.
This is one of the places we pick up sandwiches on our way to one of the local beaches for lunch.
Near the 64 mile marker.
95-5642 Mamalahoa Hwy
Naalehu, HI 96772
Hana Hou Restaurant
Hana Hou Restaurant is advertised as the Southern-most restaurant in
the USA. They have a full menu offering breakfast, lunch and dinner,
with daily specials including soups, salads, and local favorite.
This is one of the places we go for lunch or to pick up sandwiches for
lunch at the beach.
They are located across the Belt Road from the Punalu’u Bakery and
Ace Hardware.
Near the 64 mile marker
95-1148 Na’alehu Spur Rd
-
Na’alehu, HI 96772
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Beaches
As you would expect in Hawaii, there are lots of beaches and most of them don’t have potable
water. So, you should get into the habit of carrying something to drink.
Ho’okena State Park & Beach
This is one of our favorite beaches for kicking back and relaxing, snorkeling, and sometimes
swimming with the dolphins. There are several free showers, public toilets, equipment rentals, and
some picnic areas.
Most days there are a couple professional kayak fishermen
that launch from here and come back in with their catch a
little before noon. I’ve seen them come in with mahi mahi,
ono (wahoo), yellow fin tuna, and other local fish that I don’t
know the names of. They usually sell their catch to some of
the local restaurants, but if you ask they may sell one to you.
We usually go here on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday
mornings, have a picnic lunch and head home in the early
afternoon. Some people camp overnight, but they usually do
it on nights with a full moon because it can get very dark
here. This is a very popular beach on weekends and you usually can’t find parking, let alone a place
to relax.
Sometimes the spinner dolphins are in the harbor, but not always.
Feb 2nd 2015 – When we got to Ho’okena around 9:00 am the spinner dolphins were there along
with three humpback whales. They were still there when we left around 2:00 pm
The dolphins were swimming with the snorkelers while the whales were farther out (150-300 yards
offshore). The whales were putting on a show by blowing, sounding, flapping their tails, and rolling
over. Then one of them came in to around 75-100 yards offshore to swim with the snorkelers and
dolphins – it stayed in close for 30-45 minutes. When the whale came in to swim with the dolphins
and people it slowed down and seemed to be careful not to hurt anyone. One of the snorkelers said
people were holding onto the whales’ fins and were being pulled along. That’s a no-no because they
are wild animals and you can get hurt.
Humpback whales migrate to Hawaii each year during the winter months of December-April
During that time the leeward waters of Maui County has the world’s densest humpback whale
population. Every year, over 10,000 humpbacks migrate to the warm, shallow waters of Maui to
birth their young.
Directions: Some people hike from the City of Refuge to Ho’okena Beach, but I haven’t tried to.
They are only three miles apart but the walk is a little over five miles.
To drive there: Turnoff of the Belt Road around the 101 mile marker (this is 3 miles closer to Ocean
View than the City of Refuge turnoff). Then drive 3 miles down a narrow paved road to the beach.
When you get to the houses, turn left into a narrow road that goes around 100 yards to the parking
lot and beach (there is a sign, but most people miss it the first time there).
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Panalu’u Black Sand Beach
This is a nice place to have a picnic.
The main attraction is the Sea Turtles that come ashore to bask in the sun. The come up on the
beach with the bathers and picnickers.
The beach has a large amount of underground fresh water that
flows under it. This fresh water is very cold and legend has it
that in the time of drought, the ancient Hawaiians would dive
underwater with a jug to get fresh water.
The south end of the beach has some picnic facilities and a
toilet. The north end of the beach has a couple porta-potties. In
the middle of the beach are a few shops, but they are mostly
souvenirs. The last time I checked there was no snack-bar open.
You should bring drinking water.
The swimming area is very rocky, and it can be dangerous to swim.
There is also a nine hole golf course near the park.
The turnoff for Black Sand beach is 22 miles north east from Ocean View, which is between mile
Marker 56 and 57.
Whittington Beach & Park
It is almost always a bright and sunny spot with beautiful ocean, cliff and tidal views.
The small, 1 acre park has picnic facilities including shelters, picnic tables, fire pits, grills and
bathrooms. It is also a popular place to camp overnight. However, there is no drinking water at the
park.
Each year St. Jude’s has one of their church services at this
beach.
Some weekends the hula group that practices at St. Jude’s
does fundraisers here. You can buy hot dogs, shaved ice
cones, and enjoy some great hula dancing.
The turnoff to the Whittington Beach is located 16.5 miles
north east of Ocean View between mile Marker 60 and 61.
History: The land currently occupied by the park was once
the village of Honu'apo. The bay in front of the park is Honu'apo Bay and it, along with other
nearby bays such as Punalu'u were hit by the 1868 tsunami. The wave completely wiped out
Honu'apo village as well as much of the road though this area.
In 1870's sugar cane mills were built in the bay. The bay was dredged and a wharf constructed in
1883 to ship the sugar.
In 1946 Another tsunami destroyed most of the landings and warf at Honu'apo leaving the ruined
skeleton of a structure that still stands today.
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Two Step Beach
This beach is located next to “The City of Refuge” park and you can look down onto the beach from
the park.
This is a small secluded beach that is very popular for families with
small children because it has a sandy beach that is protected from
the waves. It is also a very good snorkeling and shore-diving areas.
It is considered by some to be one of the top 5 snorkel beaches in
the state and you often see dive boats anchored offshore.
There is very little parking here; so, you may have to offload your
beach chairs and picnic supplies and then drive back into the Place
of Refuge to park.
Directions: Turn of the Belt Road between 103 to 104 mile marker into route 160 (City of Refuge
Road) drive 3 ½ miles, turn left onto the Honaunau Beach Road and drive 0.2 miles, around 200 ft.
before you get to the park gate, there is a small one way road that leads off to the right and the
beach is 100 yards down that road.
Places You Must See:
St. Benedict's better known as the Painted Church
This Church dates back to the early 1840s and like many buildings in the tropics; the weather
decayed the structure until it was unusable. In 1899 Father John Berchmans Velge moved to the
church and restored it to like-new condition.
Father John was reported to be an excellent teacher and a self-taught artist. Since many of his
followers couldn’t read, he used his art skills to paint the
interior walls of the church with scenes from the Bible to
help with his teaching. His biblical murals soon became
famous, and St. Benedict Church became known as "The
Painted Church".
St. Benedict Church is unique in American Art and has
become a tourist attraction where thousands of visitors
come every year. It is listed in the Hawaii State Register of
Historical Places and the National Register of Historical
Places.
The painted church is only one mile off of the Belt Road; so, it’s an easy stop any time you are
going to/from Kona.
