Kaiminani, HI

Kaiminani is a Census-defined part of North Kona rather than an incorporated municipality, and it first appeared as a census-designated place for the 2020 count. The 2020 census recorded 12,590 residents. The defining regional facility within its boundary is Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole, the primary airport for the Island of Hawaiʻi. The state says the airport occupies 4,200 acres about seven miles northwest of Kailua-Kona and handles overseas, international, interisland, commuter, cargo, and general-aviation activity from an 11,000-foot runway. Passenger and rental-car facilities connect directly to Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway. Census estimates for 2020-2024 counted 4,273 households in Kaiminani; 73.6 percent of occupied homes were owner-occupied, the median owner-occupied value was $772,800, and median gross rent was $1,202. Nearby Kekaha Kai State Park supplies coastal recreation along the Keahole coast.

At the Mahaiʻula section, a sandy beach and dune adjoin a picnic area, and the historic Ala Kahakai coastal trail runs 4.5 miles north toward Kua Bay. A side hike reaches the 342-foot Puʻu Kuʻili cinder cone. The Maniniʻōwali, or Kua Bay, section supports swimming when seas are calm, bodysurfing during shore breaks, picnicking, and coastal hiking. The sites have limited services: the state says Mahaiʻula is hot and dry with no drinking water and warns that Kua Bay has dangerous rip currents and no lifeguard service. As of January 2026, nonresidents also pay entrance and parking fees at the Kua Bay section, while Hawaiʻi residents with state identification enter and park without charge.