The hubby and I returned from a wonderful 5-Day Hawaii Big Island Vacation earlier this Spring. We had been planning this trip for several years but with our busy schedules, we were never able to make the trip happen until earlier this year. In fact, one of my bucket list items was to witness active flowing lava from the famous volcanoes of Hawaii, but the eruption of Kīlauea Volcano in 2018 disrupted my plans. Now there is no more active lava. But we made do, and still got to witness the beautiful Big Island of Hawaii.
So get ready for the ultimate list of must-see sites if you ever visit the Big Island. We love enjoying nature sites and hikes, so you definitely won’t find any lounging by the pool/beach type of activities. This list may seem a bit long winded, so feel free to pick and choose from it to build your own custom Big Island itinerary. Just skip around using my Table of Contents below.
Kona, Big Island
We started our Hawaii Big Island Vacation in one of the two main cities on the Big Island. Kona is located on the West side of the island and is known for having dryer weather and rockier terrain. We were lucky enough to get a non-stop direct flight from California into the Kona International Airport. When we landed onto the island, the runway was literally paved over jagged black lava rock! Talk about a tropical island greeting you won’t forget, my eyes were glued to the window as we landed. I was mesmerized by the aqua blue ocean water right below us, and then suddenly the plane was touching down over palm trees and lava rocks, and finally over a paved runway!
Best Places to Stay in Kona, Hawaii
Sheraton Kona Resort
Sunset at the Sheraton 
Cliffs at the Sheraton 
Watching the Sunset
During our two night stay in Kona, we stayed at the Sheraton Kona Resort. We chose this hotel due to its close proximity to the Manta Ray excursion we had booked for our trip. The meetup point for the tour was right around the corner of the hotel at the marina. And the snorkeling site was located in the bay right next to the cliffs that bordered the resort.
The Sheraton Kona Resort is one of the oldest luxury hotels on the island dating back to the 1970s. But don’t lets its age fool you, it has been updated with modern amenities and the property itself was gorgeous. It also plays host to an award winning Hawaiian Luau! Plus a beautiful restaurant right on the bay, just above where the Manta Rays feed. The Sheraton is also not too over budget, it falls into the 3-4 star rating for cost and amenities. I highly recommend staying at this resort if you’re looking for a bit of high-end without breaking the bank.
Fairmont Orchid Luxury Resort
If you are looking for luxury and want to stay in a state-of-the-art upscale resort, then I highly recommend the Fairmont Orchid Resort. Situated on a lush 32-acre property overlooking Pauoa Bay, this upscale oceanfront resort caters to your every vacation whim.
For a detail look and experience of staying at the Fairmont Orchid, I recommending hopping on over to Forever Lost in Travel. They had a fantastic vacation in Hawaii staying at the Fairmont and gave a detailed experience of their stay.
Top Tours and Visitor Sites in Kona
Night Snorkeling with Manta Rays
If you have time or money to experience only ONE excursion in the Big Island, this is the one! I never thought I would go snorkeling in the big wide ocean, let alone at night time, in the dark! But I actually did it! My husband thought I was totally going to chicken out, but I pushed through my anxiety! I wanted to find a tour to replace seeing active lava, and I found an amazing tour that allowed you to go snorkeling at night with beautiful giant manta rays!
Don’t miss my blog post where I go into much more detail about the spectacular bucket list experience! I love being able to cross things off my bucket list. Make sure to book your own Manta Ray excursion for your trip when you visit the Big Island Hawaii!
Find a local tour operator for the best Night Snorkeling with Manta Rays in Kona, Hawaii.
Plus other special tours around the area!
Manta Ray Snorkeling Evening Tour from Keahou Harbor – $115.00
Manta Ray Night Snorkel Kona – $120.00
Puakō Petroglyph Park
The Puako Petroglyph Park is a unique exploration site located right on the shores of Puako Beach. It is family friendly and full of interesting history and facts about the petroglyphs made by people of the Hawaiian culture hundreds of years ago. It is considered an official archaeological site and free to the public. The location is situated right along lava rocks with the island waters rushing up at high tide. If you stay just late enough, you may catch a glorious Hawaiian Sunset.
Don’t miss my Secret Kona Sunset post!!! Hawaiian Sunsets are what dreams are made of. With orange dreamcicles and lavender clouds that are beyond gorgeous and dreamy. They’re romantic and a feast for the eyes, perfect marriage proposal locations. Hint hint! Wink wink!
Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Park
Transport yourself back in time and into a piece of living Hawaiian cultural history when you visit the Pu’uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park. A tour of this park is one of the top things to do on the West side of the Big Island located just outside of the Kona area. It’s an excellent way to experience traditional Hawaiian culture while on your Hawaii Big Island Vacation. Enjoy the landscape and hike the trails that hug the coastline of the Big Island. It’s a great family-friendly visitor site. You may even encounter wild goats on the property.
