40+ Things to do in Hawaii (The Big Island)

The youngest of the Hawaiian islands is also the biggest. Hawaii or The Big Island’s sheer size ensures there is no shortage of attractions and activities for visitors. We’ve visited the Big Island several times and there are still quite a few activities left on our travel wish list. Here are the many things to do in Hawaii with kids (or without too). 

Get In Touch with Nature (National Parks/Gardens) 

Visit Volcanoes National Park

This unique national park is a must visit attraction whether as a day trip or for multiple visits. It is one of the best places in the world to see active volcanoes in action and how land is constantly formed. With two of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa, its landscape and geologic activities make for a memorable visit.

Don’t miss the Crater Rim Drive which takes visitors through steam vents, sulphur banks and great views of the smoking Kilauea caldera and Halema’uma’u Crater. The 38-mile (61 km) round-trip Chain of Craters Road is a spectacular drive that starts with a tropical rainforest, through dried up lava beds and ends along the coast. 

If you have more time, there are some hikes worth doing on this park. Our favorite is crossing the Kilauea Iki Crater which involved walking through a dried up lava bed. This is a 3.3-mile roundtrip hike with a 400 ft descend into the crater. Shorter hikes are to Thurston Lava Tube or going on the Crater Rim Trail.

Read more on how to spend a day and tips for visiting Volcanoes National Park.

Explore Pu’uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park

This park is one of our favorite places on the island. We always love returning here when in the Kona area. The Pu’uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park is worth a visit for its cultural and historical significance. This was once home of the royals as well as a place of refuge for defeated warriors and lawbreakers. 

The 180-acre historic park has plenty of information for visitors along with structures that showed how the ancient Hawaiians lived here. From lava stone walls to ki’i or carved wooden images and reconstructed structures, it is a great place to walk around. Don’t miss the other side of the park with tide pools and white sand area and plenty of picnic tables to enjoy the ocean views. 

Explore other National Park sites in Hawaii.

Chase Waterfalls

Hawaii has some pretty spectacular waterfalls. The Hilo side has two popular ones to visit especially after it has rained for a few days.

Rainbow Falls

Start with the 80 ft Rainbow Falls which is free and easily accessible. It cascades over a lava cave and on to the Wailuku River. Its name comes from the rainbows that form underneath it. Come early in the day for the best chance to see it. 

Visitors can see the waterfalls closely from the lookout or from the top of it for a different perspective. There is a short hike and climb to the top of Rainbow Falls that starts along the falls’ left shoulder area and past some large banyan trees. 

Umama Falls

This multi-tiered waterfall can be seen on many postcards and best of Hawaii images. The best way to see these falls is through the Umauma Experience. Visitors can drive-up or do the self-guided tour of the gardens with opportunities to see the falls up close,   

Akaka Falls State Park

This state park is a bit more of a drive from Hilo but actually has two waterfalls. It features the 422-ft Akaka Falls and the 100-ft Kahuna Falls. There is an entrance fe ($5 per person for Hawaii non-residents)  but well worth it and to help them take care of the beautiful area. Visitors can see the part of the waterfalls from the paid parking lot. 

Once you get past the entrance, the 0.4-mile circle route paved footpath takes visitors through rainforest trees, tropical plants and bamboo groves and to the scenic viewpoints of the two waterfalls. We were lucky enough to see rainbows below Akaka during our visit here. It is magnificent waterfall. 

Go Hiking

Hiking isn’t usually on many people’s list of ideal things to do while on the Hawaiian islands. But, we’ve found some of the best trails and hikes on our tropical vacations.

It makes a dip in the ocean and the pool that much more refreshing after a rewarding hike through beautiful scenery. There are a variety of hiking trails around the island that cater to your time and ability level. 

Pololu Valley

We did this hike on our last visit down the Awini Trail. It was worth the rocky terrain to get the 1/4 mile down to the black sand beach. Go early to beat the crowds and especially the heat as you climb 300 feet back up. 

Makalawena Beach – Located in the Kona side, this 20-minute trail across the lava rocks leads to a secluded white sand beach 

Mamalahoa Trail or King’s Trail – This ancient coastal trail on lava paths leads visitors to many well-preserved petroglyphs along the way. The trail crosses the .9 mile loop of the Waikoloa Petroglyphs Preserve which can be accessed in the Waikoloa resorts area by The King’s Shops.

Kalopa State Park – Located near the Honoka’a village, this 100-acre park is in the midst of a lush native forest. The .7-mile Nature Trail is great with kids. There are several other trails that will take visitors through the park and recreation area.  

Kaumana Caves State Park – This half-mile round trip hike, near  Hilo, takes visitors down into a lava tube via a metal ladder. 

