Founder & certified Hawaii travel expert with 20+ years of experience in Hawaii tourism.
At the two mile marker Kohala Mountain Road intersects Highway 19. Take a left to head toward Waimea town. It won't take you long to figure out that Waimea is not your average Hawaiian town. These are the lands where west and far west meet and create the paniolo, the Hawaiian cowboy.
The Parker Ranch, formerly one of the largest, privately-owned ranches in the country, has a presence in just about everything in Waimea, from the schools to the hospital. At one point in time, the ranch covered 225,000 acres of land, 9 percent of the Big Island.
One of the first things you are bound to notice about this area is the marked temperature change. Waimea might even be called chilly by island standards and we can think of very few times when it hasn't been at least misting there.
Despite the weather, Waimea is quickly becoming a very popular place to live. And like any growing town, Waimea is experiencing plenty of traffic issues. Try to avoid going into town during morning and afternoon rushes.
When you do get to Waimea take the time to look around and enjoy the fine shopping, dining, and accommodations this small town has to offer.
