40 Best Things to Do on Hawaiʻi Island (The Big Island)
The Island of Hawaiʻi, more commonly known as the Big Island, is the largest of all the Hawaiian Islands and is renowned for its incredibly diverse landscapes and natural beauty, spanning everything from towering, snowy alpine summits atop Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa to lush rainforests along the Hāmākua Coast and Kīlauea Volcano, including both black and green sand beaches scattered throughout!
It’s for all these reasons that there truly is so much diversity over relatively short distances, and no place exhibits this better than Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park—especially the Crater Rim Trail!
This is why, if you’re a first-time visitor, I highly recommend staying in both Hilo on the wetter east side and Kailua-Kona on the drier west side, because splitting your time is the best way to see and enjoy everything there is to do on the Big Island—and yes, I even recommend flying into one side and leaving from the other. One-way rental car agreements are not uncommon on the Big Island, and it’s a great way to take it slow and have a more relaxing experience as you make your way around all sides of the island!
Why am I Recommending these Big Island Tours?
One of my favorite things about booking through Viator is the reserve-now-and-pay-later option. As long as you’re booking more than three days in advance, you have the option to book ahead and cancel in the future if you change your mind.
Additionally, I’ve included these tours for two reasons. First, venturing out to some of the local spots that I’ve listed below might not be the way you want to go, but more importantly, some experiences simply can’t be done without booking a tour.
For these reasons, I highly recommend considering the tour operators that I have listed below, as they can absolutely be a safer and more kid-friendly experience than some of my local recommendations listed throughout this article.
40 Best Things to Do on Hawaiʻi Island
The following list is written in no particular order of best or worst, but more importantly, I talk about what NOT to do at the end, such as how to keep your car from getting broken into. Don’t skip over the end!
On a different note, when I wrote about Maui, I talked about how big the island was in terms of driving, and while the Island of Hawaiʻi may be much bigger in terms of size, the roads on the Big Island are significantly less windy.
I write this to say that even though drives can take a few hours from one side to the other, making your way across Saddle Road or even around Hawaiʻi Belt Road is much less exhausting than some of the shorter, windy drives on other islands, like the Hāna Highway.
In addition, be aware that Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park collects entrance fees, but you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
1. ʻAkaka Falls
ʻAkaka Falls is a beautiful 442-ft. (135 m) drive-up waterfall located just a few miles outside of Hilo along the Hāmākua Coast!
The entire area within ʻAkaka Falls State Park is a very quick and easy place to see, as visitors have the option to either hike a short 0.5-mile (0.8 km) loop trail along the cliffs above the Kolekole Stream or walk directly down to the main viewpoint from the parking area.
Either way, ʻAkaka Falls really is an incredible place to stop and see before continuing elsewhere, which I personally recommend visiting on a day when you’re already planning to drive the Hāmākua Coast out to Waipiʻo or Pololū Valley!
Google Maps Directions: ʻAkaka Falls
2. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is a bit of an obvious recommendation when visiting the Big Island, but I wanted to highlight that I’ve written an entirely separate post about the park, where I share the same insider tips and information as I have in this article!
That said, if you remember nothing else, know that Hawaiʻi Volcanoes, like the entire island, is incredibly diverse and spans a massive elevation gradient!
I mention this to suggest that, yes, many of the best things to see and do are centered around the summit of Kīlauea, but be sure to branch out, as there’s so much more to the park beyond the most popular destinations near the crater.
Read My Separate Post: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
3. Kaulana Manu Nature Trail
Distance: 0.6 miles / 1.0 km
The Kaulana Manu Nature Trail is a very quick, easy, family-friendly loop trail off Saddle Road through a pristine native Hawaiian forest, where one of the best things to do is simply hang out near the trailhead or at the lookout at the end and watch the native birds fly around!
If you’re unfamiliar, simply watching Hawaiʻi’s native birds is actually quite a rare and special experience in most areas across the islands, as non-native mosquitoes have essentially eradicated them from the lowest elevations.
