Kona Car Rental

Kona car rental agencies are located a short bus ride from the Kona airport terminal. Budget Hertz and Dollar just to name a few are all located right there at the airport.

An independent rental car company named Harper, rents 4wheel drives and motor homes. They're also located right there at the airport. I've rented trucks from them before and they definitely don't come under the "cheap" rental car concept.

This only works if there are 2 or more in your party. One of you gets on the shuttle to the rental car agency and the other person goes and waits for the luggage at baggage claim. Then the person with the luggage's waits out at the curb for the other person to pull up with the rental car to load the luggage.

This beats hauling your luggage on the shuttle to the rental car agency. Not to mention you beat the other 200 people on the plane to the rental cars.

It depends if you're a back roads adventurer or not. If you are, rent a 4 wheel drive. You'll need it for some of the more secluded places on the island. Like Waipio Valley for example. You can not drive a 2 wheel drive car down into the valley. The road is super steep and you need the 4 wheel drive to get back up the road.

Same thing with going to the summit of Mauna Kea, you have to have 4 wheel drive. If you're not into getting off the beaten path, then just rent a car. But don't plan on getting a cheap car rental in Kona.

I see a lot of folks driving around in convertible rental cars, their great in the winter. But I wouldn't be driving around in the summer with the top down, unless of course you have a desire for major sunburn.

Last but not least, make sure you reserve your Kona car rental before arriving in Kona. I know someone who works at one of the rental car agencies that told me people call after they get off the plane looking for a car to rent and guess what? Sometimes they're out of cars! This is not the big city folks. Plan ahead or you may not get a rental car. Return from kona car rental Return from kona car rental to Konafriends homepage