Looking for the best things to do on the Big Island Hawaii? The Island of Hawaii is filled to the brim with unique adventures, including Volcanoes National Park, black and green sand beaches, seeing black volcanic rock landscapes, snowy alpine summits with stargazing, waterfalls, and it's one of the few places on earth you can swim with manta rays. This diverse island is pure magic and one of the most interesting places you'll ever visit. This list covers 20+ things to do on this wonderful island, I've been lucky to visit three times, once with my kids.
Are you traveling to Hawaii? Check out my Hawaii Travel Page, which includes travel tips for all of the islands, my Top 20 Favorite Moments from the Big Island, and my guide to the Hilton Waikaloa Village, our favorite place to stay.
Best Things to Do on the Big Island Hawaii
Wondering what the best things are to do on the Big Island Hawaii? This island is bigger than all of the other Hawaiian islands combined and is filled with interesting and unique things to do. The island of Hawaii is often referred to as the Big Island or Hawaii Island, to differentiate it from the rest of the state. It's HUGE, covering 63% of the entire land mass of Hawaii. It's also still home to an active volcano, which is currently creating new land and getting bigger. You might be a bit overwhelmed in planning your trip due to the size and logistics of visiting an island that can take up to three hours to drive across.
My love for this state runs deep; I even got married on Maui, and have been to the islands five times. I've been to the Big Island of Hawaii three times, including once with kids, and I'm sharing our favorite things we've done over the years.
All About the Big Island
The Big Island, Hawaii, is truly a magical place, unlike any other place on earth. The landscape is a crazy mix of rocky black lava, lush rainforests, and beautiful multi-colored sand beaches. The island has everything from beautiful sandy beaches to one of the tallest mountain peaks in the world, where it can even snow. Adventure is everywhere. Part of the island, the Hilo side, is lush and green, and the other side, the Kona side, still has cooled black lava beds in the landscape. You can explore everything from the Volcanoes' National Park, where you can see an active volcano, gorgeous waterfalls, see kona coffee being grown, snorkel with dolphins and sea turtles, and it's even one of the few places on earth where you can night swim with giant, gentle manta rays. You can even go whale watching and spot Humpback whales from November to April. This unique destination needs to be added to any nature lover's bucket list.
I suggest renting a car and getting the Hawaii The Big Island Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook. It's an amazing resource to tour the island yourself, and I've used all of his books to plan my Hawaii trips. He covers nearly 300 pages of adventures, but here are, in my opinion, the best things to do on the Big Island, Hawaii. You need to add these things to your itinerary.
What is the Big Island most known for? What is the #1 thing to do in Big Island, Hawaii?
The #1 thing to do on the Big Island of Hawaii is visit the Volcanoes National Park. This huge park is one you could explore in a day or take an entire week to see it all. It's one of the few places you can see an active volcano, lava tubes, and the constantly changing landscape it brings. It's a remarkable place and is worth a visit when you come. My list of the best things to do in the Big Island of Hawaii starts with that, but I've also included the other things we have simply loved to do, that you can't miss.
20 Best Things to Do on the Big Island Hawaii
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
The Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is the #1 thing to do on the Big Island of Hawaii because of its remarkable views of Kilauea, including drive-up or hiking options. It's one of the most active volcanoes in the world that you can actually see. It's mind-blowing to see the red fire and smoke come out of the land, knowing it is creating a new earth. It's simply fascinating. You can visit for a day or spend a week exploring all of the interesting hikes and adventures in this part of the island. Start any trip to Volcanoes National Park with a trip to the visitors center, where they will give you maps and the most up-to-date information on what is happening in the park, which is constantly changing. You can either hike or explore the volcano crater's rim by car, using the 11-mile Chain of Craters Road loop to do the Crater Rim Drive.
We've flown over in a helicopter, taken a guided tour bus to see, and most recently driven there ourselves with our 6-year-old twins and explored on our own. All three ways are great ways to see it. With kids, I suggest driving yourself, so you can do it at your own pace. If you only have a few days on the Big Island, the helicopter tour might be worth your time and money because visiting takes at least an entire day out of the trip, if not more.
The kids were fascinated by the steam vents, where hot air was constantly coming out of the ground.
We even hiked the Devastation Trail to the spot where the volcano was erupting just the next day.
And when we visited years ago, we actually saw glowing smoke coming out of the volcano at night. It's a constantly changing and fascinating place that is worth the drive to go and see.
Either bring a picnic in or stop at the Volcano House or Volcano Village Lodge for food.
Thurston Lava Tube
The Thurston Lava Tube is technically part of the Volcanoes National Park, but it's such a cool thing to do on the Big Island of Hawaii that I gave it its own spot on my list. It was formed by 2,000-degree Fahrenheit lava flows nearly 500 years ago. The tube is a circular hole in the ground where the lava cooled and cleared out. This was completely made by the volcano.
