Kailua Kona

Kailua Kona has been the commercial and cultural center of the Big Island's west side for generations, and Alii Drive remains its most animated and enjoyable mile. The town's main oceanfront strip runs along the water's edge and is lined with restaurants, cafes, surf shops, and open-air bars that fill up every evening as the sky turns shades of orange and pink over the Pacific. The beaches along the Kona Coast are calm and accessible, ideal for snorkeling, paddleboarding, and easy swimming. Up the hill, the slopes of Hualalai are blanketed in coffee farms that produce some of the most prized beans in the world, and several welcome visitors for tastings and tours. Kailua Kona sits at the center of it all, making Gather's vacation rentals here a natural base for first-time Big Island visitors and returning regulars alike.