Da Poke Shack

Several staffers have spent vacations decompressing at Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection, and the verdict is unanimous: The hotel is stunning. First off, the oceanside location is out of this world. The entire property is designed to take advantage of the Kohala Coast view, swaying palms, and those inimitable Hawai’i sunsets. Then there are the accommodations: Guest rooms are comfortable and rich with local textiles, a neutral palette, and all of the mod cons you expect. The larger, ideal-for-families residences are as dreamy as they come, with huge living rooms and private swimming pools, plus they’re semihidden from view from the main hotel for extra privacy. It is both the perfect hotel for kids and a total reset for adults. Expect water sports, local crafting sessions, golf, extensive spa offerings, plus a conservation-forward turtle program the littles will love. The food is excellent throughout the hotel, though we’re partial to a beachside supper at CanoeHouse (order the tuna warayaki). Forgot sunscreen, your swimsuit, or in the mood to splurge on some major jewelry? The hotel hosts the goop Hawaii store location—we've got you covered.

Set on thirty-two acres along the Kohala Coast, the Fairmont Orchid spills onto a white-sand lagoon beach and the blue-green waters of Pauoa Bay. Every room has its own lanai, many with lovely views of the ocean or the island’s waterfalls and the Fairmont’s tropical gardens. The most luxurious rooms and suites are on the sixth floor of the resort’s North Tower, known as Fairmont Gold. The path to the spa winds past ponds and cascading waterfalls to set the mood, and in addition to the indoor treatment rooms, sauna, and steam room, there are several private oceanfront huts, where the soundtrack of ocean waves during your treatment comes from the actual ocean. The resort also has a tennis center with ten courts and lights for night play. And next door is the Francis H. I'i Brown Golf Course, which comprises two different eighteen-hole courses.

Anecdotally if not scientifically, the majority of the people who stay at the Four Seasons Hualalai would call it one of the nicest hotels in the world. And we’d be among them. First of all, the hotel has seven pools. Sit with that for a minute. The adults-only pool faces the ocean and has a swim-up bar. The lagoon-shaped family pool has an infinity edge and poolside fries and quesadillas. There’s a lap pool at the spa (and the spa is pure heaven). There’s a pool in the shallows of the ocean—the Pacific is walled off with volcanic stones. How many is that so far? But the coolest pool we have maybe ever seen is called King’s Pond—a 1.8-million-gallon pool that is more like a swimmable aquarium. It is home to 4,000 tropical fish and one spotted eagle ray. Once kids find this pool, they never want to get out of it. The hotel’s cultural center has a bunch of activities for kids, like shell jewelry crafting, ukelele lessons, and lei-making. But even better: Kids for All Seasons is basically a day camp on the property—the kids go swimming, go to the beach, do all manner of activities, and have the vacation they want to have. The rooms here are as comfortable as they are beautiful, and the two- and three-bedroom villas are next-level: secluded bungalows with gorgeous ocean views, generously sized lanais, private hot tubs, and local Hawaiian artwork. There are many on-site restaurants—Beach Tree and Ulu’s Sushi Lounge are favorites—and trying a new one for every meal is a delight.

Few hotels enjoy the name recognition of the Mauna Kea. When it opened in the mid-1960s as part of Laurance S. Rockefeller’s hotel group, it was said to be the most expensive hotel ever built, at $15 million. Designed by architect Edward Charles Bassett, the hotel is a stunning modernist masterpiece. In the decades since it opened, it’s become an icon of Hawaii—and a $150 million renovation in the mid-2000s has helped it keep pace with the newer luxury resorts on the island. A bevy of just-opened private residences—spanning condos, townhouses, and larger estates—are next-level when it comes to airy design and total privacy. The beach here (white sand Kauna'oa) is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. Mauna Kea is also known for its golf course, which was built by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and debuted in 1964 with the Big Three (Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player). Like the hotel, Mauna Kea Golf Course underwent a thoughtful renovation that maintained all its beauty (and its challenges). For those who favor tennis, there’s an eleven-court seaside club. The restaurant to dine at here is Manta, though on Tuesdays, the hotel also puts on an excellent luau, which is a pure delight for kids. (You don't have to stay at the hotel to make reservations.)

Sitting between the beach and the pool at the Fairmont Orchid Hotel is one of the loveliest settings for dinner...anywhere. And when you factor in the watermelon salad with goat’s milk feta, keiki cucumbers, and heirloom tomatoes and pumpkin gnocchi with mushrooms and black garlic cauliflower sauce, dinner becomes an occasion. But then you meet a waiter who is professional and friendly and then delights the kids with spooky ghost stories from the island. Suddenly, one simple beachside dinner becomes the highlight of the vacation.

