Hawaii (Big Island) Things to Do

  Dragonfruit and mangoes
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  • Dragonfruit and mangoes
      Dragonfruit and mangoes
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      Road blocked by lava from helicopter
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  •   Scuba Diving and Snorkeling
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      Painted Church
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Most Viewed Things to Do in Hawaii (Big Island)

301.

Volcanoes National Park   Kailua-Kona

Volcanoes National Park, Kailua-Kona

 10 Reviews  A great place for backpacking in Hawaii is Volcano National Park and specifically the Puna Trail. If you look wilderness snorkeling I suggest looking at Halape Iki and Keauhou Landing. Keauhou Landing... 

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302.

Waterfalls   Hilo

Waterfalls, Hilo

 17 Reviews  A waterfall located in Hilo, Hawaii. It is 80 ft (24 m) tall and almost 100 ft (30 m) in diameter. At Rainbow Falls, the Wailuku River rushes into a large pool below. The gorge is blanketed by lush,... 

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303.

Chain of Craters Road   Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Chain of Craters Road, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

 25 Reviews  If to take Chain of Craters Road all the way to the end, it is about 18 miles long. Though we didn’t take every stop nor hike any trails, it took us almost 1.5 hours to reach the end. Here are our... 

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304.

Hiking thru the rain forest   Volcano

Hiking thru the rain forest, Volcano

 2 Reviews  This is a short hike that brings you to the bottom of the Kilauea Iki Crater. You will descent via stairs (ccw) or path in to the crater (cw). This depends which way round you go. At the bottom follow... 

 See All 12 Things to Do in Volcano

305.

Beaches   Kailua-Kona

Beaches, Kailua-Kona

 8 Reviews  This is my overview of the North Kona/Kohala beaches. Spencer Beach. This was a rather mundane looking beach. The water was clear but not turquoise. The water appeared to be protected and there was... 

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306.

Tropical Botanical Gardens   Hilo

Tropical Botanical Gardens, Hilo

 5 Reviews  This might not be the place for the 'younger' crowd, but if you like flowers, plants, trees and wonderful views of the ocean and waterfall then this is the place for you. There's lots of signs about... 

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307.

Lava Flows   Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Lava Flows, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

 24 Reviews  At the "end" of Chain of Craters Road, you get an excellent opportunity to walk on lava. Continue 1/4 mile (500 meters) past the roadblock, over uneven lava. Be sure to stay on the marked path, as... 

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308.

Scuba Diving and Snorkeling   Kailua-Kona

Scuba Diving and Snorkeling, Kailua-Kona

 15 Reviews  We took Body Glove's Deluxe Snorkel and Dolphin Morning Adventure. The cruise is aboard Body Glove's boat, Kanoa II. The boat has 2 levels, both with shaded and unshaded areas. The bottom level had... 

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309.

Big Island Candies Factory   Hilo

Big Island Candies Factory, Hilo

 3 Reviews  Another fun thing to do when you are out sightseeing is to go by the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Visitors center. Go south on Hwy 11 about 5 miles, turn at sign,it is 2 1/2 miles off the highway. You see... 

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310.

Crater Rim Road   Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Crater Rim Road, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

 15 Reviews  There are two main roads in the park. This is one of them - the Crater Rim Drive takes you along a portion of the summit caldera (large pit crater) of Kilauea. The road starts at Kilauea Visitor... 

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311.

Ali'i Drive   Kailua-Kona

Ali'i Drive, Kailua-Kona

 7 Reviews  Most of the action seems to be on Alii drive. It is the main street for shopping, eating, and people watching. Walk along the harbor seawall, note the marked finish line for the annual Ironman... 

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312.

Helicopter Rides   Hilo

Helicopter Rides, Hilo

 4 Reviews  We did this as a young family including a 3 and 5 year old. We did everything there was to do on the Big Island over the course of 9 days and this was "hands-down" the most awesome! And it's... 

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313.

Kilauea Crater   Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Kilauea Crater, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

 13 Reviews  There are several places along Crater Rim Drive where you can view the Kilauea Crater. From Visitors Center, walk across the street and past Volcano House to the short trail to Caldera Overlook. Since... 

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314.

Black Sand Beach   Kailua-Kona

Black Sand Beach, Kailua-Kona

 6 Reviews  Since a lot of the sand on this side of the island is lava based (basalt) you will find many areas with black sand. It is a beautiful difference from the white sand that you would normally see at most... 

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315.

Lili'uokalani Gardens   Hilo

Lili'uokalani Gardens, Hilo

 5 Reviews  On Banyan Drive, right next to the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, there is a quanit Japanese garden, dedicated to Queen Lili'uokalani, who loved gardens. This offered a nice, short stroll from the hotel (about... 

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316.