Directions: Turn off the Belt Road between 103 to 104 mile marker into route 160 (City of Refuge
Road). This is around 25 miles from Ocean View.
Drive a little over one mile down the City of Refuge road and turn right onto the Painted Church
Road. The church is 0.3 miles up that road.
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City of Refuge or Place of Refuge
Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park (City of Refuge or Place of Refuge) is a 180-acre
park preserving what's left of an ancient Hawaiian royal
residence, a sacred place of refuge. Among the original
artifacts on the site are petroglyphs and a 16th-century wall.
In ancient times, Hawaiians lived under strict laws.
Commoners could not get too close to the chief, nor were
they allowed to touch any of his possessions, walk in his
footsteps or even let their shadows touch the royal grounds.
The penalty for violating a sacred kapu (taboo) was death.
Breaking a kapu was believed to incur the wrath of the gods.
Hawaiians often chased down an offender and swiftly put
him to death unless he could reach a “puuhonua”, or place of refuge. There he could be absolved by
a kahuna (priest) in a purification ceremony, then return home with his transgression forgiven.
Defeated warriors and non-combatants could also find refuge here during times of battle.
There are lectures, shows, and pictures. This is a great place
to walk around and see some of the ancient works and get a
feel of what it was like a several hundred years ago.
Sometimes there are demonstrations showing how they
weave baskets or even hollow out a Koa log to make an
ocean going canoe.
This is also a great place to relax and share a picnic lunch.
Directions: Turn of the Belt Road between 103 to 104 mile
marker into route 160 (City of Refuge Road) drive 3 ½
miles, turn left onto the Honaunau Beach Road and drive 0.2 miles to the park gate. This is a
federal park with the usual entry fees.
Volcano Park - Kilauea Visitor Center
One thing everyone should do when they visit the Big Island is spend some time at the Volcano
National Park.
If you stay after dark you can see the glow from the hot lava.
The Volcano House Hotel has been recently remodeled and although I have walked through the
hotel I haven’t stayed there. Likewise, the restaurant was remodeled and features a new menu
Here is their advertisement: The Rim, the newly refurbished restaurant at Volcano House,
overlooks the rim of Kilauea caldera and showcases spectacular views of billowing
Halema‘uma‘u Crater. Creative island cuisine highlights the best of Hawaii Island’s bounty
through seasonal specials; at least 95% of the restaurant’s meat, seafood, fruit and
vegetables are bought from local ranchers, farmers and suppliers.
13
The Rim Restaurant has a spectacular view of the Halema‘uma‘u
Crater and at night you can see the glow from the volcano dining
area.
I haven’t eaten here, but friends have told me it is an excellent
place to eat.
I think a very memorable dinner would be to have a wonderful
meal here at sunset so you can see the glow of the volcano in the
distance.
Picture from advertisement
There are lots of interesting presentations, tours, and pictures about Hawaiian volcanoes.
One of the tours is called “A Walk into the Past” and this is the one I
always try to take my guests to. It takes you back in time to 1912, when
the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory was first opened by Professor Thomas
Jaggar.
The tour guide is dresses in authentic 1912 clothes and the tour is
presented as if he is Professor Jaggar showing you his latest and greatest
seismic monitoring equipment, which he is so very proud of.
He walks you around the ground and explains what it was like in 1912.
Then he takes you down into the room built to monitor seismic activities
and shows you some of the delicate seismic monitoring equipment that
was actually used in 1912 to monitor volcano seismic activity
Professor Jaggar
(by Dick Hershberger)
This tour is led by Dick Hershberger from Ocean View. Dick is better known in Ocean View for his
directing/acting in community theaters, member and MC for the Last Fling Band, Coordinator of
the Senior Nutritional Program, and coordinator of the HOVE neighborhood watch. Now I also
know Dick as Professor Jaggar.
If you can, you should do this tour several times because it is a little different each time he does it.
Dick says he has a much bigger script for this show than he had for any of his other acting rolls, and
this gives him the flexibility to change the dialog to fit the question/interests of each audience.
You need to do a little planning to get on this tour because it is only available every other Tuesday,
at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. The tour starts at the Volcano National Park Visitor Center. There is no
charge for the tour, but park entrance fees do apply.
The turnoff to Volcano National Park is 46 miles North East from Ocean View which is between
the 30 and 31 mile marker.
South Point
South Point is the southern-most place in the USA. It’s located
at the southern tip of the island and without mountains to stop
the winds, they blow most of the time. Since the prevailing
winds are from east to west the trees in the area are affected by
the winds.
This tree is located beside the road going to South Point. All of
the branches on the tree are on the downwind side (west) of the
trunk.
14
Parking at South Point isn’t as good as the road. It is on unimproved lava rock and sometimes you
need someone to get out and guide you through the rough spots. That’s why some people park 100200 feet from the parking area and walk in. Also, even if you make it to the parking area you might
have problems getting out. One time we were there and someone parked on the only road in-out of
the parking area and everyone had to wait until they decided to leave before anyone else could get
out.
There are no facilities or shops at South Point, but sometimes there are people selling handicraft
souvenirs.
Cindy Coots wrote a nice article in the March St. Jude’s newsletter about one of her trips hers. A
bunch of Humpback whales were there putting on a show. If you ever see whales sounding and
flipping you’ll wonder how something larger than a school bus can move and jump so easily. Also,
that something that large seems to play with each other.
I haven’t been at South Point when they were in, but have seen them playing at Ho’okena beach and
when we were there one of them even came in and swam with the snorkelers.
One thing you often see are people jumping off of the cliffs and plunging 30-40 feet down to the
water. It is a sheer cliff down to the water and a long climb back up a wobbly metal ladder.
I would like to say this is some crazy kid from the area jumping, but this crazy kid is actually
Beverly’s grandson Matthew who visited us in 2014. The first picture was taken by Rev. Dennis
Maynard and I took the other two.
Close to where they jump off of the cliff there is also a blowhole that some folks jump into.
If you make this jump successfully you have to swim out a tunnel, that’s
sometimes submerged, to the ocean and then swim to the ladder.
If the current is too swift and you can’t make it to the ladder, I’ve been
told that the current will usually carry you to a small beach a mile or so
west of the jump point and from there you can climb the cliffs and walk
back to South Point.
They said “usually”, and I couldn’t get any clarification on what the alternative was if the current
didn’t carry you to the small beach.
Actually there is often someone fishing from a boat off of south point.
Most of the times you will see several people fishing here and I’ve seen some with bagged fish but
haven’t actually seen anyone actually pulling a fish up the 30-40 feet from the water to the top of
the cliffs. The biggest fish I saw here was a yellow fin tuna about 4 feet long.
