Explore this unique factory and learn how Hawaii's favorite nut is grown and processed. And, of course, you'll want to sample the tasty mac-nuts, too.

• Free admission; self-guided factory tours.
• Daily 8:30am-5pm

The most interesting artifacts here are not the exhibits, but the volunteers who survived Hawaii's most deadly "walls of water" in 1946 and 1960, both of which reshaped the town of Hilo. Visitors can listen to their stories of terror and view a range of exhibits, from interactive computers to a children's section to a display on what happens when a local earthquake triggers a seismic wave, as it did in 1975 during the Big Island's last tsunami.

This sleek catamaran, 36 feet long and 22 feet wide, provides a laid-back sail-snorkel cruise from Honokohau Harbor to Pawai Bay. The 3 1/2-hour trip includes a tropical lunch (deli sandwiches, chips, fresh island fruit, and beverages), snorkeling gear, and personalized instruction for first-time snorkelers. The Kamanu sails Monday through Saturday (weather permitting) at 9am and 1:30pm; it can hold up to 24 people.

One of the best ways to snorkel Kealakekua Bay, the marine-life preserve that's one of the best snorkel spots in Hawaii, is on Fair Wind's half-day sail-and-snorkel cruise to Kealakekua. The company's 60-foot catamaran holds up to 100 passengers. The morning cruise, which leaves from Keauhou Bay at 9am and returns at 1:30pm, includes breakfast, lunch, snorkel gear, and lessons; it goes for $93 for adults and $57 for children ages 4 to 12 (free for those 3 and under). The afternoon cruise is a little shorter and a little cheaper: It runs from 2 to 5:30pm and includes snacks, sailing, and snorkeling, at a cost of $61 for adults, $36 for kids 4 to 12.

Fair Wind also has daily 3- and 4-hour Inflatable Raft snorkel cruises from Kailua Pier, aboard a 28-foot hard-bottom Ridged Inflatable Boat. The trip includes stops at two snorkel sites (Kealakekua Marine Preserve and Honaunua), snacks, and a historical/cultural tour on the return (including stops to look in sea caves and lava tubes). Only 14 people are booked at a time. The cost for the morning cruise is $76 for adults and $63 for children ages 6 to 12 (you must be 6 years or older to go); the afternoon cruise is $57 for adults and $47 for children ages 6 to 12.

If you'd prefer to take a snorkel cruise to Kealakekua Bay in a small boat, go in Captain Zodiac's 16-passenger, 24-foot inflatable rubber life raft. The boat takes you on a wild ride 14 miles down the Kona Coast to Kealakekua, where you'll spend about an hour snorkeling in the bay and then enjoy snacks and beverages at the picnic snorkel site. Trips are twice daily, from 8am to 12:15pm and from 12:45 to 5pm. Warning: Pregnant women and those with bad backs should avoid this often-bumpy ride.

Hawaii's most impressive visitors -- 45-foot humpback whales -- return to the waters off Kona every winter. Captain Dan McSweeney, a whale researcher for more than 25 years, is always here to greet them, as well as other whales who spend the warmer months in Hawaiian waters. Because Captain Dan works daily with the whales, he has no problem finding them. Frequently, he drops an underwater microphone into the water so you can listen to their songs. If the whales aren't singing, he may use his underwater video camera to show you what's going on. In humpback season -- roughly December to April -- Dan makes two 3-hour trips daily. From July 1 to December 20, he schedules one morning trip on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday to look for pilot, sperm, false killer, melon-headed, pygmy killer, and beaked whales. Captain Dan guarantees a sighting, or he'll take you out again for free. There are no cruises in May and June; that's when he goes whale-watching in Alaska.

Captain Beans' runs Kona's most popular dinner sails on a 150-foot catamaran, which can accommodate about 290 passengers. The 2-hour cruise includes dinner, cocktails, dancing, and Hawaiian entertainment.

The Body Glove, a 55-foot trimaran that carries up to 100 passengers, runs an adventurous sail-snorkel-dive cruise at a reasonable price. You'll be greeted with fresh Kona coffee, fruit, and breakfast pastries; you'll then sail north of Kailua to Pawai Bay, a marine preserve where you can snorkel, scuba dive, swim, or just hang out on the deck for a couple of hours. After a buffet deli lunch spread, you might want to take the plunge off the boat's water slide or diving board before heading back to Kailua Pier. The boat departs daily from the pier at 9am and returns at 1:30pm. The only thing you need to bring is a towel; snorkeling equipment (and scuba equipment, if you choose to dive) is provided. Money-saving tip: The afternoon trip is $35 cheaper for adults.