Kilaua Iki Trail

This over 3-mile hike with a 400 ft descent into a dried up lava inside Volcanoes National Park has become one of our favorite island hikes. We highly recommend setting aside a morning to do this hike since it took us three visits here to finally do it. 

Explore white sand beaches

The Big Island may not be known for its beaches compared to the neighboring island of Maui. But, we have found some pretty amazing beaches here.

Hapuna Beach was recently named by Dr. Beach as the #1 beach in the USA and is consistently a top rated beach and popular among locals and visitors. Hapuna is a large white sand beach with plenty of picnic areas, parking, showers and restrooms but not a lot of shade. 

Here are a few of our other favorite beaches:   

Anaeho’omalu Bay or “A” Bay. It is located by Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort Resort. It is a great family-friendly and crescent shaped beach lined with many palm trees for some shade.

There are also two historic fish ponds nearby. The bay is calm and great for swimming and other water activities. We loved coming here for sunset viewing. 

Magic Sands Beach. Located in Kailua-Kona, this is another favorite beach by locals and visitors and is centrally located. Its name comes from disappearing sands of the beach overnight. During winter, the high surf washes away the sands. This is a beautiful cove on La’aloa Bay available for many activities. 

Mauna Kea Beach or Kaunaoa Beach.We love this beach for its quarter mile of white sand that spans over turquoise waters. There’s some shade and apart from the hotel guests nearby, there aren’t that many non-hotel guests who can come here.

It makes it less crowded than the other beaches nearby. Arrive early to get the coveted 30 parking spots for the public. 

Go to the black sand beaches

The great thing about the Big Island is the variety of colored sand beaches to visit and hang out. Punalu’u Black Sand Beach is the most popular black sand beach and is located on the eastern side.

It is easily accessible especially if you’re on your way to Volcanoes National Park. The black sand is due to the cooling of the basalt lava as it hits the ocean. This is a great beach to sunbathe and spot sea turtles or honu. 

For another great beach but requires some hiking, go down Pololu Valley and there is a beautiful wide stretch of black sand beach. 

Hike to Green Beach

There are only four beaches in the world with green sand and you can visit one of them while on the Big Island. This beach has eluded us for the past few visits and we really hope to make it there on the next trip. Papakolea Beach is located on the island’s southernmost point. Accessing the beach requires a two-mile hike through dirt and a steep path down a cliff to the sand. 

The green sand is due to a crystal called olivine found here that was a result of a volcanic eruption. Swimming is possible but use extreme caution. The beach has no facilities or lifeguards. Visit early in the morning or on weekdays to avoid the heat and crowds. Bring plenty of water and sunscreen. 

Visit a Coral Beach & the US Southernmost point

While Key West, Florida seems to be widely known as the Southernmost point the the United States, the actual location is actually in the Big Island. South Point or Kalae is designated as a National Historic District Landmark area with heiau (temples) ruins and fishing shrines. Follow the road from Highway 11 between mile-markers 69 and 70. 

This is the same road that leads visitors to the Green Sand Beach. It’s about 20 miles to the end of the road passing through some pastures and farms. The road ends at an area where fishermen gather but also an area where cliff jumpers bravely dive into the ocean. 

We followed Google Maps’ directions to the southernmost point and found beaches covered with coral. So much coral! We’ve only seen this type of beach before in Fitzroy Island Australia. This was definitely worth the drive and any detour. 

Visit a Dormant Volcano

Have you ever wanted to go above the clouds? You can if you take the drive towards the Mauna Kea Summit. This dormant volcano looms over the island and is hard to miss with the observatories on top. This is one of the best places in the world to view the sky at night and is an astronomy hub. 

If you’re here during the winter months, you may even see snow on Mauna Kea’s slopes. There aren’t many places in the world where you can snorkel and play in the snow on the same day or even say that you had some snow fun in Hawaii. There are some guided tours to the summit from the visitor center. 

The summit is at almost 14,000 ft. It is highly recommended that children under 16 year old, pregnant women, those with chronic health conditions or those who have just gone scuba diving within the last 24 hours do not go past the Visitor Information Station (VIS) which is at about 9,200 ft.

This is as far as we have ever gone and it’s still a worthwhile visit. The views from up here are still beautiful and if you’re here at night, participate in stargazing programs. 

Stroll through Botanical Gardens

There is no shortage of colorful and tropical plants in the Hawaiian islands. The best place to see the variety of plants and go for a relaxing stroll are the botanical gardens. Try to visit one during your trip. 

The Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve & Garden, located near Hilo, is a popular attraction that has over 2,000 tropical plants species in their 20-acre garden valley. This is also an educational center with nature trails passing through streams and waterfalls. 

