Insider Tip of the Week: Eats: Kohala Coast

Below is a list of our personal recommendations for good eats along the Kohala Coast of the Big Island. See the map at the bottom of the page for directions.

Budget ($5-$15):
* Picnic at the beach! Quality provisions can be purchased at Island Gourmet in the Queen's Marketplace or Foodland Farms Mauna Lani
*Yummy ramen at the Noodle House
*Surprisingly good deals for a golf course restaurant, especially breakfast, at Kings' Grille
*On the go? This convenience store has great grinds: Kawaihae Market & Deli

Moderate ($15-25):
*Fresh Mediterranean fare, great for a sit-down dinner, Merriman's Market Cafe
*Awesome Japanese at reasonable prices at Monstera
*Friendly and low-key, BYOB to Charley's Thai Cuisine
*Consistently good, very high ratings online at Cafe Pesto in Kawaihae

Splurge ($25+):
*The original Roy's! A Hawaii landmark.
*Unexpectedly good and nice ambiance at the Tommy Bahama Cafe
*Any of the wonderful lu'aus, I made a list of my favorites here: Lu'au Options


View Eats: Kohala Coast in a larger map

Insider Tip of the Week: Brew Fest!

Tickets:
• Kona Brewing Company, 75-5629 Kuakini Highway, Kailua-Kona. Phone 808-334-2739.
• Mehana Brewing Co. 275 East Kawili Street Hilo, HI 96720 808-934-8211 calvin@mehana.com
Ticket price at the outlets is $55.

www.konabrewersfestival.com

Insider Tip of the Week: Find a great Lu'au

Attending a lu'au is a must for visitors to Hawaii. Lu'au means "Hawaiian feast or party" and generally includes lots of food, music, and dancing. Most hotels and resorts host lu'aus that feature unlimited food and drink and wonderful hula and Pacific island dance and music performances. The question is, which to choose? Below is a list of recommended lu'aus in West Hawaii (Kona, Kohala, and Waikoloa). Enjoy!

Budget Friendly

Island Breeze Lu'au at the King Kamehameha Hotel: $78.80 per adult, located in downtown Kailua-Kona

Firenesia at the Sheraton Keauhou Resort: $79.95 per adult, located just south of Kailua-Kona

Royal Kona Resort: $62.40 per adult, located in downtown Kailua-Kona

Royal Lu'au at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott: $88 per adult, located in the Waikoloa Beach Resort

Lu'au at the Mauna Kea Hotel: $36 per adult, for SHOW ONLY (no food), located on the Kohala Coast


Family Friendly

Legends of the Pacific at the Hilton Waikoloa: $99 per adult, teen and kids' prices available, located in the Waikoloa Beach Resort

Island Breeze Lu'au at the King Kamehameha Hotel: $78.80 per adult, kids' price available, located in downtown Kailua-Kona

Splurge!

Gathering of the Kings at the Fairmont Orchid: $99 per adult, does not include alcohol, located in the Mauna Lani Resort on the Kohala Coast

Lu'au at the Mauna Kea Hotel: $96 per adult, includes one drink, located on the Kohala Coast

Lu'au at Kona Village Resort: $98 per adult, includes one drink, located a few miles north of Kona Airport

Insider Tip of the Week: Where can I get some breakfast around here?

Need to fuel up before a long day at the beach or a long drive around the island? It can be tricky to find good, reasonably priced breakfast in the Waikoloa Beach Resort, so save some time and use these tips to find yourself some ono grub.

First of all, get out of your resort! Yes, they have charming views and a wonderful setting, but you will definitely pay for it.

For something quick, go to either Whaler's General Store, located inside the Kings' Shops or Island Gourmet Market, located in the Queen's Marketplace. Both have a deli with lots of take-out options, including coffee to go. Do it island style and grab a musubi, spam rolled in rice and seaweed, yum!

For sit down breakfast go to the Kings' Grille located at the Waikoloa Beach Golf Course country club. Very reasonable prices, and they are open early for the golfers.

Romano's Macaroni Grill, located in the Queen's Marketplace, is now open for breakfast, but we haven't tried it yet.

Need more dining suggestions? Give us a call at 808-886-2011 or write to BigIslandMotorcycleCo [at] yahoo.com

Insider Tip of the Week: whales, whales, whales!

