Looks can be deceiving. From Highway 19, this coastline that stretches for about 20 miles doesn’t seem all that impressive—it’s just endless fields of black-lava rock, mile after mile. As you drive along, you might wonder why this area earned the nickname the Gold Coast, suggesting something quite spectacular. That's because you can't see the four world-class resorts—Hualalai, Mauna Kea, Mauna Lani, and Waikoloa—that sit out of sight just a mile or two off the road at different points along the route. But they’re there and they’re fabulous, with lush grounds courtesy of landscaping experts and lots of sprinklers. The resorts are home to eight of Hawaii’s most luxurious hotels, all fronting sandy beaches, and seven stunning golf courses designed by the likes of Robert Trent Jones Sr., Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer. This is the island’s sunny side, so rain seldom keeps anyone out of the water or off the fairways. But if you’re not wild about swimming or swinging golf clubs, spoil yourself with one of the treatments in the decadent hotel spas.

The Kohala area isn’t just about high-end resorts and pampering, though. It’s also rich in history, making for some good sightseeing. You’ll find many ancient petroglyph fields and the Puukohola Heiau, a temple built by King Kamehameha the Great, who was born in this region in the 1700s.