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I will be visiting Oahu in a few weeks and staying in the Honolulu/Waikiki area. I would very much like to see one Farmers' Market and one People's Open Market. I have a copy of the weekly schedule and have narrowed down my choices based on location. Please help me select one of each:
Farmer's Market choices:
Davies Pacific Center / Merchant Street Market on 841 Bishop Street
Fort Street near Wilcox Park (in front of Macy's)
Honolulu's Farmers' Market in Neal S. Blaisdell Center
Restaurant Row Farmers' Market on 500 Ala Moana Boulevard
Waikiki Farmers' Market in Waikiki Community Center's Parking Lot
Ward Center on corner of Auahi & Kamakee Street
People's Open Market choices:
Old Stadium Park on 2237 South King Street
Palolo Valley District Park on 2007 Palolo Avenue
Queen Kapiolani Park on Monsarrat & Paki Street
Also, my questions are:
Do the same vendors go to each of the Farmers' Markets? What's the difference between a Farmer's Market and People's Open Market? I noticed the latter (People's Open Market) is only for an hour, whereas the Farmers' Market are for several hours, why is that?
I think the first one is City & County... honestly I don't like those. There's been citings of costco containers under the tables and stuff.
The 2nd one I googled... and I'm not sure because I don't recognize the locations.
The winner to me, hands down, is:
Saturday Farmers' Market (produce, flowers, breakfast foods)
Kapiolani CC Parking Lot C
Saturdays
7:30am - 11am
I've never been to the one in Haleiwa (North Shore), but I heard it's popular.... I also heard they lost the agreement to use the land there, but I'm not sure?
Saturday Farmers' Market (produce, flowers, breakfast foods)
Kapiolani CC Parking Lot C
Saturdays
7:30am - 11am
I'm not a Farmers Market kind of guy - but the wife drags me along and resistance is futile. I've been to the Saturday Farmers Market at Diamond Head/KCC and it definately has more variety with the food stations - and has an upbeat feel to it. Kind of an upscale vibe.
I live near Chinatown - the Farmers Market there is definitely more rough around the edges but the prices are cheaper.
I think the first one is City & County... honestly I don't like those. There's been citings of costco containers under the tables and stuff.
The 2nd one I googled... and I'm not sure because I don't recognize the locations.
The winner to me, hands down, is:
Saturday Farmers' Market (produce, flowers, breakfast foods)
Kapiolani CC Parking Lot C
Saturdays
7:30am - 11am
I've never been to the one in Haleiwa (North Shore), but I heard it's popular.... I also heard they lost the agreement to use the land there, but I'm not sure?
I like the one at KCC, too. My only complaint over the last several months is that it's so darn crowded. Buses and buses of tourists are coming to the KCC Farmer's market, and you can hardly walk around. All that said, the produce is still excellent.
I live near Chinatown - the Farmers Market there is definitely more rough around the edges but the prices are cheaper.
Hubs walked around that one the other day and really enjoyed it. He was astounded at how much cheaper the food was there than here. He even texted photos of food with prices to me. Yes, comparing farmers market prices with farmers market prices. Our store prices are even higher here (there too, I'd guess). Tomatoes, .79/lb HI, 2.50+/lb USVI. Fresh Mahi 3.00/lb HI, $8-9/lb USVI, he got a plate lunch for $5 that would be $8 here, etc.
I like the one at KCC, too. My only complaint over the last several months is that it's so darn crowded. Buses and buses of tourists are coming to the KCC Farmer's market, and you can hardly walk around. All that said, the produce is still excellent.
Agreed, I haven't been there in awhile, BECAUSE of the crowds.
The Farmer's Market in Windward Mall is pretty fabulous. It's on Weds. (I think 2-7pm).
Hi BloggerAnna, if I had to choose just one Farmers Market to attend, I agree with the other that the Farmers Market on Saturday mornings at the Kapiolani Community College is the one to visit.
You indicated you were making your selection based on location. But the market at KCC is easy to get to from Waikiki by simply hopping on a short bus ride. The only thing is that the bud to KCC get's really crowded as it rolls through Waikiki on the way to the Farmers Market because there are a lot of tourists riding up there.
Yes it's crowded, but it's a fun experience and has a large number of venders.
I just got home from the Ward farmer's market at the Blaisdell (I go just about every week). It is smaller with fewer vendors than Saturdays at KCC, but it's so much easier to navigate. Plus, even though the scheduled opening is 4pm, most of the vendors are up and running earlier, so it's even less crowded and more pleasant. At KCC, no one's allowed in until the official, 7:30 am opening time...