However, there are a few upper-elevation areas, like the Kaulana Manu Nature Trail and the Hosmer Grove Trail in Haleakalā National Park on Maui, that are little hidden gems when it comes to seeing the birds, as most of the effort to get to these higher elevations is done in a car rather than on foot.
This is all to say that the Kaulana Manu Nature Trail is one of personal favorites off Saddle Road, and I could not recommend making the quick stop more when driving between Hilo and Kailua-Kona!
Read My Separate Post: Kaulana Manu Nature Trail
4. Kohala Helicopter Tour
When thinking of Big Island helicopter tours, I recommend breaking them up into three categories.
First, there are helicopter tours that circle the entire island, seeing everything along the coast but with less time over each location. Then, there are tours that focus entirely on Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and third, there are helicopter tours that fly solely along the Kohala Coast, which is exactly what this recommendation is all about!
I write all this because the Island of Hawaiʻi truly has that many areas to see, meaning that I think the best way to plan is to try to decide which of these options sounds most interesting to you.
I can tell you from experience on the Kohala Coast that the ruggedness and sheer beauty of the sea cliffs and waterfalls are second to none, and all this can be experienced with an optional waterfall landing in one of the most remote and pristine valleys on the Big Island!
5. Ola Brew Co. (Hilo & Kailua-Kona)
Everyone thinks of the Kona Brewing Company when talking about Big Island breweries, but what most visitors don’t know is that the vast majority of Kona beer is not brewed in Hawaiʻi.
This is just one of many reasons why I prefer Ola Brewing over Kona—but more notably, because I think the food and beer are simply better!
This is all to say that if you’re looking for a great place to sit down and enjoy some drinks and food after a long day exploring the island, be sure to check them out at either their downtown Hilo or Kailua-Kona locations!
Yelp: Ola Brew Co
6. Rainbow Falls (Hilo)
Rainbow Falls is a beautiful 80-ft. (24 m) drive-up waterfall in Wailuku River State Park, just up the road from downtown Hilo, that can most similarly be compared with ʻAkaka Falls mentioned above.
However, apart from the size of the two waterfalls, the main difference is that Rainbow Falls is truly a drive-up viewpoint, whereas visitors must walk a short distance to actually get a view of ʻAkaka Falls.
All that aside, both Rainbow Falls and ʻAkaka Falls are truly must-see destinations when visiting the east side of the Big Island—especially considering how little time and effort both take before moving on to other beautiful adventures in and around Hilo!
Google Maps Directions: Rainbow Falls
7. Hilo Farmers Market
Since its humble beginnings in 1988, the Hilo Farmers Market has grown into a vibrant community where local farmers, artists, food trucks, and more come together, occupying almost three city blocks in downtown Hilo, where both residents and visitors alike are invited to come walk around and shop!
The Hilo Farmers Market is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and if you have any questions before visiting, most can be answered on either their website or Facebook page.
Google Maps Directions: Hilo Farmers Market
8. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes Helicopter Tour
If you haven’t, read my longer breakdown about Big Island helicopter tours under the Kohala recommendation above.
That said, these Big Island helicopter tours focus solely on seeing the best of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which can include both Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea.
If Kīlauea happens to be erupting during your visit, then this is the tour I recommend booking over any other, as there’s nothing quite like seeing an active eruption from the air—especially during the early and late hours of the day!
9. Hawaiian Style Café (Hilo)
Hawaiian Style Café in Hilo is a renowned local breakfast favorite because of its massive portions, amazing Hawaiian food, and notably, it’s oversized pancakes and loaded plates that often have guests taking leftovers home!
This is why, if you’re looking for a great local place to sit down before heading out on any number of adventures across the island, I could not recommend Hawaiian Style Café more—though I may be splitting hairs with Ken’s, mentioned below.
Yelp: Hawaiian Style Café
10. Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube)
Distance: 0.4 miles / 0.6 km
There are a handful of adventures within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park worth highlighting outside of my separate Hawaiʻi Volcanoes article, and the Nāhuku Lava Tube is easily one of those destinations!