The humpback whales have officially returned to Hawaiian waters! During winter the humpbacks migrate down from Alaska to birth their babies in warmer seas. The Kona coast of the Big Island is a great place to catch some whale action. Humpbacks are known for their spectacular breaches (jumps out of the water) so you won't want to miss it!

The best way to experience whale watching is to get up close and personal on a boating adventure. No matter your boating style, we can book a great whale watching excursion for you! There are big boats, small boats, fast boats, and calm boats, let us set you up! Come on in to the shop any day from 9:30am-7pm, call us at 808-886-2011 or write to BigIslandMotorcycleCo [at] yahoo.com

Are you more of a landlubber? Lucky for you there are some breathtaking whale watch spots right on the shore and we will be happy to point you in the right direction, just come on in and see us, maps are free!

Insider Tip of the Week: know your lava flows

What's a trip to the Big Island without a visit to the volcano? Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is enormous and deserves a full day of exploration. You may be surprised to hear that the actual lava flow viewing area is located outside the national park near a town called Kalapana. Not only that, but the flow moves around frequently and sometimes doesn't flow at all. So get in the know and call ahead of time to get information on where and when you can see the flow:

Civil Defense Recorded Lava Hotline:
808-961-8093

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, recorded update:
808-985-6000

Another option is to take a guided tour that will take you directly to all the great sites, drive you around, and even feed you. A major plus in going with a tour is that you do not have to navigate Hawaii's very dark (no street lights) roads at night, as night time is the best for viewing the lava.

Lucky for you, we can book volcano tours right here at Big Island Motorcycle Co. or set you up with a motorcycle to cruise out there in style. It happens to be one of the best rides on the island.

To make a reservation call 808-886-2011 or write BigIslandMotorcycleCo [at] yahoo.com

Insider Tip of the Week: check the weather!

Weather on the islands can be extremely variable so you will want to check the reports a day ahead of time in order to plan your routes around the island. We think the NOAA site is the best for getting up to date weather info. Simply click on their map of the island to see the weather in different locations.

Keep in mind that the Big Island has many micro climates meaning that you could be in desert-like conditions one minute and tropical rainforest the next. This means that, in most cases, you will be able to "ride through" the rain because if it's raining in Captain Cook that certainly does not mean it's raining in Kailua-Kona.

Another tip is that you are usually in the clear as long as the percentage of rain stays below 40% or if it says scattered showers. This means you may hit some rain, but it won't likely be extended showers that would ruin your ride.

We will check the weather for you when you come in to pick up your rental as a complementary service, we'd never want to send you directly to the rain! But of course, nature is nature, so you never really know what she's gonna do.

Please click the "rentals" tab above for more information on our motorcycle and other rental offerings or call 808-886-2011 to make a reservation.

Insider Tip of the Week: Boogie Down

Top Three Boogie Boarding Spots on the Kona Side of the Big Island:

1. Hapuna Beach State Park

The largest white sand beach on the island has a nice boogie boarding break. Except for days when there is a winter swell it is a great spot for beginners and kids, too.

View Larger Map

2. Kua Bay

Another gorgeous white sand beach with waves. Experienced boogie boarders can go for the break in the center of the beach, beginners may want to surf on the north end of the beach.

The access road to this beach is located directly across from the West Hawaii Veteran's Cemetary, just south of the Four Seasons Resort.

View Larger Map

3. Magic Sands aka White Sands

Located in Kailua Kona right on Alii Drive.

View Larger Map

Come in and see us in the Kings' Shops in the Waikoloa Beach Resort to rent a boogie board or any other beach gear like umbrellas, chairs, coolers and snorkel gear. $10 per day or $25 per week per item.

Big Island Motorcycle Co. can be reached at 808-886-2011 or BigIslandMotorcycleCo [at] yahoo.com

Insider Tip of the Week: Free Petroglyph Tour

Free, guided tours of Hawaiian petroglyphs (carvings in the lava rock) are available Thursday - Sunday at the Kings' Shops in the Waikoloa Beach Resort. Meet at 10:30am at center stage inside the shopping center. Wear sturdy shoes, a hat, and sunscreen and be sure to bring some water. Tours last about an hour.

