Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
trates orbital motion, and an interactive rocket-propulsion exhibit, where you
can launch your own miniature space shuttle.
At Kona International Airport, Kailua-Kona.
&
808/329-3441.
Admission $3 adults, $1 children 12 and
under. Daily 8:30am-4:30pm. Parking in airport lot, $2 per hour.
Hulihee Palace
Ages 7 and up.
This two-story New England-style
mansion of lava rock and coral mortar, erected in 1838 by the governor of the
island of Hawaii, John Adams Kuakini, overlooks the harbor at Kailua-Kona.
Plan to spend an hour touring the gracious summer home of Hawaii's royalty,
making it the other royal palace in the United States (the most famous being
Oahu's Iolani Palace). Now run by Daughters of Hawaii, it features many 19th-
century mementos and gorgeous koa furniture. You'll get lots of background and
royal lore on the guided tour. No photography is allowed.
The Palace hosts 12
Hawaiian music and hula concerts
a year, each dedi-
cated to a Hawaiian monarch, at 4pm on the last Sunday of the month (except
June and Dec, when the performances are held in conjunction with King
Kamehameha Day and Christmas).
Across the street is
Mokuaikaua Church
(
&
808/329-1589
), the oldest
Christian church in Hawaii. It's constructed of lava stones, but its architecture
is New England-style all the way. The 112-foot steeple is still the tallest man-
made structure in Kailua-Kona.
75-5718 Alii Dr., Kailua-Kona.
&
808/329-1877.
www.daughtersofhawaii.org/hulihee. Admission $6 adults,
$4 seniors, $1 children. Daily 9am-4pm. Daily tours held throughout the day (arrive at least 1 hr. before
closing).
Kamehameha's Compound at Kamakahonu Bay
All ages.
On the
ocean side of the Kona Beach Hotel is a restored area of deep spiritual meaning
to Hawaiians. This was the spot that King Kamehameha the Great chose to
retreat to in 1812 after conquering the Hawaiian Islands. He stayed until his
death in 1819. The king built a temple, Ahuena Heiau, and used it as a gather-
ing place for his
kahuna
(priests) to counsel him on governing his people in
times of peace. In 1820, it was on this sacred ground that Kamehameha's son
Liholiho, as king, sat down to eat with his mother, Keopuolani, and Kame-
hameha's principal queen, Kaahumanu, thus breaking the ancient
kapu
(taboo)
against eating with women; this act established a new order in the Hawaiian
kingdom. Although the temple grounds are now just a third of their original
size, they're still impressive. You're free to come and wander the grounds. Allow
at least a half-hour to envision the days when King Kamehameha appealed to
the gods to help him rule with the spirit of humanity's highest nature.
On the grounds of King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel, 75-5660 Palani Rd., Kailua-Kona.
&
808/329-
2911.
www.konabeachhotel.com. Free admission. Daily 9am-4pm; guided tours Mon-Fri at 1:30pm.
UPCOUNTRY KONA: HOLUALOA
On the slope of Hualalai volcano above Kailua-Kona sits the small village of
Holualoa, which attracts travelers weary of super-resorts. Here you'll find a lit-
tle art and culture—and shade.
This funky upcountry town, centered on two-lane Mamalaloa Highway, is
nestled amid a lush, tropical landscape where avocados grow as big as footballs.
Little more than a wide spot in the road, Holualoa is a cluster of brightly
painted, tin-roofed plantation shacks, art galleries, and quaint shops. In 2
blocks, it manages to pack in two first-rate galleries, a frame shop, a potter, a
glassworks, a goldsmith, an old-fashioned general store, a vintage 1930s gas sta-