There’re usually strong winds blowing here and the fishermen use those winds to help get their bait
200-300 feet offshore. They use a variation on Kite Fishing where they inflate a large plastic
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garbage bag with air and attach the inflated bag to their fishing line to act like the kite. The wind
carries the bag and fishing line several hundred feet offshore.
I haven’t seen a lot of catching activity here, but my brother Ray told me that one time when they
were here there was a school of bait fish here with mahi mahi feeding off of them. The fishermen
were having a great time catching the mahi mahi.
Above are a few pictures of people fishing at South Point.
Directions: The South Point Road turnoff is located between the 69 and 70 mile marker of the Belt
Road. Turn south and drive 10 miles south on a narrow road. The first time we tried to go to South
Point we turned back because the road was so bad, but it was repaired and resurfaced in 2012 and
now it is a fairly easy drive.
Kona
Kona is where we do most of our shopping. Our main reason for choosing Kona over Hilo is
because Kona has a Costco store and Hilo doesn’t.
The drive to Hilo is longer; however, it has much better roads and the drive is easier.
Along the Drive to/from Kona
Coffee Shack
This is a great place to stop for breakfast as you drive to Kona or for lunch as you drive home.
You can’t miss it as you drive by it because it’s located next to the road and its parking lot is always
full with overflow cars parked along the sides of the road.
They have wonderful breakfast and lunches. They are known for their eggs Benedict. Their waitstaff are polite, hardworking, and efficient.
It is built on a coffee plantation and the view from their lanai is along 25 miles of coastline.
The Coffee Shack is located between the 108 and 109 mile markers. The only negative for this
restaurant is the lack of parking.
South Kona Fruit Stand
This is worth stopping to see. Very clean and nice fruit stand with a huge variety of fruit, some
pastries, smoothies too, and coffee.
My two problems with this stand (1) the workers are constantly trying to sell you something and I
hate high pressure sales tactics (2) the prices are way too high.
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Located on the north side of the Belt Road between the 103 and 104 mile markers.
Places to Shop in Kona
Costco
This is the only Costco store on the big island and is where we do most of our shopping. Some
people living in Hilo drive to Kona to do their major shopping at Costco.
Walmart, Ross’s, Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc.
Kona has many of the same stores you will find and almost any medium to large American town. I
won’t try to elaborate on that. However, you should be ready for the stores to have empty shelve
and you might not find things where you think they should be located.
For example, the last time I went to Walmart to buy coffee filters I couldn’t find them. I finally
asked and was told they decided it was silly to put them with the coffee because they weren’t food;
so, they moved them to small appliances near the coffee pots.
Farmers Market
Open Wednesdays through Sundays, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. This is a great place to buy fresh local
fruit and handicraft items. They have a huge selection of locally-grown produce, flowers, handmade arts and crafts, Kona coffee and a whole lot more
See complete write up on page 7.
Restaurants
There are lots of good places to eat in Kona and you can find out about them in the guide books.
The restaurants listed here are the ones we usually eat at when we are in Kona.
Quinn’s almost by the Seaside
This is our favorite place to go for lunch. They don’t have a nice
ocean view, but they do have a nice covered garden lanai where
we like to eat. They also have inside air conditioned dining, but
we have never used it.
The first time we went there I ask the waitress if the fish was
fresh and she said “An hour ago it was still on the fishing boat.
We get our fish fresh off of the boat and clean it our self”.
Their “Fish Of The Day” is usually Ono (yahoo) which is a
light colored mild flavored fish. They usually have mahi mahi
available if you prefer it. They have good hamburgers and sandwiches and daily lunch and dinner
specials.
Parking is limited in this area, but you can park across the street in the King Kamehameha Kona
Beach Hotel parking lot. Take your parking ticket with you to Quinn’s, and they will put a sicker
on your parking ticked good for one hour free parking.
Quinn’s is located three blocks down Palana Rd. from the Belt Road at the intersection where
Palana Rd. meets Alii Dr. The 122 mile marker in the Belt Road is .4 miles south of this
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intersection, but the mile markers around this intersection may be a little confusing because this is
where three highways that make up the Belt Road intersects – Hwy 11, Hwy 19, and Hwy 190.
As you drive down Palana Rd. from the Belt Rd. you can see Quinn’s green roof on the left side as
you approach. The King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel is on the right, as Palana Rd. turns to the
left and changes into Alii Dr.
75-5655 Palani Road * Kailua-Kona, Hawaii * (808) 329-3822
Kona Brewery & Pub
Maybe this is our favorite place instead of Quinn’s – I guess
maybe it’s a toss-up.
The reason I say both restaurants are our favorites is because their
foods are very different. We go to Quinn’s for their fresh seafood
while Kona Brewers is known for their beer, pizza, sandwiches,
and much more. Kone Brewers is larger than Quinn’s and much
more popular.
They have a large menu and we’ve liked everything we have tried.
They have a beer of the week, and a pizza slice of the day. The beer is cold and served in a mug.
The slice of the day is a large slice of pizza and it comes with a side. For a side you should try their
Spinach Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette dressing. Another one you should try is their Papaya
Slaw – they shred green papayas and make it into a slaw (much like cabbage slaw). They also have
the best nachos I have found in the area. The dough for their pizza and sandwiches are made using
the yeast from brewing their beer. Although it isn’t on their menu, you can buy the raw pizza dough
to make your own pizza at home – it can be frozen until you need it.
Directions: From the Belt Road you turn south onto Kaiwi St. (Located half way between Makela
Blvd and Palana Rd.). Drive three blocks (around 0.5 miles) down Kaiwa St. then turn left onto
Pawia Place and drive 0.2 miles to the restaurant (located at the end of the road).
They have a free tour of their facilities that ends up in the restaurant sampling several of their beers.
It’s worth taking the tour
History: Kona Brewing Company introduced Pacific Golden Ale (now called Big Wave Golden
Ale) and Fire Rock Pale Ale in 1995. Today their beers are widely distributed throughout Hawaii,
making Kona the top selling craft beer in the islands. It is also sold in 36 states and 9 other
countries.
Bongo Ben’s Island Café
This restaurant has great food and a beautiful view of the ocean. They were voted Kona's Best
Breakfast for 2013. Their Eggs Benedict is great, but they
usually stop serving it before breakfast time is over because
they run out of their homemade Hollandaise Sauce. They
have an extensive breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu
includes daily specials and the catch of the day – I haven’t
tried all of their offerings, but those I did try were very
good.
Until we found Quinn’s, this was our favorite place for fish
and chips and their coconut crusted shrimp is great.
Beverly loves their Hula Chicken Sandwich.
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Directions: It is located on Alii Drive, which amble along the coast and as you drive through the
Kona Village you will see various shops, the Farmer Market, and hotels.