That said, Nāhuku, formerly called the Thurston Lava Tube, is a short and stunning day hike that begins in one of the wettest rainforests in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park before descending to a large underground lava tube, where visitors walk in one entrance and out the other before looping back around to the beginning!
For all these reasons, the Nāhuku Trail is one of my favorite easy hikes in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and the best part is that it is very short, making it a great adventure for people of all abilities!
Read My Separate Post: Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube) Trail
11. Walk the Hilo Bay Front
Kamehameha Avenue in downtown Hilo is arguably the best place on the Big Island to walk around and explore a number of local shops, which are all conveniently located right along Hilo Bay.
There are restaurants, coffee and gift shops, and some of the best photography galleries across all the islands—specifically because the local photographers who run the small shops have truly spectacular photos from countless eruptions over many years of living on the Big Island!
One of the photographers in Hilo is a friend of mine, but I can honestly and unbiasedly say that the photos he has created during the Mauna Loa and many Kīlauea eruptions are second to none!
Google Maps Directions: Hilo Bay Front
12. Luquin’s 454 (Hilo & Pāhoa)
Luquin’s is a local Mexican restaurant on the east side of the Big Island that I would argue is the best place to get tacos on the island!
That said, I highly recommend dining in if you’re spending one or a few nights on the east side, which can be found in both Hilo as a more convenient option or in Pāhoa, just a few miles out of town.
Yelp: Luquin’s 454
13. Manta Ray Tour
Between Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, and the Big Island, I like to say that each island is best for a different kind of ocean tour.
For example, Maui is without a doubt the best island to take a whale tour, while Oʻahu is the best island to take a shark diving tour!
That said, the Big Island is easily the best island in Hawaiʻi to snorkel with Manta Rays, which is truly a one-of-a-kind nighttime experience that can be enjoyed year-round, unlike whales tours that operate around seasonal migration patterns!
14. Mauna Loa Trail (Red Hill Cabin)
Distance (Roundtrip to Puʻu ʻUlaʻula): 15.0 miles / 22.5 km
The Mauna Loa Trail to Puʻu ʻUlaʻula, more commonly known as the Red Hill Cabin, is a fun and not-too-challenging backcountry adventure that gradually climbs its way to a beautiful alpine cabin located at just over 10,000 ft. (3,048 m) on the slopes of Mauna Loa!
That said, there are many overnight backcountry destinations in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, but of all there is to consider, I personally think the Mauna Loa Trail to Puʻu ʻUlaʻula is the best!
To learn more about this amazing adventure, as well as how to secure a permit, I recommend reading all the details in my separate post.
Read My Separate Post: Mauna Loa Trail (Red Hill Cabin)
15. Aaron’s Cottage (Hilo)
If you’re looking for a quiet, comfortable, and more affordable place to stay, I personally recommend Aaron’s Cottage in Hilo!
I say this because Aaron’s Cottage is located just minutes away from the airport and all of the great shops and restaurants in downtown Hilo—not to mention, there’s a little-known local beach at the end of the dead-end road that makes for a great place to walk early in the day for sunrise or later around sunset, as there are beautiful views of Mauna Kea from the sand!
Aaron’s Cottage
16. Papakōlea Green Sand Beach
Distance (Roundtrip): 5.6 miles / 9.0 km
Papakōlea, better known as the Green Sand Beach, is one of only four green sand beaches in the world, so for obvious reasons, I would consider Papakōlea a must-see, bucket-list item when visiting the Big Island of Hawaiʻi for the first time!
It really is one of those places where photos don’t do it justice!
Now, this all goes without saying that there are three different ways to get to the Green Sand Beach, including driving your personal or rental car, taking the shuttle, or hiking, which is why I strongly recommend that you read all the details in my separate post before picking one option over another.
