10 Bucket List Things to do on The Big Island of Hawaii

Getting Around the Big Island

In order to get the most out of your trip to the Big Island, you’ll want to rent a car to explore. The island is huge and it can sometimes take 1 to 2 hours to get to where you’ll need to go. It is possible to drive around the whole island in one day in case you don’t want a car for your whole trip but to avoid being rushed, I recommend renting car for your whole trip or at least a few days. To make it most convenient, try to book your rental car from either the Kona or Hilo airport and pick it up first thing when your flight lands so you can get to exploring the Big Island right away!

Now, let’s dive in to everything to do on the Big Island!

1. Akaka Falls State Park

Akaka Falls is the most famous waterfall on the Big Island, and a must-visit when on the Hilo side of the island. The waterfall is located just a 25 minute drive from Hilo inside Akaka Falls Sate Park. Since the waterfall is inside a state park, there is a fee to enter.

To visit Akaka Falls, it costs $5 per person and $10 per car to park inside of the parking lot. If you prefer, you can try to find street parking for free outside of the park. If you park inside the parking lot, the hike is quick, just around 30 minutes round trip. On the hike, you follow the path through lush jungle and past a stream with smaller waterfalls until you reach the viewpoint of Akaka Falls at the end of the path.

I recommend going early in the morning to avoid crowds and the heat. Akaka Falls State Park is open everyday from 8:30 AM to 5 PM.

2. Rainbow Falls

If you’re looking to see a waterfall on the Big Island without having to do any hiking, head over to Rainbow Falls, which is also near Hilo. Rainbow Falls is an 80-foot waterfall just 7 minutes outside of downtown Hilo.

Rainbow Falls is a scenic viewpoint with no fee to view or park at the falls. You can park in the parking lot and walk directly up to the viewpoint of the falls.

Rainbow Falls gets it name because when you visit in the morning and the sun shines on the water, you can see a rainbow at the bottom of the waterfall!

3. Manta Ray Snorkeling

One of the top bucket list experiences you can have on the Big Island is snorkeling with manta rays. The Big Island is one of the only places in the world where you can have this experience! There are many night snorkel tours near Kona that you can book in order to get in the water with these magical creatures!

Every night boats will go out to Kauna’oa Bay and shine blue light in the water which attracts plankton. The manta rays then come up to feed on the plankton where you can watch the show below you in the water!

If swimming in the ocean at night isn’t your thing, head over to the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel to see the manta rays come up to their viewing deck outside the Manta restaurant at the resort!

4. Waipi’o Valley

Waipi’o Valley is considered sacred to Hawaiians because it was once home to Hawaiian Kings! Waipi’o Valley Lookout might be the most incredible viewpoint on the Big Island and overlooks one of the black sand beaches on the Big Island!

Waipi’o Valley is about an hour drive from Kona, Kohala Coast, and Hilo. This valley was one of my top favorite things to do on the Big Island and is a must when planning your trip!

5. Magic Sands Beach Park

Magic Sands is a white sand beach in Kona and is free to visit. The beach gets it’s name “Magic Sands” because a few times a year, the water will wash the sand away so that it completely disappears from the beach and exposes the lava rock underneath. This beach is small and can get pretty crowded so definitely come early! There is a paid parking lot across the street from the beach.

If you’re looking for lunch with a view, head over to Magic’s Beach Grill and sit on their patio for the perfect view of Magic Sands Beach!

6. Snorkeling Two-Step Beach & Captain Cook Monument

Captain Cook is about 20 minutes from Kona and has some of the best snorkeling on the Big Island. Kealakekua Bay and Honaunau Bay are both near the town of Captain Cook and both perfect spots for snorkeling.

If you want to do some free snorkeling on the Big Island, bring your own snorkel gear and head over to Two-Step Beach at Honaunau Bay for some of the most amazing snorkeling I’ve ever seen! There is a lava rock lined beach that drops off to a reef where you can swim with tons of tropical fish!