The Gardens and Maze located inside the Botanical World Adventures has one of the largest plant collections in Hawaii. It’s a paradise of trails, waterfalls and streams where visitors can do a Segway tour or go on the zip line. The gardens have the quarter mile paved Rainbow Walk filled with tropical plants, an arboretum and the maze which is the second largest permanently planted maze in the world.

For a couple of free gardens to visit, stay on the Hilo side and visit Pana’ewa Rainforest Zoo and Botanical Gardens and/or the University of Hawaii Hilo Botanical Gardens. The Pana’ewa is a 12-acre botanical garden and zoo and great for families.

The garden has over 100 palm varieties plus a vast collection of 80 different animal species that range from a white tiger to alligators and monkeys. There is also a petting zoo during the weekends.

The UH Hilo Botanical Gardens has three distinct areas that include bromeliads, cycads and palms plus other plants from around the world. The garden has some of the best cycad collections in the Hawaiian islands. You can’t beat free attractions and this makes for a great side trip. 

Greenwell Ethobotanical Garden

If you’re on the Kona side, visit the Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden. This 15-acre botanical garden features and  “supports Hawaiian cultural traditions of land use and plants, and conserves the plant resources of traditional Hawaiian cultural activities.”

The special garden has over 200 native plant species. This is a wonderful place to learn about the Hawaiian native plants and have a relaxing walk through the short trail and gardens divided into four zones of coastal, dry forest, agricultural, and upland forest.

Plant a Tree

Hawaiian Legacy Tours offers visitors the chance to leave a little piece of themselves on the islands. Join these unique guided ours for an opportunity to plant a native Hawaiian tree in an endemic rain forest.

It’s a wonderful cultural experience that also helps to save the environment. After planting your koa wood or royal sandalwood seedling, visitors can see the plant’s progress online using the TreeTrackerFM.

Tours start at 9 AM or 1 PM and last for two hours in the Hamakua Coast at 2,500 feet sea level. Wear comfortable shoes since there will be some hiking involved. Book these tours early. 

Things to do in Hawaii: Adrenaline Adventures 

Go Ziplining

Hawaii’s landscape of waterfalls and lush valleys offers an ideal backdrop for zip lining. It’s a wonderful activity for families to do together that can also be combined with other island adventures. Here are three zipline tours that meet varying levels of adventure and time constraints. Please check each company’s age and weight restrictions. 

The zipline experience on our Hawaii bucket list is the Umauma Falls Zipline Tour. This one includes nine lines spanning two miles (four are dual lines) that go over 14 waterfalls of varying heights plus walking along suspension bridges.

It also gives a close up look of the three-tiered Umauma Falls and a free visit to their adjacent gardens. This tour can be combined with a swim or kayak tour.

The Kohala Zipline’s Canopy Adventures is located on the island’s northern area. This tour includes nine lines, five suspension bridges, tree platforms and even a rappel. It can also be combined with a hike ad swim at nearby waterfalls.

Hawaii Zipline Tours is located about a mile from Akaka Falls State Park. This tour features seven lines and about a half-mile hike. There are two memorable lines here – one over the 250 ft KoleKole waterfall and about a minute ride over a 450-ft ravine. This is located on a working agricultural farm so there is a bonus to learn more about the islands’s fruits and flowers.

Take a Helicopter Tour 

if your budget is a bit more generous, take a helicopter ride for a different perspective over the lava fields, the island’s varied landscapes and especially around the Volcanoes National Park area. You may even get lucky one day and be here when there is some volcanic activity.

Compare the prices and the types of scenery or activity you want to see from above. Join one of the tours from these well-established companies:

Blue Hawaiian Helicopters has been around since 1985 and operates helicopter tours on the four major islands. They offer three varied tours depending on your interests that range from 50 minutes to almost two hours.

Paradise Helicopters are locally owned and operated since 1997. This company also offers tours on other islands and offers more varied tours departing from Kona. 

Big Island Helicopters guarantees the lowest price available and offers two tours from the Waikoloa area and one from Hilo that feature the diverse landscapes of the island. 

Do ATV Tours

Hawaii has some rugged areas and valleys that are ideal for exploring only though some all terrain (ATV) vehicles or utility task vehicles (UTV). Go on guided ATV/UTV tours through various areas offered by the following companies.

Kohala UTV Adventure takes visitors on a two-hour guided tours through “Inner Kohala” and site of the former Kohala Sugar Company. Traveling through private lands is a great advantage for this tour passing through forest, streams and waterfalls. Minimum driver’s age is 21 with a valid license and minimum age for passengers is 8.

