KCC Farmers Market

The KCC Farmers Market (officially the Kapiolani Community College Farmers Market) is the premier farmers market in Honolulu, held Saturday mornings from 7:30-11am in the parking lot of Kapiolani Community College at the base of Diamond Head. For families, it is the best breakfast experience on the island -- an open-air food festival with dozens of vendors selling everything from tropical fruit and fresh poke to artisan bread and local honey, all with Diamond Head crater as the backdrop.

The Saturday market features roughly 50-60 vendors, split between fresh produce growers and prepared food stalls. The produce side is a tropical education: stalls piled with dragon fruit, rambutan, lychee, longan, apple bananas, starfruit, breadfruit, taro, lilikoi (passionfruit), and dozens of varieties of mango. Many vendors offer free samples, and letting kids taste fruits they have never encountered before is one of the market's genuine pleasures.

The flavor intensity of tree-ripened Hawaiian tropical fruit -- especially mango, lilikoi, and pineapple -- is dramatically different from anything available on the mainland.

The prepared food stalls are where families spend most of their time and money. Standout vendors include Ono Pops (artisan popsicles made with local ingredients -- the lilikoi and haupia coconut flavors are outstanding), the Elephant Ear flatbread stand (freshly cooked on a traditional dome grill, topped with local ingredients), smoked meat vendors, fresh ahi poke, Thai curry, fried rice, acai bowls, and fresh-pressed sugarcane juice. The strategy is to buy small portions from multiple vendors and share family-style.

A family of four can eat a full, varied breakfast for $30-40 by splitting plates.

The atmosphere is relaxed and community-oriented. Local families make up a large portion of the crowd, and you will see kids running on the lawn, musicians playing slack-key guitar, and neighbors catching up. It is a window into local Honolulu life that tourists staying in Waikiki hotels rarely see.

Families spread out blankets on the grassy area near the market and have a casual picnic breakfast.

Practical tips: arrive at 7:30am when the market opens. By 9am the parking lot is full (arrive early or take an Uber), the popular food stalls have 10-15 minute lines, and navigating the market with a stroller becomes difficult in the crowds. Cash is essential -- many vendors do not accept cards, and the on-site ATM develops a line.

Bring reusable bags for produce purchases and water bottles for the family.

The Tuesday evening market (4-7pm) is a smaller version with fewer vendors but also far fewer people. It is ideal for families who do not want to set an alarm on vacation. The Saturday market is the full experience; the Tuesday market is the relaxed alternative.

The market's location next to Diamond Head makes a perfect combination: hike Diamond Head at sunrise (6-8am), finish at the trailhead, and drive 3 minutes to the KCC market for a well-earned breakfast. This is one of the best morning itineraries in Honolulu.