Captain Cook, Hawaii
Captain Cook is a community of 3,419 people in Hawaii County, Hawaii.
Why visit Captain Cook
Townapedia lists 11 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 21 places to eat, 5 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Aloha Theatre, Farmhouse, Kona Coffee Living History Farm and Daifukuji Soto Zen Mission.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 78°F; February lows average 57°F.
Weather in Captain Cook
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Captain Cook
Captain Cook is a census-designated place (CDP) in Hawaiʻi County, Hawaiʻi, in the United States, located in the District of South Kona. The community, within the land division of Kealakekua, is so named because the post office for the area was located in the Captain Cook Coffee Co. during the early 1900s. As of the 2020
From the Wikipedia article Captain Cook, Hawaii (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Farmhouse
Farm and orchard · 3.1 mi
79-7404 Mamalahoa Highway, Kealakekua
Mo-Fr 10:00-18:00; Sa 11:00-15:00
Museums and landmarks11
Kona Coffee Living History Farm
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Human settlement in Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States of America
82-6199 Mamalahoa Highway, Captain Cook
Tu,Fr 10:00-14:00
Daifukuji Soto Zen Mission
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Historic Place in Hawaii County, Hawaii
Greenwell Store
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Historic Place in Hawaii County, Hawaii
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St. Benedict's Catholic Church
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
Church building in Honaunau-Napoopoo, United States of America
Royal Kona Museum & Coffee Mill
Museum · 3.2 mi
83-5427 South Kona Belt Road, Captain Cook
Mo-Fr 09:00-16:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
Restaurants and cafes21
Manny's
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.3 mi
South Kona Belt Road
Mo, Fr 11:00-20:00; Tu-Th 12:00-20:00; Su 08:00-14:00; Sa 11:00-18:30
Annie's Island Fresh Burgers
Restaurant · Burger · 2.9 mi
79-7460 Mamalahoa Highway, Kealakekua
11:00-20:00
9 more on the map.
History
The area surrounding present‑day Captain Cook has been inhabited for centuries and includes several sites significant to Native Hawaiian history. In 1779, British explorer Captain James Cook made landfall at nearby Kealakekua Bay during his third Pacific voyage. Cook was killed there on February 14, 1779, following a conflict between his crew and local residents.
The modern community developed much later. In the early 20th century, the Captain Cook Coffee Company established a post office in the upland agricultural zone above the bay. Under postal naming conventions of the period, the post office name became the name of the surrounding settlement, and the community has been known as Captain Cook since that time.
From the History section of Captain Cook, Hawaii on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay5
Churches and places of worship4
Kahikolu Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Healthcare2
Kukui Lifestyle Medicine Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.2 mi
82-6066 South Kona Belt Road, Captain Cook
Map of Captain Cook
70 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°F | 57°F | 2.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 74°F | 57°F | 2.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 74°F | 58°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 74°F | 60°F | 2.5 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 75°F | 61°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 75°F | 63°F | 2.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 77°F | 64°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 78°F | 64°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 77°F | 63°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 77°F | 62°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 76°F | 60°F | 2.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 75°F | 58°F | 2.5 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Opihihale #2 24.1 (16 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Hawaii County has had 30 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2026-10-07: Hurricane Lala (Hurricane)
- 2026-09-25: Tropical Storm Nolo (Tropical Storm)
- 2026-09-01: Earthquake (Earthquake)
- 2026-08-25: Hurricane Lala (Tropical Storm)
- 2026-07-26: Kawaihae Road Fire (Fire)
- 2026-04-07: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Kealakekua 2 mi northwest, about 4 min by car
- Honaunau-Napoopoo 4 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Honalo 6 mi north, about 9 min by car
- Kahaluu-Keauhou 7 mi northwest, about 11 min by car
- Kailua 12 mi northwest, about 20 min by car
- Holualoa 12 mi north, about 19 min by car
- Kaloko 16 mi north, about 26 min by car
- Kaiminani 19 mi north, about 31 min by car
- Hawaiian Ocean View 29 mi south, about 47 min by car
- Hilo 54 mi east, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Book-hawaii-vtorov-070, Ivtorov, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Francis, Shaka Tacoz, Captain Cook, Big Island, Hawai’i, lamblukas, CC BY 2.0
- Ka'awaloa Trail, Captain Cook (504498) (23288524394), Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Ka'awaloa Trail, Captain Cook (504499) (23289952823), Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Captain Cook's Monument Ka'Awaloa Trail Big island Hawaii (32405028758), dronepicr, CC BY 2.0
- Ka'awaloa Trail, Captain Cook (504500) (23621031750), Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Ka'awaloa Trail, Captain Cook (504585) (23677159829), Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Ka'awaloa Trail, Captain Cook (504584) (23416790934), Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Kealakekua Bay, Captain Cook (504518) (23939370305), Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Kealakekua Bay, Captain Cook (504572) (23951923991), Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Kealakekua Bay, Captain Cook (504574) (23742581970), Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Kealakekua Bay, Captain Cook (504571) (24008372876), Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Ka'awaloa Trail, Captain Cook (504504) (23916699275), Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Kahikolu Church, Napoopoo Rd, Captain Cook (504644) (23831727770), Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Kahikolu Church, W Nowicki, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Daifukuji Soto Zen Mission, W Nowicki, CC BY 3.0
- St Benedict's Painted Church - Exterior (89964720), Steve Cadman from London, U.K., CC BY-SA 2.0
- ISS021-E-10229 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS021-E-15730 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Book-hawaii-vtorov-034, Ivtorov, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Book-hawaii-vtorov-036, Ivtorov, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Book-hawaii-vtorov-039, Ivtorov, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Montipora capitata 203409478, Lexi Amico, CC BY 4.0
- Montipora capitata 203409500, Lexi Amico, CC BY 4.0
- Panorama of the farmhouse at the Kona Historical Society's Kona Coffee Living History Farm, Kona Historical Society, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kona Coffee Living History Farm mill, Kona Historical Society, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kona coffee leaves (Kona Coffee Living History Farm), Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Historic coffee mill, Kona Coffee Living History Farm, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hunging flower - panoramio, Masaya I, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Floating calm - panoramio, Masaya I, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Greenwell Store, W Nowicki, CC BY 3.0
- Trioceros jacksonii 19609347, Eugene Ingerman, CC0
- Trioceros jacksonii 19609333, Eugene Ingerman, CC0
- Calycomyza lantanae - iNaturalist 343648815, kbkash, CC0
- Coral rocks in pattern at Kealakekau Bay - panoramio, Peter Gill / UK, CC BY 3.0
- Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii, looking across to the Cook monument on the only British land in the USA - panoramio, Peter Gill / UK, CC BY 3.0
- Kealakekua Bay, Bamse, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sleeping turtles at Kohala - panoramio, Annette Teng, CC BY 3.0
- Cantherhines dumerilii 592752156, Cricket Raspet, CC BY 4.0
- Lepidodactylus lugubris 146746681, Monica Ventrice, CC BY 4.0
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