ENTRANCE FEES:
Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau (non-commercial vehicle) – $20.00
Admits one single, private, non-commercial vehicle and all of its passengers (up to 8 persons).
Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau (motorcycle) – $15.00
Admits one motorcycle. Good for entry into Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park for seven days from the date of purchase.
Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau (individual on foot, bicycle, etc.) – $10.00
Admits one individual when entering by foot or bicycle.
Punalu’u Black Sand Beach
This beautiful black sand beach is technically located Southeast of Kona along the Southern coast near the Pahala region. It is easy to get to and right off Highway 11 if you’re driving along the coastline. We arrived around mid-afternoon and it was a beautiful day. It was a semi-crowded beach with lots of locals and tourists sunbathing and swimming. The public beach has its own lifeguard station, a small shop and restroom facilities.
The beach is rocky with volcanic rock which is ultimately what makes the fine beach sand so jet black. Each tiny grain is formed by the crashing surf that spent hundreds of years breaking down the volcanic lava rock.
We also saw a lot of giant sea turtles swimming in the surf that rolled in and out of the shoreline. To see the turtles hang out on the rocks out of the water, wait until Sunset time.
Volcano National Park
The town of Volcano is a very small community with limited attractions and facilities, so don’t expect a bustling tourist town that caters to visitors. It does have a few local restaurants, small markets and one or two inns/hotels to stay in. But your best bet to find a place to stay if you intend on staying the night, is to find a local bed & breakfast or a rental home/room.
Perfect B&B Tree House in Volcano, Hawaii
We found the cutest spot to stay the night in the heart of Volcano. A tropical and magical Tree House right in the center of the island, surrounded by rain forest foliage. This was by far the best place we stayed during our entire trip even though we only got to stay for one night! I wish we had time to stay longer. It was the highlight of our Hawaii Big Island Vacation. Check out the AirBNB Listing for all the details.
It has its own full kitchen with full-size refrigerator, and private full bathroom. The entire space has a 180-degree surrounding balcony with a spiral staircase. and don’t worry about lugging up your suitcases, the host has thought of everything. They devised a pulley system to help get luggage up the tree house quick and easy without traversing the narrow spiral staircase. Click here for a full detailed blog post about our stay at this unique spot.
What to do in the Town of Volcano
Visit the Volcano National Park
Gathering Lava Rocks 
Entrance to Thurston Lava Tube 
Lava Rock formations
Volcano National Park was best known for touring and viewing active lava back before the eruption of Kīlauea Volcano in 2018. Now, in its current state, you can traverse the barren terrain of volcanic craters, lava rock landscape, and lava tubes. All interspersed with tropical jungle foliage.
“Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is on Hawaii Island (the Big Island). At its heart are the Kīlauea and Mauna Loa active volcanoes. The Crater Rim Drive passes steam vents and the Jaggar Museum, which features volcanology exhibits and a viewpoint overlooking Halema’uma’u Crater. Thick ferns mark the entrance to the Thurston Lava Tube (Nāhuku). The Chain of Craters Road weaves over lava. Trails crisscross the park.”
Holei Sea Arch
“Hōlei Sea Arch is a 90-foot-high natural arch located in Hawaii, on the southern coast of the Big Island, south of Kīlauea. This rock formation was born from marine erosion, in which the waves of the Pacific Ocean create this natural bridge of lava cliffs. The arch is made of basalt.”
To get to the Holei Sea Arch, you’ll need to drive South from the central location of Volcano National Park. The drive is about 30-minutes without any stops and is quite scenic.
Once you reach the Sea Arch area, there is a short hike. It is extremely important to pay attention to signs and closures. The area closest to the arch is currently closed to foot traffic due to erosion and unstable cliff edge as of 2020. But if you hike down the path a short distance, and make your way carefully to the edge, you can still view the Sea Arch safely.
For some exciting tours that takes you into the heart of Volcano National Park, check out the following excursions. Guided by local Hawaiians, these tours will be able to provide an in depth look of the giant craters and help you discover the ancient history and geology that helped shape the Big Island.
Lili House Farm
One of my favorite things to do whenever I travel anywhere is to visit a Farm, a Wildlife Sanctuary Preserve or a Livestock Sanctuary. (However, I do not like visiting zoos or other sites that uses animals for entertainment.)
The Lili House Farm is a sweet little family farm located right in the heart of Volcano. They are open to the public by appointment only. It is a great spot to visit with family and learn about the different animals that all live happily on the property. From turkeys, silkie chickens, goats, rabbits, pigs, donkeys, and even giant tortoises. The farm also hosts a fun VIP Country Style Tea Time with homemade goodies and treats.
