Blogs

A destination wedding or elopement on one of Hawaii's gorgeous beach seems like such a dream! But coordinating all of the details around your special day can be overwhelming, especially from thousands of miles away. Here at Kona Wedding Officiant, we want to help you enter your wedding planning era with confidence! For this reason, we've written up a step-by-step how to guide to obtaining your marriage license in the Aloha State. Hawaii is relatively one of the simplest state

Most of the time lava flows on the Big Island of Hawaii destroy beloved swimming spots completely and irreversibly, but in the case of...

The waters at Keaukaha Beach Park's tidal pools and swimming holes are almost always peaceful, but just 100 yards off this placid coast...

At the top of a gently sloping hill along Hawai'i Island's Kohala Coast north of Kona rests Puʻukoholā Heiau, the last great ancient...

The scent of fresh-baked shortbread first greets visitors from all the way out in the parking lot at Big Island Candies, where wafts of...

Ornate stone bridges, footpaths looping past planting of strange-looking tropical shrubs, and serene fish ponds full of darting, colorful fish can all be found just a short walk away from Hilo's Bayfront heading toward Waiakea Peninsula. This is Liliuokalani Gardens, a 24-acre park southeast of downtown Hilo adjacent to the bay, which is home to 100-year-old Edo-style Japanese gardens. The bridges, ponds, pagodas, statues, and "torii" - the iconic traditional Japanese gates

History buffs and tree lovers alike won't want to miss a sunny seaside walk down Banyan Drive along Hilo's famous Waiakea Peninsula during their visit to Hawai'i Island's "Big City". That's because the street is lined with the massive, ancient and strangely intriguing trees called Banyans, planted nearly a century ago by movie stars, politicians, sports heroes, religious leaders, adventurers and native Hawaiians of the era. The trees were sown as saplings after completion of

A footbridge connects Hilo's Waiakea Peninsula to a stunningly serene miniature island in the middle of the city's bay known as Coconut Island. It's perhaps the best land-based vantage point to see Hilo's iconic waterfront of colorful shops and palm-lined boulevard, a great spot to picnic and sunbathe, and a good place to swim at its handful of tiny, sandy beaches. The island features a small, finely mowed grassy field surrounded by a retaining wall of lava rocks with lapping

From the town of Pahoa head straight to the ocean, down Kahakai Boulevard and its looping S-curve, through the neighborhood of Hawaiian Beaches until the wide band of deep blue appears on the horizon, and then take a side-street that hugs the coast for a block or two, and you'll find the towering trees, expansive green lawn and colorful art installation of Papio Ocean Park. This pet-friendly seaside recreation spot is owned and managed by the local neighborhood, and is open d

Found along Lower Puna District's jagged coast of black lava rock, this group of tidal pools locally known as "Mermaid Ponds" is a rugged, secluded swimming spot to take a refreshing dip on those hot, humid East Hawai'i Island afternoons. The path across the rough beach of lava boulders can be treacherous at points, but the reward at the end of the trail - a large, semi-protected swimming hole that's surprisingly deep in places - makes the trek well worth it. Big rolling wav

A quarter-mile walk down a red cinder footpath leading away from the sprawling market complex known locally as "Uncle Robert's" in...

Two miles north of downtown Hilo, along a rocky coastline studded with black lava rocks, lies Honoli'i Beach Park, a favorite surfing, paddle-boarding, sunbathing and boogie boarding spot in East Hawai'i Island. Honoli'i is the name of the stream which meets the ocean below Hilo's Wainaku neighborhood hills, creating a sandy beach and immense sandbar perfect for sunbathing. On an average surf day, small to medium sized waves roll onto the beach, while larger barrels crash at

Honuaʻula Forest Reserve Just a stone’s throw away from the hustle and bustle of Kailua Kona town is the beautiful and lush Honuaʻula Forest Reserve at the near top of Kaloko Drive. To get to Kaloko Drive, follow Palani Road northward about ten minutes until you reach Kaloko Drive, and then make a right. You will follow Kaloko Drive until you almost reach the top, winding and snaking through all of its many hills and turns. Kaloko Cloud Forest www.konaweddingofficiant.com

Pu`u Wa`awa`a - “The Many-furrowed Hill” www.konaweddingofficiant.com Pu`u Wa`awa`a is the namesake of the greater ahupua`a in the North Kona district. It encompasses 35,000 acres of land from Kiholo Bay to 6,500 feet above sea level. This area has a rich history, unique geological formations, incredible natural beauty, and diverse biological features. Pu`u Wa`awa`a is considered the oldest feature on Great Mount Hualalai at 10,000 years old. On this Cinder Cone, pumice

Mix up your repertoire and head down to the Honokohau Harbor House for a tasty bite of local flavor tonight. Featuring the best burger on...

​The long, curvy, two mile descent to Ho’okena Beach park is encased by ranch lands on both sides of the road. You may see some horses...

Want to stare into the Pacific while you sip a cocktail and snack on a pupu during your stay in Kona? Pull up a chair and grab a drink...

Though you won't see too many waves like the Magic Sands Onshore Barrel in Kona during the summer, every once in a while a nice swell...

​​Note: This route is only accessible by 4WD/lifted vehicle/foot. Take an adventure in the middle of the week and head to Kekaha Kai for...