Located at an altitude of 4,200 feet, this public course got its start in 1922, when the Blackshear family put in a green, using old tomato cans for the holes. It now has three sets of tees to choose from, all with a par of 72. The course is unusually landscaped, making use of the pine and ohia trees scattered throughout. It's considered challenging by locals. Some tips from the regulars: Because the course is at such a high altitude, the ball travels farther than you're probably used to, so club down. If you hit the ball off the fairway, take the stroke -- you don't want to look for your ball in the forest and undergrowth. Also, play a pitch-and-run game -- the greens are slick and your ball just won't stick.

At first glance, this semiprivate, nine-hole course looks pretty flat and short, but once you get beyond the first hole -- a wide, straightforward 330-yard par-4 -- the challenges come. The tree-lined fairways require straight drives, and the huge lake on the second and fifth holes is sure to haunt you. This course is very popular with locals and visitors alike. Rental clubs are available.

This is a great course for the casual golfer: It's flat, scenic, and often fun. Warning: Don't go after a heavy rain (especially in winter), when the fairways can get really soggy and play can slow way down. The rain does keep the course green and beautiful, though. Wonderful trees (monkeypods, coconuts, eucalyptus, banyans) dot the grounds, and the views -- of Mauna Kea on one side and Hilo Bay on the other -- are breathtaking. This is a course where you can challenge yourself. There are four sets of tees, with a par-71 from all; the back (black) tees will give you 6,325 yards of play. Getting a tee time can be a challenge as well; weekdays are your best bet.

As you approach the sugar town of Honokaa, you can't miss this funky nine-hole course, built in the 1920s on a very steep hill overlooking the ocean. It's a par-33, 2,520-yard course that really has room for only about four and one-half holes, but somehow, architect Frank Anderson managed to squeeze in nine by crisscrossing holes across fairways -- you may never see a layout like this again. But the best part about Hamakua is the price -- just $15. The course is open to non-members on weekdays only; you don't need a tee time. Just show up, and if no one's around, drop your $15 in the box and head right to the first tee. Carts aren't allowed because of the steep hills.

This semiprivate 18-hole course, with a par-72 for each of the three sets of tees, is hidden in the town of Waikoloa and usually overshadowed by the glamour resort courses along the Kohala Coast. Not only is it a beautiful course with great views, but it also offers some great golfing. The wind can play havoc with your game here (like most Hawaii golf courses), so choose your clubs with caution. Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed this challenging course, inserting his trademark sand traps, slick greens, and great fairways. I'm particularly fond of the 18th hole: This par-5, 490-yard thriller doglegs to the left, and the last 75 yards up to the green are water, water, water -- always a great way to end the day. Take time to check out the fabulous views of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, and -- on a very clear day -- Maui's Haleakala in the distance.

This sister course to the Waikoloa Beach Course is about 500 yards longer. Designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, the 18-hole links-style tract features a double green at the third and sixth holes and several carefully placed bunkers that often come into play due to the ever-present trade winds. Facilities include a pro shop and showers.

This pristine 18-hole, par-70 course certainly reflects designer Robert Trent Jones Jr.'s motto: "Hard par, easy bogey." Most golfers remember the par-5, 505-yard 12th hole, a sharp dogleg left with bunkers in the corner and an elevated tee surrounded by lava. Facilities include a golf shop, restaurant, and driving range.

The Mauna Lani South Course, a 7,029-yard, par-72, has an unforgettable ocean hole: the downhill, 221-yard, par-3 seventh, which is bordered by the sea, a salt-and-pepper sand dune, and lush kiawe trees. Depending on the wind, you may need anything from a wood to a wedge to hit the green. The North Course may not have the drama of the oceanfront holes, but because it was built on older lava flows, the more extensive indigenous vegetation gives the course a Scottish feel. The hole that's cursed the most is the 140-yard, par-3 17th: It's absolutely beautiful but plays right into the surrounding lava field. Facilities include two driving ranges, a golf shop (with teaching pros), a restaurant, and putting greens.

This breathtakingly beautiful, par-72, 7,114-yard championship course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., is consistently rated one of the top golf courses in the United States. The signature third hole is 175 yards long; the Pacific Ocean and shoreline cliffs stand between the tee and the green, giving every golfer, from beginner to pro, a real challenge. Another par-3 that confounds duffers is the 11th hole, which drops 100 feet from tee to green and plays down to the ocean, into the steady trade winds. When the trades are blowing, 181 yards might as well be 1,000 yards. Facilities include putting greens, a driving range, lockers and showers, a pro shop, and a restaurant. Book ahead; the course is very popular, especially for early weekend tee times.