A nice drive through the area is to turn off of the Belt Road on Palana Rd. three blocks down Palana
you will pass “Quinn’s Almost by the Seaside” restaurant. At that point Palana circles left (south)
and become Alii Dr. Around 0.5 miles into the drive you will see the Kona Farmers Market on the
left and 0.25 farther you will come to Bongo Bens (also on the left). Immediately after you pass
Bongo Bens there is a driveway into the parking behind the restaurant.
They are located in Kona Village - 75-5819 Alii Dr. around 0.25 mile south of the Kona Farmers
Market.
Bianelli's Gourmet Pizza & Pasta
They feature great Italian food, pasta, pizza, calzone, sandwiches and much more.
We usually order one regular Calzone and split it between us.
They aren’t open for lunch, but they are in the same shopping center as the monthly Keauhou
Shopping Center Concert; so, we usually have dinner here and then go to the other end of the
shopping center to watch the concert.
Usually during dinner I realize that I forgot to bring the two cans
of food which is the entry fee for the concert. The KTA market
is next door to Bianelli’s so I stop by there to buy my canned
goods before going to the concert.
Directions: Turn south west off of the Belt Road onto
Kamehameha III Road (Keauhou Bay Turnoff which is located
between the 117 and 118 mile markers. Go 1.5 miles to the 2nd
stoplight, Turn right onto Laii Drive, go one block and turn right
into the Keauhou Shopping Center.
The KTA Market and Bianelli’s restaurant is located at the southern end of the shopping center.
The theatre, Longs Drugstore, and the monthly Keauhou Shopping Center are located at the
north end of the shopping center.
78-6831 Alii Drive, #B-106
Kailua Kona, HI 96740
Aloha Fridays
The setting for this restaurant within the Kona Coast Resort is very pleasant. It has a nice view just
above the pool and an ocean and golf course view. They have a fairly large menu for a poolside
restaurant and also have a nice bar with a happy hour, and on weekend they have live entertainment.
My favorite is their French Dip Sandwich made with Smoked Prime Rib.
This restaurant is owned and operated by Bill & Beth DeVaney who are members of St. Jude’s;
however, we don’t see them very often because their restaurant is open 7 days a week. In addition
to that Bill is a very busy general contractor.
Directions: Turn south west off of the Belt Road onto Kamehameha III Road (Keauhou Bay Turnoff
which is located between the 117 and 118 mile markers. Go 1.5 miles to the 2nd stoplight, Turn
right onto Laii Drive, go one block and turn left. Immediately turn left again into the Kona Coast
Resort. Go 100 yards to a circle, turn right and then circle to your left (downhill). Near the bottom
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of the hill you can see three flagpoles which indicate the resort office. The restaurant is located near
the office, by the flagpolesl.
They are below the Keauhou Shopping Center
Sam Choy’s
Sam Choy’s restaurant is situated above the Keauhou Shopping Center and it has a spectacular view
extending all the way to Kailua town about 5 miles away. The location is hard to beat for a romantic
sunset dinner. They serve breakfast lunch and dinner. Since there is such a spectacular view, the
restaurant is open to the outside and many of the tables are outside overlooking the ocean – which is
good unless it starts to rain.
Their food is a cross between Hawaiian and Chinese. They use fresh local products in their dishes
and many of their dishes were created by Sam Choy.
Of the restaurants listed here, this is probably my least favorite, but it is something worth doing.
One of their breakfast dishes is a “Beef Stew Omelet” which I thought was quite unique.
Directions: Turn south west off of the Belt Road) onto Kamehameha III Road (Keauhou Bay
Turnoff which is located between the 117 and 118 mile markers. Go 1.2 miles to the 1st stop light.
You can see Sam Choy’s on the right side of the road. Sets above the Keauhou Shopping Center.
Teshima's Restaurant
If you want to experience a piece of Hawaiian history while
having a relaxed Japanese meal, this is the place to go. They are
friendly, clean, and have some great Japanese food, but
sometimes it has a unique Hawaiian/American twist.
The first time I ate here I saw “Fried Rice Omelet” listed on their
menu and had to try it because I had never even considered that
combination – it was quite good.
The local Rotary meets here and Grandma Teshima was an honorary member. In 2007, in honor of
her 100th birthday, members of the rotary club helped her set up the Mrs. Shizuko Teshima
Scholarship. The perpetual scholarship provides $1,000 to a Konawaena High School senior to help
further their education.
They are located on the hill side of the Belt Road between the 113 and 114 mile markers.
797251 Mamalahoa Hwy
Holualoa, HI 96725
History: In 1899 Goichi Hanato came to Hawaii from Japan and opened a store and tofu shop. He
married in 1905 and their daughter Mary Shizuko took over the business in 1928. In 1929, Mary
and her husband Fumio ‘Harry’ Teshima opened a general store in South Kona, aptly named F.
Teshima Store.
They started making and serving ice cream and then added other foods to their menu. By the 1940s,
the store was mostly a restaurant and during WWII, GIs eating their ice cream taught her how to
make hamburgers.
The store evolved into a restaurant with a focus on Japanese and local Hawaiian cuisine. Sometime
around 1957 Mary Teshima became known as “Grandma Teshima”.
Grandma Teshima died in 2013 when she was 106 years old. The restaurant is still a family
business run mostly by her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
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Royal Thai Cafe
Located in the Keauhou Shopping Center
They have authentic Thai cuisine like Pad Thai, Pineapple Fried Rice, Thai Curries and several
Sizzling Hot Plates. Most dishes come with rice; however, they also have fried noodle dishes. I’ve
been told their spring rolls are great and although I haven’t tried them, I will the next time I eat
there.
If you aren’t familiar with Thai food, it is similar to Chinese, but it is usually a little sweeter and
lighter. They don’t use much Soy Sauce or brown sauces. They mostly use oyster sauce and fish
sauce to make a lighter flavored white sauce.
When you order they will ask you how hot (spicy) you want foods. I had medium and I could taste
some spice, but too much. I have eaten in Thai restaurants where their “HOT” went well past hot
into “hurt”.
Los Habaneros or Habaneros Grill
The big island is not known for having good Mexican restaurants, but the ones listed here are
considered, by some, to be a couple of their better ones.
If you look on the internet you will find many reviews where people think these have some of the
best they have ever ate at and others who think they are so bad they will never go back. I believe
this is mostly because different areas in the USA have very different types of Mexican food and
your definition of good Mexican food is whatever you were raised with.
I was raised in California; so, I grew up knowing what good Mexican food is (or at least what I
consider good Mexican food is). Then I moved to the Middle East and there was only one Mexican
restaurant in the area. If you haven’t had Mexican food cooked by a Pakistani and seasoned Arab
style you don’t know “what bad Mexican food is”. When I returned to the good old USA I lived in
Texas and I still couldn’t find any of that good California style Mexican Food. What I did find was
lots of TexMex which is very different than California style Mexican food, but it turned out to be
quite good.
