Beautiful Kamakahonu Historic Landmark in Kailua-Kona

You aren’t going to believe how easy it is to visit Kamakahonu National Historic Site. Kailua-Kona is one of my favorite places on the Big Island of Hawaii, and if you’re visiting you can very easily check out Kamakahonu, the home of King Kamehameha I… but you’ll need to get wet to do it. We’ve got instructions for visiting Kamakahonu National Historic Site, things to do in Kailua-Kona and more historic spots to visit on the Kona Coast. Adding experiences like this is an important part of visiting Hawaii and understanding the history of these beautiful islands.

There are lots of wonderful sites along the Kona Coast for learning about Hawaiian history. While Kamakahonu Historic Landmark is one of the easiest to see, you’ll want to add a few more stops to your Big Island itinerary. If you have any questions about visiting Kailua-Kona or other Native Hawaiian cultural sites, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more.

Where is Kamakahonu Historic Site

When I say that it’s easy to visit Kamakahonu National Historic Site, I’m not kidding. Whether you’re walking along the seawall in Kailua-Kona or you’re staying at the Marriott King Kamehameha you’re always within sight of the grounds. For visitors doing the Island Breeze Luau at the Marriott, it happens directly next to Kamakahonu historic site. While you cannot step foot on the royal grounds themselves, you can see the structure and the many kii (tikis) surrounding Kamehameha I’s former residence.

The beach at Kamakahonu is a public beach even though it’s located directly in front of the hotel and adjacent to the historic landmark. It’s a wonderful place to spend the afternoon relaxing and snorkeling, and then you can also swim out to the structure to get a closer look. More on that below…

How to Get Close to Kamakahonu

The best way to get close to Kamakahonu Historic Site is to actually go for a swim. You can swim from Kamakahonu Beach in front of the King Kamehameha Marriott, or on the other side of the ship pier, there is another beach access point. This is where the Ironman swimming trainers usually start their swims.

From the water, you can swim all around Kamakahonu, so bring a GoPro or put your phone in a good case to get photos. Another time you can get close from the water is if you’re going out on a manta ray snorkel from the pier or when you’re in port with a small ship cruise, such as the UnCruise Safari Explorer.

Why is Kamakahonu Not Accessible?

While you can get very close to the structure and carvings of Kamakahonu National Historic Site from both the water and on land, the actual grounds are closed to the public. This place is very special and after a long history of the land being used for non-Hawaiian industry (even a warehouse was built here) it’s been reconstructed to honor Kamehameha I and his son, Liholiho, who ended the Kapu.

Tip: to learn more about the kapu and Hawaiian culture, be sure to visit both Pu’uhonua O Honaunau and Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historical Parks. They’re both on the Kona Coast and both are pretty incredible.

Even though most of what you can see today is not the original series of structures, the reconstructed wall and heiau are representative of how the Kingdom of Hawaii was initially established when important meetings and historic moments took place here in this village.

Parking Near Kamakahonu Beach and Historic Landmark

If you’d like to park and walk over the cove at Kamakahonu, there are a few options. Behind the King Kamehameha Hotel is a large parking lot with day parking ($10) or a block and a half up from Ali’i Drive there is another public lot (also paid, but cheaper). If you’re staying in Kailua-Kona, you can most likely walk here. There is not a wheelchair access viewing area any closer to Kamakahonu than the end of the Kailua pier.