What To Do On The Big Island, Hawaii

A list of what to do on the Big Island of Hawaii to have an amazing vacation.

We just back from a phenomenal trip to Hawaii! We visited both the Big Island and Kauai on this trip, however, we have also previously visited Oahu twice. You can find a post about Oahu here.

The Big Island of Hawaii is, well, big. If you are wanting to explore the whole island just know that you will be driving a lot, but it is so worth it! Another option is to spend a couple of days on one side of the island and then change hotels to the other side of the island. We did not do that – we spent six nights at Royal Kona Resort on the west coast.

Below you will find the list of what to do on the Big Island of Hawaii organized depending on the area of the island.

South

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

The number one thing to do on the island is to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and hopefully the volcano will be active. The best time to see active lava or the lava glow is before sunrise or after sunset.

There are several spots to see the lava – I highly recommend visiting the National Park website to see if the volcano is active and where you can currently see the lava.

We arrived at the park before sunrise and chose to see the lava glow from the Keanakākoʻi viewing spot which is about a 1-mile hike one way from the Devastation Trail parking area. Please note that this hike is relatively long, unlit, and over areas with earth cracks – make sure to bring a good flashlight (cell phone flashlights are not sufficient), water, and warm clothes.

Other currently good lava glow viewpoints include Kilauea overlook point, Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluff), the Volcano House, and Waldron Ledge.

Other areas inside the national park that are worth visiting:

Thurston Lava Tube which is a 1/3 mile walk through a tree fern forest and an illuminated cave-like lava tube.

Chain of Craters Road takes you from the park entrance past many scenic points and volcanic craters all the way down to the ocean.

Holei Arch which is a lava rock formation is at the end of the Chain of Craters Road.

Punaluu Black Sand Beach

During our visit in March, the waves were really large, so we did not swim here. However, we did wade in the water, play in the black sand, and spotted tons of sea turtles swimming in the water. There was also a couple sea turtles on shore during our visit. All of us loved Punaluu Black Sand Beach and I highly recommend stopping for a visit. There is a parking lot, restrooms, a lifeguard, and showers available.

Punalu‘u Bake Shop

We stopped at Punalu‘u Bake Shop also known as the southern-most bakery in the United States for lunch and their malasadas. Malasadas are fried dough that is either rolled in sugar or filled and they are amazing! Their lunch and coffee are also delicious!

West

Kahaluu Beach Park

I cannot tell you how much all of us loved Kahaluu Beach Park. We loved it so much we went back a second day. This small beach allows you to step right off the beach and into the water which is filled with fish and if you are lucky sea turtles. The waters were calm enough for snorkeling and the water is fairly shallow. The parking lot will fill up – I highly recommend arriving before 9 am or you may have to circle the parking lot. There are restrooms, a lifeguard, and showers available.

We were limited on time and since we really loved Kahaluu Beach Park and went back a second day we did not visit any other beaches on this side of the island, but there are several to choose from that have been recommended:

Hapuna Beach State Park is one of the best beaches in the United States with 1/2 mile of soft, white sand. There are restrooms, a lifeguard, and showers available. However, there is an entrance fee and parking fee.

Waialea Beach usually offers good snorkeling with some sandy and rocky beach. This beach also charges non-residents.

Maniniowali Beach and Mahaiula Beach are located at Kekaha Kai State Park. The road to the beaches can be a bit rough.

Swim with Manta Rays at Night

I highly recommend taking a snorkeling tour to swim with manta rays at night with Anelakai Adventures. During our tour the manta rays were so close to us in the water and they are massive (up to 16 ft wingspan). What we really loved about our trip with Anelakai Adventures was the small tour size and that we paddled a double-hull canoe out to the site making this tour eco-friendly, different, and fun!

East

Rainbow Falls

Located in Hilo, Rainbow Falls is a quick stop where you can see the waterfall from the parking lot. While you are almost certain to see a rainbow in the mist, we were not so lucky.

Carlsmith Beach Park

Located on the south side of Hilo, the Carlsmith Beach Park offers beautiful, calm, shallow turquoise water flanked with lava rock. This is a good spot to snorkel and swim. We also saw several turtles here in the water and onshore. There are restrooms, a lifeguard, and showers available.

Akaka Falls

Take the loop trail for a short walk through banyan trees and Hawaii foliage and for a dramatic approach to Akaka Falls. This is a state park, so you do have to pay an entrance fee and parking fee.