Sometimes being able to order your favorite dish makes it a “good” restaurant. A dish I liked when
I was growing up in California was Chimichanga which is like a deep-fried burrito. These are
popular in California and along the West coast of Mexico, but not in Texas or the east coast of
Mexico. I ask several restaurants in Texas if they had Chimichangas and they didn’t even know
what they were.
There are two Habaneros restaurants in Hilo. The one in the Keauhou shopping center is a fast food
restaurant that has been open for over 10 years. In mid 2014 they opened a second restaurant
located a block south of the Kona Village and Bongo Ben’s restaurant. The newer restaurant is more
upscale and definitely is not a Fast Food restaurant.
Both restaurants brag about using fresh local produce to make their dishes. Although I haven’t tried
it, many reviewers say their Mole Sauce is some of the best they have ever had. They also get rave
reviews on their Ceviche.
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Los Habaneros Grill - Keauhou Shopping Center (fast food)
This is fast food casual dining with a setup something like Taco Bell. You place your order and pay
for it at the counter and then wait until they prepare it for you. I think their food is better than Taco
Bell, but not up to a family restaurant quality.
They have Fast Food type Mexican dishes that are made using fresh local products. Their food isn’t
made ahead of time; so, when you order a dish, the cook starts preparing it. This takes a little
longer, but I think it’s worth it.
The only time I’ve eaten here is during lunch and they were very busy. There were around 10 orders
ahead of us; so, it took 15-20 minutes before our food was ready. The restaurant was crowded with
only eight tables inside and several more outside.
They have been open over 10 years and because of their popularity they decided to open the family
type restaurant discussed below..
They have Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Monday to Thursday 10 am to 8:30 pm.
Friday & Saturday 10 am to 9 pm. Sunday 11am to 8
pm.
Breakfast menu available from 9:am until 11:am. Includes Huevos Rancheros, Mexican style Eggs,
Egg & Chorizo Burrito, and “Egg, Rice, Cheese & Salsa Burrito”.
Lunch/Dinner items are available all day. This include Burritos, Nachos, Tostadas, Taco Salads,
Quesadillas, Hard & Soft Tacos, Enchiladas and Chimichangas.
Daily specials include Fajita Burritos (Mon.), Chile Rellenos (Tues.), Tamales (Wed.), Tequitos
(Thurs.). Shrimp Vallarata (Fri.), and Fajitas (Sat.).
Los Habaneros Grill – corner of Walua Rd & Alii Dr (family restaurant)
75-5864 Walua Rd
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Hours: Monday through Saturday 11am - 9pm
Happy Hours 3pm - 6pm
We haven’t eaten here, but it is on our short list of places we
want to try…
This is a new restaurant opened in mid 2014 by the owners of
the fast food Los Habaneros Grill, but it is definitely not a fast food restaurant. The prices are in line
with many other restaurants in the area with lunch Items ranging from $12 to $19 and dinner
ranging from $14 to $29 (Rack of Lamb).
It is located a block south of the Kona Village and Bongo
Ben’s restaurant. Before opening, they completely remodeled
the building.
It is a family owned restaurant and they say they serve both
the Traditional Mexican dishes along with some contemporary
flavors of Mexico.
One of their contemporary flavors of Mexico is called Chiles En Nogada ($18) and it is on my
“Have To Try list”. It is a dish popular in Puebla, a region in the southern part of Mexico. In
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Pueblo the dish is made by stuffing a poblano chili with Picadillo (seasoned meat hash) then it is
topped with a walnut pomegranate sauce. This Hawaiian version is made by stuffing a poblano
pepper with Picadillo (ground beef, pork, peaches, pears,
apple, ginger candy, raisins, cinnamon, garlic, onion &
tomato) and it is served topped with a macadamia cream
sauce.
The ingredients in their picadillo sounds more like a Cuban
picadillo than a Mexican one to me, but maybe that’s how
they make it in Pueblo. Probably the reason this is so high on
my “have to try list” is because, from reading the ingredients,
I can’t figure out what it will taste like.
I mentioned earlier that many people think their Mole Sauce is some of the best they have ever
tasted – Poblano Mole Sauce originated in the same region in southern Mexico that the “Chiles En
Nogada” comes from.
Annie’s Island Fresh Burgers
Annie's is a great place to get that burger you've been craving. The menu has a verity of burgers
from a basic, through several specialty burgers and even a couple vegetarian burgers.
They were voted the best burger in West Hawaii 2011, 2012, and 2013. Their prices are a little
higher the other restaurants on my list with their basic hamburger at $13.50 and the others are
$14.50.
They are located on the ocean side of the Belt Road near the 113 mile marker between the 112 and
113 mile markers. In the Mango Court Plaza next to Island Naturals
79-7460 Mamalahoa Hwy. #105
Kealakekua, HI 96750
Organic Produce & Natural Foods Stores
There’s some confusion about the “Island Natural Market & Deli”. There are four stores on the big
island with that name, but I’m not sure they are still owned by the same people or corporation.
Island Natural Market and Deli
This is the store I go to. They are a little larger than the others
and have a better selection. Also, the have some bulk items
food items.
They feature local and organic produce, groceries, refrigerated
and frozen items, beer, wine, meat, fish, and bulk products.
And their deli has a variety of freshly made ready-to-eat food.
They have vitamins, supplements and natural body care items
and green household products. If the vog form the volcano bothers you, ask if they have “Vog
Relief”. It is a natural herbal relief from vog that is used by many locals
Directions: From the Belt Road turn south onto Kaiwi St. (Located half way between Makela Blvd
and Palana Rd.). Drive 1 1/2 blocks down Kaiwa St. The store is located on the left (south) side of
the street. This is the same stret you would use to get to Kona Brewers Restaurant.
74-5487 Kaiwi St, Kailua Kona, HI 96740
Between Alapa St and Luhia St
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Kona Natural Foods
I haven’t been in this store lately; so, here is what they say about their selves. Their main store is
located in Waimea and it is much larger.
We are here to provide the Waimea community and our visitors with the finest quality
fresh, natural, and organic whole foods, nutritional supplements, body care products, and
health information in a friendly, safe environment.
Our store offers our famous sandwiches,salads and smoothies as well as specials. We use
organic ingredients whenever available and the finest natural local ingredients.
Products & Services
Body Care, Breads & Pastries, Bulk Foods, Coffee, and Cookies
Directions: From the Belt Road you turn north onto Henery st (around the 122 mile marker). It is
located in the Safeway parking lot which is the second left turn from the Belt Road.
