• HISTORIC HONOKA‘A

The old sugar days–with frontier establishments owned by people who immigrated to the Big Island from far-away lands–is the feeling you get when you walk down the streets of Honoka‘a. An entrepreneur from the eastern seaboard has opened a restaurant and ice cream parlor, an Englishman carries travelers by mule-drawn wagon to awesome Waipi‘o Valley, a Filipino couple sells the food, literature and music from their culture, and a Hawaiian woman deals in Pacific crafts and antiques.

Honoka‘a is one of the few towns where the main street of western storefront buildings remains largely intact. It is a wonderful wayside where you can take a walk, dine, shop and explore when driving between Kona and Hilo. It is also a great destination for a meal, a hike, or a wagon ride when you are staying in Waimea or the Kohala Coast.

Honoka‘a is also noted for its rodeo, its macadamia nut factory and the annual Hamakua Music Festival held in October (call (808) 775-FEST). Many woodcarvers’ and woodworkers’ creations are on display in several galleries within a short drive of the town. Click here for information on Bed and Breakfast Accommodations in the Honoka‘a to Waipi‘o area, or call Volcano Reservations at (808) 967-7244.