Just as every multi-time visitor has a favorite island (mine is Kauai, by far!) every visitor to the island of Hawaii seems to develop a distinct preference for either Kona (technically it’s Kailua-Kona) or Hilo. You can fly into either airport, and if you’re going to rent a car, it really doesn’t make a huge difference which one you choose. So go don’t despair if air fares or flight availability take you to the opposite side of the island from your destination. After all, there is plenty to see anyway.
Kona is the smaller of the two principal towns, which given my affection for the less hurried style of Kauai, it’s probably only logical that Kona’s small town feel would be more compatible with my tastes. Small though it might be, I suspect that things get a little crazy come time for the Ironman Triathlon Championship which begins with a 2.4 mile swim from the Kailua Pier. But then I digress.
Parking in downtown Kona can be a little challenging. We had to settle for a lot that charged $5 for a couple hours. That did lead to a bit of serendipitous fortune however. To get back to Ali’i Drive, we cut through the Kona Market Place. That’s where we found the Colors of Paradise gallery, showcasing the tropical imagery of Robert Thomas (original oils and limited edition gicle’es, all with island landscape and floral themes). We had a nice chat with Mr. Thomas and took a brochure to use for a possible purchase at some point.
Getting back on track, we were on a mission of sorts (Sue wanted to find a nail place, I had to answer a call from nature), we crossed Ali’i drive over to the boardwalk that runs through the Kona Inn Shopping Village. We were quickly successful in both our aims thankfully.
While Sue had her nails done, I wandered into Alley Geckos which has a cool assortment of gecko-themed gifts and such. With a couple granddaughters to satisfy back home, I was able to score a cheap multipurpose gecko gift. They were cool enough to look at, however the tail of the Gecko functions as a carabineer. And if you pull back the little lever on his back, the mouth opens to shine a very bright little rainbow light wherever you point the darn thing (trust me, I was pointing it at my face at the moment that I discovered the light). But they were cute, unique and only about $3, so I was happy. And upon our return, the kids seemed to appreciate them as well.
Alley Geckos has a lot of more serious stuff, the usual assortment of t-shirts, signs and tiles (all with a Gecko adorned motif) so I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend that you stop by for a visit.
I can only souvenir shop for so long though, so I quickly opted for a snack The Kona Canoe Club. I can’t tell you much about the food, as my order was basically just a Diet Coke and basket of French fries (which were very tasty) but the menu and prices looked good, with a complete array of appetizers, sandwiches and other stuff. What I can tell you is the it might be difficult to find a more lovely setting, given the umbrellaed tables and the view of the pier across the bay. The location was perfect as I could enjoy the view and Sue was able to spot me when she finished her manicure.
We ambled around the boardwalk for a while, and then walked towards the pier, down Ali’i Street. There we wandered into Unison , Clothing for the Tropical Hip (75-5695 H Ali’i Drive). I might have just window shopped, however the little hand-lettered sign barring cell phone use inside drew me in with the knowledge that I’d likely be among kindred spirits. Okay… for those of you with a fondness for certain small town busting discount chains, please skip to the next paragraph. These folks were indeed kindred spirits and while I browsed the Iron Man stuff, Sue had an animated discussion with one of the owners regarding the evil empire that is Wal-Mart. All in all, it was another typical conversation where folks begin as strangers and finish as fast friends. Isn’t that what travelling is all about?
That’s a quick highlight tour. We snapped a few pictures of the impressive trees along Ali’i and basically just soaked up the laid back vibe that is Kona.
One final note. As if I didn’t like Kona enough already, we were thrilled to discover that Kona Airport is one of the last international destinations to still lack jetways! How cool is that? I’m old enough to remember walking down the steps (they do have accommodations for those who can’t do steps too) from the airplane and given the weather in Hawaii, it was a treat!