Big Island Activities & Adventures

The Big Island is twice the size of all the other Hawaiian islands combined. That scale translates directly into variety: active volcanoes, snow-capped summits, black sand beaches, deep ocean trenches, and dense rainforest all sit within a few hours' drive of each other. No other island in Hawaii comes close to this range of terrain.

Here is what belongs on your itinerary.

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

This is the Big Island's single must-do attraction. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park puts you face to face with one of the most active volcanic systems on Earth. Kilauea has erupted dozens of times since 1952, and when it's active, you can sometimes see glowing lava from overlooks right off the main road.

Chain of Craters Road winds 19 miles from the crater rim down to the coast through fields of hardened lava. Thurston Lava Tube is a 500-year-old tunnel you can walk through in about 20 minutes. Steam vents near the Kilauea Visitor Center let you feel the heat still rising from underground.

Entry costs $30 per vehicle and is good for 7 days. That's one of the best deals in the national park system given what you get. Plan at least half a day here, though a full day is better if you want to hike the Kilauea Iki Trail or explore the more remote coastal sections.

Mauna Kea Stargazing

Mauna Kea's summit sits at 13,796 feet above sea level. The air up there is dry, stable, and far from any city lights. That's why thirteen of the world's most powerful telescopes are parked on top of it.

You don't need access to those research telescopes to get the experience. The Visitor Information Station at 9,200 feet runs free stargazing programs on clear evenings, with guides and telescopes set up for public use. On a good night, you can see the Milky Way so clearly it looks fake.

Getting to the summit requires a 4WD vehicle. Several tour operators run guided sunset and stargazing trips that handle the driving and provide warm parkas. Temperatures at the top regularly drop below freezing, even in summer. If you have altitude sensitivity, spend time at the Visitor Information Station to acclimate before heading higher.

Snorkeling & Diving

Kealakekua Bay is the crown jewel. The reef near the Captain Cook Monument has some of the clearest water and densest marine life in the state. Access is by boat, kayak, or a steep 1.7-mile trail down from the road. The boat option is the easiest and most popular.

Two Step at Honaunau Bay, right next to Puʻuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, is one of the best shore-entry snorkel spots anywhere in Hawaii. Two natural lava steps lead you right into deep, clear water teeming with tropical fish, sea turtles, and spinner dolphins offshore.

The bucket-list experience here is the manta ray night dive off the Kohala Coast. Operators set up lights that attract plankton, which draws mantas with wingspans up to 12 feet. They glide inches from you in the dark. Nothing else in Hawaii compares to it.

Zip Lines & ATV Tours

The Hamakua Coast and North Kohala area are the hubs for zip line and ATV operations. Zip lines here run through genuine tropical rainforest canopy, not a manicured theme park. Some courses send you over waterfalls and deep ravines on lines stretching 1,000+ feet.

ATV tours cover ground you can't reach in a rental car: old sugar plantation roads, rugged coastal trails, and back-country ranch land with panoramic ocean views. Multiple operators offer half-day tours that include a mix of off-road terrain and stops at scenic overlooks.

Hiking

Beyond Volcanoes National Park, the Big Island has trails that rival anything in the state. Pololu Valley on the north tip requires a steep descent to a black sand beach backed by towering sea cliffs. Waipio Valley is similar but larger, with a 900-foot descent on a road so steep that only 4WD vehicles are allowed.

Akaka Falls State Park is the easy win: a short, paved 0.4-mile loop trail delivers you to a viewpoint of a 442-foot waterfall crashing into a gorge choked with tropical vegetation. The whole visit takes about 30 minutes.

The Kohala Ditch Trail follows old irrigation channels through the lush valleys of North Kohala. It's relatively flat and offers a completely different feel from the volcanic landscapes on the island's south side.

Water Sports

Kona is the marlin capital of the world. The deep ocean drop-off just miles from shore creates prime conditions for blue marlin, yellowfin tuna, mahi-mahi, and wahoo. Charter boats run half-day and full-day trips out of Honokohau Harbor year-round.

Whale watching season runs from December through April, when thousands of North Pacific humpbacks migrate to Hawaii's warm waters to breed and calve. The Big Island's Kohala Coast is one of the best spots in the state to see them, both from shore and by boat.

Surfing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding are available on both the Kona and Hilo sides of the island. The Kona side stays calmer most of the year, making it the better bet for paddling and beginner surfing. Hilo Bay and the Hamakua Coast pick up larger swells for experienced surfers.

Renting a car gives you the freedom to hit multiple coastlines in a single day. Discount Hawaii Car Rental is a solid option for comparing rates across agencies.

Helicopter Tours

A helicopter tour is the fastest way to grasp how massive and varied this island is. In under two hours, you'll fly over active volcanic craters, cascading waterfalls hidden in roadless valleys, the dramatic sea cliffs of the Hamakua Coast, and lush rainforest that gets over 100 inches of rain per year.

When Kilauea is actively erupting, helicopter tours are the only way to see flowing lava up close from the air. Tours depart from both the Hilo and Kona sides. Hilo-based tours get to the volcano faster; Kona-based tours typically cover more of the island's western coastline.

Book early. Helicopter tours are among the first activities to sell out, especially during peak travel months (June through August and mid-December through early January).