Read My Separate Post: Papakōlea Green Sand Beach Trail
17. Hilo Town Tavern
The Hilo Town Tavern is a quintessential small-town bar and has everything you’d expect to find in a small local bar, from great food and drinks, to live music on certain nights of the week!
They are located right in downtown Hilo and have always been one of my go-to stops after a multi-day backpacking trip or simply a long day exploring the park!
Yelp: Hilo Town Tavern
18. Puʻu Huluhulu Trail
Distance: 1.3 miles / 2.1 km
Puʻu Huluhulu is a little-known and often overlooked volcanic cinder cone off Saddle Road that is known for its great views of Mauna Kea on a clear day and as one of the most pristine native Hawaiian forests, filled with endemic birds flying around, similar to that of the Kaulana Manu Nature Trail just down the road.
Before visiting, I think it’s important to mention that the Puʻu Huluhulu Trail isn’t just one trail, but rather a series of interconnecting trails that wind their way in a number of different directions up and around the small peak.
This is why I personally think that Puʻu Huluhulu is less about simply hiking to the top and more about hiking all the trails through the beautiful forest. This is why I recommend reading more about Puʻu Huluhulu in my separate post linked below, as I personally believe there is one best route to see it all, while starting and finishing on a slightly different trail.
Read My Separate Post: Puʻu Huluhulu Trail
19. Punaluʻu Bake Shop
Since 1991, the Punaluʻu Bake Shop in Nāʻālehu, near South Point, has been serving amazing malasadas, coffee, and ice cream, which are my favorite after spending a lot of time outside on the sunny south side of the Big Island!
That said, I recommend stopping in after a hot hike out to Papakōlea Green Sands, exploring the Kahuku District of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes, or after jumping off the cliffs at South Point, as nothing hits quite as good as all the amazing snacks at this local hidden gem!
Yelp: Punaluʻu Bake Shop
20. Driving Mauna Kea [4x4 Needed]
Standing at 13,803 ft. (4,207 m), Mauna Kea is the highest point in Hawaiʻi, and while getting to the summit may seem intimidating, it is more practical than it may initially appear, as there are three different ways to make it to the top!
The first is by simply driving to the summit via Mauna Kea Access Road. To do this, a 4x4 vehicle is required, which is strictly enforced by the Hawaiʻi State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) that monitors the road. While this may sound intimidating, the road to the summit is actually very well maintained, and it’s not a challenging drive by any means. I say this because the requirement speaks more to the possibility of snow than the condition of the road itself.
The second, and recommended, way that visitors can reach the summit is to simply book one of the Mauna Kea tours linked below. I say recommended because almost all rental car companies will tell you at the counter that your car is not allowed on Mauna Kea Access Road, and if you choose to ignore this warning, you void your rental agreement.
Finally, there is the option to hike the Humuʻula Trail, which I dive into in more detail in the next recommendation below.
Google Maps Directions: Mauna Kea Summit
21. Humuʻula Trail (Mauna Kea Summit)
Distance (One Way): 6.9 miles / 11.1 km
Elevation Gain: ~4,600 ft. / 1,402 m
The Humuʻula Trail via the Mauna Kea Visitor Center is the standard hiking route to the summit of Mauna Kea, the highest point in Hawaiʻi!
That said, there is nothing particularly challenging or notable about the Humuʻula Trail, apart from the abrupt elevation change that hikers experience when driving up from sea level. This is why the State of Hawaiʻi, which manages the trail, takes safety so seriously.
In any case, those in the hiking and climbing community would say that the Humuʻula Trail is the only way to truly make summiting Mauna Kea count as one of the 50 state high points, but that is certainly coming from a purist point of view!
This is all to say that I encourage you to read about the full Humuʻula Trail, including the check-in process before hiking up Mauna Kea, in my separate post linked below.
Read My Separate Post: Humuʻula Trail (Mauna Kea Summit)
22. Hilo Burger Joint
Up to this point, I’ve mentioned a lot of great places to get food on the Big Island, but out of everything thus far, Hilo Burger Joint is the best local burger spot on the island—and know that my old photo certainly doesn’t show how good it really is!
