The Old Kona Airport — "Old A" to locals — is a beach park built on the site of the original Kona airport, which closed when the modern facility opened in 1970. The old runway now serves as a path for joggers and cyclists, and the surrounding lava shoreline has been left largely natural, making it one of the quieter alternatives to the more crowded beaches further south.
The snorkeling here is good in calm weather, and the lava pools at the north end are worth exploring at low tide. There are no facilities beyond restrooms and a small parking area, and the setting — crumbling tarmac giving way to raw volcanic shoreline — is unusual enough to make the short walk from town worthwhile.