Go in the morning, around 9 or 10am, just as the sun comes over the mango trees, to see Rainbow Falls at its best. The 80-foot falls spill into a big round natural pool surrounded by wild ginger. According to legend, Hina, the mother of Maui, lives in the cave behind the falls. In the old days, before liability suits and lawyers, people swam in the pool, but that's now prohibited.

This 12-acre zoo, nestled in the heart of the Panaewa Forest Reserve south of Hilo, is the only outdoor rainforest zoo in the United States. Some 50 species of animals from rainforests around the globe call Panaewa home -- including several endangered Hawaiian birds. All of them are exhibited in a natural setting. This is one of the few zoos where you can observe Sumatran tigers, Brazilian tapirs, and the rare pygmy hippopotamus, an endangered "minihippo" found in Western Africa.

Just outside Hilo is Nani Mau ("forever beautiful"), where Makato Nitahara, who turned a 20-acre papaya patch into a tropical garden, claims to have every flowering plant in Hawaii. His collection includes more than 2,000 varieties, from fragile hibiscus, whose blooms last only a day, to durable red anthuriums imported from South America. There are also Japanese gardens, an orchid walkway, a botanical museum, a house full of butterflies, and a restaurant that's open for lunch and dinner.

This 2 1/2-ton stone was used as a test of royal strength: Ancient legend said that whoever could move the stone would conquer and unite the islands. As a 14-year-old boy, King Kamehameha the Great moved the stone -- and later fulfilled his destiny. The Pinao stone, next to it, once guarded an ancient temple.

The oldest wood-frame house on the island was built in 1839 by David and Sarah Lyman, a missionary couple who arrived from New England in 1832. This hybrid combined New England- and Hawaiian-style architecture with a pitched thatch roof. Built of hand-hewn koa planks and timbers, it's crowned by Hawaii's first corrugated zinc roof, imported from England in 1856. Here, the Lymans served as the spiritual center of Hilo, receiving such guests as Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Hawaii's own monarchs. The well-preserved house is the best example of missionary life and times in Hawaii. You'll find lots of artifacts from the last century, including furniture and clothing from the Lymans and one of the first mirrors in Hawaii. The 21st century has also entered the museum, which now offers online computers and interactive, high-tech exhibits.

The Earth Heritage Gallery next door continues the story of the islands with geology and astronomy exhibits, a mineral rock collection that's rated one of the top 10 in the country, and a section on local flora and fauna. Upstairs is the Island Heritage Gallery, which features displays on native Hawaiian culture, including a replica of a grass hut, as well as on other cultures transplanted to Hawaii's shores.

This idyllic place holds a grim reminder of nature's fury. In 1946 a tidal wave swept across the village that once stood on this lava-leaf (that's what laupahoehoe means) peninsula and claimed the lives of 20 students and 4 teachers. A memorial in this pretty little park recalls the tragedy. The land here ends in black sea stacks that resemble tombstones. It's not a place for swimming, but the views are spectacular.

More than 1,800 species of tropical plants thrive in this little-known Eden by the sea. The 40-acre garden, nestled between the crashing surf and a thundering waterfall, has the world's largest selection of tropical plants growing in a natural environment, including a torch ginger forest, a banyan canyon, an orchid garden, a banana grove, a bromeliad hill, and a golden bamboo grove, which rattles like a jungle drum in the trade winds. The torch gingers tower on 12-foot stalks. Each spectacular specimen is named by genus and species, and caretakers point out new or rare buds in bloom. Some endangered Hawaiian specimens, such as the rare Gardenia remyi, are flourishing in this habitat. The gardens are seldom crowded; you can wander around by yourself all day.

See one of Hawaii's most scenic waterfalls via an easy 1-mile paved loop through a rainforest, past bamboo and ginger, and down to an observation point. You'll have a perfect view of 442-foot Akaka and nearby Kahuna Falls, which is a mere 100-footer. Keep your eyes peeled for rainbows.

It takes only about an hour to explore tiny Kamuela Museum. Its eclectic collection includes an early Hawaiian dogtooth death cup, which sits next to a piece of rope used on the Apollo mission, which in turn sits near ancient artifacts from the royal family.