75-1027 Henry St, Ste 105,
Kailua Kona,HI 96740
Ruderman-Russel: Island Natural Market and Deli
They feature local and organic produce, groceries, refrigerated and frozen items,
beer, wine, meat, fish, and bulk products. And their deli has a variety of freshly
made ready-to-eat food.
They have vitamins, supplements and natural body care items and green
household products. If the vog form the volcano bothers you, ask if they have
“Vog Relief”. It is a natural herbal relief from vog that is used by many locals..
They are located on the ocean side of the Belt Road near the 113 mile marker
between the 112 and 113 mile markers. In the Mango Court Plaza next to Annie’s
Island Fresh Burger.
79-7460 Mamalahoa Hwy
Kealakekua, HI
Shopping Centers
Keauhou Shopping Center
This is our closest shopping center. It is around 40 miles from Ocean View and it will probably take
you around 1 hour to drive here.
The two largest stores in this shopping center are a KTA grocery store and Longs Drugstore. We
shop at both of these and have found Longs to have the best price on wine (when it is on sale). To
get their sale price you need a CVS loyalty card which is free at the counter if you don’t have one.
They also have a nice movie theatre, a free concert each month, and several of the restaurants
mentioned above are in or near here.
right onto Laii Drive, go one block and turn right into the Keauhou Shopping Center.
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Hilo
The drive between Ocean View and Hilo is longer than the drive to Kona, but the roads are much
better which makes it an easier and safer drive.
If Hilo had a Costco store we would probably opt for the longer drive to Hilo to do most of our
shopping.
Along the Drive to/from Hilo
Akatsuka Orchid Gardens
This is located a little over half way to Hilo and is a great place to stop and walk around. Thay are
open from 9:30 am - 5:00 pm
They have a large selection of orchids with tours of their gardens. They also have many other
tropical plants including Anthuriums, Bromeliads and some tropical cut flower arrangements. They
ship to anywhere in the US Mainland.
They are located on the south side of the Belt Road between the 22 and 23 mile marker. Near the
intersection of Volcano Rd and Kahaualea Rd
11-3051 Volcano Rd,
Volcano, HI 96785
Places to Shop in Hilo
Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc.
Hilo has many of the same stores you will find and almost any medium to large American town, but
it doesn’t have a Costco – the only Costco on the Big Island is located in Kona.
Farmers Market
Part of this market is open every day from 7:00 am until 4:00 pm with over 30 farmers and crafters
participating in the market. On Wednesday and Saturday the entire market is open with over 200
local farmers and crafters participating
See the full write up on page 8.
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Restaurants
Two of my favorite restaurants in Hilo are located within two blocks of the Farmers Market.
Pineapples Restaurant
It is an open air restaurant located in the bottom floor
of the historic Pineapple Building.
I don’t know why it’s called the historic Pineapple
Building, but it is old and has pineapples painter
around the top of the building.
Everything we have had here is fresh and delicious it is clean and has good service.
Some of the people eating near us lived in the area
and this is one of their regulars.
Historic Pineapple Building
It is advertised as having island-inspired fresh
cuisine, including local caught fish, Big Island beef,
farm fresh fruits and vegetables. They also have
locally-produced beers, specialty cocktails and a
comprehensive wine list.
They have live entertainment from local artists and
musicians - Tuesdays through Sundays starting at
6:30pm until ????. We are haven’t been here during
any of their entertainment hours.
Painting of Pineapples Restaurant
It is located two blocks up Mamo st (west) from the farmers market at the corner of Keawa and
Mamo.
332 Keawe Street - Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday at 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Closed on Mondays.
It is located around two miles west of the 0 mile marker which is where Hwy 11 and Hwy 95
intersect.
It is near the corner of Kamehameha Ave & Mamo Street. Kamehameha ave runs parallel to the belt
rood, but around 200 ft north of it. The restaurant is two blocks up Mamo Street from the Farmers
Market
Café Pesto
Café Pesto has two locations. The one we always go to is their
Cafe Pesto Kawaihae Location.
The place is clean, the service is good, and the food is great. The
menu features fresh local seafood, exotic pizzas, colorful eclectic
salads and Asian inspired pastas and risottos.
Comment From one of their customer: I highly recommend Cafe
Pesto if you are looking for a more upscale meal. The menu is
large with lots of local twists on Italian standards. There were lots
of seafood food options and I really like the use of local ingredients
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whenever possible. Including fresh catch mahi mahi, great shrimp and scallop "stir fry" with citrus
pasta that is fresh and slightly spicy.
It is located around two miles west of the 0 mile marker which is where Hwy 11 and Hwy 95
intersect. It is on Kamehameha Ave which runs parallel to the Belt Rood, but around 200 ft. north of
it. It is less than a block north west of the Farmers Market and is on same side of the street as the
market.
308 Kamehameha Ave #101 - Hilo, HI 96720
Hilo Bay Café
They serve a fusion of Japanese and Hawaiian cuisine using fresh local products. Their covered
lanai overlooks beautiful Hilo Bay, old Hilo Town, and the slopes of Mauna Kea.
Hours
Mon. – Thurs. 11:00 - 9:00
-
Fri. – Sat. 11:00 - 9:30
-
Sun. 5:00 - 9:00
Across the street from the Hilo Bay Café are the Liliuokalani Gardens. This 30-acre Japanese
garden was dedicated in 1917 as a tribute to Hawaii's first Japanese immigrants who worked in the
Hawaii Island sugar cane fields. It is named after Hawaii's last reigning monarch, Queen
Liliuokalani.
Directions: From the zero mile marker, go west on Hwy 19 around 1/3 mile and turn right onto
Lihiwai Street. Drive 100 yards - Hilo Bay Café is on the left side – between the road and Hilo Bay.
123 Lihiwai Street
Hilo, HI 96720
Kens House of Pancakes
Ken’s House of Pancakes has been open since 1971 and
they’ve been voted Best Breakfast 14 years in a row.
They consistently have good food, a nice setting, and very
friendly staff.
They are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Breakfast is available 24 hours a day, but they have much
more than pancakes and breakfast. They also have
omelets, burgers, prime rib, tacos, and much more. They
also have nightly specials every Sunday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Like Prime Rib, all you can eat taco, all you can eat spaghetti,
Paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) Night, Bar-B-Que’d Ribs, and others.
We have friends that eat here every time they are in Hilo.
Actually, I left this restaurant off of the original version of this guide, but when they were featured
it on the 5 O’clock News I realized my mistake. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was in Hilo and
when he dropped by Ken’s, where he always goes to get his Pancake Fix, they were closed. They
close one day every six months to do cleaning, repairs, and painting that can’t be done when they
have customers.