Giant Tortoise 
Tom Turkey 
Feeding Baby Goat 
Garden for the Chickens 
Silkie Chickens 
Happy Piglet
Big Island Animal Sanctuary
Another great spot that I wanted to recommend for your Hawaii Big Island Vacation is the Big Island Animal Sanctuary. Unfortunately we didn’t have the time to visit this site. This farm is a rescue sanctuary. They rescue and rehabilitate livestock animals and educate the public about how detrimental Factory Farming is for the environment. And how inhumane the poor animals are treated. If you have the time, please visit this Sanctuary to show them your support.
Visit the 2018 Eruption and Lava Flow Sites
Leilani Estates
A small suburban community, Leilani Estates is located just South of Volcano National park. The Kilauea Volcano turned the rural paradise into a barren lava field back in 2018. Over 700 homes were destroyed by the eruption.
We visited the site to see the destruction first hand and it was difficult to maneuver our vehicle around the neighborhood due to closures of roads from lava blockage. It was also dangerous to trek onto private property that was still littered with debris of people’s homes. Out of respect, I didn’t take too many photos of the destruction. In the first photo, you can see a metal structure in the distance that is half mangled and buried in the lava field.
I noticed something interesting about fresh lava rocks compared to old lava rock. The fresh lava from the 2018 eruption had rocks that were very shiny and tacky to the touch, and slightly jagged as well.
Remember to never take home anything natural from the Hawaiian islands as a souvenir. It will bring you bad luck from the Hawaiian gods! This includes lava rocks, sand, seashells, plants, etc. I was very tempted but resisted the urge.
Pohoiki Beach Park
Another site to visit that was effected by the Kilauea Volcano eruption is Pohoiki State Park which is situated along the coast. This is where the lava flow stopped at the coast line to “construct” more land to the island. All the Hawaiian islands were created this way right?
There was a small park with picnic tables and walking paths. But the lava flow came through and leveled it down directly next to the picnic table and blocking the path. It was pretty crazy to see how the destruction didn’t care about anything in its way.
Hilo, Big Island
Hilo is located on the Eastern coast of the Big Island Hawaii. It has a wetter climate and is more tropical in landscape. Less barren lava rock and more green! This also meant more mosquitoes so make sure you have your bug repellent handy.
Hilo is also my top pick if you had time to only stay on one side of the island when you plan your Hawaii Big Island Vacation. It is a small tourist downtown kind of city, with an abundant variety of eateries, shops and hotels all situated in a tight area that is easy to get to by a short drive or a quick walk.
Make sure to grab a breakfast or a Poke lunch to-go and have a picnic at the Liliʻuokalani Park and Gardens. It’s a small public park with a beautiful pond and Japanese garden situated right along the coast. It is 100% free to visit.
Visit the Waterfalls of Hilo, Hawaii
No Hawaii Big Island Vacation is complete without visiting a tropical waterfall. And the Hilo area is famous for a few of them. Below are the two most well known waterfalls, and are the most easy to get to. Make sure to bring bug repellent for these areas. You are officially heading into tropical rain forest territory.
Rainbow Falls
Rainbow Falls was my personal favorite. If you catch the falls right after a rainy storm, it will be overflowing with an abundance of island water from the Wailuku River that cascades into a large pool below. It gets its name when the sun hits it just right, casting a beautiful arching rainbow right across the falls.
Standing at 80 feet tall, Rainbow Falls is very easy to get to. It is located right off the Walanuenue Ave and barely 10-minutes away from Hilo central. It also has its own parking lot and restroom facilities. Located right next to the Wailuku River State Park, there are convenient hiking trails that you can explore. We visited early in the morning at around 9am and there were no crowds at all.
‘Akaka Falls State Park
Another amazing waterfall to visit is ‘Akaka Falls. It is part of a state park named after it and located about 11-miles away from Hilo central. Getting to the location is a bit more tough and parking was a slightly cramped. You also have to pay a small parking fee upon entering the trail to get to the waterfall view point.
ʻAkaka Falls stands at 442 feet cascading into a very large pool that is fed by the Kolekole stream. Upon entering the walking trail , you will come to a fork that can either go left or right. The left path will take you straight to the Falls in less than 5-minutes.
The right-hand path will meander through the ‘Akaka Falls State Park and will take a longer route to circle you to the same view point of the waterfall, adding an additional 15-minutes.
If you are looking for some fun and exciting tours at these waterfall locations, check out the amazing deals below! Each excursion is guided by local Hawaiians who will be happy to help make your Hawaii Big Island Vacation an adventure to remember!
