Kilohana Plantation

Thirty-five acres and nearly as many activities lure visitors to this historic plantation property. Anchored by a beautifully restored 1930s Tudor-style mansion once home to a prominent sugar baron, this estate’s first incarnation as a cattle ranch in 1896 has long since given way to a different crowd. The mansion’s 16,000 square feet now host retail shops teeming with local art and goods. Outside, a different kind of therapy awaits. Here, the expansive grounds are as scenic as ever, offering sweeping lawns, tropical fruit orchards, pastures, and manicured gardens. When not reclining in the mansion’s gracious sitting room or picnicking under Norfolk pines, visitors kick back on a leisurely train ride that harks back to the property’s sugar plantation days. Children particularly delight in this mellow journey through a working farm and its pit-stop to visit Kilohana’s friendly farm animals. Meanwhile, samples at the Koloa Rum tasting room make for a tasty adult prelude to the festive Kalamaku luau, a family-friendly Hawaiian feast followed by an elaborate–and decidedly less traditional– theatrical performance. Ultimately, this haven is about slowing down and enjoying simple pleasures in a timeless setting rich with history, local culture, and natural beauty.