Tex Drive-In

Top choice in Hamakua Coast

LoginSave

A malasada is just a Madeiran-style Portuguese doughnut, but Tex is famous for serving them hot and fresh. They come plain or filled; either way, folks drive across the island to devour them. Tex also serves decent plate lunches and loco moco (a dish of rice, fried egg and hamburger patty or other main dish topped with gravy) along with other fast food.

Go elsewhere for health food; come here for local color. Adjacent to the drive-in, the Tex store (9am to 5pm) sells a variety of locally made gifts, from toiletries to T-shirts.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Gemini North Observatory on top of Mauna Kea mountain peak on Big Island of Hawaii, United States with deep blue sky and volcanic landscape. 1327459248

    Mauna Kea's Summit Area

    17 MILES

    At 13,796ft in the air, you are above 40% of the atmosphere and 90% of its water vapor – apparently perfect conditions for growing the giant mushroom-like…

  • Hapuna Beach State Park, Big Island, Hawaii 111258845 beach, beautiful, beauty, big, blue, calm, clean, cliff, cloud, coast, hapuna, hawaii, hawaiian, holiday, horizon, island, kona, landscape, nature, ocean, paradise, park, picturesque, recreation, relaxation, resort, rock, sand, sandy, scenery, scenic, sea, seascape, shore, sky, stone, summer, sunny, sunshine, tourism, tourist, tranquil, transparent, travel, tropic, tropical, turquoise, vacation, water, white

    Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area

    24.12 MILES

    Hapuna Beach is world famous for its magnificent half-mile sweep of white powder sand and fabulously clear waters. In summer, waves are calm and allow…

  • The ruins of the major Hawaiian temple at the Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site, Big Island, Hawaii 350300948 abandoned, ancient, beautiful, big, blue, brown, building, cloud, destination, destroyed, exterior, famous, fort, grass, hawaii, heiau, historic, history, island, landmark, landscape, lava, national, nature, oceania, old, outdoors, park, place, polynesian, protection, pu'ukohola, puukohola, religion, remote, rock, rough, rugged, ruin, scenic, shrine, simplicity, site, sky, spirituality, stone, structure, temple, texture, tourism, travel, vibrant, wall, weathered

    Puʻukohola Heiau National Historic Site

    23.67 MILES

    By 1790 Kamehameha the Great had conquered Maui, Lanaʻi and Molokaʻi. But power over his home island of Hawaiʻi was a challenge. When told by a prophet…

  • Akaka Falls, Hamakua Coast, Waimea Reagion.

    ʻAkaka Falls State Park

    25.23 MILES

    The island's best ‘tourist waterfall’ is found at this outstanding, family-friendly park. Walk the paved path counterclockwise, on a loop that traverses…

  • White dry wood branches reaching lava rocks at Beach 69, Waialea, Big Island, hawaii 1747746794 tropical, ocean, wave, hawaii, vacation, coast, rocks, peaceful, shore, tranquil, beautiful, waialea, turquoise, trunk, landscape, pacific, beach 69, black

    Beach 69

    24.51 MILES

    This lovely powdering of white sand is a local favorite but remains somewhat off the tourist radar. Both family-friendly and gay-friendly, its calm,…

  • Hawaii, the Big Island, Mauna Kea Beach 583198357 big, sunbathing, palm, trees, beautiful, swimming, diving, vacation, exotic, resort, sky, surf, hawaii, kona, nature, island, shore, snorkeling, pacific, water, coconut, tropical, coast, mauna kea, sand, blue, ocean, beach, paradise, sailing, travel, landscape

    Mauna Kea Beach

    23.88 MILES

    Crescent-shaped Kaunaʻoa Bay (nicknamed 'Mauna Kea Beach' after Rockefeller built his landmark hotel on it) is blanketed in powdery white sand, with clear…

  • Lush tropical vegetation of the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden of Big Island of Hawaii, USA 1034528692 hawaii tropical botanical garden

    Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

    29.94 MILES

    A guaranteed crowd-pleaser, this rainforest garden is beautifully situated by the ocean and superbly managed. A paved trail meanders through over 2000…

  • Big Island coastline, as seen from the Waipi'o Valley Lookout. 476130002 Water, Meadow, No People, Grass, Copy Space, Big Island - Hawaii Islands, Sky, Nature, 2015, Cloud - Sky, Photography, Horizontal, Sea, Tree, Pacific Ocean, North America, Hawaii Islands, Outdoors, Pacific Islands, Valley, Mountain, Scenics - Nature, USA, Waipio Valley

    Waipiʻo Valley Lookout

    8.41 MILES

    Located at the end of Hwy 240, this lookout offers a jaw-dropping view of Waipi‘o's emerald amphitheater, black-sand beach and pounding surf. Feast your…

View more attractions

Nearby Hamakua Coast attractions

1. Katsu Goto Memorial

0.42 MILES

Katsu Goto was a Japanese cane-field worker who eventually opened a general store in Honoka‘a. Goto was hanged by local sugar bosses and accomplices in…

2. NHERC Heritage Center

0.47 MILES

Honokaʻa will make a lot more sense if you visit this museum. Sponsored by the Northern Hawaiʻi Education and Research Center, the collection comprises…

3. Long Ears Coffee

1.41 MILES

Try unique three- to 10-year-old 'aged' Hamakua coffee at this family farm. Wendell and Irmanetta Branco process their own and other Hamakua farms' beans,…

4. Kalopa State Recreation Area

3.11 MILES

Secluded like a storybook forest, this 100-acre state park offers camping, cabins and various gentle trails. Set amid native trees at 2000ft, it's a quiet…

5. Waipiʻo Valley Lookout

8.41 MILES

Located at the end of Hwy 240, this lookout offers a jaw-dropping view of Waipi‘o's emerald amphitheater, black-sand beach and pounding surf. Feast your…

6. Imiola Congregational Church

13.26 MILES

Waimea's first Christian church originated as a grass hut in 1830 and was built entirely of koa in 1857. Here lies the grave of missionary Lorenzo Lyons,…

7. Ke Ola Mau Loa Church

13.3 MILES

A much-photographed, historic Hawaiian church with an eye-catching green steeple. There are no set times when the church is open, although Sunday mornings…

8. Church Row

13.34 MILES

Home to Christians, Buddhists and Mormons, Church Row is a living history of religious life on the island. There are several noteworthy, if humble,…