Here is one visitor's account:

“Being an exchange student from Pakistan, it was an exciting experience for me to look at all those interesting patterns in the stones, and try solving the mysteries behind them. Our tour guide was very informative, he told us interesting facts about the strange stone carvings, and how the Hawaiian traditions had changed from time to time. One of the most interesting ones was that the circles represented the birth of a male child on the day of a solar eclipse. The caves were even more interesting. I wonder how people could seek shelter in a place that tight to fit in? The guide pointed out some sea shells at the site of petroglyphs which were thousands of years old! He also talked about Mauna Kea being the tallest mountain of the world because its base starts from the sea bed! It was very fascinating to know about it because Mount Everest is what people around the world know as being the tallest mountain.


The hike was super fun and informative. We tried not to step on the ancient carvings to keep the remains of history intact.

The patterns of human-like figures were most interesting to look at, although nobody has yet discovered that what all the carvings exactly mean, its still fun to look at all the shapes and try to discover the meaning behind every symbol. Especially if you are interested in history and archeology, it is the perfect place to explore!”
By: Nida Rasheed

Insider Tip of the Week: Free coffee farm tour

Did you know that coffee grown in Kona is considered to be the world's best coffee? If you are coming to the Big Island and love you a cuppa, visiting a coffee farm should be on your itinerary.

Most of the coffee farm visits in Kona are free, but Mauka Meadows is a big hit for even the non-coffee lovers among us. Just north of the town of Holualoa on Hwy 180 Mauka Meadows is a botanical garden loaded with fruit trees, tropical flowers, and of course, coffee trees. You park at the top and walk down to their visitor area where you are met by an infinity pool fountain and the chance to taste and purchase their coffees. These views are matched by none. The staff will drive you back to the parking lot when you are ready (it's a pretty steep hill).

Mauka Meadows Coffee Farm

View from Mauka Meadows

A pineapple!

Me and mom tasting Kona coffee

Garden feature at Mauka Meadows

You can check out our Holualoa (Kona Upper Road) Ride under the "motorcycle routes" tab above for more detailed information on how to get there and other attractions in the area.

Also, the Kona Cultural Coffee Festival is coming up November 5-14 so mark your calendars!

Insider Tip of the Week

This week's insider tip takes you to downtown Kailua Kona where you can cheer on the Ironman World Championship participants today, Saturday, October 9.

Right on the corner of Palani Rd. and Alii Drive is the finish line for the Ironman Triathlon. The finish line is fully set up with a stage, giant TV screen, an announcer and lots of screaming fans. The triathletes begin crossing the finish line in the early afternoon but the real insider tip is to head on down to the finish line in the evening and stay (if you can) until midnight when the very last athletes cross. These participants are the ones who need to be cheered on the most, plus by going in the evening you can avoid some of the road closures, parking hassles (well ok it will still be a hassle, but less so), and the heat.

Cheering the Ironman athletes on our beach cruisers right out front of the Waikoloa Beach Resort, where Big Island Motorcycle Co. is located.

At least she was smiling! Go, go, go!

So fast! Notice Mauna Kea in the background

Click here to view the road closures today: ROAD CLOSURES

Would you like to rent the beach cruiser bicycles shown in the pictures? Call or write to reserve: 808-886-2011 or BigIslandMotorcycleCo [at] yahoo.com

Check out the "bicycle routes" tab above for ideas on where to cruise.

Insider Tip of the Week

Coming to the Big Island and want to do as the locals do?
 Then head on over to our Insider Tip of the week: Tex Drive-In

Tex Drive-In is famous for its malasadas (Portugese donuts) which you can get plain or filled with anything from guava, to pineapple, to chocolate. These donuts are more than amazing, do not miss this place while you are on the Big Island! It's a perfect stop on the way to or from Waipio Valley. Tex's also serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner specializing in local plate lunch favorites.

Tex Drive-In

45-690 Pakalana St Highway 19
Honokaa, HI 96727

(808) 775-0598

Want to ride a motorcycle to Tex Drive-In? Sure you do, it's a great ride! We'll be happy to provide you with maps and check the weather for you before you head out. Check out our rental bikes and prices under the "rentals" tab above, call us at 808-886-2011, or write to BigIslandMotorcycleCo [at] yahoo.com