Where to go: Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii

Kona is a darling little town. We have always loved going there and happily although the outskirts have grown much the old part along the water seems relatively unchanged in the last 20 years. The Big Island is just that, big. With about 200,000 population in just over 4,000 square miles there is lots of space to roam.

Of the 13 climate zones on Earth, the Big Island has all but 4 of them. In a day you can see dry arid desert to continuously wet locations. When Oahu feels busy and crowded spending time on any of the neighbor islands helps us reset. There is space, space to drive, park, or stop and enjoy the views.

On this trip to Kona we were just there for the day so we stayed in old town on Ali'i drive.

One thing most visitors love about Kona is its walkability. You can stroll along Ali'i drive and see historic locations like Hulihe'e Palace.

Healthier choices to EAT:

Kalikala Cuisine: https://www.facebook.com/kalikalacuisine/

Journey Cafe: https://journeycafebigisland.com Awesome spot for plant based food with gluten free options. They source locally. Sadly, they were closed the day we were there. But I peeked in the window and spoke with a few locals, it got rave reviews.

Kona Wave Cafe: Nice blend of smoothie bowl selections.

I got the Kona Wave bowl, no coconut flakes. Simple and refreshing.

We ate lunch at The Fish Hopper. They have a Gluten free menu. I ordered the grilled mahi-mahi with mango papaya salsa. Served with Okinawan sweet potatoes, broccoli, and bok choy. It was delicious! And the view is amazing. Every table can see the water.