The CanoeHouse is the excellent oceanfront restaurant of Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection complete with an open-air dining room and outdoor patio overlooking the Pacific. Helmed by husband-and-wife duo Matt and Yuka Raso the menu draws heavily on local ingredients infused with a Japanese influence (nearly everything on the chef’s optional tasting menu is sourced from the Big Island). We're especially partial to the Kona kanpachi, grilled Big Island hearts of palm, and outrageously good tuna warayaki.

While an excellent barbecue joint might seem unlikely in Hawaii, considering the island's natural predilection for pork, as well as Waimea's reputation as a "paniolo" town (i.e. cowboy), The Fish and the Hog makes perfect sense. What's fun is that you can get pulled pork, beef brisket, and all the requisite sides (their Crackseed, Hawaiian-inspired sauce with Chinese plum is not to be missed), you can also get super fresh poke and delicious, chili dusted calamari.

Holuakoa is an artist enclave in Kona’s coffee region, but it’s good for more than a morning cup. Designed like an open-air house, and surrounded by gardens, this Holuakoa restaurant is known for their tasty brunch and dinner menus. Most of their produce is organic and comes from farms located within five miles of the restaurant. Fish is caught by local purveyors; meat is sourced from local, grass-fed, organic farms as much as possible; the bread, pasta, and desserts are all made in the restaurant’s kitchen; and the wines and spirits are biodynamic and organic. In front of the restaurant is a small coffee shop serving Kona’s own Buddha’s Cup Estate.

Although Huggo’s isn’t the healthiest option on the island—the barbecued beef ribs and teriyaki steak are favorite dinner dishes—you can get some of the tastiest local fish here. Founded in 1969 as a local fishermen joint, the dock-like restaurant is literally perched over the ocean; at high tide, the surf is just feet away.

An excellent French restaurant seems unlikely on the Big Island of Hawaii, but La Bourgogne is exactly that: So when you've tired of poke and pork head here. It sits in a very unassuming building on the side of the highway in Kailua-Kona, but the menu is anything but: Very French options like frog legs and escargots are balanced by more accessible options like baked brie, lobster salad, and a really good filet mignon.

Even if you’re not staying at hotel Mauna Kea, you should come to its flagship restaurant, Manta, for dinner. It’s an especially good date-night spot, with stunning views of Kaunaoa Beach and an admirable wine-by-the-glass list. And this is one of those restaurants where you have to order dessert: Make it Manta's famous chocolate soufflé.

Just across the highway from the Mauna Kea is its sister hotel, the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort. And tucked inside the resort is Meridia, a restaurant with a heavily Mediterranean influence. Sitting on the balcony overlooking the ocean is one thing (and we’re really in favor of it), but sitting on the balcony overlooking the ocean with a plate of fritto misto or crudo or caprese in front of you takes it up a level. The vibe is easy and pleasant, the food is fresh and delicious, and the sunset is sublime. It’s one of those rare formal dining experiences that kids wholeheartedly endorse.

Peter Merriman was one of the pioneers of the local food scene in Hawaii—he was at the forefront of efforts to grow vegetables in the local volcanic soils, so they could be eaten fresh (rather than after a lengthy journey on a boat). Today, he partners with local farmers to serve his three restaurants, and there’s one each on Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island. The dining room and menu are dressed up without being overly stuffy, so it’s ideal for a nicer family or group outing. Try the upcountry salad (made with kale and butter lettuce from local farms), the fresh-caught mahi mahi, and vegetarian taro cake.

Earning rave reviews for its daily changing, farm-to-table, ocean-to-table small plates, this sweet little spot justifies a trip if you're not staying in Hilo (also consider a stop here for dinner on your way back from Volcanos National Park). The plates are truly inventive, blending the best of Hawaiian ingredients with Asian flavors, and they always sell the best of what's available, which translates to only having enough for a few of some plates. (The chef-owner Mark Pomaski got his training from Roy Yamaguchi, so the mastery makes sense.) Make reservations, though you can usually grab seats at the bar.

Chef Roy Yamaguchi is a Hawaiian legend, with a corresponding empire of restaurants scattered across all the islands (Eating House 1849 in Kauai, etc.). This outpost is one of his classics, and is ideal if you're all-in for a tasting menu or have something to celebrate. It's exactly what one would expect from a fancier version of island food: Macadamia nut encrusted fish, baby back ribs done with Szechuan-style sauce, and a famous chocolate soufflé. It can get loud and noisy, so not always the best choice if you want to have an intimate conversation.