The hike is part of the Nahuku trail and a really fun, easy hike that most people, including kids, can do. You get to walk through the lava tube, which is super fascinating.
Manta Ray Tour
One of the most unique and best things to do on the Big Island of Hawaii is to swim, snorkel, or dive with the manta rays. There are three spots around the Big Island near the Kona side where they consistently feed at night, and taking a tour gives you a 90% chance of being able to swim with them.
There are many tours, big and small, but we took a small boat tour around the manta ray feeding area. You get in the water with a guide and hold onto a raft with your group. Bright lights are projected down into the water to attract plankton, which in turn brings the manna rays right under you to feed. They literally come right up next to you and do barrel rolls.
We were even able to get our 6-year-old twins to do this, and it was one of the most remarkable things any of us has done. I can't recommend this simply magical experience enough.
Akaka Falls, Rainbow Falls
The Big Island of Hawaii also has some gorgeous waterfalls to explore. The two most visited are Rainbow Falls and Akaka Falls, which are both near the Hilo side of the island. Asaka Falls plunges 442 feet and you can reach it by an easy .4 mile hiking trail.
Rainbow Falls is another gorgeous nearby option where the 80-foot waterfall often produces its own rainbow, most often in the morning.
Black Sand Beach
Due to the active volcano on the Big Island, it's one of the few places on earth with black and green sand beaches. The most popular Black Sand Beach to see is Punaluu Black Sands Beach, which is just 35 minutes from the volcano, making it a great addition to your day trip to see the volcano.
It's a stunning beach, where you will most likely spot sea turtles. Due the rocks and current, it's not a great place to swim, but it is gorgeous to see and take photos.
The Big Island is also home to one of only four green sand beaches in the world. The beach is in the southern tip of the island in the Ka'u district and is green thanks to olivine sand. It's a bit harder to get to, in fact you have to hike 2.5 miles each way, but if you are adventurous, where else can you see that?
Helicopter Tour
Due to the size of the Big Island, a helicopter tour is one of the best things to do on the Big Island, Hawaii. They are expensive, but if you are short on time, it's a great way to see the island from the sky, including the volcano and waterfalls on the Kohala Coast. We did this on our first trip to the Big Island, where we were only there a few days, and it was a wonderful way to understand how the lava was constantly changing the landscape. We also created a great history lesson and saw some gorgeous waterfalls.
Explore the Hilton Waikaloa Lagoon
One of our personal favorite things to do on the Big Island of Hawaii, is explore the Hilton Waikaloa Lagoon. This lagoon is fed by the ocean and has sea life that is free to come and go.
We have stayed there twice and loved it. But even if you aren't staying, you can buy a day pass to explore the property, which is a wonderful way to spend a day. Check out my Hilton Waikaloa Village Review and Resort Guide here.
We saw dozens of turtles daily and were able to snorkel, swim, kayak, and paddleboard around it. We also saw all sorts of tropical fish, a spotted ray, and our boys were able to easily become snorkeling experts here, in a bit safer and controlled location, before we did some snorkeling in open waters later in our trip. It was so magical and we had so much fun here.
Swim with Dolphins
Another really fun thing to do on The Big Island is actually to swim with dolphins. The Hilton Waikaloa Village is home to a dolphin habitat, where you can get in the water and interact with them. I was lucky to do this when we visited the Big Island years ago.
Here's the Hub's and I! I knew that when I went back with the kids, I had to take them to do this.
In our latest trip, our twins got to do the encounter too and learned so much about dolphins, touched them, and interacted with them. They are still talking about it, and this is one of the best things to do in the Big Island, Hawaii.
Sunset or Star Gazing at Mauna Kea Volcano
The Mauna Kea Observatory offers a remarkable place to watch the sunset from above the clouds. They also offer late-night stargazing toursat the summit of muna kea with some of the remarkable stargazing views you'll see. The summit is about 13,800 feet high from the ocean and nearly 33,000 feet from sea level; it's one of the tallest peaks in the world. It can be cold year-round, so if you plan to do this, bring cold-weather clothes.
Get Kona Coffee
One of the best things to do on the Big Island of Hawaii is get Kona coffee. Coffee is one of the island's major agricultural products and is famously grown in the hillsides over Kona. The beautiful mountains are filled with big and small coffee farms you can tour. Hawaii is the only place in the United States where coffee is grown.
You can visit these, taste, and buy your favorite coffee. It's such a fun and unique thing to do on the Big Island.