On the coast where King Kamehameha the Great was born stands Hawaii's oldest, largest, and most sacred religious site, now a national historic landmark -- the 1,500-year-old Mo'okini Heiau, used by kings to pray and offer human sacrifices. The massive three-story stone temple, dedicated to Ku, the Hawaiian god of war, was erected in A.D. 480; each stone is said to have been passed hand to hand from Pololu Valley, 14 miles away, by 18,000 men who worked from sunset to sunrise. Kamehameha, born nearby under Halley's Comet, sought spiritual guidance here before embarking on his campaign to unite Hawaii. The temple is not open to the public, but you can see it on the third Saturday of every month, when a group of volunteers meets at the site to pull weeds and clean up property surrounding the temple. If you are interested, call the Mo'okini Preservation Foundation, on Oahu (tel. 808/373-8000), and be prepared to do some work.

This 14th-century fishing village, on a hot, dry, dusty stretch of coast, offers a glimpse into the lifestyle of the ancients. Lapakahi is the best-preserved fishing village in Hawaii. Take the self-guided, 1-mile loop trail past stone platforms, fish shrines, rock shelters, salt pans, and restored hale (houses) to a coral-sand beach and the deep blue sea (good snorkeling). Wear good hiking shoes or tennies; it's a hearty 45-minute walk. Go early or later in the afternoon; during most of the day the sun is hot and shade is at a premium.

At this end-of-the-road scenic lookout, you can gaze at the vertical jade-green cliffs of the Hamakua Coast and two islets offshore. The view may look familiar once you get here -- it often appears on travel posters. Most people race up, jump out, take a snapshot, and turn around and drive off; but it's a beautiful scene, so linger if you can. For the more adventurous, a switchback trail leads to a secluded black-sand beach at the mouth of a wild valley once planted in taro; bring water and bug spray.

Here stands King Kamehameha the Great, right arm outstretched, left arm holding a spear, as if guarding the seniors who have turned a century-old New England-style courthouse into an airy center for their golden years. The center is worth a stop just to meet the town elders, who are quick to point out the local sights, hand you a free Guide to Historic North Kohala, and give you a brief tour of the courthouse, where a faded photo of FDR looms over the judge's dais and the walls are covered with the faces of innocent-looking local boys killed in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

But the statue's the main attraction here. There's one just like it in Honolulu, across the street from Iolani Palace, but this is the original: an 8-foot 6-inch bronze by Thomas R. Gould, a Boston sculptor. It was cast in Europe in 1880 but was lost at sea on its way to Hawaii. A sea captain eventually recovered and returned the statue, which was finally placed here, near Kamehameha's Kohala birthplace, in 1912.

Kamehameha was born in 1750, became ruler of Hawaii in 1810, and died in Kailua-Kona in 1819. His burial site remains a mystery.

This seacoast temple, called "the hill of the whale," is the single most imposing and dramatic structure of the ancient Hawaiians. It was built by Kamehameha I from 1790 to 1791. The temple stands 224 feet long by 100 feet wide, with three narrow terraces on the seaside and an amphitheater to view canoes. Kamehameha built this temple after a prophet told him he would conquer and unite the islands if he did so; 4 years later, he fulfilled his kingly goal. The site also includes the house of John Young, a trusted advisor of Kamehameha, and, offshore, the submerged ruins of Hale O Ka Puni, a shrine dedicated to the shark gods.

Before you trudge up to Pele's volcanic eruption, take a look at her underground handiwork. Ric Elhard and Rose Herrera have explored and mapped out the labyrinth of lava tubes and caves, carved out over the last 1,000 years or so, that crisscross their property on the southwest rift zone on the slopes of Mauna Loa near South Point. As soon as you enter their thatched yurt field office (which resembles something out of an Indiana Jones movie), you know you're in for an amazing tour. Choices range from an easy half-hour tour on a well-lit underground route ($12 for adults, $6 for children ages 5-12) to a more adventuresome 2-hour caving trip ($45 for adults) to a deluxe half-day exploration ($65, minimum age 12). Helmets, lights, gloves, and knee pads are all included. Sturdy shoes are recommended for caving.

This well-organized museum is housed in the historic Greenwell Store, built in 1875 by Henry Nicholas Greenwell out of native stone and lime mortar made from burnt coral. Antiques, artifacts, and photos tell the story of this fabled coast. The museum is filled with items that were common to everyday life here in the last century, when coffee growing and cattle raising were the main industries. Serious history buffs should sign up for one of the museum's walking tours.