There are only about 8 seats at Chef Igarashi's sushi bar, and you will have to line up for them (reservations book up months in advance). Igarashi focuses on perfect, incredible fresh sashimi and sushi—that he doesn't dress up with much beyond rice, wasabi, and shoyu—in short, get the omakase.

The dressiest restaurant at the Four Seasons Hualalai is half indoors, half outdoors, and utterly stunning. Being a few feet from the sand means that there isn’t a reason in the world to stay inside. Book a table on the patio so the children can swoon over the firepit, and let the feast begin. Executive chef Thomas Bellec is a master—everything that comes out of his kitchen is the perfect blend of true to Hawaii and influenced by Asia. And you can’t go wrong. But to go especially right, order the Waimea farmers’ market salad, maybe the Hawaiian ahi poke with Maui onions, and the vegetarian stir-fry noodles with baby bok choy. The dishes, while elegant and miniature works of art in some cases, are surprisingly kid-friendly. We cleaned every plate on the table.

We love the fresh smoothies at this family-owned café near Kailua-Kona Village. They also serve breakfast, lunch, and have kombucha on tap (you can take a growler with you). Most importantly, their Kona coffee selection—sourced from local purveyors Buddha’s Cup and Daylight Mind—is not to be missed.

There is no shortage of markets on the Big Island, but if you only have time for one, make it this farmers market in historic downtown Hilo, at the corner of Corner of Mamo Street and Kamehameha Avenue. The Hilo Farmers Market began in 1988 with four farmers who sold their harvest out of parked trucks. Today, it’s open daily year-round (but the main market days are Wednesday and Saturday), and more than 200 farmers and crafters come to sell a variety of produce, tropical flowers (orchids and anthuriums are the main draw), and giftable items like handmade jewelry and artisanal wooden bowls. Be sure to sample the in-season fruit, be it coconuts, strawberry guavas, white pineapples, or thimble berries. Other specialties include island jams, jellies, hot sauces, honey, macadamia nut butter, and (of course) Kona coffee. There are also a number of vendors serving breakfast and lunch, from breads and pastries to Thai and sushi.

This local grocery has the most comprehensive selection of healthy eats on the island. It also conveniently has multiple locations: in Hilo and Pahoa on the east side of the island, and Kailua-Kona on the west, plus a kiosk at the University of Hawaii. The stores are a nice option if your hotel suite/Airbnb is equipped with a kitchen, and you’re looking to eat/entertain there for a meal or two. Each Island Naturals Market & Deli store sells an array of organic groceries (including many gluten-free and vegan-friendly products) from shelved goods like pastas and sauces, to fruits and veggies from nearby farms, line-caught fish, and grass-fed beef. You can also stock up on breakfast items and organic wine and beer. If you’re not interested in doing any cooking, the deli has easy already-made meals, or you can order custom sandwiches, smoothies, juices, and of course, Kona coffee.

For about 50-odd years, Tex Drive-In has been serving traditional Hawaiian food (loco moco's abound on the menu, which are typically rice, hamburger, fried egg, and gravy), but that's not why tourists flock to this joint. They are famous for their malasadas, the island version of the donut, typically dusted in sugar and filled with anything from coconut cream to guava to Bavarian cream. You can even watch the malasada production through a big window in the cafe.

People drive from all over the Big Island for the now world famous mochi that have been made here for the past 25 years (keep in mind that they're not open on Sundays or Mondays). Helmed by Nora Uchida and her aunt, Tomi Tokeshi, they make mochi as Uchida's grandmother did, preserving not only the recipe but the culture of the Japanese in Hawaii, too. The treats are delicious and beautiful, and as one would expect, the flavors are a mix of local and far-flung: You'll find lilikoi (passionfruit), pineapple, persimmons, ginger, etc.; they also stuff the traditional white rice flour with fresh strawberries, which sadly can't be transported to the mainland.

Our love for Hawaii runs deep. To tuck a goop's Hawaii shop into a beloved resort seemed only natural. So what can you expect from the sleek, Parisian-inspired oasis designed by the inimitable Max Zinser and Kate McCullough? Only the best lineup of goop clean beauty must-haves; delicate, subtle (and not so subtle) jewelry; Hunza G swimwear; and everything else you might want from a dream hotel gift shop. There’s even a dedicated section for kids (if you’ve ever traveled with kids, you know how essential this is). The aspect we’re most excited to share—no, it’s not the sublime terrazzo flooring or the FoundRae gems that fill the glass jewelry cases—is our “goops, I forgot” section. That pretty lingerie, nontoxic sunscreen, and bamboo toothbrush you spaced on packing? We’ve got you covered.

