My family and I stand steps from the ocean, just south of Kona’s airport. Salt is everywhere—we smell it in the air, even taste it, and soon we’ll soak our feet in the briny water. We are on a tour of Kona Sea Salt Farm, a small operation that harvests salt made from the deep-ocean […]
It had been a long day. While I’d love to complain about a hectic schedule or long commute, I was actually exhausted from all the fun I was having. Once I checked into the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai, a sprawling oceanfront luxe resort that looks carved into lava rock, I felt immediately energized. I donned
*This story was originally published on Dec. 11, 2019, and updated on Sept. 1, 2025. It’s pretty hard to have a proper road trip in Hawaiʻi. Driving from Oʻahu’s central city of Honolulu to the North Shore, for example, takes less than an hour (without traffic). This is not the case on Hawaiʻi Island, which
*This story was originally published on March 6, 2019 and updated on Aug. 20. On a Sunday at sunrise, the South Kona sky painted in pastels, I drive bleary-eyed on Māmalahoa Highway heading south past monstera and banana plants toward the hulking mass of Mauna Loa, rising nearly 1,500 feet into the sky. Two
Hawaiʻi Island is the youngest and largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, rightly earning its nickname, the Big Island. I’m always impressed not only by the sheer size of the island, but also its unique terrain, from lush tropical forests in Hilo to otherworldly lava fields in Kona and the snow-capped summit of Mauna Kea
This story was originally published on Feb. 24, 2014. “You didn’t pre-order?” As she says this, the woman behind the counter at Two Ladies Kitchen stares at me in disbelief. A line of customers winds behind me and out of the small downtown Hilo mochi shop and onto the sidewalk alongside bustling Kīlauea Avenue.
With year-round sunshine and a warm, tropical climate, it’s no surprise the Hawaiian Islands are a top travel destination. These conditions also make the Islands a great place to grow a variety of crops—including some that can’t be grown anywhere else in the U.S. Hawaiʻi is the only state in the country where cacao—the plant
Tucked on the northeastern side of Hawaiʻi Island, Hilo is a charming town well known as the home of the iconic Merrie Monarch Festival in the spring. It’s also just a 45-minute drive from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and for months, visitors have been flocking to Hilo, hoping to witness Kīlauea’s epic but sporadic eruption
Hawaiʻi Island attracts adventurous travelers and outdoor enthusiasts with its incredibly diverse terrain. Across the island, you’ll find a range of trails that put its unique beauty on display. From walking through a volcanic crater to making the journey to a green-colored beach, these are the best hiking trails on the Big Island that you’ll
Hawaiʻi Island is home to an incredible variety of local farms and producers, providing chefs with the opportunity to prepare creative dishes with the freshest ingredients available. Across the island, you’ll find restaurants committed to working and supporting local farms, ranchers and fishermen. The results are beautiful dishes highlighting the one-of-a-kind flavors of Hawaiʻi. Here
This story was originally published on July 8, 2020. Springer Kaye remembers growing up in Mānoa on Oʻahu with a neighbor who would share lychee with her family. It has always reminded her of summer in Hawaiʻi. “We would sit there, with that big paper bag of lychee, covered in the sticky sap,” says
The Hawaiʻi National Park Service announced this week that the Uēkahuna observation deck in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park reopened to the public. Located at the summit of Kīlauea, park visitors can look across the caldera to see Halemaʻumaʻu crater and also gaze up at Mauna Loa. For generations, Uēkahuna has been revered by Native Hawaiians
