The island of Hawaii has an incredible array of ecological diversity. Within a few hours, you can go from a picture-perfect beach to a lush rain forest to a lava-scorched volcano. As tempting as resort life might be, you have to do some exploring to really experience the Big Island.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
For a truly unique experience, head east from the Big Island’s touristic west coast to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Here you can walk the floor of volcanic craters, see the evidence of past destruction on the surrounding mountainside, and (potentially) see a glow from an active lava lake. Be sure to check the national park’s website before your visit, though, in case volcanic activity has made the park close certain areas for safety reasons.
While many people choose to do a day trip to Volcanoes National Park from the western side of the island, we highly recommend spending a night in the area to have a more relaxing visit and maximize your time in the park. You can read more about our recommendations on where to stay in the Other Tips & Tricks section of this post.
- Lava Viewing: Timing is everything. While the volcanoes in the national park are frequently active, you won’t always be able to see lava or a glow. Check with park rangers when you arrive to get their advice on where and when to witness the phenomenon (if possible). When we visited, it was a few months after the Kīlauea volcano erupted in December 2020. We weren’t able to see the lava itself, but by going to the Kīlauea observation point along the Crater Rim Drive, we got to see the glow from the lava lake after dark. It has to be pitch black to see the glow, so plan for a late visit. You can also walk 100 yards or so to the left of the observation deck to have an even better view of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater. The star gazing from this altitude on a clear night is also incredible and worth the trip in itself.
- Kīlauea Iki Trail and Crater Rim Trail (Distance: 3.0 miles; Elevation Gain: 688 feet; Difficulty: Moderate): This unique hike was our favorite in the national park. In just three miles you’ll be able to walk along the circumference of the Kīlauea volcano as well as through the Kīlauea Iki crater. Seriously – you’ll walk across the crater floor itself from one end of the rim to the other. It is kind of mind blowing and offers a great perspective of the depth of the crater. The hike itself isn’t too challenging at all, but we recommend getting an early start due to the lack of shade at midday along the crater’s floor.
- Halema’uma’u Steam Bluff and Sulfur Banks (Distance: 1.3 miles; Elevation Gain: 88 feet; Difficulty: Easy): Really more of a walk than a hike, this trail shows off the area’s different terrains as well as the active sulfur banks. It feels like something out of Jurassic Park. In addition to providing some great crater views and offering a taste of the living earth around you, this trail is incredibly convenient and accessible. You can reach it from either the visitor center or the Volcano House hotel directly across the street. As you walk along the trail, pay attention to the various layers and shades of rock around you. We found it fascinating to see how the volcanic activity has changed the land over time.
- Hōlei Sea Arch: While the picturesque sea arch marks the conclusion and climax of the Chain of Craters road, the entire journey is a highlight. Along the road you’ll descend thousands of feet to sea level and get to observe the paths that lava has taken from the volcanic craters to the ocean. The streak-stained mountainsides tell a story and are really something special. In addition, the hardened lava has created an interesting terrain along the road that unapologetically resembles a delicious, cracked brownie crust. You can even do some hikes across the terrain that take you to petroglyphs and share more information about the land’s significance to native Hawaiians. Oh, and the sea arch itself is incredibly serene and makes for a perfect picnic spot.
- Volcano Winery: If you want a break from hiking or need some time outside the national park, this winery is a nice option. Most of the wine was a bit fruity for our taste, but we really enjoyed the pinot noir. The service, prices, and atmosphere are also great. To top it off – we got to see a full double rainbow from the winery’s parking lot!
Beaches
It wouldn’t be a trip to Hawaii without some beach days! What makes the Big Island unique is that it offers sand beaches of varying colors, some of which are only accessible by hike. Even though these beaches are far apart, we think they are worth the drive and each offer something special.