I say this because Hilo Burger Joint is known for having the biggest and messiest burgers you can imagine, with a long list of options that is sure to help everyone in your party find something they’ll love!
Yelp: Hilo Burger Joint
23. Circle-the-Island Helicopter Tour
A circle-the-island helicopter tour is the last of the three types of helicopter tours to consider on the Big Island, and I think it’s appropriate to say: "last, but certainly not least," as this option is truly an incredible experience!
That said, it’s important to be aware that helicopter tours specializing in circling the island will always be the most expensive options, but the benefit is that they spend the longest amount of time in the air!
By this, I mean that visitors will have the opportunity to see both Hawaiʻi Volcanoes and the Kohala Coast, instead of choosing one over the other, as mentioned above.
However, if cost is a factor in your decision, I personally recommend the Kohala Coast over the Kīlauea Volcano—but this sentiment goes right out the window if you happen to be visiting the Big Island during an active eruption!
24. South Point (Southernmost U.S. Point)
South Point, the southernmost point in the United States, is a very different experience for different people depending on what you’re most interested in seeing and doing!
What I mean is that South Point is really nothing more than a wide-open coastal grassland situated atop a plateau of towering sea cliffs that is often very hot and windy. This is why visitors typically park, walk around for a few minutes to explore the area, but don’t often stay too long, because accessing the water is not very practical.
That is, it’s not all that practical unless you decide to do the cliff jump—which is exactly where the warning below comes from!
Warning
The jump from the sea cliffs at South Point is roughly 40 ft. (12 m) high, which in itself is very high, but it’s not why South Point is a dangerous cliff jump.
By this, I mean that South Point receives a direct open-ocean swell with very large waves and strong currents that wrap around the Big Island. These strong currents have unfortunately swept both locals and visitors out to sea before.
This is why I strongly recommend against the jump for most who are visiting and aren’t familiar with the conditions, and know that even if the water looks as calm and glassy as the photo below, I still advise talking to the locals to see what they have to say about the conditions.
The next reason that South Point is such a dangerous jump has to do with the ladder that must be climbed to get back up and out of the water. I mean it when I say this coastline gets pounded by waves, which can make climbing back up incredibly difficult—not to mention the upper body strength that is required to get your full body out of the water and up high enough before the next wave hits!
This is all to say that jumping off the cliffs at South Point is certainly not for everyone, though I would not let that discourage you from visiting, as it really is a must-see when visiting the Big Island for the first time!
Google Maps Directions: South Point
25. Kona Coffee Tour
Locally grown coffee from the Big Island of Hawaiʻi has made quite the name for itself around the world, as the slopes along both Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa create the perfect growing environment—where mineral-rich volcanic soil and consistent rainfall at these upper elevations, along with a unique pattern of sunny mornings and cloudy afternoons, allow the beans to develop slowly and produce an exceptionally smooth, unique flavor!
This is why, if you want to learn more about the people, land, and process behind it all, I highly recommend booking one of the tours linked below!
26. Hāʻena Beach (Puna Trail)
Distance (Roundtrip): 4.8 miles / 7.7 km
Hāʻena Beach on the east side of the Big Island is a beautiful, secluded, and somewhat private black sand beach—but not for reasons that are inherently obvious! In fact, all beaches in Hawaiʻi are open to the public!
Rather, Hāʻena Beach, also known as Shipman Beach, is so secluded because it’s entirely surrounded by private property. This means that the only way to visit the black sand beach is by hiking the 2.4-mile (3.9 km) Puna Trail in Keaʻau.
That said, I think the somewhat long, muddy adventure through the rainforest is worth the effort, as the small beach at the end will almost always be very quiet and relaxing—for all the reasons mentioned above!
Read My Separate Post: Puna Trail
27. Nector Café (Hilo)
Whether you’re looking for an early morning coffee or ice cream on a hot day, the Nector Café in downtown Hilo is a great all-in-one coffee, ice cream, and dessert shop located right in the storefronts along Hilo Bay.