I will be visiting Oahu in a few weeks and staying in the Honolulu/Waikiki area. I would very much like to see one Farmers' Market and one People's Open Market. I have a copy of the weekly schedule and have narrowed down my choices based on location. Please help me select one of each:
Do you have a reason for wanting to see a People's Open Market? These are very, very small... 4 or 5 vendors, not necessarily local food, set up in a parking lot somewhere for an hour. There's not much to see, no prepared food. It's really an attempt to get some fresh (& affordable) produce into communities where they might have trouble getting it from a supermarket (no car maybe) or getting to one of the other farmer's markets. They have regulations about how much the food costs, but not where it's sourced. (Unlike the markets described below, which have very strict regulations about where the food comes from.)
I stop by these markets occasionally when it's convenient to pick up a couple of things for home. But I have never (& would never) think to bring visitors to one of them, and I never go out of my way to go to one of them. They are singularly unimpressive and uninteresting, really. It would be like wanting to see someone selling Costco pineapples by the side of the road on the North Shore as a tourist destination. I mean, I can tell you where to do that... but why would you want to?
There are two main kinds of market that are worth bringing visitors to (or visiting yourself):
Hawaii Farm Bureau (in order of preference):
KCC Market Saturday morning: huge, crowded, full of tourists, tough to park. But the biggest & the best, no doubt. For visitors, I often take them to hike up Diamond Head as early as we can get there on a Saturday morning (before it gets too crowded & before the sun is too high). Then we head across the street to the KCC market to eat breakfast (lots of great prepared foods), look around, and pick up stuff for home. I never go there unless we have guests, though. Too crowded & too much hassle.
Kailua Thursday night: If you want to spend a day at Kailua beach and / or Lanikai... head to this market at 4pm. Smaller & less touristy version of the KCC market. Again, lots of good prepared food, so plan to grab dinner there. But also a fairly good selection of local fruit, veggies, & fish to bring home. I am occasionally willing to trek over to Kailua on a Thursday night for this market (I live in town).
Blaisdell Wednesday night: This one is walking distance to my house, but I hardly ever go. It's quite small, and sells mostly prepared foods. Parking is a hassle, too, and walking there limits how much I can buy to bring home. I think it's the least interesting & fun of the HFB markets, but it's also the newest, so I'm hoping it picks up some steam. Most of the folks work downtown or in the medical buildings nearby or live nearby, and they're just picking up dinner. At least that's my impression.
Independent Markets (in order of preference):
Haleiwa (North Shore) farmers market: Yes, it's about an hour to drive there. But I still go there 2-3 times per month. Make the trek to the north shore, then spend the whole morning there. Shop at the market, hit a beach, maybe eat in Haleiwa or stop at some stores, then home by early afternoon to get stuff done. Makes for a great weekend day... like a mini Hawaiian vacation for people who live in Hawaii. Less tourist-filled than KCC and a bit smaller. They have some craft items as well as produce & food. Less emphasis on prepared foods, but there's still good stuff to grab for breakfast or lunch. Problem: they've been booted by the state from their location... they'll only be there for 2 more weeks, and then it's not clear where (or if) they will continue.
Ala Moana Farmers Market (Sat morning): Upper level by the Sears. I'm often busy on Sat morning, but when I'm not I go to this market. Great local produce. Not as much prepared foods as the other markets, and it's on the small side. But it's less crowded, tons of parking (it's *in* a mall parking lot), and it's across the street from a nice beach. Maybe not as interesting for tourists, but it's definitely the most convenient market for me, as a local who actually wants to buy produce (& eggs & fish) for home.
Hawaii Kai (Sat morning): I've only been there a couple of times. It's quite small, and since it's further from town than KCC I hardly ever go. I went a couple of times to avoid the KCC crowds, but I haven't been back since the Ala Moana market opened.
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Also, my questions are:
Do the same vendors go to each of the Farmers' Markets? What's the difference between a Farmer's Market and People's Open Market? I noticed the latter (People's Open Market) is only for an hour, whereas the Farmers' Market are for several hours, why is that?
See above for more about the distinction between the People's Open Markets and farmers' markets... As for vendors: the three HFB markets have a lot of overlap in vendors, but not 100% overlap; KCC has the most including vendors who come in from Big Island for just that market.
The three independent markets have less overlap... the Haleiwa market is mostly folks who farm on the North Shore, and many of them don't come to the markets in town. The Ala Moana market has some overlap with KCC even though they're at the same time... bigger vendors will send a stand to each market. Some vendors go back & forth... first & third Saturdays at KCC and second & fourth at Ala Moana, for example. My favorite fruit stand is at Ala Moana every Saturday except once a month they go to KCC.
Sorry for just now replying, everyone. Thank you ALL for your input.
Had a fanta-bulous time in Oahu! We were planning on squeezing in the Saturday farmers' market at Kapiolani Community College as most of you suggested. As luck would have it, we happened to be at the International Marketplace for dinner on a Thursday night, and a farmers' market was there too. And because we bought enough fruit to last a few days, we nixed going to KCC (it's definitely on "my list" to go to and see for next time though).
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