- Papakōlea Green Sand Beach: One of only four (known) green sand beaches in the world, Papakōlea may have been a top-2 highlight of our entire trip. The beach is beautiful, secluded, and great for a swim. To get here, you’ll need to take a 2.5 mile coastal walk from the parking lot. Some locals will offer tourists rides in the backs of 4WD pickup trucks, but driving to Papakōlea is illegal because it is over protected ground. Resist the urge to take these offers and enjoy the hike – which is beautiful! The walk follows the coast the entire way, is over flat ground, and lets you enjoy some really picturesque rolling hills. Once you make it to Papakōlea, you’ll have a nice view overlooking the beach before you make your way down. The descent involves a pretty shabby ladder and traversing over some rocks, but it isn’t too bad at all. If you get an early start (i.e., start your hike around 8:30am), you may even get the whole beach to yourself as we did. There are no food vendors of any kind nearby, so bring plenty of water and snacks. Just be sure to take your waste back with you to keep this area beautiful. We recommend visiting this beach in between stays in Kona and Volcano to reduce your total driving time.
- Punalu’u Black Sand Beach: Turtles! In case visiting a black sand beach isn’t cool enough, you are also very likely to find turtles lounging along the shores of Punalu’u. We only stopped by this beach to watch the sunrise, but we wish we had more time there. The scenery is beautiful with the surrounding palm trees, and it offers all the amenities of a standard beach park (i.e., parking lot, restrooms, vendors, etc.)
- Hapuna Beach State Park and Kaunaʻoa (Mauna Kea) Beach: We grouped these two beaches together because they are only a mile apart and have a lot of similarities. Both are home to Marriott resorts, have soft white sand, and can get really, really windy. We are partial towards Hapuna Beach because we stayed at the Westin there, but both are great options for a relaxing beach day. You can even do a rocky coastal walk from one to the other, which will take you by some of the most envy-inducing houses you’ll ever see. One thing to note: Mauna Kea allegedly has better snorkeling. We unfortunately didn’t get to experience that due to the wind and surf conditions, but it is something to keep in mind if that interests you.
- Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park: So many turtles. This historical park is home to the beautiful Alula Beach, but we’d be lying if we said the scenery was the main draw. A short walk around the knee-deep waters off the coast will let you observe a ton of turtles in their natural habitat. Just be careful where you step, as the turtle shells look remarkably similar to the large stones in the area.
Other Things to Do
It bears repeating that the Big Island is big. There are cool things to do on every corner of the island, so you’ll need to plan your trip accordingly to avoid driving hours on hours each day. If you intend to split your time between the west coast and Volcano, we recommend breaking up that drive with some fun stops around Hilo (Akaka Falls, Rainbow Falls, and the Boiling Pots). With that being said, most of the below activities are around Kona.
- Manta Ray Night Snorkeling: Our absolute favorite thing that we did on the Big Island, and truly a once in a lifetime experience. There are a number of agencies in Kona that offer scuba and snorkel tours to the manta rays’ feeding areas. We went with Jack’s Diving Locker, and we highly recommend it. For the snorkel tour, you start with a ~20 minute boat ride to the main manta ray area. Once there, you’ll pull on your provided wet suit and head into the water, where you’ll hold on to a surfboard with lights underneath. These lights beam down into the ocean and attract plankton, which the manta rays feed on. As a result, the 12-foot mantas will get very up close and personal with you, potentially even grazing against your stomach as they swim circles feeding on the plankton. The entire experience is incredible. We probably saw a dozen manta rays during our 40+ minutes in the water, and the view you get down the throats of these filter-feeders is wild. We will definitely be doing this tour again during our next trip to the Big Island.
- Kahalu’u Beach Park Snorkeling: You won’t see manta rays in this bay, but it is still a great spot for snorkeling. The marine life here has a ton of diversity. If you’re lucky, you may also spot a turtle swimming around with the various fish. To get here you only need to drive 15 minutes south of Kona. The parking lot is right next to the beach, and once there it’s an easy walk out to the snorkeling area. The rocks can be slippery, though, so watch your footing. In addition, the coral here is regrowing, so you need to avoid touching it or standing on it as you’re out snorkeling the shallow waters.
- Kona Brewing: We’ve always loved the beer from Kona Brewing, so getting to visit the brewery was a treat. The prices aren’t bad at all during happy hour, and the pepperoni rolls make for a great appetizer. Just be prepared for a wait at pretty much any time of day. If Kona Brewing alone isn’t enough to satisfy your brewery craving, you can also visit Ola Brew Co up the street. They have an equally impressive menu of beers and a great patio to watch the sunset.