Yelp: Nector Café
28. Kaūmana Trail
Distance (One Way): 1.5 miles / 2.4 km
The Kaūmana Trail is an easy out-and-back day hike that traverses an old pāhoehoe (smooth) lava flow through a beautiful native ʻŌhiʻa forest, connecting two different trailheads off Saddle Road.
Personally, I think the Kaūmana Trail makes for a great adventure when driving between Kona and Hilo, and if someone in your party isn’t interested in the hike, Kaūmana can be a very easy, all-downhill, one-way adventure by starting from the upper trailhead and planning to get picked up at the lower trailhead after hiking just 1.5 miles (2.4 km)!
Read My Separate Post: Kaūmana Trail
29. Private Snorkel Tour (Kona)
As rough and dangerous as I described the waters off South Point above, the waters off the famed Kona Coast are pretty much the exact opposite, and it’s where visitors who book a tour can enjoy world-class snorkeling and diving in calm, crystal-clear blue waters, making it truly one of the best coastlines in all of Hawaiʻi for snorkeling!
That said, I highly recommend booking a one-on-one experience with a local guide, as a private tour out of Kailua-Kona is without a doubt the best and safest way to enjoy the waters off the Kona Coast and get to places that are only accessible by boat!
30. Antics Pizza (Hilo)
Antics Pizza is a unique hole-in-the-wall pizza shop in Hilo that is sure to revive some childhood memories while you wait for your food!
Think Nintendo 64 and the original Super Mario Kart on the ’92 Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), and this is exactly what you get when you sit down at your table in Antics!
Yes, playing nostalgic games is a part of the experience, and I could not recommend stopping in more if you’re looking for a great local place to share memories and enjoy some pizza with the whole family!
Yelp: Antics Pizza
31. Kīlauea Iki Trail
Distance: 3.4 miles / 5.5 km
The Kīlauea Iki Trail is a stunning day hike in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes that begins in one of the wettest rainforests on the island, descends into a barren and desolate volcanic crater, and ultimately climbs back into the rainforest on the far side of the crater, where it finishes by completing a loop back around to the beginning!
Needless to say, the Kīlauea Iki Trail has an incredible amount of diversity, which is why it’s one of my favorite day hikes in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park!
To learn more about the trail, I highly recommend reading my separate post, where I talk about the full trail and share my thoughts on which direction is best for hiking the full loop.
Read My Separate Post: Kīlauea Iki Trail
32. Buying Local Hawaiian Coffee
While Hawaiʻi may have a reputation for its famed Kona Coffee, I found my favorite by a long shot to be 100% Maui Coffee from the Maui Coffee Company! Locally, it can be bought at Safeway stores and Target, but to make it easy, you can order it below on Amazon, so that you don’t have to fly home with it.
In my opinion, Maui Coffee is the best followed, by 100% Kauaʻi Coffee. I put these two before anything grown on the Big Island, which in third I choose 100% Kona Gold Roast by Lion Coffee. This is just one person’s opinion, but I’m only saying to not let the famous Kona name convince you that it’s the best.
33. Waipiʻo Valley Lookout & Beach
Waipiʻo Valley is a beautiful and pristine valley on the east side of the Kohala Coast that is renowned for a number of waterfalls that line the cliffs at the back of the valley, the black sand beach at the bottom of Waipiʻo Valley Road, and the Muliwai Trail to Waimanu Valley that begins on the far west side!
Now, all this can’t be discussed without talking about the tension between both local Hawaiʻi Island residents and visitors looking to access all there is to do in the valley.
By this, I mean that many years of over-tourism have unfortunately prompted changes in Waipiʻo Valley that severely restricts who is allowed to drive down the road and access everything at the bottom.
Today, only local traffic with a valid Hawaiʻi County ID can drive Waipiʻo Valley Road to the bottom, and all visitors, including residents from other islands, are required to take a shuttle.
