Dole Plantation

Originally operated as a fruit stand in 1950, Dole Plantation opened to the public as Hawaii’s "Pineapple Experience" in 1989 after an extensive remodeling of its facilities. Dole Plantation completed a $125,000 renovation in 1997. Dole Plantation welcomes over one million visitors a year. Guests enjoy a variety of attractions, including the Plantation Garden Tour and the Pineapple Garden Maze, the Guinness Book of World Records 2001 World's Largest Maze. There are informational displays and presentations about pineapple and the history of Dole and the plantation center.

Historians believe that a Spanish shipwreck in 1527 off the South Kona coast on the Big Island of Hawaii brought tools, stores, garments and plants, including pineapples, from Mexico to Hawaii. In later years, Spanish explorers planted pineapples in Hawaii, along with other fruits. Francisco de Paula Marin, a Spanish adventurer and trusted friend of King Kamehameha the Great, arrived in Hawaii in 1794 and experimented with raising pineapples in the early 1800's. The "Wild Kailua" pineapple was grown in the Kona area as early as 1816.

Captain John Kidwell is credited with founding Hawaii’s pineapple industry. In the 1880’s he imported and tested a number of varieties and selected Smooth Cayenne for its cylindrical form and uniform texture. It was Jim Dole, for whom Dole Plantation is named, who pioneered the industry and became popularly known as the "Pineapple King".

Click here if you would like to visit Dole Plantation with Polynesian Adventure Tours. This Grand Circle Island with Dole Plantation tour and all tours on this website are discounted 10%!