Hawaiian Tropical Botanical Garden
An absolutely gorgeous site to visit is the Hawaiian Tropical Botanical Garden. This was both my husband and my favorite location to visit during our stay in Hilo. Its lush and tropical bio-reserve is a living museum of living plants that draws photographers from all over the world. It is a nonprofit nature preserve located less than 30-minutes away from Hilo central, off of Route 19.
The 40 acre property consists of over 2000 species of plants including unique varieties of orchids and tropical foliage. The giant trees alone were amazing with jungle vines and lush leaves intertwining with branches and tree trunks. “Throughout this garden valley, nature trails meander through a true tropical rain forest, crossing bubbling streams, passing several beautiful waterfalls and the exciting ocean vistas along the rugged Pacific coast.”
It is family friendly and easy to traverse with walking trails, fit for all ages. When you are planning your next Hawaii Big Island Vacation, I highly recommend NOT leaving the Botanical Garden off your list.
Adult Admission Fees are are $25, children ages 6 – 16 are $12. Children under 6 are free.
Sea Turtles at Richardson Ocean Park
Another high point of our trip in Hilo was catching a fantastic sunset and discovering wild sea turtles.
One of the best spots for finding sea turtle swimming and basking on the rocks is at a local beach park called Richardson Beach. It’s also a great local snorkeling and swimming spot.
Locate the park on your GPS. Once you enter the beach area, you want to go towards the right where the land peaks out into a mini peninsula on the map. Keep going until you can’t go any further and you’ll come across a small swimming lagoon and a rocky beach area. At sunset, the Sea Turtles will start to swim through the narrow channel that feeds into the lagoon and climb onto the rocks. We saw two swimming in the water and about 5 hanging out on the rocks. So cool!
Remember to obey the law for encountering wildlife in Hawaii. Keep at least 20 feet apart and do NOT touch!
For some additional fun activities to enjoy in the Hilo bay area. If you enjoy the water and looking for some excitement, make sure to check these out. Get Your Guide has a variety of great tours and excursions for the entire Big Island! I hope you find my ultimate list for a terrific Hawaiian Big Island Vacation super helpful. If you have any questions at all about anything, we are here to help! Feel free to leave a comment below or email me directly. Aloha!
I know we missed a couple of other main attractions such as Mauna Kea Summit which is infamous for the Observatories and incredible stargazing. Due to the political protest with the indigenous Hawaiians and the local government, we decided to avoid the area.
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(RtM Travel Notes: Our Flight, 2-Nite stay at the Sheraton Kona Resort and Rental Car were covered by American Express Platinum Travel points.
You make me want to visit this place even more now! 🙂 Was supposed to be in Hawaii this August!
Oh no! August is still a bit further away, I hope you get to still go!
Hawai’i is one of my favorite places in the world–I’d definitely love to go someday–especially to the waterfalls, the national parks, and the animal sanctuary! <3
I already want to go back and visit some of the other islands. It’s gorgeous and so close to the US.
I loved the Big Island, and as you know I really enjoyed staying at the Fairmont Orchid. But I didn’t get enough time on this beautiful island and can’t wait to get back and see some of these other things you mention. That tree house B&B is where I want to stay for sure
I hope you get to see more of the island!
I’ve been to Kauai, but never the Big Island. Love the black sand beaches and all the beautiful nature walks. You’re inspiring me to go back!
Yes! Definitely go back! But I heard Kauai is just as incredible! I need to visit all the islands!
Hawaii looks like such a stunning island! I would love to visit one day. I bet snorkeling with manta rays was an unforgettable experience!
Hawaii might be THE biggest thing on my bucket list. It has been a dream of mine since watching Lilo & Stitch. Especially this black beach is something I would like to see in real life. Oh and of course when I learn how to surf, this will happen on Hawaii!
Love Love Love the Big Island! This is a really through guide – I pinned it for later!
I’m so happy you found it helpful!
I’ve always wanted to visit Hawaii! Lili House Farm looks like a ton of fun – adding it to the list!
I hope you get to visit Hawaii!
Incredible photos! I’m from Hawaii specifically Oahu! But I’ve been to the big island and the way I recommend actually seeing the island is by staying around guest houses/bed & breakfasts! Resorts are of course okay as you mentioned but it’s a different experience!
I totally agree! We did a combination of both. A resort, a treehouse and a B&B.
Hawaii has been on my list for awhile. It is hard to know which island to visit. The Big Island looks amazing. The black sand beach blew my mind. Really helpful guide. Thanks for sharing.
We had the same problem picking an island to visit. But we’re definitely going back to visit the others!
Ahh, all of Hawai’i is definitely on my travel bucket list (even if I’ve been to a couple of the islands already 😛 ). I need to check out the national/state parks there and I’ve yet to visit the botanical garden (or Richardson Ocean Park)! *-* Your photos are beautiful. <3
Thank you for the many infos!