Umauma Deluxe ATV Tours offers a 5.5 mile adventure ride on a private course with ocean views. The course includes a stop at Umauma River and waterfall with a swim and dip option. ATV drivers must be 16 years old and over with a valid drivers license  

Aloha Adventure Farms Polynesian Culture Tour is a two-hour ATV tour takes visitors through the lush Holualoa jungle and is limited to only seven people. But, this tour also includes learning about the Polynesian culture. The tour does four stops along the way to experience the culture of Hawaii, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa through hands-on activities. 

All About The View (AATV)  is a 2.5-hour tour that takes visitors through a working livestock ranch with plenty of opportunities to see local flora, fruits and many of the resident animals  The tour goes from the valleys to the mountains and to the ocean with beautiful panoramic ocean views.

A short break at the Hamakua coastline is included.  Visitors must be 18+ to drive with a valid driver’s license and minimum age of 7 years old for passengers. 

Things to do in Hawaii: Food and Culture 

Attend Luaus

It wouldn’t be a visit to the islands without attending a luau or traditional Hawaiian feast. if this is your first visit to the Big Island or the Hawaiian islands, then luaus are a must do activity. It is a wonderful way to learn about the island’s culture, history and food.

The luau experience features a sumptuous buffet of local food and drinks amidst live song and dance performances of Hawaii and the neighboring Polynesian islands. Most of these luaus also have pre-show activities like hula lessons and the emu ceremony which unearths the kalua pig from the underground oven (imu).  

Here are some luaus you can check out on the Big Island:

Voyagers of the Pacific at the Royal Kona Resort. Located in downtown Kona, this offers beautiful views of Kailua Bay from its oceanfront setting. It offers complimentary drinks and a Samoan fire knife dance finale. 

Island Breeze Luau at the Marriott King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel is one of the most popular luaus due to its central Kona location and beautiful ocean views. It has its own special area near the historic Ahu’ena Heiau (King Kamehameha’s former residence). The show starts with the arrival of the royal court through an outrigger canoe.

Sunset Luau at Waikoloa Marriott. If you’re staying at the Waikoloa area, this is a great option. This is another popular luau due to its location and varied menu with some dishes that are more unique compared to traditional luau menus. The sunset views are amazing overlooking the ancient fishponds of Anaeho’omalu Bay. Its Polynesian show also includes the Samoan fire knife dance.  

Legends of Hawaii Luau at Hilton Waikoloa Village. This is also a highly rated luau more for its food and show than its location. While the Hilton Waikoloa Village is a stunning resort, this luau is on an open amphitheater instead of the oceanfront outdoor settings with sunset views like the other hotels. This also offers unlimited Tropical Cocktails, Beer, Wine and non-alcoholic beverages. 

Dine with a View

When you’re in Hawaii, it’s a must do activity to eat with an ocean view or  have some front row seats for sunset viewing. Here are some places worth checking out: 

Huggos on the Rocks at Kailua Kona – Its enviable and central location over the water’s edge on Kailua-Kona makes this one of the most popular restaurants on the island. It is great for beachfront dining with views of Kailua Bay offering many local seafood specialties. But, also try their Signature Teriyaki steak which has been on their menu since 1969. 

Hilo Bay Cafe – This restaurant offers wonderful views overlooking Hilo Bay. It serves delicious food sourced from local farmers. 

Lava Lava Beach Club in Waikoloa Village – We love this laidback restaurant by Anaeho’omalu Bay where you can dine with the sand between your toes. It’s a wonderful place to watch the sunset while sipping some tropical drinks. This is on a first come first serve basis. but, they make the wait worth it with some games and activities on their lawn. 

Canoehouse – This beachfront restaurant, located in Mauna Lanai Bay Hotel, offers some of the best panoramic ocean views and front row seats to the tropical sunsets. This popular restaurant is always listed as one of the most popular on the island for its varied menu and great atmosphere. 

Humpy’s Alehouse in Kailua-Kona – My husband likes this place for their variety of beer. It also has some fantastic ocean views and right on the Kailua-Kona strip that makes it great for people watching. It was a great hangout place with reasonable prices and good food. 

Tour Kona Coffee Farms

Kona coffee is renowned and revered around the world. Be sure to try some Kona coffee while on the island but we also recommend doing a coffee farm tour.  If you’re a coffee lover, don’t miss the chance to see how this unique coffee is grown and harvested on the island. 

Coffee country is the 20-mile region on the slopes of two volcanoes in the South Kona area. 100% pure Kona coffee bean is exclusively grown in this area and thrives due to the high elevation and rich volcanic soil.

There are over 650 coffee farms in this South Kona area and many offer free tours showing how coffee is grown and processed. Of course, there are free samples of the gourmet coffee too.

