Kona, Hawai‘i, Hawaii

Set on the sun-drenched western edge of Hawaiʻi Island, Kona’s coast is a study in contrasts. Black lava fields stretch to white-sand beaches, and coffee groves climb the green slopes of Hualālai volcano. In the highlands, Kona’s famous crop reigns supreme; family-run farms handpick beans from trees rooted in volcanic soil. Head to a roastery for a tasting, or sample local cacao and vanilla—crops grown nowhere else in the U.S. Back at sea level, the story is equally as vivid. Paddle a traditional canoe from Kealakekua Bay, watch for friendly families of spinner dolphins arcing through turquoise waters, or dive into the waves for a vision of kaleidoscopic marine life.