There’s a reason why Hawaii is a popular wedding, honeymoon, bucket list destination: it’s a magical place. And for anyone planning a trip to Hawaii, it can be difficult to decide which island (or islands) to visit. Should you see historic Pearl Harbor and Waikiki Beach on Oahu? Maybe see sunrise from the top of Haleakala on Maui? Or should you take a sunset cruise along the Na Pali Coast on Kauai to appreciate the dramatic cliffs and stunning views that the island has to offer. I mean… all of that does sound pretty incredible, but unless you have weeks to spend on the Hawaiian Islands or can afford multiple visits, fitting it all in would be a challenge. Plus, you’re on island time now… relax, brah. I am lucky enough to have visited multiple Hawaiian Islands over the course of my life, and I think they all have their merits. But when people ask me which island is my favorite or which island they should visit, my response is always the same: the Big Island. Don’t get me wrong, Kauai is beautiful… like unbelievably beautiful. And sure, there’s a lot to see and do on Oahu. And okay, sunrise from the top of Haleakala is super cool (seriously… it’s quite cool, bring a jacket). But the Big Island has a special place in my heart, and it deserves consideration when planning a trip to Hawaii.
A couple of things to mention before sharing about my most recent trip to the Big Island… First, part of the reason why the Big Island is so special to me and why I love it so much is because I lived there for about a year. I would say that most who are reading this post know that about me, but for the few people who don’t, I feel like it is worth mentioning. While I like coming to visit the island purely from a tourist’s perspective, I also like to visit with my friends who still live there. Having a personal connection to a place is naturally going to make that place a little more special in your eyes. So maybe I am biased toward the Big Island because of that, but I still think you should hear me out and give the Big Island a chance. Second, for anyone who may not be aware, the “Big Island” is not another name for Oahu. That was often something that came up when I told people I was moving to the Big Island and they assumed that I was moving to Honolulu. Honolulu is a city on Oahu, not the Big Island. Oahu may be the “biggest” island in terms of population, but the Big Island (or Hawaii Island) gets its name from being the biggest in terms of landmass. If you already knew that, my apologies for needlessly explaining it, but I wanted to make sure we were all on the same page.
So why do I think visiting the Big Island makes for a great vacation spot? Well first, it’s underrated. If the Big Island is on your radar at all, it’s likely because you want to visit Volcano National Park. Otherwise, you’re probably trying to decide between Oahu, Maui, or Kauai. The Big Island doesn’t often get the hype the other islands get and I personally think that’s a great thing. The fact that the Big Island is underrated means that it is not nearly as touristy as Maui or Oahu. There are still tourists, don’t get me wrong, but the island is quieter, more low-key than the other major islands. Traffic isn’t too bad, unless you’re trying to navigate the roads around Kona the day of the Ironman Championship, and the beaches can be busy at times, but rarely seem overcrowded. And while you can definitely find some quieter spots on the other major islands, you have to work a little harder to find them. The Big Island’s lack of appeal to the majority of those visiting Hawaii is part of what makes it so appealing. And please keep in mind, when I say “lack of appeal”, I don’t mean that the Big Island is “unappealing”. It may not see as many tourist as Oahu or Maui, but it is still Hawaii for f***’s sake. The Big Island actually gets slightly more visitors than Kauai, but island size is important here. The Big Island is significantly larger than Kauai: approximately 4000 sq. miles compared to 550 sq. miles, respectively. Additionally, Kauai sees more tourists per month than the entire population of Kauai island. So Kauai may see less visitors per year than the Big Island, but it feels more crowded with tourists. The second reason that I think the Big Island is a “must visit” destination is because of its diversity. And I mean that in two ways: 1) the landscape is incredibly diverse if you’re willing to venture to other parts of the island (and you should) and 2) there are a wide variety of things to do. If you want to chill at the beach all day, every day, you absolutely can. But if that’s not your thing, there is still plenty to see and do that doesn’t involve the beach. What kind of things can you see and do? Well, let’s get into it. I’ll describe my most recent trip to the Big Island and include some things from previous trips as well.
So for this trip to the Big Island, we flew into Kona International Airport. You have 2 choices when flying to the Big Island: Kona or Hilo. If you’re circumnavigating the island like we did (and I highly recommend doing this), it doesn’t really matter which one you pick. You could also do what my stepdad did, which was fly into Hilo and depart from Kona. If you prefer to have one location as a homebase and then want to explore from there, fly into Kona. The nicer beaches are on the Kona-side (specifically along the Kohala Coast) of the island and you’ll have better luck with the weather.
