Amy K.
Yelp
A mile long, tops, the Kona Inn Shopping Village is a family-friendly area on the beach featuring a million shopping areas with pretty much anything you'd want: places to eat (including, for the less adventurous, large chains like the Hard Rock Cafe, Outback Grill, and Bubba Gump), places to buy clothes, souvenirs, tchotchkes, jewelry, and art, tourist info, scuba rentals, hotels, dentists, tattoo parlors, a volleyball pit with bleachers, realty offices, etc., not to mention a church from the 1800s and the original royal palace.
Parking can be tricky, but there are a few big lots in the area. Drivers are very good about letting pedestrians cross the street, but you'll still get brahs hanging out of their cars yelling. Police do patrol on foot, if that really worries you. This is a great place to go if you're unsure what you want to eat, because you're in the middle of a ton of options. Despite the couple historical sites, there's a lot of gimmick what with everything wrapped up so neatly and cleanly, so I'm not positive just how much of the clientele is actually locals; this area is a poor choice if you're looking to avoid tourists. And it's tough getting ice cream there after 9.