You'll know you've reached Holualoa when you see a fluorescent-pink building called the Kona Hotel. The hotel, built by the Inaba family in 1926, is now operated by the owners' son and his wife. With the exception of the exterior paint job, there's not much to indicate the passage of time. This hotel is not so much restored as it is delightfully maintained in its original early 1900s style. The homey, 11-unit hotel offers rooms with shared bathrooms at rates that range from $20 to $30 a night. There is a particularly good view of the coastline, says one of the proprietors, best seen from the downstairs toilet.

Holualoa was the center of activity in the days of donkeys, horses and Model Ts when life centered on farming. The village still retains the feel and grace of old Hawaii, but the creative force of a blossoming art community has brought new vitality to the marketplace. The Holualoa Foundation for Arts and Culture offers hands-on workshops conducted by both local and visiting artists. Galleries, all within strolling distance, feature fine arts and crafts from the works of local artists. Artists in residence appear in some galleries. You'll find original paintings, prints, raku ceramics, sculptures of metal, glass and paper, koa woodcrafts and furniture, lauhala weavings, and other unique creations. Most of the galleries are open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.