This is all to say that the Waipiʻo Valley Lookout at the top is open to all visitors, and it is the easiest, hassle-free way to enjoy Waipiʻo Valley without any reservations. However, if you are interested in spending some time at the bottom, be sure to book the Waipiʻo Valley Shuttle linked below, as there is currently no way around these 'relatively new' restrictions.
Google Maps Directions: Waipiʻo Valley Lookout
Book Here: Waipiʻo Valley Shuttle
34. Whale Watching Tour (Winter Only)
During the winter months in Hawaiʻi, Humpback Whales migrate south from Alaska to the warmer Hawaiian waters, where mothers give birth to their calves.
That said, the time of year to see the whales Hawaiʻi is very season-specific, meaning that if your trip is too early or too late in the winter, they may not have arrived yet or may already be on their way back to Alaska.
This season in Hawaiʻi is typically mid-December to mid-April, with peak activity occurring from January to March.
This is all to say that the best way to experience the Humpback Whales during this time is to get out on the water, as there’s truly nothing quite like an up-close experience through one of these local operators!
35. Pololū Valley Lookout & Trail
Distance (Roundtrip): 1.2 miles / 1.9 km
Elevation Change: ~400 ft. / 122 m
The Pololū Valley Trail is a stunning and pristine valley on the west side of the Kohala Coast, which can most similarly be compared with Waipiʻo on the other side!
However, unlike Waipiʻo Valley, which is only accessible by shuttle, Pololū Valley is accessed by trail, making the whole valley and the beach at the bottom a very quiet and relaxing place to spend a few hours exploring!
This is all to say that Pololū Valley is easily one of the best things to do on the Big Island, and I would even go as far as to say that the Pololū Black Sand Beach is more beautiful than the Waipiʻo Black Sand Beach on the other side of the Kohala Coast!
Read My Separate Post: Pololū Trail
36. The Fish and the Hog (Waimea)
The Fish and the Hog is a little-known barbeque restaurant in Waimea that I believe—and have been told by locals—is the best BBQ restaurant on the Island of Hawaiʻi!
That said, the Fish and the Hog is certainly not conveniently located in either Hilo or Kona, but walking around downtown Waimea is worth the visit in itself and can make for a great stop when driving to or from Pololū or Waipiʻo Valley.
Yelp: The Fish and the Hog
37. Waimanu Valley (Muliwai Trail)
Waimanu Valley is a renowned backpacking trip not just on the Big Island, but all of Hawaiʻi, as the Muliwai Trail that connects Waipiʻo to Waimanu Valley is far less popular than the famed Kalalau Trail on Kauaʻi’s Nāpali Coast!
That said, access to the Muliwai Trail has unfortunately been caught in the crosshairs of the same restrictions as Waipiʻo Valley mentioned above, which is truly unfortunate considering the hike to Waimanu Valley was never the main issue in regard to the number of people visiting Waipiʻo Valley in years past.
Regardless of the situation, I still strongly believe the hassle of the shuttle is worth the reward, as Waimanu Valley is truly one of the most beautiful overnight adventures in all of Hawaiʻi!
Read My Separate Post: Muliwai Trail (Waimanu Valley)
My Print - Waimanu Valley
38. Ken’s House of Pancakes (Hilo)
Ken’s House of Pancakes is truly a quintessential small-town breakfast diner, from its corner location in downtown Hilo to its amazing pancakes, omelets, and loco mocos!
All that to say, Ken’s has always been one of my favorite go-to spots when I’m looking for something great to eat early in the morning before driving up to spend a full day exploring Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park!
Yelp: Ken’s House of Pancakes
39. Big Island Lūʻau
A lūʻau in Hawaiʻi is one of those things where there’s no non-touristy way around it!
That said, I hope this list has provided a number of great recommendations to consider because, if so, I don’t recommend leaving Hawaiʻi without enjoying a nice night out at one of the lūʻaus listed below, which are available in several locations, including Kailua-Kona and Waimea.
