Attractions in our area

Waimea and the surrounding towns have many local attractions, and Waimea Vacation Rental Cottages are perfectly situated to experience all of them.

Restaurants

DTsRestaurant

Directly in front of the cottages sits Daniel Thiebaut's restaurant housed in the historic Chock In Store.  Known for its cutting edge French-Asian cuisine and local favorites, delicious sushi bar, and weekend entertainment, it is a wonderful place to sit and relax while enjoying a beautifully restored building.  Down the road is the best kept secret in Waimea, Hawaiian Style Cafe.  Just a little hole in the wall, it is the best place to try authentic local and Hawaiian food.Of course there are many other restaurants and eateries in and around Waimea just waiting to be discovered.  Listed below are some of the best, their specialties and where they are located.

  • Charlie's Thai Cuisine- Authentic Thai food, located in the Waimea Shopping Center
  • Yong's Kalbi- Korean food with a local twist, located in the Waimea Shopping Center
  • Cafe Pesto- Great handmade pizzas and focaccia, located in Kawaihae
  • The Seafood Bar- Marvelous pupu and fantastic drinks in a great setting, located in Kawaihae

Galleries and Museums

Waimea has a number of museums and art galleries showcasing the area's history and local artists.  Each museum offers a different glimpse of the island and its culture, and each art gallery provides a way to take home some of the beauty of the islands.
Across the street from the cottages sits Isaacs Art Center Museum and Gallery.  The building that houses the Isaacs Art Center was built in 1915 as Waimea's first public school structure, and was moved to its current location in June 2002. After it's restoration in March 2004, it was opened to serve as a cultural force benefiting Waimea and other Big Island communities.  For more information visit www.isaacsartcenter.hpa.
In the middle of town, the Parker Ranch Center houses the Parker Ranch Visitor's Center and Museum.  The museum chronicles the history of Waimea and the ranch itself, while the Visitor's center offers tours of the Parker family's historic homes. For more details visit www.parkerranch.com.
The list of art galleries and museums does not stop there.  Below you will find a few more in the Waimea and Hawi (in the district of North Kohala, a 30 minute drive) areas:

  • The Gallery of Great Things - Located in Parker Square, Waimea
  • Bamboo Restaurant and Gallery- Located in Hawi with a number of other galleries and shops

Tours and Sights

Shuttle

Although Waimea itself is limited in its number of tours, the surrounding areas offer many.  Kahua Ranch, located on the Kohala Mountain Road, boasts the best ATV and horseback trail rides with some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere.
Waipio Valley also offers a number of tours from a mule drawn wagon ride down in the valley to a 4X4 hidden waterfall safari.
Of course being on an island means just driving from place to place is a sight-seeing experience, and a drive along the Hamakua Coast is no exception.  Now if a drive is not to your taste, there are a number of helicopter tours that will take you around the island and over the Big Island's very active volcano.
All of these tours can be booked in advance over the internet or by phone.  To make things a little easier, the links are listed below.

These are not the only tours available on the island, rather just a small sampling.  If you have any questions regarding other tours you have discovered and would like to try, don't hesitate to ask us about them.  With over 25 years of experience in the tourist industry, we have "done it all" and can recommend the best.

Beaches

HapunaBeach

Most importantly, Waimea Vacation Rental Cottages are 15 minutes from a few of the most beautiful white sand beaches and snorkeling.  If you are looking for a place to swim and catch some sun, Kauna'oa beach and Hapuna Beach State Park are the beaches for you.  If snorkeling is more your thing, Spencer Beach State Park or the local hot spot "69" (named for the number on the telephone pole that used to mark the entrance to the beach) have great reefs without the waves (most of the time). 
For those of you willing to travel more than 15 minutes to a beach and go off the beaten path, there are many more options available, and all are well worth the trip.  These are just a few spectacular beaches.

  • Kiholo Bay
  • Kua Bay
  • Makalawena
  • Mahai'ula (access through Kekaha Kai State Park)
  • Kahalu'u Beach Park (wonderful snorkeling and turtles!)
  • Kealakekua Bay (possibly some of the best snorkeling in the world)

Shopping

Waimea boasts two shopping centers, Waimea Shopping Center and Parker Ranch Shopping Center, both with a grocery store and various other shops.  Of the two grocery stores in town, KTA (in the Waimea Shopping Center) is known for its lower prices.  However, Foodland may carry items KTA does not, so it pays to stop by both.  If organic is more your style, there is a health food store located in the Parker Ranch Shopping Center where Foodland is located.  For those of you that enjoy shopping for the sake of shopping, there are a number of boutiques and small stores at Parker Ranch Shopping Center and Parker Square, well worth browsing.



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