We loved our visit to Greenwell Farms. The 45-minute tours were complimentary. It was a guided tour that took us through their gardens but also a portion of their plantation where we learned the interesting process from growing a coffee bean and turning it into their award-winning coffee. It is an arduous task requiring quite a bit of patience.

We also visited Kona Joe which offered free self-guided tours. They grow their coffee on trellises much like grapes are done for wineries. The views from their terrace were beautiful and was the perfect setting to enjoy their coffee.

Visit Farmer’s Market and Sample fruits 

Hawaii has some wonderful farmer’s market and fruit stands. The island’s rich volcanic soil is ideal for growing some of the best tropical flowers and fruits. Visiting the farmers market or stopping by the many fruit stands along your route is a great way to see the variety of things that grow here.

Many vendors will usually offer samples of the fruits. The markets also offer a variety of arts, crafts, home-baked good and fresh food. Buy local! There are many farmer’s markets around the island. Here are some worth checking out: 

Kona Village Market – located at the intersection of Hualalai Rd. and Aliʻi Dr., in the parking lot next to the Kona Public Library (across from Hale Halawai) in Kailua-Kona

South Kona Fruit Stand  – location is between mile marker 103 &104 on Mamalahoa Hwy in Captain Cook 

Hilo Farmers Market. Located on Kamehameha Avenue and Malmo Street intersection, this is the largest farmers market on the island with over 200 vendors. 

Maku’u Farmers Market – Located on the lot along Keaau/Pahoa Hwy bypass road

Sample Macadamia Nuts 

Hawaii is the leading producer of macadamia nuts in the US. There are over 700 macadamia nut farms spanning thousands of acres across the islands. Many of island’s restaurants use the macadamia nut in their ingredients.

They are very popular Hawaiian souvenirs to take home. We love the chocolate covered macadamia nuts and the glazed mac nuts. 

Mauna Loa. This Hershey-owned company is Hawaii’s largest macadamia nut producer. We love stopping at their facility near Hilo to drive through their macadamia nut tree grove, see their processing facility on a self-guided tour and sample some of their products. 

Hamakua Macadamia Nut Company We recently visited the Hamakua visitors center near the Waikoloa resorts on Kawaihae. There are self-guided tours, a look into their processing area, some interactive activities (like cracking macadamia nuts)  and of course, free macadamia nut products samples and free coffee tasting. 

Savor Some Shaved Ice

Shaved ice is the quintessential Hawaiian dessert and refresher. If it were up to my kids, they would have one or two shave ice treats everyday. It comes with many different flavors and toppings and so many combinations to try. 

Here are a few favorites on the Big Island:

Scandinavian Shave Ice – They offer over 60 flavors, have huge servings and great prices and located right on Kailua-Kona village. We also adore their little cutouts in front of the store for posing.

Ululani Shave Ice – We’ve visited their Maui locations several times and always love their variety of shave ice combinations. Located at Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel, this is a great stop on the way to watch the sunset at the pier or to walk into town. 

Original Big Island Shave Ice – If you’re in the Waikoloa area, stop by this popular shave ice company located in the King’s Shops. 

Kula Shave Ice – If you’re in the Hilo area, stop by this local favorite shop at the Hilo Farmer’s Market where most of their goodies are vegan and gluten free. 

Gecko Girlz Shave Ice – You gotta love the name and their artisanal creations here. This is located near Humpy’s Big Island Alehouse and the beach volleyball court in Kailua-Kona.

Visit a Sea Salt Farm 

Many souvenir shelves around the islands stock Hawaiian sea salts. We’ve bought our fair share and use them consistently.

But, the Big Island actually has a sea salt farm if you’re interested in how ocean water is turned into this kitchen staple. This is the “only salt in the world made with pure, Deep Ocean Water drawn from 2200 feet below the surface of the ocean.”

Kona Sea Salt Farm is available for 45-minute tours that highlights their unique harvesting, salt-making process followed by salt tasting of their various products. Located in the Keāhole Point, in the Ho‘ona area on the Kona coastline, the seven-acre farm provides an ideal backdrop for these tours. 

They also offer complimentary sea salt tasting. Our host gave us some sliced pineapples and a variety of vegetables. The sea salts were grouped accordingly to pair with the food items. Visit their store for these unique items to take home.

Do a Beekeeping & Honey Tour 

Big Island Bees offers a glimpse into discovering the world of bees. This multigenerational family business has been in operation since 1972. They raise bees and produce honey organically.  

Their mission is to “provide some of the world’s finest organic, single-floral honey. They offer a fun and educational experience of beekeeping and honey.

