Hawaiʻi Island Shopping
Hawaiʻi Island, also known as the Big Island, isn't known for shopping, and shouldn't be the reason you go. But there are a few notable items to seek out if you are there. Kona coffee straight from the farm, art from an island gallery, fruit that doesn’t grow on the U.S. continent. There is also locally designed apparel, such as Hilo’s Sig Zane Designs and handcrafted gifts that are way more special and unique than generic tourist souvenirs. As with most things on the Big Island, where you shop depends on where you're staying. Kona shopping options cluster around Kailua-Kona and Keauhou, Kohala Coast resort shopping will be in Waikoloa and around Mauna Lani and Mauna Kea resorts and Hilo's shops and markets are on the east side. This guide will help you decide where to shop near you, what to shop for based on what you're after and practical information, such as sales tax, parking, hours and shipping.
SBShopping by Area
Wondering where to shop on the Big Island? The three main hubs are Kailua-Kona town — in and around Ali’i Drive, the Kohala Coast resort shops and downtown Hilo.
Kailua-Kona
Aliʻi Drive is a walkable, oceanfront shopping street lined with souvenir shops, restaurants and historic buildings. The stretch, sometimes called the "royal footsteps along the Kona Coast," runs about a mile between the Courtyard King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel and the Royal Kona Resort. Along it, you'll find the Kona Inn Shopping Village, the Village Farmers Market (Wednesday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Coconut Grove Marketplace and Waterfront Row.
For Kona shopping with groceries and gas in the mix, the Kona Coast Shopping Center is anchored by a KTA Super Store and several affordable eateries. Address: 74-5586 Palani Road, Kailua-Kona. Hours: Daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., though hours vary by store.
The Keauhou Shopping Center is the better stop for visitors staying south of downtown, with groceries, affordable eats, a weekly hula show Fridays from 6 to 7 p.m. and a farmers market Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. Address: 78-6831 Aliʻi Drive, Kailua-Kona. Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., though hours vary by store.
The Brewery Block, also known as BREW, is a newer shopping, dining and event hub anchored by Kona Brewing Co., with Puna Chocolate, Olivia Claire Boutique and HICO Hawaiian Coffee among its tenants. Address: 74-5606 Pawai Place, Kailua-Kona. Hours vary by store. Best for: Visitors staying in Kailua-Kona who want walkable shopping. Skip if: You're looking for luxury brands — you won't find them here.
Village Farmers Market on Aliʻi Drive. Photo by Sarah Burchard. Kohala Coast — Waikoloa, Mauna Lani, Mauna Kea
Kings' Shops Waikoloa carries local and national high-end brands alongside kids' play and learning center Hawaii Keiki Museum and restaurants such as Roy's Waikoloa Bar & Grill.
250 Waikōloa Beach Drive, Waikōloa
Open daily, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Queens' MarketPlace sits across the street and functions as an extension of Kings' Shops, though it leans toward mid-priced shopping and dining and has a movie theater.
69-201 Waikōloa Beach Drive, Waikōloa
Open daily, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Shops at Mauna Lani, along resort row, have a mix of apparel and restaurants with a Foodland Farms grocery store — useful if you're staying at a Mauna Lani condo or villa and need to stock a kitchen.
68-1330 Mauna Lani Drive #100, Waimea
Open daily, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
If you're staying inland in Waikoloa Village itself, rather than at the beach resorts, the Waikoloa Plaza has a grocery store, hardware store and a handful of local services and affordable eats rather than resort-style retail. It's worth knowing about for basics, but it's not a shopping destination in its own right.
68-1820 Waikōloa Rd, Waikōloa Village
Best for: Visitors staying at Kohala Coast resorts who want nearby shopping without driving into Kona. Skip if: You're looking for more of a local, non-resort vibe.
Waikoloa Cinemas at Queens' Marketplace. Photo by Sarah Burchard. Hilo
Downtown Hilo has local galleries, bookstores and small shops selling apparel and gifts that reflect the spirit of the island. These are located along Kamehameha Avenue and Keawe Street.
For a more standard shopping mall, Prince Kūhiō Plaza offers national brands, big-box stores and affordable food options.
111 Puainako St., Hilo
Open daily, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Hilo Farmers Market is where you should go for fresh produce and artisan-made goods, open daily 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., are the biggest market days with more than 200 vendors. It's located at the corner of Mamo Street and Kamehameha Avenue in downtown Hilo.
Best for: Visitors staying in or near Hilo, seeking local gifts to bring home.
Skip if: You're staying on the west side and not already making the drive over.
Local Hawaiʻi Island foods. Waimea
Waimea is full of good shopping from the locally-made gifts at Hem & Haven to weekly farmers markets islandwide.