Some of the best water adventures on the Kona coast are with Analakai Adventures. And the most amazing of the adventures that the company offers is what they call the Manta Ray Night Snorkel, and what we call insanely cool. Once it’s dark out, a guide paddles you out in a double-hull canoe and uses a light to draw in the manta rays. The creatures are extraordinary—like graceful aliens (aliens that can grow to have a fifteen-foot wingspan.) Then it’s up to you: Slip into the water and snorkel among the rays or enjoy them from the canoe. Either way, it’s probably the most serene experience you can have before going back to your hotel and going to sleep for the night. Impressively, the company uses no motors and is completely harmless to the environment.

Two of the world’s most active volcanoes sit on the Big Island: Kīlauea and Mauna Loa. And they are both encompassed in the national park in the southern half of the island, which you can visit by car. Check before you go to see what the latest is, but recently, Kīlauea has been erupting in two places. One of the vents (within Halema'uma'u Crater) can be seen from an overlook at Jaggar Museum—best view is in the evening, on a clear night, when the fire from the crater lights up the sky. If you want to spend more time in the park, there are a number of trails that you can explore on foot; the park has a pretty cool landscape in part because it spans from the summit of Mauna Loa at 13,677 feet down to sea level, and therefore a diverse range of ecosystems.

There are waterfalls and private cabanas and the smell of lavender and eucalyptus in the air and aestheticians with orchids tucked behind their ears. The spa at the Four Seasons Hualalai is a spa for the ages. It’s nestled in what feels like a small jungle and although you walk to the various areas and rooms outside, it all feels incredibly private—and quiet. You don’t even need to get a treatment to feel recentered, calmer, possibly even more fulfilled as a person. But if you do get a treatment—and lucky, lucky you—we humbly suggest the Pa'Akai O Ka Kai aromatherapy treatment, which works with a combination of salt exfoliation and chakra balancing. Actually we humbly recommend any treatment. What we don’t recommend: leaving.

This local shop is everything you would want to find in an independent bookstore: Beach reads, literary heavyweights, a robust kids selection, plus tons on local culture. Opened by two friends who met at a bookclub in California, they keep the shop heavily programmed with everything from kids reading hours, to various book clubs, to author lectures and an in-house psychic who offers readings every Friday afternoon.

There are a lot of awesome beaches on the Big Island; those on the Kona side can be tougher, as they tend to be rocky. That said, if you're willing to walk a bit of rocky stretch to get down to Manini'owali Beach—locally known as Kua Bay—the beach itself is spectacular. The sand here is soft and white, and the water is the clear, aquamarine color that you want to find in Hawaii. The tide is generally calmest at Kua Bay in the summer, when it's perfect for swimming and snorkeling. The waves are stronger in the winter—better suited for surfing. Kua Bay is no longer a secret, but it’s still somewhat remote—on that note, remember to pack a picnic lunch.

Hawaii might be the only place where it’s cool to do a manta ray night dive—and this outfit is a good choice, as they do a variety of public tours as well as private charters. The best option is taking a boat out at sunset and then snorkeling (or scuba diving, if you’re certified). Even if you know how big manta rays are (average wingspan here is five feet eight inches, and up to to a whopping 20 feet), it’s wild to see them swimming right alongside you.

If it’s Tuesday, it’s luau night at the Mauna Kea. Starting at 5:30, walk down to the cliffs of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel (whether or not you’re staying there), grab dinner from the endless buffet tables, and settle in for the show. The evening’s program includes a dynamic history of the kings of Hawaii, theatrical reenactments of the islands’ legends, and plenty of hula dancing. The highlight for the kids is a toss-up between getting up on stage to learn how to hula dance and watching the fire dancers at the end of the night.

The Mauna Lani Beach Club is an Auberge Resort property, which is to say it’s incredibly luxurious and beautiful. And if you come with kids, you’ll want to head straight to the beach. This is where you’ll meet your guide, jump into a canoe, paddle out to the ocean, and take in a view of Hawaii you can get only from the water. These guided tours are also an opportunity to learn about the history of the island. And perhaps most important of all, learn about all the ways visitors can help the island’s sustainable initiatives.