During your Hawaii cruise, you may find that shopping rivals surfing as a sport on the Big Island’s Kona coast. Finding the best-fitting aloha shirt or beachwear, a distinctive piece of hand-made local jewelry, a bag of the famous Kona coffee, an authentic Hawaiian souvenir, or even a hand-made ukulele – the 50th state’s favorite musical instrument – can seem as challenging as riding the perfect wave.
But never fear: here are our top five places to shop in Kona on your Hawaii cruise and bring a bit of the Big Island home with you:
Steve’s Jewelry sells handcrafted jewelry fashioned from lava rock – a perfect keepsake from the volcanic Big Island. Local stones, shells, seeds, and freshwater pearls are also incorporated into the designs. Steve Hunlow, the artist-owner, creates all the jewelry himself – which are one-of-a-kind or limited-edition pieces — and will customize your jewelry to your order if you wish. Find him at 75-5801 Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona.
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Just Ukes is the place to come to buy a ukulele, pick up some music books for playing the ukulele, find accessories for your ukulele, or even take lessons to learn to play the ukulele. There are ukes here for everyone, from budget-model instruments ideal for beginners to high-priced varieties fashioned from mango wood and koa wood (endemic to the islands). The independently owned store has two locations: at Kona Inn Shopping Village, 75-5744 Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona; and at the Shops at Mauna Lani, 68-1330 Mauna Lani Drive, Kohala Coast.
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The Keauhou Store has a nearly 100-year history – it was founded by a Japanese immigrant in 1919 – and served as the Kona area’s first department store, selling everything from records to hardware jewelry to sporting goods and groceries. It was a place or locals to hang out and was also connected to a farm that grew macadamia nuts and coffee. The current owners, Kurt and Thea Brown, have kept some of the old inventory for museum-like display and now sell Kona coffee (still grown on the same farm) as well as retro T-shirts and bowls made from koa wood, among other items. You can also have a snack while you’re there, reliving the history while munching on ice cream cones or cookies fresh out of the oven. The store is located at 78-7010 Mamalahoa Highway, Holualoa, a few miles south of Kailua-Kona.
Hula Lamps of Hawaii draws on the vintage styles of hula dancer lamps that were popular in the 1930s. Artist Charles Moore casts each retro lamp in bronze – with a variety of different dancers — and sells hand- painted lampshades to go with them. Moore, who opened his store in 1997, is now branching out into more contemporary designs as well. The store is located at 73-5613 Olowalu Street, Suite 2, Kailua-Kona.
Top Five Places to Shop in Kona on a Hawaiian Cruise
Hilo Hattie’s isn’t unique to Kona – there are similar stores on three other islands — but it’s still a must-stop for anyone looking for an aloha shirt, muumuu or beachwear. The selection is enormous – Hilo Hattie is the islands’ biggest retailer of Hawaiian-style clothing – and caters to both men and women. You can also find Hawaiian gourmet foods, coffees, books, music, and assorted souvenirs, but Hilo Hattie – named for a popular 1950s-era Hawaiian entertainer – is all about the clothing. Hilo Hattie’s store is at 75-5597 Palani Rd., Kailua Kona.
Photo Courtesy of Hilo Hattie
To book your cruise to Hawaii and shop Kona and beyond, call our expert agents today at 1-888-804-CRUISE (2784), visit us at www.CruiseExperts.com or email us at info@CruiseExperts.com to find out the best cruise deals for Hawaii.