The shuttle also makes a jaunt to lovely A-Bay easier (easiest is to just walk through the Marriott)

My husband and I are going to the Hilton Waikoloa Resort on the Big Island for a work trip. We will be there for 4 days with work and 3 days on our own...staying at the same resort all days. The first four nights we will not need dinner, but we will need breakfast and lunch all 7 days and 3 dinners. We also want to do some sightseeing like Akaka Falls, Volcano Winery, coffee country, farmers market, and kona brewing co. Any suggestions on how to go about this? Any other good sites to see? Would it be best to rent a car for a day or two? Are there restaurants within walking distance to our hotel? Thank you so much for your help!
It is super hard to be on the Big Island without a car. It is a BIG island and the distances are quite far. There is no real public transportation and taxis would cost a fortune. A car would be cheaper. Akaka Falls is probably 90 minutes away from the Hilton, for instance. Kona Brewery is about half an hour or so away from the Hilton. Also, all the good beaches are a drive away. There is no beach at the Hilton.
You are at a beautiful resort but as taitai stated if you want to see any other part of the island you will need a car. Akaka is beautiful and you will want to do it, from your hotel you would take the northern route 19, expect that it might be raining there stick those little plastic 99cent raincoats in your suitcase. We stayed in Kona for a month and every day it rained on the Hilo side of the island. We finally just went anyway and did encounter rain but it was warm.
Drive to the little town of Kona and park at the market. It is free. We bought fresh fruit there all the time. You can leave your car there and walk the town. A good place to have lunch or dinner would be Huggio's on The Rocks or Don the Beachcomer. Beautiful views at both places. car rental age 18 A good place for breakfast is Lava Java with outside seating.
A beautiful beach is Hapuna, it is not far from your hotel, but you still need a car. It is a state park with a small consession stand. Also not far from your hotel is Lava Lava where you can eat on the beach, it is located on "A" Beach (Anachoomalu Bay) But again, you will need a car.
Note all the lava fields and when you drive up the mountain from the seashore there is a 20degree difference in temps so even if it's warm at the beach and you drive up the mountain to a coffee plantation you might want to throw in a sweater.
However, while at the resort, car rental age 18 there is a shuttle bus that will take you within the Waikoloa resort area to the Kings and Queens shops (small malls across the street from each other). car rental age 18 There are several upscale restaurants (mostly Kings), a food court and a grocery with deli, Macaroni Grill, Starbucks (Queens). Check out the websites for both centers; there's often free entertainment (hula, concerts, etc.), and there's a weekly farmers market at the Kings shops.
The shuttle also makes a jaunt to lovely A-Bay easier (easiest is to just walk through the Marriott); the new Lava Lava restaurant is just south on the beach, or there's nice outdoor dining at the Marriott. IMO, the beach, car rental age 18 swimming, snorkeling at Anaehoomaluare (A Bay) are much better than the Hilton "beach"; just stroll south on the beach.
There is a great petroglyph trail that you can access across the street from the Hilton (through to Kings shops; then shuttle back). Or start at Kings and take it the other direction; there are also some across the street from Kings (by the Queens parking lot), but they are not as well marked.
Do you want to visit Volcanoes National Park near Hilo? (Opposite side of the island; a very long day if you don't stay overnight; do not plan to drive after dark.) You could take a helicopter tour over the island that leaves out of KOA.)
Yes, definitely a car is necessary on the Big Island. In the Waikoloa resort you have restaurants in the King and Queens car rental age 18 shops such as Merriman's, Roy's, car rental age 18 and Sansei Sushi, in addition to the restaurants that are in the Hilton. But I suggest leaving property to try local restaurants too, in Kailua-Kona, Waikoloa Village, Waimea, and if you're car rental age 18 going to Hilo might as well eat there too. There's lots to do on the Big Island - and a lot of it involves long drives so just be prepared. If you really want to do something that is within the Hilton Waikoloa area, as Sylvia said, A-Bay is a short walk/drive away, and there is also a petroglyph trail behind one of the shopping centers (king's or queens - can't remember) which is a nice walk. Enjoy your trip!
You can see Akaka Falls and Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park in a long day from Waikoloa area, using the northern route through Waimea. Skip Volcano Winery. The wine is terrible. The coffee farms are better seen on anothe day trip taking the southern route.
Yes to a car for the whole trip. The freedom it will offer you is cost effective for quality. Sure you could just stay in the area and use the shuttle the first few days, but that is still costing you time waiting for the shuttles. With a car, you have the freedom car rental age 18 to explore a bit while you're husband is working...say drive up to Waimea to Hawaiian Style Cafe for breakfast.
The big falls on Hawaii like Akaka and Kahuna car rental age 18 are most certainly not seasonal. I don't know why that was a warning, and I don't know why it was suggested car rental age 18 that especially on the big island, waterfalls are seasonal. Not true. The small falls on Maui yes. The big boys, they fall all year long.
P.S. Even if it is raining on the Hilo side, don't cancel any sights to visit; sometimes that adds an element of beauty car rental age 18 (like rainbows!). For a gorgeous crashing surf/scenic/historic hour, visit Laupahoehoe Point Park and Tsunami Memorial (~8 miles north on the highway from the Akaka Falls turnoff).
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