- Pololū Valley: For a truly dramatic view, head to the northwestern corner of the Big Island. There you will find Pololū Valley, which offers stunning scenery and a steep 0.5-mile hike down to a black sand beach. The drive there is a treat too if you take the Kohala Mountain Road. Along this path are old, cool-looking trees that seem straight out of Jurassic Park. The area just feels ancient. Note that Pololū Valley is adjacent to Waipi’o Valley, which offers a similar but longer hike down to a separate black sand beach. Both hikes are supposed to be great, but we chose to go to Pololū Valley because of the weather on that day.
- Akaka Falls State Park: As you head from the west coast of the island to Hilo and Volcano, we recommend taking a detour to Akaka Falls. It is one of the tallest waterfalls in North America, and it’s in a beautiful spot. The loop walk around the state park is paved, relatively flat, and only half a mile. It will give you a good opportunity to appreciate some of the island’s native vegetation before making it to the main attraction at the midway point.
- Rainbow Falls and the Boiling Pots: Just outside the town of Hilo are Rainbow Falls and the Boiling Pots. These two sights are just over a mile apart, and we highly recommend visiting both. Rainbow Falls is a singular, powerful waterfall with a nearby observation deck that provides a great photo opportunity. The Boiling Pots, on the other hand, are a collection of falls and rapids that create a series of bubbling pools. The main waterfall is too far from the observation deck to get a great photo, but we really enjoyed the overall landscape at this stop.
- Coffee Farms: If you fancy yourself a coffee connoisseur, then you’re sure to enjoy the various coffee farms and plantations around Kona. We chose to do a private tour at Hala Tree, which is an organic farm that produces globally-acclaimed coffee. The farm’s owner gave us the tour himself, and we concluded with a sampling of the award-winning coffee while overlooking the Pacific Ocean. If you’re interested in other agricultural tours, the Big Island also has a number of cocoa and macadamia nut farms (most of which are on the eastern side of the island).
Where to Eat
The food around the Big Island is delicious. While you can get a good meal on all corners of the island, the vast majority of restaurants can be found on the west coast around Kona. Still, don’t let this scare you from spending a night or two in Volcano or other remote parts of the island. We highlighted our favorite restaurants and their respective locations below to provide options no matter where you are.
- Broke Da Mouth Grindz (Kona): This unassuming, counter-service restaurant in a strip mall near downtown Kona may have had our favorite food on the island. Their menu is loaded with big, fried, heavy meals that are absolutely delicious. After a lunch here you’ll want to do nothing but lounge at a beach for the rest of the day. The furikake chicken, short ribs, and garlic butter shrimp were all terrific and well worth the subsequent food coma.
- Randy’s Huli Chicken and Ribs (Kona): Just look at those ribs. While driving from Papakōlea to Kona, we saw smoke billowing from a roadside BBQ tent and got a whiff of some amazing BBQ smells. A quick Google search later told us that we had passed Randy’s. Of course we had to head back there the next day to see if the taste lived up to the smell, and we were very, very pleased. The meats here are awesome. For a short wait and a reasonable price by Hawaiian standards, you can get a full plate of meat and sides. We recommend going with the sampler because every item is a highlight.
- Ultimate Burger (Kona): We needed a quick bite to eat before heading to the airport, so we decided to swing by Ultimate Burger. Turns out this fast casual burger shack has really, really good food. The burgers are obviously the highlight, but the chili is really good too. If you’re craving a burger on your vacation or just need a quick meal around Kona, we highly recommend a stop here.
- Umekes Fish Market Bar and Grill (Kona): If you’re looking for some high quality seafood around Kona, we definitely recommend visiting Umekes. The poke here was delicious, and we really liked the trendy bar atmosphere. No reservation needed here – just grab a seat at the bar and enjoy the surfing competitions on TV.
- Scandinavian Shave Ice (Kona): In case you aren’t familiar, shaved ice is a very common Hawaiian dessert. We had never had it before our visit to the Big Island, but it reminded us of a snow cone packed with more flavor. To take the taste to another level, you can also have soft serve ice cream in the middle of the shaved ice. Scandinavian Shave Ice is one of the more popular shaved ice spots on the island, so you’ll have to wait in line for a bit. The treats are worth it though. The shop is also in a bustling part of downtown Kona, so you’ll get to enjoy music coming from the surrounding bars while you wait.
