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Scenic Byways

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Island of Hawaiʻi Scenic Byways

The island of Hawaiʻi is the youngest and the largest of the Hawaiian Islands, boasting more miles and climate zones than anywhere else in Hawaiʻi. This means that the island's roads offer exceptional views and roadside stories of a remarkable native culture. 

These roads were designated Scenic Byways for their archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and/or scenic significance, in an effort to preserve Hawaiʻi's past for generations to come.  

Māmalahoa Kona Heritage Corridor

Named after Kamehameha the Great’s “Law of the Splintered Paddle,” this ancient footpath granted runners safe passage for hundreds of years. Today, the 10-mile Māmalahoa (paddle) Kona Heritage Corridor is infused with stories of old and new Hawaiʻi, interwoven with the immigrant influences of Europe, Asia and the Americas that shaped the Kona of today. Although this byway is a mere two lanes wide, its pleasures are abundant, including historic architecture, shrines, coffee farms, art galleries and quaint Hōlualoa Village.

This scenic byway winds its way along the slopes of Hualālai Mountain and offers scenic vistas of Kailua-Kona and the Pacific Ocean as it travels through nearly 10 miles of Route 180, Old Māmalahoa Highway between Palani Junction and the intersection of State Route 11 (Kuakini Highway).

Māmalahoa Kona Heritage Corridor is sponsored by Pūlama iʻa Kona Heritage Preservation Council whose mission is to preserve, protect and enhance the special qualities of Kona. 

Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast

The Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast Byway is a seven-mile stretch of Aliʻi Drive that tells the story of 700 years of Hawaiʻi’s aliʻi or ruling class. This byway is rich in history, leading you past four of Kona’s seven “Royal Centers,” treasured locations chosen for their abundance of natural resources and recreational value, and reserved exclusively for use by Hawaiʻi’s kings and queens. Among them are Huliheʻe Palace, one of three palaces in the United States; the royal surfing grounds of Kahaluʻu; Hawaiʻi’s oldest Christian church; and several heiau, sites of sacred Hawaiian temples.

The Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast Byway travels along Aliʻi Drive on the Kona Coast from Historic Kailua Village through Keauhou, making it a pleasant trip by car, bike or on foot. This byway is sponsored by Kailua Village Business Improvement District. 

Kaʻū Scenic Byway - The Slopes of Maunaloa

The 54-mile Kaʻū Scenic Byway reveals a story of extraordinary natural wonders, taking you through the southernmost point of the United States and offering the longest stretches of unspoiled, spectacular natural scenery to be found in the inhabited Hawaiian Islands. Exceptional and unique experiences make this byway one of Hawaiʻi’s most remarkable, featuring striking views from Honuʻapo Overlook, napping sea turtles at Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach, the 1,000-year-old cave system of Kula Kai Caverns, and sweeping vistas of majestic lava fields as they unfold into the deep blue Pacific Ocean.

The Kaʻū Scenic Byway travels along Highway 11 (also known as the Hawaiʻi Belt Road) around the base of Maunaloa, connecting the Historic Kona Town to two points of the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park: the Kahuku section (that offers sweeping views of the ocean and mountain) and the main entrance to the park. The Kaʻū Scenic Byway is sponsored by the Kaʻū Chamber of Commerce.