Opelo Plaza has Surf Camp — part coffee shop, part surf shop — and Uila Records — part record shop, part bar and live music venue.
65-1227 Opelo Road, Waimea
Shop hours vary.
Parker Center is another good shopping center to visit for gifts and coffee.
65-1279 Kawaihae Rd, Waimea
Shop hours vary
Paniolo Heritage Center at Pukalani Stables hosts weekly farmers markets on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Waimea Town Market at Parker School is Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to noon.
Best for: Local artisan food products, locally-made gifts, unique finds
Skip if: You're staying in Hilo and don't already have a plan to drive to the west side.
Hem & Haven, Waimea. Photo by Sarah Burchard. What to Shop For on Hawaiʻi Island
Kona and Kaʻū Coffee
The Big Island is best known for Kona coffee, grown on hundreds of small farms, many of which offer tastings, tours and retail shops. The Kaʻū region, just south of Kona on the slopes of Mauna Loa, also produces award-winning coffee and is usually less known to visitors. Starting July 1, 2027, a new Hawaiʻi state law will require any coffee labeled with a Hawaiian growing region — Kona, Kaʻū or Maui — to contain at least 51% coffee from that region, up from the old 10% requirement. The change followed years of criticism that companies were profiting off Kona's reputation by selling "Kona blends" that were, in some cases, 90% commodity coffee from elsewhere. Look for bags labeled 100% Kona coffee or 100% Kaʻū coffee for the real thing. The Best Kona Coffee Tours offer tastings and direct farm sales, and local specialty shops such as Kona Coffee & Tea and Big Island Coffee Roasters carry island-grown beans. If time allows, stop by Paradise Coffee Roasters at 250 Keawe St. in Hilo, open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. — they produce some of the most beautiful expressions of Kona and Kaʻū Coffee in the state.
Hala Tree Coffee, Captain Cook. Local Goods & Art
Hilo Farmers Market
Beyond coffee, this is a great stop for local produce, crafts and prepared food if you're already on the east side. Look for lychee in summer, and be sure to pick up a mangosteen if you see it — it's a rare market find on the other Hawaiian islands.
Local art
On the east side, check out the Volcano Art Center near Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, the Wailoa Arts and Cultural Center in Hilo and Waipiʻo Valley Artworks in Honokaʻa. On the west side, Waimea's Firehouse Gallery, run by the Waimea Arts Council, the historic Isaacs Art Center at Hawaii Preparatory Academy and the Gallery of Great Things are all worth a stop.
Kona Sea Salt
It is very rare to find Hawaiian Sea Salt that is from Hawai'i anymore. Kona Sea Salt is one of the remaining few. Sourced from the ocean 2,200 feet below sea level and dried under the hot Kona sun, this salt is as pure as it gets. You can find this salt in specialty shops all over Hawaiʻi, or if you are in Kona, go straight to the source.
73-907 Makako Bay Dr, Kailua-Kona
Open daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Kona Sea Salt, Kailua-Kona. Photo by Sarah Burchard. Practical Essentials
Location: Big Island shopping is spread out across hours of driving, so plan your day around one area rather than trying to hit Kona and Hilo in the same trip.
Hawaiʻi sales tax: Hawaiʻi doesn't have a traditional sales tax; instead, the state charges a general excise tax of 4%, plus a 0.5% county surcharge on Hawaiʻi Island, for a combined rate of 4.5% typically passed on to shoppers at checkout.
Store hours: Most resort-area shops close by 9 p.m. Downtown Hilo shops closes earlier, often by 5 or 6 p.m.
Parking: Aliʻi Drive has metered street parking. Kings' Shops and Queens' MarketPlace offer validated parking with purchase. The Hilo Farmers Market has a small lot plus surrounding street parking.
Shipping: Most resort-area shops can ship larger purchases via UPS or FedEx, and many coffee farms offer direct shipping to the U.S. continent. The U.S. Postal Service is also an option from most towns.
Cash and ATMs: Many Hilo Farmers Market vendors are cash-only, so bring cash or find the ATM before you start shopping.
Insider Tips
Know Before You Go
- 1Bring a reusable bag. Hawaiʻi Island retailers are required to charge for single-use bags, so bring your own or expect to buy one at checkout.
- 2Shop earlier in the day. Many small shops close by 5 or 6 p.m., and some close entirely on Sunday or Monday.
- 3Dress for the area's weather. The Hilo side is rainy and cooler. The Kona side is drier and hotter. The Kohala Coast tends to by sunny, but drive 20 minutes inland to Waimea and you may need a light jacket
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Editor · Oʻahu
Sarah Burchard has called Oʻahu home since 2017. com, Hana Hou, FLUX Hawaiʻi, Forbes, Hawaiʻi Magazine and Honolulu Magazine.
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