Old Kona Airport Recreation Center

Kailua Park/Old Airport Recreation Area/Maka’ eo

http://kailuaparkplan.com/parkhistory.html

The Hawaii County Park Facility at the Old Airport is the most fantastic public recreation center I have ever seen or read about. I am constantly amazed that more people are not aware of it, and/or use it when visiting Kona. It is aptly named, as it sits on the property just north of town where the old airport was located prior to 1970, when the new Keahole International Airport was dedicated.  The State of Hawaii began construction of the park in 1976, and the facility is now managed by the Hawaii County Parks and Recreation Department.

The facilities include an Olympic size swimming pool (Kona Aquatics Center) that is divided into 2 pools for daily lap swimming,  4 lighted tennis courts, 12 horseshoe pits, a very large gymnasium, numerous baseball and softball diamonds, Soccer fields, outdoor roller rink, Skateboard arena,  a Jogging trail and a marine preservation area, and wow, it’s all free to the public. (See Link above)

Swimming Pool

I am a personal user of the pool, as I like to swim laps pretty much every day while I am here. There are lifeguards on duty during their operating hours which go from 6:00 AM to 8:30 PM on weekdays, and 8:15 AM to 5:30 on weekends.  There are excellent shower and locker facilities indoors as well as outdoor showers.  One end of one of the pool is always available for the water aerobics classes held there every day.  The Kona Masters and youth swim teams practice here and have occasional swim meets. There is also a smaller separate pool for small children.  During my last stay in Kona, I swam 25 out of 31 days, I never found a time when I couldn’t walk in and swim in a lane all by myself. 

 

                           Kona Aquatics Pool

                                                                                             Water Aerobics at the Pool

 

 

Tennis Courts

The tennis courts are a very favorite of my wife who can’t leave home without her tennis racquet. When we first started coming here, we would pay $10-$20 to play tennis at one of the Kona hotels, and then it was hard to find people to play with.  There are 4 lighted courts at the Old Airport Tennis Center.  A group of full-time and part-time residents meet there every morning from 6:30 on, and play doubles tennis together.   They form doubles teams and play tennis for a couple of hours.  They will mix it up by changing partners every few games, and if there are too many players, or an odd number, they rotate everyone in to play. Newcomers are always welcome.  Courts 1 & 2 are always reserved early in the morning for this group.

                                                                             Old Airport Tennis Center

Kona Horseshoe Club

The horseshoe pits are another thing. I have been by there many times, and the sign says the public is welcome to use them, but I have never seen anyone there.  It may be that they meet in the evening, and I am always there in the morning. There is a Kona Horseshoe club, as the sign says, but I don’t know much about it as horseshoes isn’t one of the athletic endeavors I pursue.  So if you want to play horseshoes, you can contact the parks and recreation department in downtown Kona to get more information.  

                                                                                Horseshoe Pits

 MAKA’ EO Jogging/Walking Trail

Another attraction at the Old Airport Park is the MAKA’EO Walking/Jogging Path.  This is a beautiful botanical garden circumnavigated by a .7 mile walking/jogging path.  It is really a collection of many small gardens, all landscaped, installed and maintained by volunteers of local businesses, individuals and service clubs, like Rotary. The walking trail and paving was undoutedly put in with county tax dollars. As you walk, or jog though the park, you see many lovely gardens, and you will also see a lot of wild, I don’t want to use the term feral, because they seem almost tame, cats. They live out here with the local mongoose population and look to be related the way they lie in the shade together. If you pause with some kitty treats they will come up and be grateful, but don’t expect to pet them.  Volunteers come out and give them food and water daily, and they seem very content with their life here.

 

                      Entrance to Jogging trail

Mongoose and Cats Laying Together

 

                          Cat Feeding Station

                                                                                                             

Beach Area

The entire left/west side of the the old airport road  offers beach access and some good opportunities for swimming and/or snorkeling,  picnicing or just lying in the sun.  You can park just about anywhere and it is just a short walk out to the beach.  There  are plenty of picnic tables and shaded areas, and also restrooms and freshwater showers.  The sandy beach areas are good for swimming, as I have done many times, but  it is always a good idea to where surf socks with a firm sole. A local who swims there often told me that he he has stepped on urchins in the surf and they are very painfull. If this happens make sure you have vinegar along to rub on it, I hear that it helps a lot.

Going further out and toward the end, there are a lot of rocky areas. Some of these offer access to the water and can be very good snorkeling.  If the surf is up it can be very dificult to get in and out of the water.  At the end of the runway, you can walk out quite a ways to a cove that I really like for snorkeling.  A lot of locals go out there, some for fishing some for snorkeling.  I met a local lady there one day who was picking up Pukka shells at low tide.

 

 

 

 

                                                Old Airport Beach area

Gymnasium

The Kekuaokalani Gymnasium is very large facility and is used for team sports like basketball and volley ball, but it is also used aerobics classes like those displayed on the banner outside the gym.  The classes and events change over time, so check with the Parks and Recreation department to get the latest information about what might be going on when you are planning to be there.  Anyone can drop into the Zumba sessions without prior registration.

Gymnasium

 

Other Amenities

Most of the other facilities are for team sports and they do get a lot of use during the respective seasons.  Soccer is usually being played every weekend during the school year and most anytime when school is out.

                                                                Lighted Baseball Field with Bleachers

     Outdoor lighted Basketball Courts