Mountain View: Coffee, History and Rainforest

Mountain View brings together coffee culture, tropical rainforest and an unusual local history. Those looking for a vacation rental here will discover not a generic holiday destination, but a place with stories of its own: the Old Volcano Trail shaped the region’s historic connections, while coffee roasting, forest experiences and a preserved small-town cinema reveal different sides of the area.

Historic Trails Through Mountain View

The Old Volcano Trail was formerly known as “Volcano Road.” It formed the boundary between ʻŌlaʻa and Keaʻau and facilitated travel between Hilo, Keaʻau and ʻŌlaʻa, as well as throughout the wider Puna area. The trail is therefore one of the concrete points of reference through which the region’s development can be told.

Some of the earliest historical records about ʻŌlaʻa include accounts by missionaries and other travelers. They stayed in Mountain View when traveling to the volcano along the Old Volcano Trail. For your trip planning, this primarily means that a stay here can be combined with a historical perspective on trails, places and earlier journeys.

Coffee, Forest and Special Experiences

The Big Island Coffee Tour makes coffee cultivation and processing its central focus. The experience includes roasting on site and tasting freshly roasted Hawaiian coffee. Guests can also plant their own Hawaiian coffee tree. Hilo Coffee Mill complements this picture with Hawaiian coffee and coffees from around the world.

Koana is also part of the local coffee culture. It is located in the center of the old Mountain View Village and sources directly from award-winning producers on the Big Island. Those who value culinary discoveries when choosing a vacation rental can therefore assess Mountain View according to their own interests: Is the focus more on tastings, the history of coffee cultivation or comparing different coffees?

The Meadery Experience leads through tropical rainforest and a native ʻŌhiʻa forest. Both types of forest lie on the same land where many of the ingredients used are grown. This experience thus combines observing nature with insight into the origin of the ingredients, without requiring an additional area of focus.

Local Character and Culture

The Mountain View Theater stands in Mountain View’s small business district. The plain commercial building has a false front and an unusual stepped façade design. At the same time, it is considered one of the few surviving small-town cinemas that developed in communities near prosperous plantations. The building is therefore a distinctive example of the area’s local cultural and architectural history.

A seasonal farm experience is offered in Mountain View in 2026. It takes place on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Those planning their stay around this offering should include the stated day of the week and time window in their own trip planning.

Choosing Mountain View as a Vacation Destination

The various experiences appeal to different travel interests. When choosing Mountain View, you can therefore consider whether coffee, historic trails, forest or local history should shape your stay. For a culturally oriented trip, the theater provides a concrete point of reference; for active exploration, the forest experience and historic Old Volcano Trail are the main highlights. The seasonal farm experience adds a fixed appointment to the itinerary.

For further orientation, you can also explore Eden Roc, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Pepeekeo, Puako, Kukuihaele, Nanawale Estates, Papaikou and Kahaluu-Keauhou as well.

For the higher-level travel overview: Hawaii.