Halemaumau Crater   Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Halemaumau Crater, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

 5 Reviews  On the top of Kilauea is the Halema'uma'u Crater, the best view of which is at the Halema'uma'u Overlook, about halfway around the Crater Rim Road from the Park entrance. An additional depression in... 

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317.

Waterfalls   Kailua-Kona

Waterfalls, Kailua-Kona

 5 Reviews  Diving 420 feet before crashing in a thunderous roar, Akaka Falls is surely an awesome sight to be hold. The grounds around the majestic waterfalls is covered by an impossibly lush layer of ferns.... 

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318.

Hula Festival   Hilo

Hula Festival, Hilo

 2 Reviews  Every year in April, Hilo becomes over run with hula fanatics from around the globe. Some cities honor potatoes, chili, raspberries, tofu, or even bull testicles. Hilo honors hula for a week. The... 

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319.

Helicopter Tours   Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Helicopter Tours, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

 4 Reviews  I understand that there used to be helicopter tours right from the park, but they are no longer available as there were safety concerns. The tour I booked from the cruise ship left from the Hilo... 

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320.

Island Tours   Kailua-Kona

Island Tours, Kailua-Kona

 17 Reviews  Although we did not do this, I have friends that have and highly recommended it. Needless to say, I chickened out due to high winds. They fly over scenery not visible by car such as active volcanoes,... 

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321.

Banyan Drive   Hilo

Banyan Drive, Hilo

 1 Review  Banyan Drive See the Banyan Trees that Fannie Hurst and Amelia Earhart planted in the 1930's Walk or bike around the peninsula Play golf! Walk to Coconut Island Take a horse carriage ride See a... 

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322.

Ohia Lehua trees   Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Ohia Lehua trees, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

 3 Reviews  Along the way you'll find many types of plants that only grow around the volcano area. The main plant in the area is known as the Ohia Lehua flower. The legend is, if you pick one, it will rain. The... 

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323.

Churches   Kailua-Kona

Churches, Kailua-Kona

 10 Reviews  Going back to the 1840's the small wooden church more commonly known as the Painted Church is a nice piece of history. It is famous for its rare internal paint scheme. While it does require a car to... 

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324.

Thurston Lava Tube   Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Thurston Lava Tube, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

 7 Reviews  When we first arrived at Thurston Lava Tube, it was filled with cars and tour buses and no parking so we went to Chain of Crater Road first. When we returned to the lava tube, there was much less... 

 See All 112 Things to Do in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

325.

Pu'uhonua o Honaunau   Kailua-Kona

Pu'uhonua o Honaunau, Kailua-Kona

 7 Reviews  Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park is a must see when you are in this area. It is located 20 miles south of Kailua-Kona. The park service has tried to restore this refuge to the way it... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Captian Zodiac Rafting and Snorkeling Adventure

by peterd1331

The Captain Zodiac Adventure raft and snorkeling expedition was by far the most fun thing i did on the island of hawaii. You get to take a navy seal style pontoon raft at 30-40 mph out to argueably the best snorkeling spot in all of the islands for a beautiful snorkel. You get to see the lava tubes up close and the spinner dolphins and sometimes whales too!DIRECTIONS:Captain Zodiac is located in the Honokohau Marina and small boat harbor located approximately 5 miles south of the Kona Airport (3rd traffic light) and approximately 2 miles north of the town of Kailua-Kona ( 2nd traffic light). The harbor entrance (Kealakehe Street) can be found by looking for a sign on the highway marked "HONOKOHAU MARINA" between mile markers 97 and 98. After turning onto Kealakehe Street make your first right and look for a mall with a blue tile roof. Our office is the first in the mall on the right.

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Kaumana Cave

by Gypsystravels

The island is peppered with many caves, lava tubes and waterfalls. If you venture out a bit you can discover some of the most beautiful scenery in all of Hawaii. We decided to see what the Kaumana Cave was all about. Though quite small, the cave does have some interesting lava formations.

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Driving Rt. 19

by Gypsystravels

We rented a car to take the drive along the scenic Rt. 19 . We stopped along the way to view some beautiful lava tubes flowing with water along to the way to Kaimana Caves, Akaka Falls and then on to Volcanoes National Park. The route is a short one but a good way to get off the highway and see the beautiful coast line.

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Ka Lae: Southernmost Point in the USA

by sarams

I enjoy "extreme" points, so when I got the chance to see the southernmost point in the US, I took the opportunity. From Kailua-Kona, I drove south for about an hour on Highway 11. (I was advised not to take this road after dark, and after driving it in the daytime, I can see why: I felt like I was riding a roller coaster after awhile!).If you have a rental car, the best you can do is park at a scenic overlook just past Manuka State Park. From there, you get a nice view of the south coast and of Ka Lae itself. A few miles beyond, you come to the Na'alehu lava flow. From there, you can take a very rough road south to Ka Lae. Note that this road is recommended only for 4-wheel drive vehicles, and that rental cars are explicitly prohibited from driving on it. If you're a hard-core hiker, you can also hike down to Ka Lae, but I had nowhere near enough time (or stamina ;) to do it.