Just a few minutes up the road is which is home to Captain Cook Monument. Here, you can rent your own kayaks or paddle boards and paddle out to Captain Cook Monument to snorkel or you can book a snorkel tour! Aside from snorkeling with manta rays, Captain Cook Monument is one of the most popular snorkel tours on the Big Island!

7. Hilo Farmers Market

If you find yourself in the town of Hilo during your trip to the Big Island, head over to the Hilo Farmers Market! This is an absolute must thing to do on the Big Island and a great way to support the locals on your trip.

At the farmers market you’ll find tons of fresh fruit, fruit juices, coconut water from a fresh coconut and freshly baked banana and mango breads! In addition to fresh food from the island you can browse items from local artists and clothing brands.

Before you leave, make sure to grab lunch and some shaved ice from one of the food trucks!

8. Kona Brewing

If you’re looking for somewhere to eat in Kona with good food, good drinks, live music, and a fun atmosphere, check out Kona Brewing! I loved the tropical vibe of this brewery and it was one of my favorite places we ate on the Big Island!

Kona Brewing has indoor and outdoor seating and had live music on the patio the night I went! I loved the Margherita Pizza and banana-flavored beer! The brewery is not located on Ali’i Drive but it’s only about a 5 minute drive away! One thing I love about Hawaii is the fruity flavored beers on each island!

9. Volcanos National Park

Volcanos National Park is one of 2 national parks in Hawaii and it’s located right here on the Big Island! The national park is around a 1.5 hour drive from Kona and Hilo and there are tours you can take to Volcanos if you decided not to have a rental car.

Volcanos National Park is a must thing to do on the Big Island as it is home to 2 of the world’s most active volcanos, Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Did you know there is a total of 15 Hawaii volcanoes and six of them are located on the Big Island?!

Here you can hike a volcano, see the lava fields, and explore the lava tubes. The entrance fee to the park is $30 per car or $15 per person if you are not driving a car into the park. The Visitor Center is open every day from 9 am to 5 pm.

10. See Black Sand & Green Sand Beaches

It’s no secret that Hawaii has some of the most unique beaches in the world, and some of the best are found here on the Big Island! The Big Island is home to several black sand beaches and one green sand beach which one of only 4 in the whole world!

While the Big Island has several black sand beaches, the most popular one is Punalu’u Black Sand Beach. About 1.5 hours from Kona and Hilo. In my opinion, this is the #1 beach you HAVE to see when visiting the Big Island. This beach is also a popular spot for sea turtles and a great spot for snorkeling. There’s also a picnic area at this beach so its the perfect spot to pack a lunch or have dinner and watch the sunset.

The green sand beach, Papakolea is a bout a 40 minute drive from Punalu’u, so you can see both on the same day. The green sand beach does require a hike, which is around 5.5 miles round trip.

FAQ

What is the #1 thing to do on the Big Island?

As mentioned in this travel guide, a few of the top things to do on the Big Island are Volcanoes National Park, Manta Ray Snorkel Tours, sunset at Mauna Kea Summit, and black sand beaches.

How many days are needed on the Big Island?

Personally, I recommend spending at least a week on the Big Island due to the size and amount of things to do. However, if you are short on time, 4-5 days should be enough to hit all of the highlights! Any major Hawaii island that you visit will require AT LEAST 4 days to explore.

Things to do on the Big Island for free?

If you’re looking for free things to do on the Big Island and have your own snorkel gear, you can snorkel for free at Two-Step Beach in Captain Cook. You can also snorkel for free with the manta rays outside of Mauna Kea Beach Hotel! Rainbow Falls in Hilo is also a free waterfall you can visit!

What is the Big Island in Hawaii known for?

The Big Island is known for its volcanic landscapes, lava fields, unique beaches, lush jungle and waterfalls on the Hilo side of the island, and manta ray snorkel tours as the Big Island is one of the only places in the world that you can snorkel with manta rays!