This includes open beehive demos, touring the museum of beekeeping artifacts and sampling some honey. It’s a wonderful way to  learn all about bees from their roles to their hives and how honey is collected. You can also see a live and open beehive from a safe viewing area

Reservations required for their open beehive demo. The museum and sampling station are always open.  

Try Some Abalone 

The Big Island is also home to the largest US abalone farm. So, what is an abalone? They are a type of shellfish and considered endangered and quite an expensive delicacy. It’s highly prized delicacy and this particular one raised in the Kona coast comes from a premium abalone strain known as the most precious in Japan. The abalone also provide high nutritional value. 

Located five minutes from the Kona airport, Big Island Abalone Farm sustainably raises abalone through land-based aquaculture methods. Visitors can do 60-minute guided tours of the farm that includes an educational and hands-on experience plus a tasting.

Advance online reservations are required for the farm tours. We didn’t get to do the tour but would love to do it next time we are back on the island.

We really enjoyed the abalone shells used as art outside their farm. There were quite a few varieties displayed and this was a first for us seeing this type of unique art. It was a great way to welcome the visitors. 

There was a food truck selling some cooked and grilled abalone. We tried the sampler plate which had different sauces on top. The garlic was the best.

At $8 per abalone, we savored each bite. They also had a small souvenir store. 

Sample some pastry goodness 

If you’re heading towards Volcanoes National Park or Punalu’u Black Sand Beach from Kona, don’t miss the Punalu’u Bakeshop in the town of Na‘alehu. Located at 19 degrees latitude, this is the southernmost bakery in the United States. They are known for baking Hawaii’s best sweetbread. 

The unmistakable aroma of bread baking from the parking lot will instantly draw you in. Their bakery is loaded with some of the most delicious pastries including local favorites like malasadas (doughnuts), pineapple macadamia nut fruitcake and plenty of shortbread cookies in assorted tropical flavors. These packaged cookies make for great souvenirs. 

They also offered a varied menu for plate lunches and takeaway items to go like sandwiches and salad. We had lunch at their grounds and they had a plenty of outdoor seating under their gazebos. It was such a relaxing area surrounded by tropical trees and flowers. 

Their restrooms are clean and their souvenir store had plenty of wonderful items. I loved the clear window that looked into their kitchen to watch the bakers making the sweetbread. 

Experience The Hawaiian Vanilla Company

Located in Hamakua coast in tropical rainforest of Paauilo Mauka, this is the first commercial vanilla operation in the United States. They offer several unique experiences especially for families.  Advance Reservations are required for these experiences. 

*Vanilla Experience Luncheon ( 2 hours) – This is a “vanilla inspired” meal with gourmet recipes from their kitchen. It is a combination of lunch, presentation and tour of their Vanillery

I really wanted to do this one but it was booked for the days and times we wanted. Next time! There is limited seating so book this one day ahead. 

*Upcountry Afternoon Tea – Who would have thought you could  have afternoon tea in Hawaii?  They offer their signature Hawaiian Vanilla Vineyard Tea blends with their signature treats and desserts from their kitchen. 

*Vanillery Tours – This 60-minute walking tour of the Vanillery allows guests to learn all about the labor-intensive process of cultivating the vanilla plant. 

Animal Encounters 

There are some very cool animal encounters in Hawaii. Check out these experiences that will surely add some unforgettable memories for animals on and off the water. 

Go Snorkeling

The Big Island has several pockets of great snorkeling. There is always a variety of marine life and water is exceptionally warm especially during the summer.

Look into some snorkeling tours to maximize your opportunities in the water at the best spots. The tours also offer many opportunities to spot whales (Dec. – April) and spinner dolphins year round. 

Check out these local tour companies:

Sea Paradise – This company offers several snorkeling tours that includes breakfast and lunch for the morning tour and snacks for the afternoon tour. Set sail on a 45-foot trimaran and head to Kealakekua Bay (a National Marine Park).

Ocean Encounters – This company touts specializing in first-time snorkelers. They have staff who will snorkel with you until you feel comfortable. The mid-day snorkeling cruise takes visitors on a three-hour adventure to the Kona coast to see this area’s amazing sea life.  

Captain Zodiac – Known as “Hawaii’s Original Rafting Company”, visitors go on the fast Zodiac boats to reach various known snorkeling spots. They offer several snorkeling tours that range from two hours designed for beginners to five-hour tours. These tours are great for smaller groups. 

If you prefer to go on your own, here are some favorite snorkeling spots:

Kahalu’u Beach Park is centrally located, easily accessible, has great facilities and a reef teeming with diverse marine life. It is one of the island’s most popular beach for snorkeling, surfing and swimming.

The waters are generally calm and shallow and is great for beginner snorkelers. This is also a good spot to see several sea turtles. 