With its fierce, haunting idols, this sacred site on the black-lava Kona Coast certainly looks forbidding. To ancient Hawaiians, however, it must have been a welcome sight, for Puuhonua O Honaunau served as a 16th-century place of refuge, providing sanctuary for defeated warriors and kapu (taboo) violators. A great rock wall -- 1,000 feet long, 10 feet high, and 17 feet thick -- defines the refuge where Hawaiians found safety. On the wall's north end is Hale O Keawe Heiau, which holds the bones of 23 Hawaiian chiefs. Other archaeological finds include burial sites, old trails, and a portion of an ancient village. On a self-guided tour of the 180-acre site -- which has been restored to its pre-Contact state -- you can see and learn about reconstructed thatched huts, canoes, and idols and feel the mana (power) of old Hawaii.

A cultural festival, usually held in June, allows you to join in games, learn crafts, sample Hawaiian food, see traditional hula, and experience life in the islands before outsiders arrived in the late 1700s. Every Labor Day weekend, one of Hawaii's major outrigger canoe races starts here and ends in Kailua-Kona. Call for details on both events.

Oh, those Belgian priests -- what a talented lot. In the late 1800s, Father John Berchman Velghe borrowed a page from Michelangelo and painted biblical scenes inside St. Benedict's Catholic Church, so the illiterate Hawaiians could visualize the white man's version of creation.

Technology buffs should consider a visit to NELHA, the only site in the world where the hot tropical sun, in combination with a complex pumping system that brings 42°F (6°C) ocean water from 2,000 feet deep up to land, is used to develop innovations in agriculture, aquaculture, and ocean conservation. The interesting 1 1/2-hour tour takes in all areas of the high-tech ocean science and technology park, including the seawater delivery system, the energy-conversion process, and some of the park's more interesting tenants, from Maine lobsters to giant clams.

This is action central for water adventures. Fishing charters, snorkel cruises, and party boats all come and go here. Stop by around 4pm, when the captains weigh in with the catch of the day, usually huge marlin -- the record-setters often come in here. It's also a great place to watch the sunset.

This microbrewery is the first of its kind on the Big Island. Spoon and Pops, a father-and-son duo from Oregon, brought their brewing talents here and now produce about 25 barrels (about 124,000 gal.) per year. Drop by any time during their business hours and take a quick, informal tour of the brewery, after which you get to taste the product. A brewpub on the property serves gourmet pizza, salads, and fresh-brewed Hawaiian ales.

On the ocean side of the Kona Beach Hotel is a restored area of deep spiritual meaning to Hawaiians. This was the spot that King Kamehameha the Great chose to retreat to in 1812 after conquering the Hawaiian Islands. He stayed until his death in 1819. The king built a temple, Ahuena Heiau, and used it as a gathering place for his kahuna (priests) to counsel him on governing his people in times of peace. In 1820 it was on this sacred ground that Kamehameha's son Liholiho, as king, sat down to eat with his mother, Keopuolani, and Kamehameha's principal queen, Kaahumanu, thus breaking the ancient kapu (taboo) against eating with women; this act established a new order in the Hawaiian kingdom. Although the temple grounds are now just a third of their original size, they're still impressive. You're free to come and wander the grounds, envisioning the days when King Kamehameha appealed to the gods to help him rule with the spirit of humanity's highest nature.

This two-story New England-style mansion of lava rock and coral mortar, erected in 1838 by the governor of the island of Hawaii, John Adams Kuakini, overlooks the harbor at Kailua-Kona. The largest, most elegant residence on the island when it was erected, Hulihee (the name means "turn and flee") was the gracious summer home of Hawaii's royalty, making it the other royal palace in the United States (the most famous being Oahu's Iolani Palace). Now run by Daughters of Hawaii, it features many 19th-century mementos and gorgeous koa furniture. You'll get lots of background and royal lore on the guided tour. No photography is allowed.

The palace hosts 12 Hawaiian music and hula concerts a year, each dedicated to a Hawaiian monarch, at 4pm on the last Sunday of the month (except June and Dec, when the performances are held in conjunction with King Kamehameha Day and Christmas).

Across the street is Mokuaikaua Church (tel. 808/329-1589), the oldest Christian church in Hawaii. It's constructed of lava stones, but its architecture is New England-style all the way. The 112-foot steeple is still the tallest man-made structure in Kailua-Kona.

This small museum has a real moon rock and memorabilia in honor of Big Island-born astronaut Ellison Onizuka, who died in the 1986 Challenger space shuttle disaster. Fun displays in the museum include a gravity well, which illustrates orbital motion, and an interactive rocket-propulsion exhibit, where you can launch your own miniature space shuttle.