The Art of Coffee |May 6, 2025

Three Perfect Days In Hawaii With Coffee

Three perfect days in Hawaii (That include coffee)

When touring in Hawaii, the purpose is to enjoy happy days, see new things, be inspired by the beauty of the islands and the warmth of the people. For some, that means surfing, snorkeling, and hiking, and for others sitting by the pool at the resort. Expanding one’s horizons through travel is (for me) one of life’s greatest treasures and as both a frequent traveler/tourist and a long-time tour guide I’d like to share a few perfect days with you.

One of the keys here is to allow plenty of time to wander, meander, sit, and take it all in. Now if you only have one day in Hawaii and you want to do the all-day bus tour that hits the highlights of the island for 15-30 minutes each and say you’ve “been there, done that” then by all means do what you need to do.

Conversely, if you don’t want to do anything but drink Mai Tais poolside, ignore everything I say. My general rule for itinerary planning is no more than three targets a day, and then time for making impromptu decisions when needed and scheduling in relaxation time.

Asking locals for recommendations is nice, and you will sometimes get great tips (sometimes not), but going in completely blind should also be avoided. Get online and learn about the island you plan to visit. Minimum 5 hours of investment in research pays big dividends. While peer review sites can be a great place to start, they too are not the end all in finding the hidden gems. What you are after is a balance between the main attractions and those local discoveries that endear the place to you.

With that in mind, I share with you three great day trips on Hawaii’s Big Island.

Going North

One of the beautiful scenic drives on the Big Island is the Kohala Mountain loop. Get an early start (not too early, around 7:30AM is good) and head north. Make sure you are provisioned with car snacks and water/drinks and geared up for a mini hike.

You are heading for Hawaii Route 270 also called the Akone Pule Highway. Enjoy coastal views, occasional whale breaches in the winter, and be conscious of the transition from the dry side of the island to the wet side.

You will pull into the little town of Hawi. (Pronounced Hah Vee) You are now surrounded by a cute little sugar plantation-era town that now has a boutique shop culture. After parking, take a few moments to meander around the town and check out what interests you. Find yourself back at the Kohala Coffee Mill.

Here you can enjoy a great cup of coffee, a smoothie, or ice cream. In addition to my coffee, I like to order a couple of sandwiches to go, that I will carry down to our main destination. (Pololu Valley).

Back on the road, the next small town you come to is called Kapa’au. This is considered the birthplace of Kamehameha the Great. There is a statue of Kamehameha in this town, that comes with a fascinating story and if that sounds interesting, you can add a 10-15 minute stop to photo with the statue. (There are restrooms at the back of the building.)

Continuing on to Pololu Valley Look Out, notice the lush change in landscape, the streams, and gorgeous winding roads. Take your time and find a place to park. Now many who don’t like to hike will just look from the top, but if you can, put your sandwiches in a bag in your backpack, grab some drinks and a towel for 2, and walk down the trail. It is steep, but only takes 12 minutes down and maybe 15-20 up. The views are some of the best in the state (weather permitting).

When you get to the bottom of the valley, there is a black/gray sand beach with a forest behind it. Take some time to enjoy the sheer beauty of your surroundings, walk, sit, explore. When you are ready, find a nice spot to sit, lay out your towel, and enjoy an early lunch. Maybe even take a little nap as you enjoy the sounds of the waves and wind crashing upon the cliffs.

The water here can be tricky for the non-local. Wet feet, a shallow water dip are all good but don’t swim here unless you are with someone who knows the currents.

When you are ready it is back up the hill, back to the car (you will be a bit winded) and then you are heading for Hawaii Route 250 also known as the Kohala Mountain road. This is a gorgeous road, filled with scenes of Hawaiian ranches, grazing cows, and horses. This is Hawaiian cowboy country. There is a scenic lookout about halfway through the drive that on a clear day allows you to see the entire West Coast of the Big Island.

The drive ends in the town of Waimea. If you are there between Tuesday and Saturday, there is an incredible Japanese Bakery called Patisserie Nanako. Closes at 3PM and sometimes sold out by 1PM. The Parker Ranch shopping center also has a food court, restrooms, and some nice images of Hawaiian Paniolo. (Cowboys)

If you followed this plan closely, it’s around 2PM and you have plenty of time to get back to your accommodations, rest a bit before enjoying the evening. It was a great morning!

South Kona

We are going to get on the road around 730AM this morning and head to South Kona. We plan to snorkel at Two-Step and because there are no services there, we have to bring everything (including snorkel gear). There is a KTA Express in Kealakekua that has drinks and food, but also a cool little bakery in the back. Provision here. A little further down the road is a roadside drive-through café called HICO if you need an espresso-based drink.