Snorkel Kealakekua Bay and the Captain Cook Monument
Kealakakua Bay is a gorgeous spot that serves as a marine sanctuary. It's a great spot for kayaking, snorkeling, and seeing dolphins. On our first trip, we took a boat tour here to snorkel and see dolphins, which was amazing. It's also historically significant, as it is the place where explorer James Cook died.
Beach Hop
While the Big Island of Hawaii doesn't have as many beaches as some of the other Hawaiian islands, this is still a great place to beach hop and explore. A few of the best beaches are A Bay, Two-Step, Kahalu'u Beach Park, Hapuna Beach, and Manini'owali Beach. You can find white sand beaches on the island.
Explore Kailua-Kona
Kailua-Kona is the most touristy oceanfront town on the island and a great home base for exploring the Kona Coast.. It's really cute and worth exploring for the waterfront shops, restaurants, and bars.
We spent one afternoon exploring here before our Manta Ray tour, and it was a great way to see the cute town.
Enjoy a Luau
If you are visiting Hawaii for the first time, you have to try a Laua. The Big Island Lauas are lots of fun, giving you a taste of Hawaiian food, culture, and dancing. A few of the more popular ones are Legends of Hawaii Luau, Voyagers of the Pacific Luau, and Island Breeze Luau. Yes, it's cheesy, but it's also so fun with gorgeous dancing, food, and tropical cocktails.
Hilo Farmer's Market
There are lots of fabulous farmers' markets on The Big Island, but visiting the huge Hilo Farmers Market is one of the best things to do in The Big Island, Hawaii. Located in downtown Hilo, the market feels very local and authentic, with vendors selling fresh produce, fruits, vegetables, homemade goods, and more.
We even had one of the best meals we had on the island there! Don't miss the Farmer's Market Kitchen when you go.
Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Garden
These botanical gardens near Hilo are one of the best things to do in Hawaii. It's a gorgeous spot for plant and nature lovers where you'll see 1800 species of tropical flowers, plants, orchids, butterflies, and a waterfall. The views are beautiful and worth the visit.
Eat Poke & Shave Ice
You can't visit the Big Island of Hawaii without eating two of its most famous foods, Shave Ice and Poke! We just love trying to pick our favorites. The best shave ice has a scoop of ice cream at the bottom.
Waipi'o Valley Lookout
Waipi'o Lookout is one of the most beautiful spots on the Big Island, and due to its historical significance, it is worth seeing. The valley has steep walls on the sides, lush green land, gorgeous coastline, and waterfalls around the sides. It's the place where ancient Hawaiians chose new kings and where they often lived. Up to a few years ago, you could take a tour down into the valley by 4-wheel drive truck, horseback, or on foot, but they have shut down the road due to unsafe conditions. If you are in this part of the island, though, it's worth a quick stop to see even from the lookout.
Watch the Sunset
There is nothing like a sunset on an island, and watching the sunset is one of the best things to do on the Big Island of Hawaii. On the West Coast, the island is full of stunning spots to watch the sunset. This one is from the KPC Restaurant at the Hilton Waikaloa Village.
We make a point to see as many of them as possible on our tips, and it's worth it every time! Lava Lava Beach Club in Waikaloa is one of the favorite spots for locals and visitors. This open-air restauarnat is right on the sand and has epic views of the water.
Get Active
Another one of the best things to do on the Big Island, Hawaii, is to get active with activities like kayaking, horseback riding, or even riding ATVs. The mountains and varied terrain make this a great spot for doing more adventurous vacation activities. Some of the ones you can find on The Big Island are below.
- Ziplines
- Kayacking
- Horseback Riding
- ATV's
Best Things to Do on the Big Island Hawaii
There are so many wonderful things to include on this list of the Best Things to Do on the Big Island, Hawaii. Since the island is so big and diverse, this list could go on and on, but these are my favorites from my three magical trips to the island. I can't rave enough about visiting The Big Island on your trip to Hawai'i, simply because of the things you can do here that you can't do somewhere else, like see a volcano and swim with manta rays.
We adore the Big Island of Hawaii and can't wait to go back again. Even after three trips, I feel like there is more to explore!
Next week I'll be sharing our favorite restaurants on the island. If you want to read more from my Hawaii trips over the years, check out my Hawaii Travel Page.
Travel Guides for Hawaii:
- Top 20 Favorite Moments - The Big Island
- Hiton Waikoloa Village Resort Guide
- Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park
- Top 20 Favorite Moments Kauai
- Top 20 Favorite Moments - North Shore Kauai
- Kauai Na Pali Coast Hike
- Best Kauai Food
- Top 12 Things You Can't Miss in Kauai
- 10 Ways to Stay and Explore Wailea on a Budget
- Haleakalā Volcano Sunrise
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