Outrigger Keauhou Beach resort and Car rentals

I will be spending time in Kona and plan at staying at the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort. I was wondering if a car rental is needed during my stay there.

I plan on going to the beach and shop in town. Is it close enough to walk from this hotel without needing to drive. How good is the bus service in this part of town.

Outrigger Keauhou Beach resort and Car rentals

I can not imagine staying here and not having a car available. The location is great for early morning snorkeling at Kahalu%26#39;u but it gets so crowded in the afternoon you will certainly want to go North to some of the better beaches. It would be a shame to miss Place of Refuge and a drive along the Hamakua coast and other sights as well. We have stayed here and the food options close (including the restaurant at the hotel)are not great. It is a really long walk to town but you can walk to the Keauhou shopping Center. This hotel is not the kind of property that you just want to hang out at all day. The grounds and proximity to Kahalu%26#39;u are nice but the pool is tiny and the rooms are in dire need of an upgrade. If you are stying more than 2 nights here you will miss so much without a car.

Outrigger Keauhou Beach resort and Car rentals

How long are you staying?

Strictly speaking, if you%26#39;re content to stay at the hotel, snorkel next door at Kahalu%26#39;u Beach and wait for a shuttle to go in and out of town, you don%26#39;t need a car.

The hotel is quite a distance from town and would not be a pleasant walk (being mostly on the shoulder of the road with lots of traffic going by). There is a shuttle service available, but it won%26#39;t get you to the better beaches.

Kahalu%26#39;u Beach is great for snorkeling, but the beach itself is quite rocky. If you want a beautiful sandy swimming beach, you%26#39;ll need to head up towards Waikoloa to Hapuna Beach; A-Bay; the beach at Mauna Kea; or Spencer. For these beaches, you%26#39;ll need a car.

I just wanted to add: we share a condo almost next door to Keauhou Beach and always rent a car when we%26#39;re there.

You%26#39;ll miss a lot of what makes the Big Island special if you just stay at the hotel and go into town for shopping.

You%26#39;ll need a car just to get back and forth to the airport.

WEnt there this year. rent a car. we took the plunge even though you guys drive on the Wrong side of the road. the walking is dire because of the tiny sidewalk or as we call it footpath.

even some of the best tours such as the Forest tours you need to drive to be picked up from. they were the only tours we took btw. we drove to place of refuge, and also to other snorkelling spots, as well as into Kona.

for eating i dont think the bar is too bad, ok it is only pupas but that is ok when you have had a big lunch. up at the shopping centre there is only a couple of places to eat, unless you like real cheap, which we do. so we ate at subway and at the mexican place twice.

Not 100% on-topic, but thought an article in the Pacific Business News would be of interest. ';Big Island resort starts renovations';:

%26lt; bizjournals.com/pacific/鈥?/a> %26gt;

get a car....... it is 5.5 miles to Kona, 1 mile to Keauhou Shopping

You can walk it ( 11 mi rt) or Taxi $20 one way.

It will be $50 taxi to the hotel.

While there are shuttles ( snorkel beach $5., Keauhou shopping,

On ship days in Kona there will be shuttles to Hilo hatties, Walmart, and International market

Thats only on ship days.

Any refurb at the outrigger is not obvious to me... and I drive by several times a day...... I would not even worry.......

different myspace