- Seafood Bar and Grill (Waimea): One of our favorite meals on this vacation was found 45 minutes north of Kona. Seafood Bar and Grill is a casual – you guessed it – bar and grill with delicious seafood. The real highlight was the Cajun-style fresh catch with “broke da mouth” scallop and crab fondue sauce. We would honestly eat anything with that sauce on it. The dish is a bit pricey, but it was a truly memorable experience. We’d order it again in a heartbeat. We also ordered the coconut shrimp appetizer and the island salad with mahi-mahi, which was a nice accompaniment. The coconut shrimp were also perfect. If you only get one thing, though, get the Cajun-style fresh catch.
- Poke Market, LLC (Hilo): Our favorite poke on the island came from this grab-and-go spot in downtown Hilo. For a very reasonable price you can get a large bowl of fresh poke loaded with sides and sauces. Since everything here is takeout, we recommend enjoying your meal at the Lili’uokalani Park and Gardens. This nice park has huge trees, ponds, and some interesting tributes to Japanese culture and history.
- Thai Thai Bistro and Bar (Volcano): Be warned that Volcano doesn’t have many restaurant options. Most dining establishments in that area are about 15 minutes north of the town towards Hilo. That being said, we actually really like Thai Thai Bistro and Bar. The Thai Thai Special Curry was delicious and filling. Since this is essentially the only restaurant in the town, though, you may have to wait a bit unless you eat on the earlier side.
- Bakeries (Everywhere): We can’t resist a good bakery, and the Big Island has plenty. Punalu’u Bake Shop is the southernmost bakery in the United States, and it is a perfect stop before or after visiting Papakōlea Green Sand Beach. The Bismarck and taro malasadas here are incredible. We also really enjoyed the pineapple upside-down pastries at Mamane Bakery, which is in the town of Waimea.
Other Tips & Tricks
- Where to Stay: From a location perspective, the west coast of the island has the most to offer in terms of activities and restaurants. We spent the first part of our trip at the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, which is a beautiful hotel. If the primary objective of your vacation is to relax on one of the island’s best beaches, this hotel is the place to be. The only downside is that you can’t walk to any restaurants that aren’t on the hotel’s property. If you’re more interested in staying in the town of Kona to be closer to other activities and restaurants, you can’t find a better location than the Courtyard. The hotel is nice enough, it’s on a small beach, and you’ll be able to walk to the town’s best restaurants and breweries. If you take our advice and spend a couple nights in Volcano to maximize your time at the national park, you’ll need to stay at an Airbnb. There are a ton of cheap options over there, though, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a quiet spot that fits your needs. Just make sure your rental car can handle gravel roads, as most of the streets around the private residences are unpaved.
- Rental Cars: We highly, highly recommend getting a rental car for your vacation, as everything on the island is spread out. There really isn’t another option. We found the cheapest gas on the island to be between Hilo and Volcano, so we suggest you fill up there if you venture to that part of the island.
- Grocery Stores: Take the time to enjoy some local snacks! You can buy a variety of delicious macadamia nuts at grocery stores around the island, and there are a number of other unique snacks and flavors that you won’t find elsewhere in the United States. Many grocery stores also offer cheap grab-and-go meals if you’re traveling on a budget. The hot food and sushi you can purchase honestly aren’t half bad.
- Unpredictable Weather: We highly recommend checking the weather frequently for wherever you are and wherever you’re going. Weather changes fast on the island. In addition, the climate can change drastically in only a 45 minute drive. If you go to Volcano, for example, you’re going to want a warm jacket. It gets legitimately cold there (especially at night), so your beach attire will not cut it.
- Reef-Friendly Sunscreen: Do your part to protect Hawaii’s reef ecosystem by purchasing the right sunscreen. Many sunscreens that advertise themselves as being reef-friendly actually contain chemicals that damage the habitat. You can read about ingredients to avoid here.
Happy traveling!
Kitrina & Jordan