Directions: They are easy to find because they are located at the corner where Hwy 11 and 19 meet.
On the belt road they are located at the Zero Mile Marker for Hwy 11 and Hwy 19.
1730 Kamehameha Ave. Hilo, HI 96720
Phone: (808) 935-8711
27
Concerts / Plays in Kona
Hulihe’e Place – Free Concert – Kailua-Kona
The concert includes Hawaiian music featuring the Merrie
Monarchs men's glee club, Kumu Etua Lopes' Na Pua Uì
O Hawaiì hula halau, and other local groups. The concert
is usually on the 3th Sunday of each month and starts at
4:00 pm. And you need to bring your own beach mat or
chair.
We were at a party one Saturday night and several of us
were talking about going to the concert the next and
Hannah Uribes, the kumu who choreographs the hula
dances at St, Jude’swas there. The next day at the concert
we noticed Hannah and her sister setting at the head table
at the concert. She told us she hadn’t planned on coming to the concert, but after listening to us talk
about it she decided to come and visit with her sister, who is one of the coordinators for the concert.
Kona, Huliheè Palace was the vacation residence of Hawaiian royalty. Today it is a museum
operated by the Daughters of Hawaiì and is a showplace of beautiful furniture and fascinating
artifacts
The palace was built in 1838 and ownership passed down through a number of Hawaiian royalties.
In 1925, Huliheè was purchased by the Territory of
Hawaiì to be operated as a museum by the Daughters of
Hawaiì. Most of the furnishings were originally in the
Palace during the Monarchy. Huliheè Palace was placed
on the National Register of Historic Sites in 1973.
Across the street from the palace is the Mokuaikaua
Church which is the oldest Christian church in the
Hawaiian Islands. The congregation was first founded in
1820 by Asa and Lucy Goodale Thurston. The church is
still in use and is open to the public for tours.
Before and after the Palace performance you can stroll thru historic Kailua Village (the Stroll starts
at 1:00 pm & goes till 6:00 pm). You can enjoy ocean-side cafes and restaurants, local musicians &
artists.
Parts of Alii Drive are blocked off for the Kailua Village Stroll; so, getting around the area and
parking can be difficult. Alii runs along the ocean, and A block above (inland) is Kuakini Hwy
which you can use. There is parking between Alii and Kuakini, but the free parking fills up fairly
fast.
From the Belt Road take Henry Street (around the 122 mile marker) south for 3 blocks. It runs into
Kuakini Hwy. Turn left on Kuakini Hwy. and then immediately turn right into the next road. Try to
find parking in this area because the palace is directly ahead around 200-300 yards away. The
palace is between Alii drive and the ocean.
The Hulihe‘e Palace is located at 75-5718 Alii Drive in Kailua-Kona.
28
Keauhou Shopping Center – Free Monthly Concert – Kailua-Kona
The Hui Kakoò Concert Series is held at The Keahou Shopping Center on the Last Saturday of
each month. It isn’t exactly free - admission per person is two cans of food which are given to the
Hawai'i Food Basket.
The concert starts at 5:00 pm with local Hawaiian music. Then at 6:00 pm one of the professional
Hawaiian entertainers will perform. This is a charitable event in support of the local Food Basket;
so, some of the top names in Hawaiian entertainment volunteer to perform here. It seems like many
of the entertainer have just returned from tours in the lower 48, Europe, or Japan.
The concert is set up in the parking lot in front of Longs Drugstore. Seating is limited so you should
bring lawn chairs. Since parking is limited on concert nights; we sometimes park near where the
concert will be performed, and walk to the other end of the shopping center for dinner.
Before the concert we usually have dinner at Bianelli's Gourmet Pizza & Pasta Restaurant, which is
located in the southern part of the Keauhou shopping center. Then we go back to the northern part
of the shopping center to set up our chairs and enjoy the concert.
Eating at Bianelli’s is a family tradition for us, but there is 9-10 other places to eat in the area that
you may prefer. Including Sam Choi’s, Aloha Fridays, Royal Thai Cafe, and Las Habaneros
Mexican cuisine mentioned elsewhere in this document plus several others that I haven’t tried.
right onto Laii Drive, go one block and turn right into the Keauhou Shopping Center.
The KTA Market and Bianelli’s restaurant is located at the southern end of the shopping center.
The theatre, Longs Drugstore, and the monthly Keauhou Shopping Center are located at the
north end of the shopping center. Also, The Royal Thai Café, Habaneros Grill, and Subways are
located near the concert.
Aloha Theatre – Community Theatre
This is a community theatre and they have a large verity of
entertainment with something to please everyone. You have to
check on the web site to find out what’s being presents.
The Aloha Theatre first opened in 1932 as a silent movie house.
Over the years it became a gathering place for the local area.
Since 2003 it has been the home of the Kona Association for the
Performing Arts (KAPA). Concerts, plays and performing arts are
presented. The Aloha’s long legacy of showing films continues and
includes art-house films, independent films, and film festivals such as the Hawaiian International
Film Festival.
The Aloha Angel Cafe adjoins the theatre and offers breakfast, lunch and dinner.
They are located on the ocean side of the Belt Road near the 113 mile marker between the 113 and
114 mile markers.
29
North West Coast - St Columba's Church
There are lots of places to see in the northern part of the island, and there’s lots of information in the
travel books, but here are a few things worth seeing that aren’t covered in the tour books.
After Fr. Tom and Jean Buechele spent a year helping us revitalizing St. Jude’s, they took on the job
of “replanting” St Columba's Episcopal Church which is located in Paauilo, a little over 37 miles
north west of Hilo.
Around 20 of us drove to St. Columba’s for a work day to help get the church ready to open. We
needed to do lots of cleaning and some repairs.
Since it was a long drive and we didn’t know how late we needed to work, Beverly and I decided to
stay overnight and drive home the next day.
We stayed in Honokaa, which is around 7 miles northwest of the church. It had one hotel and two
restaurants (a fast-food and a small Italian), and little else.
Honokaa is around 40 miles north of Hilo. The small community of around 2,500 people is a closeknit one with roots going back to the sugar plantation days of more than 100 years ago. The
plantations are gone, but the town lives on. The Honokaa residents and surrounding area have tried
to maintain their unique sugar plantation lifestyles..
It was dreary and rained all the time we were there, everyone worked hard and everyone was tired at
the end of the day, but Beverly and enjoyed the entire trip.
The hotel was old, but clean and friendly and we thought the restaurant was wonderful. We
considered the entire trip a nice adventure.
St. Columba's Episcopal Church
This is a beautiful old church which is really worth seeing. It has lots of beautiful natural wood
furnishings.
It was founded in 1898 and since the 1970s, it has been known as the Filipino Church on the Big
Island. When sugar cane harvests stopped in 1996 they were unable to keep the church going.
