Why visit Kailua
Townapedia lists 30 museums and landmarks, 16 parks and trails, 117 places to eat and 17 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Hulihe‘e Palace Museum, Kamakahonu, Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park and Kohanaiki Beach Park.
September is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 66°F.
Weather in Kailua
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Kailua
Kailua-Kona is an unincorporated community and, under the name Kailua, a census-designated place (CDP) in Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States. It is most commonly referred to simply as Kona (a name it shares with the district to which it belongs), but also as Kona Town, and occasionally as Kailua (a name it shares with a community on the windward side of Oʻahu), thus its less frequent use. Kailua-Kona is the second-largest settlement on the island of Hawaii (after Hilo) and the largest on the island's west side, where it is the center of commerce and the tourist industry. Kailua-Kona is served by Kona International Airport, just to the north in the adjacent CDP of Kaiminani.
From the Wikipedia article Kailua-Kona, Hawaii (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks30
Hulihe‘e Palace Museum
Museum · 0.5 mi
75-5718 Aliʻi Drive, Kailua-Kona
We,Fr,Sa 10:00-13:30; Th 10:00-15:00
Kamakahonu
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic building in Hawaii County, Hawaii
75-5660 Palani Road, Kailua-Kona
Holualoa Bay
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Historic Place in Hawaii County, Hawaii
Hulihee Palace
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Building in Kailua, Hawaii, United States
Kahaluu Bay
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.9 mi
Historic Place in Hawaii County, Hawaii
Pua'a-2 Agricultural Fields Archeological District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Archaeological site in Hawaii County, United States of America
Paradise Sailing Hawaii
Monument and historic site · 2.3 mi
Private Catamaran Sailing Charters. Phone (808) 883-0399
74-380 Kealakehe Parkway, Kailua Kona
18 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds16
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Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park
Park · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historic Place in Hawaii County, Hawaii
Kohanaiki Beach Park
Park · 4.8 mi
Park in Kailua, Hawaii County, Hawaii
Honokōhau Small Boat Harbor
Marina and boat launch · 2.4 mi
74-380 Kealakehe Parkway, Kailua Kona
4 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes117
808 Grindz Cafe
Restaurant · Asian, Barbecue, Breakfast, Burger, Chinese, Coffee Shop, Fish, Friture, Local, Seafood
75-5660 Kopiko Plaza
Tu-Su 07:00-14:00
Bikini Bottoms Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.5 mi
75-5719 Aliʻi Drive, Kailua-Kona
Mo-Fr 07:00-15:00; Sa-Su 07:00-20:00
Kona Pub & Brewery
Bar and pub · Pizza, Burger, Regional
74-5612 Pawai Place, Kailua-Kona
Mo-Su 11:00-22:00
Quinn's Almost by the Sea
Diner · American
75-5655 Palani Road, Kailua-Kona
Mo-Tu,Th-Fr,Su 11:00-22:00; We,Sa,PH off
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 2.2 mi
74-5035 Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway, Kailua Kona
Mo-Fr 04:00-22:00; Sa-Su 05:00-20:00
Basik Açaí Cafe
Cafe · Breakfast, Smoothie, Açaí, Hawaiian · 1.0 mi
75-5831 Kahakai Road, Kailua-Kona
Mo-Sa 08:00-15:00; Su 09:00-15:00
105 more on the map.
Where to stay17
Koa Wood Hale
Motel and hotel · 0.6 mi
75-184 Ala Onaona Street
Mo-Su 08:00-12:00,17:00-22:00
Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel
Motel and hotel
75-5660 Palani Road, Kailua-Kona
Kona Islander Inn & Hotel
Motel and hotel · 0.8 mi
75-5776 Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona
5 more on the map.
History
The community was established by King Kamehameha I to be his seat of government when he was chief of Kona before he consolidated rule of the archipelago in 1795. It was later designated as the capital of the newly unified Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. The capital was later moved to Lāhainā, and then to Honolulu.
Royal fishponds at Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park were the hub of unified Hawaiian culture. The town later functioned as a retreat of the Hawaiian royal family. Up until the late 1800s, Kailua-Kona was primarily a small fishing village. In 1820, the first Christian missionaries arrived and established churches and schools. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the region has undergone a real estate and construction boom fueled by tourism and investment.
In 2014, the Pālamanui Community Forest preserve was created in Kailua-Kona with a goal of preserving and protecting the native trees of Hawai’i.
From the History section of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship16
Mokuaikaua Church
Church · Congregationalist · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
75-5713 Aliʻi Drive, Kailua-Kona
Hale Halawai O Holualoa
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity
Church · Lutheran · 3.3 mi
77-165 Lako Street, Kailua Kona
Shopping34
Gas and EV charging10
Schools, colleges and libraries11
West Hawaii Explorations Academy
School · 5.4 mi
73-4500 Kahilihili St, Kailua-Kona
Healthcare7
Crossroads Medical Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.6 mi
75-1028 Henry Street, Kailua Kona
Map of Kailua
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°F | 66°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 80°F | 67°F | 2.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 81°F | 68°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 82°F | 69°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 83°F | 71°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 72°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 73°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 74°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 86°F | 73°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 85°F | 72°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 83°F | 70°F | 2.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 81°F | 68°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ke-Ahole Pt 68.13 (7 mi away), rain and snow from Lanihau 68.2, 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, 7 miles away.
- Holualoa 5 mi east, about 9 min by car
- Kahaluu-Keauhou 6 mi southeast, about 9 min by car
- Kaloko 6 mi northeast, about 10 min by car
- Kaiminani 8 mi north, about 12 min by car
- Honalo 8 mi southeast, about 13 min by car
- Kealakekua 10 mi southeast, about 16 min by car
- Captain Cook 12 mi southeast, about 20 min by car
- Honaunau-Napoopoo 16 mi southeast, about 26 min by car
- Waikoloa Beach Resort 21 mi north, about 34 min by car
- Waikoloa Village 24 mi northeast, about 39 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
- Kona Mauka, Travisthurston, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mokuaikaua Church Kona, W Nowicki, CC BY 3.0
- Honokohau Halau, W Nowicki, CC BY 3.0
- Kamakahonu, Kona, W Nowicki, CC BY 3.0
- Backside of the Hulihee Palace, Calbear22 at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- Hale Halawai o Holualoa, W Nowicki, CC BY 3.0
- Pua'a-2 Agricultural Fields Archeological District (50HA10229), U.S. Geological Survey Department of the Interior/USGS U.S. Geological Survey (public domain)/photo by konaallan, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kahaluu Bay, W Nowicki, CC BY 3.0
- Kamoa Point, Kona, W Nowicki, CC BY 3.0
- Kona Hawaii Temple by Trevor Taylor, Trevor Taylor, CC BY-SA 3.0
- St Peters Kahaluu, W Nowicki, CC BY 3.0
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