8 Best Sights in Big Island, Hawaii

Depending on the season, the 20-minute walking tour of this working farm takes in various stages of coffee production, including a look at the 100-year-old coffee trees. The Greenwell family played a significant role in the cultivation of the first commercial coffee in the Kona area (as well as the first grocery store). No reservations are required, unless you are booking for a private party, which does have a cost. Sample a cup of their famous Kona coffee at the end; the gift shop stays open until 5.

On the National Register of Historic Places, this perfectly preserved farm was completely restored by the Kona Historical Society. It includes a 1913 farmhouse first homesteaded by the Uchida family and is surrounded by coffee trees, a Japanese bathhouse, a kuriba (coffee-processing mill), and a hoshidana (traditional drying platform). Caretakers still grow, harvest, roast, and sell the coffee exactly as they did more than 100 years ago. All admission proceeds directly help the nonprofit's educational efforts.  Call ahead to confirm hours, as they have been limited and varied.

Exceeding 130,000 acres and regularly running tens of thousands of head of cattle, Parker Ranch is an impressive and compelling backdrop for the scenic town of Waimea. It was established in 1847 by a sailor from Massachusetts, John Palmer Parker, who was permitted by the Hawaiian ruler King Kamehameha I to cull vast herds of out-of-control cattle; thus, the ranch was born. It later grew into the empire it is today, and the foundation started by Parker's descendants supports community health care and education. In addition to taking self-guided tours of two of the ranch's historic homes—Hale Mana and Puuopelu—free of charge, you can also visit Parker Ranch Center, the town's largest shopping and restaurant complex.

With all the buzz about Kona coffee, it's easy to forget that estate-grown coffee is produced throughout the rest of the island: the Hilo Coffee Mill, on 24 acres in lush Mountain View, is a pleasant reminder of that. In addition to farming its own coffee on-site, the mill has partnered with several small coffee farmers in East Hawaii in an effort to put the region on the world's coffee map. You can sample the company's efforts, tour the mill, and watch the roasters in action. They host a farmers' market every Saturday from 9 to 2.

There is a lot going on at this USDA-organic-certified coffee farm and processing facility, from growing the beans to milling and drying. The processing plant next door to the farm demonstrates how the beans are roasted and packaged. A flock of 50 geese welcomes visitors and "provides fertilizer" for the plantation at no charge. Holualoa also processes beans for 200 coffee farms in the area. Enjoy a cup of their finest as you peruse the gift shop after the tour. 

On a walking tour of this working coffee farm (by advance reservation only), visitors can witness the workings of a small plantation, pick and pulp their own coffee beans, watch a roasting demonstration, and savor a tasting. The gift shop carries whole beans and logo swag including bags, T-shirts, and mugs. Coffee brewing workshops and one-on-one tours with a master roaster are also offered.

At this family-owned business, the commitment to growing 100% organic coffee starts even before the plants are in the ground, with organic mulch and naturally developed fertilizers that they also sell throughout Hawaii. No pesticides or commercial fertilizers are used on the 80-acre farm. Because it's such an exacting process, only 2% of Kona coffee can claim to be 100% certified organic. They process coffee from cherry to roasted on a solar-powered mill. The farm does private tours (with tastings) by appointment only and even offers a guesthouse should you wish to stay a little longer than a day. At this writing, plans are under way for building a visitor center in 2022.  The property can be accessed only by four-wheel-drive vehicles.

This coffee producer offers hourly "bean-to-cup" tours, including a tasting and access to the processing plant, which shows dry milling, sizing, coloring, sorting, and roasting. For $10, take the lava tube/nature walk in the cloud forest ecosystem. There's a small retail store where you can purchase coffee and souvenirs. Remember that afternoon rains are common at this elevation, so bring an umbrella and sturdy shoes.