After arriving at Two-Step make sure you notice the entry exit point (called two step) so you are not crawling over coral to get in and out. Enjoy the calm, soothing water and some of the best snorkeling in the islands. After snorkeling, enjoy the view and some snacks, really breathe it in and relax. We are going to get back on the road around 1030AM.

Note: Two Step is located right next to the Puu Honua o Honaunau National Historical Park. If you desire to walk the park, do it before snorkeling, and add an hour to this trip. There are also other attractions like the painted church, big island bees, and Kealakekua Bay lookout along the way. This is where the perfect day gets slightly muddied up by squeezing in everything. I will leave that to you but in my fantasy, I go from amazing snorkeling to amazing Coffee.

My goal is to join the 11AM complimentary tour at Greenwell Farms. No reservations needed and plenty of coffee to sample, which will help warm you up after being in the water. As Greenwell Farms is a seed-to-cup operation, you will have a chance to learn the entire process of coffee which is enlightening.

At the conclusion of your tour, you will realize you are quite hungry. There are a variety of nice eateries around us (Black Rock Pizza, Korner Pocket Bar & Grill, Rebel Kitchen) but for our perfect day, we are headed to Magics Beach Grill. We started at the ocean, went up the mountain, let’s go back down to the little restaurant with the best view in Kona. This is a gorgeous lunch ($$) but enjoy each bite, savor a cool beverage, talk about snorkeling and coffee, and a sense of bliss will come over you, today was a magical day in Hawaii!

Again, the goal is to be done by around 2PM, get back to the accommodations to rest, clean up, and imagine a perfect night.

The Volcano Day

This is a big day. The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HVNP) is the number one tourist destination on the Big Island and no matter how crowded and busy it can get; the volcano never disappoints. (Unless there is a storm with hard rain, high wind and zero visibility)
Unless you are staying nearby, it’s a drive from the west side. North or South doesn’t matter but because we talked about South Kona already, let’s go North.

Our plan is to be at the entrance to Akaka Falls State Park at 830AM. Plan your departure time based on your starting place. Enjoy walking the scenic loop trail, a lush jungle, and the stunning Akaka Falls and you can be back on the road by or before 930AM. Akaka Falls is a must-do scenic wonder.

Now, it’s off to Hilo. There are endless choices for your Hilo eateries, but today you are headed to Big Island Coffee Roaster and café. If you need to get supplies, Hilo has a couple of big supermarkets (KTA, Foodland, Safeway) that will get you set up. Water, snacks, etc are vital before you head into the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Your goal is to enter the HVNP around 1030AM. Every Tuesday, there is a cruise ship in Hilo, and 65% of their passengers are headed to the volcano. Avoid Tuesdays if you can. The situation at the volcano is fluid, so check the updates and live cameras. If there is volcanic activity you want to see it. If not, we are going to hike. We are going to take the Kilauea Iki trail which first passes through the Thurston lava tube and then winds down into the Kilauea iki crater and loops back up. At a steady, moderate pace, it’s about 2 hours.

Despite the trail snacks, hunger will set in. You’ve had a long drive and a good hike. If you can get there before 3PM, leave the park and enter the volcano village (about 6 minutes away). You are looking for the Thai Thai Bistro and Bar where you will enjoy a fabulous Thai meal in the middle of a volcano. (Green Curry is the best on the island IMHO)

Back toward the park, but not entering, there is the Volcano winery. If you are into a tasting or want to sit with a glass outside it can be a relaxing add-on especially if the weather is right.
The last goal of the day is the Black sand beach. (Punalu’u) Gorgeous scenery, basking sea turtles, uniqueness of sand color make this a cool stop. Stay for a little or stay for a lot. Today is done. There is a bakery in Na’alehu that is famous for its sweet bread and Malasadas, they have clean bathrooms and it is a good rest stop on your way back up the Kona Coast. It is also the Southernmost bakery in Hawaii, making it the Southernmost bakery in the USA.

Depending on how many additional things you did, your goal from here is to get back home in the light along the Kona coast. In many cases, you will have driven clean around the island.
Waterfalls, a cool volcano hike, amazing Thai food, turtles, that was a great day in Hawaii.

I have left out a lot of cool things. I will leave it to you to discover the off-the-beaten-path treasures of Hawaii’s Big Island. When I have guests and I want awesome days with enough time to enjoy the evenings, these are what I do.