Mountain View: Discover History, Coffee, and Forest

A stay in Mountain View can be shaped by a range of interests: the region’s history, distinctive architecture, or an interest in coffee and forests. The area’s historical connections can be explored along the Old Volcano Trail and at the Mountain View Theater. There are also activities with different focuses, including the Big Island Coffee Tour and the Meadery Experience. When looking for hotels, you can use these differences to identify the purpose of your trip.

Traces of History and Architecture

The Old Volcano Trail is a point of reference for the region’s history. It was also known at the time as “Volcano Road,” formed the boundary between ʻŌlaʻa and Keaʻau, and made travel easier between Hilo, Keaʻau, and ʻŌlaʻa, as well as throughout the wider Puna area. The trail therefore represents both a historic boundary and connections between several places. Some of the earliest historical records of the ʻŌlaʻa region include accounts by missionaries and other travelers who were on their way to the volcano along the Old Volcano Trail and stayed in Mountain View. These accounts help place the trail in its local context, alongside its former name.

The Mountain View Theater in the small business district offers another perspective on the area’s history. The building is simple, with a false front featuring an unusually stepped design. It is considered one of the few surviving small rural movie theaters that developed in towns near prosperous plantations. Architecture and movie theater history come together here: the stepped facade shapes the building, while its historical significance points to the development of small rural theaters. Anyone interested in architectural styles or local history will find these two specific points of interest, which go beyond the name “Theater.”

Coffee, Forest, and Farm Experiences

The Big Island Coffee Tour includes on-site roasting and a tasting of freshly roasted Hawaiian coffee. Guests can also plant their own Hawaiian coffee tree. The tour therefore offers several different activities: preparing and tasting coffee, as well as planting a tree. Koana is located in the heart of old Mountain View Village and sources directly from award-winning producers on Big Island.

The Meadery Experience includes a walk through tropical rainforest and native ʻŌhiʻa forest on the same land where many of the ingredients used are grown. The terrain is rough and uneven; check the conditions before taking part. This experience differs from the coffee tour: its described elements include a walk through two types of forest and a connection to the cultivation of the ingredients.

A seasonal farm experience is offered in Mountain View on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in 2026. Before traveling, check whether the season is underway and whether the schedule applies to your visit. The set time window is a separate planning consideration and cannot be equated with the elements of the coffee or forest experiences.

Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests

For planning, it’s worth organizing the different themes according to the purpose of your trip. The Old Volcano Trail and the Mountain View Theater offer different historical connections; the coffee tour combines roasting, tasting, and planting, while the Meadery Experience focuses on walking through forest areas. The seasonal farm experience, in turn, has its own time window.

Explore more destinations: Volcano, Puako, Paauilo, Naalehu, Fern Forest, Papaikou, Captain Cook, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Go to the main travel overview: Hawaii.