Ke Kailani residents truly have the best of both worlds. Imagine living in a private, oceanfront community with luxury resort amenities — including The Grotto, a dramatic infinity pool and pavilion gathering space — while being a short drive to everyday conveniences, like grocery stores and movie theatres.
The Grotto at Ke Kailani is one of the luxury resort’s spectacular amenities in the private, oceanfront community.
Located inside the stylish Mauna Lani Resort, Ke Kailani is an opulent all-inclusive village situated along the idyllic Kohala Coast on the Island of Hawaii. Since it’s only a 30-minute drive from Kona International Airport, Ke Kailani is the perfect place for residents to explore the rugged beauty of the island, with plenty of shopping and dining options nearby.
In the last decade, Kona-Kohala coast resort communities have experienced steady growth in residential and commercial development, which is good news for homeowners. It wasn’t too long ago that residents had to travel to Kona or Waimea for substantial shopping or activities, but new options are popping up closer to home.
Here’s a guide to help Mauna Lani Resort residents check all the items off their to-do list, or to give prospective buyers an idea of what their weekly footprint could look like in the community.
Local food is king on the Big Island, and the North Kohala coast is brimming with charming farmer’s markets.
Farmer’s Markets
Local food is king on the Big Island and the North Kohala coast is brimming with charming farmer’s markets that will excite foodies in search of uber-local ingredients, particularly hearty vegetables and fruit grown in the island’s rich, volcanic soil.
Kekela Farm Market
64-604 Mana Road
Tuesdays 2:00-5:00 p.m.
The Kings’ Shops Farmers Market
Waikoloa Resort
Wednesdays 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Waimea Town Market
Parker School
Saturdays 7:30 a.m. to noon
Waikoloa Village Farmers’ Market
Waikoloa Community Church
Saturdays 7:15-10:00 a.m.
Waimea Town Market is an excellent Farmer’s Market every Saturday at Parker School
Groceries & Shopping
The Foodland Farms inside the Mauna Lani Resort is just five minutes from Ke Kailani and features an excellent selection of local produce, general groceries, and Hawaiian fare. As a Foodland Farms (rather than Foodland), it’s a specialty store with plenty of gourmet options and slightly higher prices, but locals can sign up for a Maika’i Card for instant discounts.
Another grocery option is KTA Waikoloa Village Superstore, which is a 20-minute drive from Ke Kailani and offers additional shopping options.
For big box stores including Costco, Target, Home Depot, and Walmart, Kona remains the destination. Costco is located a few miles south of the Kona International Airport and offers a wide selection of Hawaiian specialties, fresh seafood, prime beef, and some of the lowest prices on beer, wine, and liquor. There’s also a Safeway and Long’s in Kailua-Kona town for additional grocery and pharmacy needs.
While in Kona, be sure to check out Pueo Boutique in Banyan Court Mall, for local, made-in-Hawaii apparel and accessories for women from local brands such as Ava Sky, Lily Lotus, Lucky We Live Hawaii, and more.
Restaurants & Dining
From oceanside farm-to-table restaurants to roadside grills and food trucks, residents of the Mauna Lani Resort community have plenty of dining options nearby, many of which serve Hawaii Regional Cuisine featuring Big Island local ingredients.
Merriman’s
Waimea | 808-885-6822
After making an impression at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows, Peter Merriman opened his flagship restaurant in Waimea — the heart of Hawaii’s farming community — in 1988. As the epicenter of Hawaii Regional Cuisine signature farm-to-table, boat-to-table, and ranch-to-table approach, Merriman’s menu features fresh island flavors, upcountry dining with warm Hawaiian hospitality.
Napua at Mauna Lani Beach Club
Waimea | 808-885-5910
Napua at Mauna Lani Beach Club offers an eclectic and adventurous menu that fuses Hawaiian European, Asian, and Polynesian cuisine in a contemporary way. It’s located inside a private ocean cove that’s a short walk along the beachfront and historic fishponds of Kalahuipua‘a. It serves local food for lunch and dinner with ingredients grown within 50 miles of the plate, including fresh fish, farm produce, ripe fruits, and beef from cows raised on Big Island grass.
Roy’s Waikoloa Bar & Grill
Waikoloa | 808-886-4321
For more than 17 years, Roy’s Waikoloa has offered guests an exclusive dining experience with creative food pairings using the freshest local ingredients. It overlooks the Kings’ Course fairway and lake and is a short jaunt to the historic King’s Trail, petroglyphs and lava fields, making it the perfect place to enjoy Regional Hawaiian Cuisine in a spectacular setting.
Activities & Things To Do
In Hawaii, shopping centers are major community gathering hubs, especially for families, and both The Shops at Mauna Lana and King’s Shops offer nightly events for people of all ages. The Shops at Mauna Lana host free Polynesian Hula Shows on Mondays and Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at center stage. There’s also a magic and comedy show at Kozy’s Tiki Palace nightly at 8:00 p.m. Check out their event calendar for the most up-to-date postings.
The King’s Shops host weekly live music, hula dancing, lei making, farmer’s markets, and cultural site tours. Learn more about the land while meeting members of the community by joining a petroglyph tour. Click here to learn more about their weekly events.
The Parker Ranch Center hosts an arts and crafts fair the first Saturday of every month as well as holiday events for families.
Parker Ranch hosts an arts and crafts fair the first Saturday of Every Month
To catch a movie, Waikoloa Luxury Cinemas is only 10 minutes from Ke Kailani where guests can enjoy dinner and drinks on an outdoor lanai before snuggling into the ultra-plush recliners for the film.
There’s lots to do along the Kohala Coast, including Hawaiian Heritage Sites, one-of-a-kind cultural events and world-class stargazing. For those looking for things to do outside of the beach activity, there’s plenty of activities on the calendar so residents are bound to find something new — and perhaps unexpected — to explore.
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