Anaeho’omalu Beach or “A” Bay. This isn’t usually listed on popular snorkeling spots. But, my husband recommends it for the calm and warm water during our June visit.

Go to the right side of the bay for clearer conditions and better chances of seeing marine life. The crescent shaped beach is beautiful and great for relaxing. 

The Hilo side is not known for snorkeling. Most of the great snorkeling spots are on the Kona coast. But, if you are staying on that part of the island, check out Richardson Ocean Park.

It has a small bland and green sand beach, tide pools with calm and shallow waters and a reef with plenty of marine life. You can often find monk seals and Hawaiian green sea turtles (honu) along its shores.  

Two Step is located near the Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park. Its calm water conditions, great visibility and marine life variety make this one of the best snorkeling spots on the island for snorkeling.

It is named after the two steps snorkelers take on the lava rocks to get to the ocean. Come early since parking is limited and it does get pretty crowded. We loved snorkeling here. 

Watch Whales/Dolphins

Between November and April, thousands of humpback whales make their annual migration to Hawaii’s warmer waters for breeding season to mate, give birth and nurse their newly born calves far from large predators. The best way to see these massive creatures are by going on any of the whale watching tours.

These tours also are a great way to see dolphins, sea turtles and other marine creatures during he trip. Many of the tours leave from the Kona area.

Captain Zodiac – This 3-hour tours are on a 24-foot, 16 passenger Zodiac boat that moves quickly and can get closer to the whales. It makes for a fun and bouncy ride.  

Body Glove – This 2.5 hour cruise guarantees sightings or you can cruise again for free.

Ali’i Ocean Tours – This 4-hour tour leaves from the Honokohau Harbor with an experienced crew.

If you can’t make any of these tours, it’s also possible to see some of the whales from the shore. The North Kona, Kohala and Hilo coasts are known for the best areas for spotting whales. Specifically, stop at the Puukohala Heiau National Historic Site due to its “elevated” areas, Kapa’a Beach Park and Hilo Bay especially if you’re here in December or January.

Swim with Manta Rays

One of the most popular and unique attractions in Hawaii is swimming with the giant manta rays at night. This activity is only available here and a few other places around the world. Get up close and personal with these massive sea creatures, whose wingspans can be up to 16 feet (5 m) during a nighttime snorkeling tour.

There are several tour companies that take visitors to Keauhou Bay. Manta rays are known to live and come out at night to play and eat the plankton off the coast. Tours usually include a sunset cruise on the way to the snorkeling spot. It’s also a great way to learn about the manta rays and their habitat. 

Reserve these tours in advance which have sold out fast during our past visits here. Please also read through the tour companies’ guidelines such as age restrictions and some swimming requirements. 

Go Horseback Riding

One of the surprising things we learned about the Big Island was the large presence of cowboys (called paniolos) and their history here. Mexican cowboys came to the islands when King Kamehameha was gifted cattle and they needed help with it over 200 years ago.

Visitors can have a bit of a cowboy experience and tour the areas via horseback. Check the age and weight restrictions for each tour. 

Hoomau Ranch, a working cattle ranch in South Kona, offers private horseback tours through their property riding along forests and cattle. There is the 1.5-hour Black Angus Cattle Pasture tour that takes visitors though the cattle pasture, forest and lava flow.

The three-hour Loulu Palm and Small Reservoir Tour takes visitors through a native forest among the Loulu Palm which are the endangered Hawaiian palm. 

Na’alapa Stables offers two different horseback riding tours. The Kahua Ranch Horseback Adventure is open range riding through a 12,000 acre working cattle and sheep farm in North Kohala. This can be a 1.5 or 2.5 hour tour. The 2.5-hour Waipio Valley Adventure takes visitors through the “Valley of the Kings” for some breathtaking views. 

Paniolo Adventures offers five different horseback rides at the Panoholo Ranch that ranges from an hour to four hours. This is an 11,000 acre cattle ranch with the second largest cattle herd in Hawaii. The ranch is so big that it goes from the rainforest at 4,800 feet to the coastline offering some amazing views. 

Visit a Sea Horse Farm

Sea horses are such fascinating creatures that almost look like they’re part of the mythical world. For a really unique visit (especially with kids, go to the three-acre sea horse farm in Kona coast to learn about them. This is now on our Hawaii bucket list during our return visit. 

The Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm is the world’s first and only seahorse farm “dedicated to preserving the endangered seahorse with the worlds only living gene bank of live, breeding seahorses and sea dragons.” There are over 30 seahorse species to see here. 

The farm tours are especially great for families where kids can see and hold some of the seahorses. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn more about these interesting creatures, the aqua-farm and ocean conservation. Visitors can also feed a variety of fish and participate in an interactive tide pool. 