In early 2013, after finishing his commitment at St. Jude’s, Fr. Tom Buechele took on the challenge
of helping to "replant" St. Columba’s. On Easter Sunday 2013 it reopened. Many of the St. Jude’s
congregation, including Beverly and I, we were there to welcome it back.
30
St. Columba’s is located in Pa'auilo on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island of Hawai'I, a little over
37 miles north west of Hilo – One block of of the Belt Road between 36 & 37 mile marker
St Columba's Episcopal Church, 43-1425 Hauola Rd, Paauilo, HI
Hotel Honokaa Club
This is an old family run hotel that gives you one of those old-world feelings. They are mostly
unchanged from sugar cane days; the rooms are retro 1950s style, simple and clean. We had a room
in the newer part of the hotel, which was added on in the 40’ and 50’.
We found the staff friendly and very helpful in sharing info on the area.
The hotel has Wi-Fi, but they rely on nature to provide the air conditioning.
Private rooms with a bath range from $75 to $85. We stayed in an upstairs room with ocean view
price from $99 to $119. If you are a little more adventurous you can get a private single for $35
and a dorm bed for $25. (The singles have an additional charge of $10 if you want blankets and
towels).
Directions: Turn off the Belt road, north onto Mouno Loa St. – Near the 43 Mile Marker. Drive
almost .5 miles and turn left onto Mamame St. Drive 1/10 mile and the hotel is on the right side of
the road.
45-3480 Mamane St, Honokaa, HI 96727(808) 775-0678
Cafe Il Mondo
We ask at the hotel about options to eat dinner and they told us we had two choices. A “Fast Food”
or a nice Italian Restaurant called Cade Il Mondo.
We chose the Café Il Mondo and had a pleasant surprise at how good it was – Beverly thought this
was one of the best dinners we have had in Hawaii.
The owner operator is Chef Sergio Ramirez and they feature stone-baked pizzas, calzones, pasta,
sandwiches, salads, and more. We had a Geek Salad and a Calzone which we split and still had food
left over.
When we ate there, it was a very small restaurant with a few tables inside and a couple more
outside. However, they were preparing to move to a new larger location a block nearer to the hotel.
Directions: They are located on the same street as the Hotel Honokaa Club and less than ¼ mile
west of the hotel.
Turn off the Belt road, north onto Mouno Loa St. – Near the 43 Mile Marker. Drive almost .5 miles
and turn left onto Mamame St. Drive 1/4 mile and the restaurant is on the right side of the road.
45-3480 Mamane St, Honokaa, HI 96727(808) 775-0678 ‎hotelhonokaa.com
Opens at 11:00 am
31
The internet shows 17 places to eat in the area, and Café Il Mondo is rated #2. The top rated place
to eat Grandma’s Kitchen which has home style food (it is across the street from the True Value
hardware store), and #3 is the Green Café which offers “healthy” food..
Suggested Outings
Lunch at the Beach - Black Sand Beach or Whittington Beach
If we have an afternoon free, this is an easy outing from Ocean View.
We usually drive to Naalehu and stop at Panalu’u Bakery or Hana Hou Restaurant to get a to-go
lunch.
Then go to the Black Sand Beach or Whittington Beach for picnic lunch and a little relaxation. We
may even take our kindles along and do a little reading with the waves providing the background
music.
Place of Refuge and Painted Church
I put these together because they are both on the same side-road and are only a couple miles apart.
For me the Painted Church was fascinating, but it took me less than an hour before I was ready to
go.
The Place of Refuge took much more time and I’ve been back several times. Each time I visit there
I see something different.
South Point
This is something worth seeing, but it isn’t a full day event.
When we take guests here we usually add a stop at Naalehu for lunch or a trip to Black Sand Beach.
Some of our friends have put this as a first stop on their way to Volcano or Hilo.
From Ocean view it is an 18 mile drive - 8 miles on the Belt Road and 10 miles down the South
Point Road. It usually takes me around 45 minutes to get there.
On the drive back to the Belt Road you might consider turning off on the Kamaoa drive and driving
by Discovery Harbor on your way to Naalehu. Discovery Harbor is a small residential community a
mile or so south of Waiohinu and you get back onto the Belt Road between Waiohnu and Naalehu.
No one seems to know what was discovered at Discovery Harbor and it isn’t near a harbor.
Discovery Harbor does have an 18 hole golf course.
Ho’okena Beach and Park
This is our favorite beach to go to – For us this is usually a full day event.
We usually pack a lunch and go there in the morning, then head back home an hour or so after
lunch.
We often see people from Ocean View and St. Jude’s there.
You should check the weather and surf reports before going because sometimes the surf is too high
to go in the water and if it is really bad they may close the beach. This doesn’t happen very often.
32
In early 2015 we had some extremely high surf and they not only closed the beach, they evacuated
the people living in the houses near the beach. After those storms most of the sand had washed
away from the beach, but since then most of it has been re-deposited.
It’s a little over 26 miles from Ocean View to the park, but it usually takes me around 45 minutes to
get there. You drive a little over 22 miles on the Belt Road and then two miles down a narrow
paved road to the beach.
Volcano Park
We usually make this a full day event when we go here, but we have friends that go to Hilo and stop
by here on their way home. There is also a winery in Volcano that can be added as an interesting
place to stop.
This is a Federal Park; so, there is an entry fee.
There are lots to see here, but some of it takes a little hiking. Also, this is an active volcano and
depending on how and where the fumes are coming out of the volcano, they usually have parts of
the park shut off from visitors.
One of the reasons our friends made a trip to Hilo and then came by the park on the way home is so
they would be in the park when the sun went down and they could see the glowing lava.
It’s almost 50 miles from Ocean View to the Volcano Park visitor’s center. It usually takes me
around 45 minutes to get there. Most of the drive is on the Belt Road and the visitor’s center is less
than a mile off of the Belt Road.
Two Day Northern Loop of the Big Island
There are lots to see in the northern part of the Big Island, and you can see it by making several
long day trips from Ocean View, but a more casual two day trip would be much easier and give you
time to see more.
On the first day, meander up the east side of the island, stopping to see things that interest you.
That evening, stop by to see St. Columba’s Church (page 30) and then check-in at the Hotel
Honokaa Club (page 31) for the night, and then have a have a nice dinner at the Cafe Il Mondo
(page 31) before settling down for the night.
Honokaa is a small town of around 2,500 people; so; you may need to take something to read after
she sun goes down. You can see more information on page 30.
The second day you would drive on to Waimea and meander down the west side of the island,
stopping to see things that interest you as you drive back home.
33

Places in Ocean View - St. Jude`s Episcopal Church

Transcription

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