40. Kahaualeʻa Trail
Distance (Roundtrip): 7.6 miles / 12.2 km
The Kahaualeʻa Trail is certainly a unique adventure, to say the least, as the seldom-trafficked trail traverses one of the densest rainforests on the Big Island until it abruptly exits the forest at the end of the hike, where it meets a number of converging lava flows from decades past near Puʻu ʻŌʻŌ!
After writing all this, I need to make it clear that I’m not including the Kahaualeʻa Trail on this list as a recommendation, but to clear up any curiosity about the trail.
I say this because curiosity is exactly why I decided to hike Kahaualeʻa on one visit to the Big Island, and it’s why I wanted to say that if you are also curious like I was, I recommend reading my thoughts about the Kahaualeʻa Trail at the beginning of my separate article linked below.
Read My Separate Post: Kahaualeʻa Trail
What NOT to Do When Visiting Hawaiʻi!
Don’t ever leave bags or anything valuable visible in your car.
Treat the Big Island like you would any city, and you will be fine. I say this because smash-and-grab incidents do occur in Hawaiʻi—especially to vehicles that are obviously rentals.
It’s unfortunate, but some of my favorite beaches and trailheads have glass all over the parking lot because people just don’t understand this.
Do your best to avoid looking like a tourist.
This is a hard one, but hear me out. I’m recommending a number of local things in this blog that will potentially take you to parts of the island where you don’t want to stand out, which ties back to my number one under this section—tourists are easy, vulnerable targets for crime and petty theft.
So, how do you avoid looking like a tourist? Don’t make your rental car look like a rental car. Don’t have your rental full of suitcases, beach toys, and towels that you just got from the ABC store. In addition, take any rental car stickers/ logos off the side of the car. I’ve seen rentals with stickers over the door seals to show that it has been through enhanced cleaning.
I’m really just trying to come up with things that come to my mind when I can obviously spot a visitor.
Never leave your belongings unattended on the beach.
Walking away from your belongings on the beach is one of the most common ways that valuables—like phones, wallets, keys, cameras, and even passports—are stolen in Hawaiʻi.
If everyone in your group wants to go swimming, at least one person needs to remain behind at all times to ensure the safety of your belongings.
Do NOT approach or harass Hawaiʻi’s native wildlife.
Common sense goes a long way in Hawaiʻi, but a blatant disregard for right and wrong when it comes to wildlife in the islands—such as touching the endemic and endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal, Sea Turtles, and Nesting Shorebirds, or destroying native plants—has led and will continue to lead to legal trouble for visitors in Hawaiʻi.
This is all to say: feel free to stop, take photos, and enjoy the wildlife you encounter, but do so from a distance. NOAA and Hawaiʻi’s Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) recommend maintaining at least 10 ft. (3 m) of distance from Sea Turtles and 50 ft. (15.2 m) from Monk Seals.
There are strict penalties for ignoring these laws, and visitors have been tracked down and prosecuted because of social media posts in the past.
Native Hawaiian Plants on Hawaiʻi Island
I wanted to include this last section on this post because this is a subject that’s personal to me.
The native plant biodiversity in Hawaiʻi is insane, and I say this because 90% of the native plants that you will see around the islands are found nowhere else on Earth, which I mention for two reasons.
The first is that I ask that you please do everything you can to minimize your impact on Hawaiʻi’s trails, as many native plants across the islands at risk of extinction. The second is that if you have a personal interest in the subject or may be curious about something that you found, I wrote a separate post entirely about native Hawaiian plants, which hopefully can help to identify anything that you might be curious about!
For example, this species in the photo below can only be found on the Island of Hawaiʻi and nowhere else on Earth!
Read My Separate Post: Native Hawaiian Plant Guide
Visiting Other Islands
If you are heading to another island, check out some of my personal recommendations for Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, Molokai, and Lānaʻi in my separate posts.
If you’re trying to decide which island is right for your visit, check out my overview about each island in the post below.
Read My Separate Post: What is the Best Hawaiian Island to Visit?