See a Sea Turtle 

The Hawaiian green sea turtle or honu is a treasured endangered animal found throughout the islands. We’ve been lucky enough to see several honu during our previous visits on the islands.

They are a delight to watch whether they are swimming or basking in the sun on the shores. Please do not touch or feed the sea turtles and stay a safe distance of at least 10-15 feet from them.

Several laws protect the turtles.  There are specific places where honu can most likely be found around Hawaii. If you’re near these areas, keep your eyes open for them:

• Puuhonau O Honaunau National Historical Park (we’ve always seen some here) 
• Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park (we’ve always seen some here) 
• The salt water lagoons at Mauna Lani Bay Hotel on the Kohala coast
• Punalu’u black sand beach in southern side 
• Anaehoomalu Bay (A-Bay)
• Kahalu’u Beach Park 
• Kiholo Bay

Cuddle and meet some animals 

Love dogs or missing your pet at home? The Hawaii Island Humane Society gives visitors the opportunity to take one of the resident shelter dogs for a day and join them on island adventures.

It’s a great way to make a difference in the dogs’ lives and give their future owners an evaluation from the field trip. The organization is just asking for a small donation in return for this wonderful opportunity. 

Meet some goats

The Honomu Goat Dairy has 15 acres of property with ocean views and many baby goats aka kids roaming around and free to play with. The gift shop also has several goat milk products to sample like cheese, caramel, fudge plus some soap products. Goat yoga will be available soon. 

Looking at their name, one can’t help but stop by the Magical Creatures of Hamakua. This  is a farm animal rescue and sanctuary offering free tours and animal cuddles. Donations are highly appreciated and reservations are required. Visitors will learn the rescue stories of the resident farm animals here. 

Quaint Places

Stroll around Kailua-Kona 

Most visitors land at the Kona airport. But, there really is more to this area beyond the restaurants, shops and hotels. Take some time and walk the historic Kailua village. This charming village and the oceanfront Ali’i Drive has many hidden gems to find along a leisurely stroll.

The ocean views are beautiful and a great way to see some beaches on this area. Be sure to look for these historic structures and go in if you have some time. 

Hulihee Palace – While this now a museum of artifacts, this used to be the Hawaiian royal family’s summer home. The palace is made from lava rocks with a backyard facing the ocean and well-manicured gardens. The palace/museum is open for guided tours. 

Moku’aikaua Church – It’s hard to miss the 100 ft steeple of this church which is the highest point in Kailua-Kona. This is also Hawaii’s oldest Christian church. Missionaries from New England built the church in 1820. 

See the Painted Church

We’ve seen our fair share of churches all over the world. This painted church, in the south Kona district around the coffee country area, definitely has one of the most unique interiors we’ve seen. The church looks very unassuming on the outside, but it’s definitely worth going inside if you’re in the area.   

Its official name is St. Benedict Roman Catholic Church. It was built in 1842 but moved here in 1880. A Belgian priest painted these colorful drawings from the bible and of saints’ lives in an effort to teach the locals about religion. Please remember that this is an active church where masses still occur so dress accordingly and be aware of their schedule. 

Visit Waimea

Hawaii has many quaint towns to visit. We seem to always make our way to Waimea during every visit. Located on the northern side, its location of being over 2,500 ft makes it a bit cooler than the other parts of the island. 

The charming town is surrounded by open land, ranches and beautiful scenery. It is still considered a ranch town or paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) country.

It’s one of the best areas for horseback rides and hiking trails. Kahua Ranch and Parker Ranch offer activities year round. Waimea is filled with great restaurants, beautiful views and an area filled with Hawaiian and cowboy culture. 

There are also some things to do in Waimea beyond cowboys and ranches. For someplace to enjoy some tranquility and learn about Hawaii’s native plants, go to the 10-acre Ulu La’au (Hawaiian for “Garden of Trees”). It’s free and visitors can do self-guided tours. The Isaacs Art Center Museum and Gallery features varied forms of island/Hawaiian art. 

Explore Waikoloa Village 

We love this resort destination area and is usually where we stay during our visits. If you’re staying at one of the resorts, it is worth driving to check out the other resorts to see what they have to offer.

The coastline area is one of the best places to see the sunset. We absolutely love Hilton Waikoloa Village and it is one of our favorite resorts.

The well-manicured grounds are impressive and you can even see some of the resident dolphins. Some other stunning resorts around the area to see are the Fairmont Orchid, Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows. 

For some shopping, check out the King’s Shops, Queen’s Marketplace and The Shops at Mauna Lani. Some of the island’s most popular restaurants with exceptional ocean views are also located in the Waikoloa resort area.

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