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Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site

by sarams

This is a nice place to go walking. It can get rather hot, so be sure to bring plenty of drinking water with you. It can be hard to try and follow the 'self-guided' tour from the pamphlet at the visitor's center (for example, if you turn right to go up the hill past the temple, this will lead you onto a path leaving the park). But all in all, it is a great place to go walking even if you do end up outside the park because there is a lot to take in. I clearly only got a small taste of this historic site. Spencer Beach Park is right next to this historic site, so if you want to relax on a beach right after you take a walk here, you can.The site is open daily 7:30 AM - 4 PM. Admission is free. Guided tours for groups of 10 or more are available; cost is $2 per person.

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Kaloko-Honokahau National Historical Park

by sarams

This is a good place to go walking, look at brightly-colored (and not so brightly-colored) birds, enjoy flowering bushes, and try to find sea-life at the water's edge. I hoped to see some sea turtles here (I feel sure many have), but I was not this lucky. But I was only able to spend a short time here since I had to go catch my plane back home. I intentionally put this national historical park as my last thing to do since it is so close to the airport, but I ended up not giving myself enough time to fully enjoy this park. I wish I had more time to spend here, but I suppose that's a common refrain in Hawaii... Opening hours are daily 8 AM - 5 PM. Admission is free.

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Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Park

by Jim_Eliason

The Kaloko NHP preserves the remains of a traditional Hawaiian village, temple (heiau) and fishponds. It also has an excellent beach although swimming is discouraged as the waters are considered sacred to native hawaiians. Most of the sites are quite a hike away from the visitor's center and parking lot across Volcanic rock so bring good shoes and water. The beach is a great place to spot sea turtles.

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The Painted Church

by Jim_Eliason

St Benedict's Church is known as the painted church. It was established in 1899 by a Catholic priest from Belgium who had the walls painted with biblical scenes to help his congregation most of who couldn't read to understand the stories preached.

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Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site

by Jim_Eliason

This temple of war was built in 1791 by King Kamehameha I, the first Hawaiian king to extend his rule over all the islands. Right now the temple, itself, is closed due to earthquake damage but it still makes a good hiking sight. In the bay below reef sharks can often be seen.

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Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park

by Jim_Eliason

This was a place of refugee where ancient Hawaiians could escape to and live if they were banished from their own district or if they were sentenced to death and could make it here they would be safe and recieve sanctuary. However once they made it here they could never leave. On the sight are preserved temples and village walls along with recreated houses. This is also a great place to see honu (sea turtles).

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Fun things to do in Hawaii (Big Island)

Top 3 Hotels in Hawaii (Big Island)

Royal Kona Resort  Kailua-Kona

 5 Reviews and 888 Opinions  The hotel room I had, had a balcony. When I looked to the right, I had a view to the ocean. 

 Hotels in Kailua-Kona

Castle Hilo Hawaiian Hotel  Hilo

 5 Reviews and 606 Opinions  I have traveled to the Hilo side of the island several times this past year. I found an unexpected... 

 Hotels in Hilo

Volcano House Hotel  Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

 5 Reviews and 150 Opinions  When we were here, this hotel was closed for remodeling. It might have needed it - my sister visited... 

 Hotels in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

273 Hotels in Hawaii (Big Island)
 
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Reviews and photos of Hawaii (Big Island) attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Hawaii (Big Island) sightseeing.

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Things to Do: Cities in Hawaii (Big Island)
  1. Kailua-Kona Things to Do
  2. Hilo Things to Do
  3. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Things to Do
  4. Pahoa Things to Do
  5. Volcano Things to Do
  6. Puako Things to Do
  7. Waipio Things to Do
  8. Captain Cook Things to Do
  9. Anaehoomalu Things to Do
  10. Waimea Things to Do
  11. Kaupulehu Things to Do
  12. Kawaihae Things to Do
  13. Naalehu Things to Do
  14. Kukuihaele Things to Do
  15. Akaka Falls State Park Things to Do
  16. Punaluu Things to Do
  17. Hawi Things to Do
  18. Ninole Things to Do
  19. Hawaii, Island of Things to Do
  20. Honokaa Things to Do
  21. Kealakekua Things to Do
  22. Keauhou Things to Do
  23. Honomu Things to Do
  24. Papaikou Things to Do

More Cities in Hawaii (Big Island)

 

Questions and Answers

cmillard profile photo

Q:  Hi guys, I notice 2 choices for flights from Maui to Kona. Hawaiian Airlines or Island Air. Is one better than the other?... 

Odinnthor profile photo

A: Aloha nui.....d:o) Hawaiian Airlines is a large carrier with large airplanes, whereas Island Air uses small aircraft (Dash 8), with only 37 seats. I am a small... 

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