Why will you have better luck with the weather on the Kona-side? Well, the island has a wet side and a dry side; Hilo is on the wet side and Kona is on the dry side. I do think both sides are worth visiting. I mentioned diversity in the terrain and the wet vs. dry side plays a key role. Driving along the Kona and Kohala Coast feels like driving on another planet: lava fields as far as the eye can see. Compare this to the wet side, which feels like a lush, tropical jungle. You want sunshine and nice beaches? That’s the dry side. You want beautiful vegetation (trees, flowers, etc.) and waterfalls? That’s the wet side. Both sides are great, but for different reasons.
We spent our first 4 nights of the trip in Waimea (also called Kamuela). The town has 2 names because there is a Waimea on Oahu and Kauai as well. When you’re on the Big Island, you would call it Waimea, just don’t be confused if addresses say Kamuela. Waimea is about 45 minutes to 1 hour from the Kona Airport. I love it because I lived there, but I also think it’s a great place to stay. You’re a short drive (15 – 20 minutes) from the nearest beach, but you can find more affordable Airbnb accommodations in Waimea than if you were to stay along the coast. Waimea has some great dining options as well (seriously, for a small town, it has some good food). FORC and Moa Kitchen are two really good restaurants (I think The Fish and The Hog is solid as well) and I never leave Waimea without stopping by Big Island Brewhaus and Waimea Coffee Company. I also never miss the Waimea Town Market if I’m staying in Waimea on a Saturday. It’s a great place for local food and shopping. Waimea Butcher Shop is another spot that has some great food, though it’s been a while since I ate there. On this trip, we stopped at Ippy’s Hawaiian BBQ (it wasn’t open when I lived there) and it had some seriously good barbeque. The short ribs were incredible. But if you’re looking for a really nice meal, you can’t beat Merriman’s. It’s amazing but also pricey. That said, I think it’s worth it to go just for their mai tai. They put this lilikoi foam on it that just takes it to the next level. I think it’s my favorite mai tai in Hawaii and that’s saying something because there are a lot of places that make a good mai tai. But something to be aware of when dining or going out in Waimea is that nearly everything closes by 8 – 9pm. It’s not a party town. So if you wait until 7:30pm to start thinking about dinner, you’re going to be in trouble (trust me, I’ve made that mistake before).
After spending a few days in Waimea catching up with my friends, we drove a little over 1 hour to Hilo, Hawaii to pick up my stepdad. You have 2 routes you can take to get to Hilo from Waimea: Hawaii Belt Road or Saddle Road. The drive time is similar between the two routes, but the Belt Road hugs the coast and Saddle Road cuts between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. If you take the Saddle Road, you have the option to take a little side trek up to the top of Mauna Kea (only the tallest mountain in the world as measured from its base below the sea). It’s a pretty epic detour, but you have to have a 4WD vehicle with low range to make the drive. I’ve done it twice and it’s amazing but definitely do your research before you go to make sure you’re prepared for the visit. I personally prefer driving the Belt Road because of the stops you can make along the way. I never miss getting malasadas from Tex Drive-In and both ‘Akaka Falls and Rainbow Falls are worth the visit if you’re into such things (“such things” being waterfalls). We didn’t stop at the waterfalls on this trip to the Big Island, but instead chose to stop at a cemetery where some of Christian’s Portuguese relatives are buried. For most people reading this, I’d recommend visiting the waterfalls over the cemetery. We also spent very little time in Hilo – we picked up my stepdad and then we were out of there. However, if you do spend more time in Hilo, there are a few places I recommend visiting. For food, Hawaiian Style Cafe (there is one in Waimea too) and Ken’s House of Pancakes are great options (side note: Ken’s has much more than just pancakes). If you’ve never had a loco moco before, both of these locations make really good ones. A loco moco is a popular Hawaiian dish typically consisting of white rice topped with a hamburger patty, brown gravy, and finally a sunny-side-up egg (if you think that sounds like a heart attack on a plate, you’re not wrong, but that’s also why it tastes so damn delicious). Ola Brew in Hilo is another great spot for food (and beer if you couldn’t guess based on the name). Ola has a Kona location as well, but the food menu differs. If you like sweets, Big Island Candies has their flagship store in Hilo. They make incredible shortbread cookies and have a variety of flavors, some of which feature Big Island macadamia nuts or Kona coffee. While you can always have these cookies shipped (for a fee, of course), visiting the store is particularly fun because of all the samples you can try. You can also watch the cookies being made and hand dipped into chocolate. Even if you don’t purchase anything (though seriously, how can you not?), it’s a fun stop on the way through Hilo.
We skipped spending time in Hilo to head straight to Volcano. If you’re wondering why I just said “Volcano” and not “the Volcano” or “Volcano National Park”, it’s because Volcano is the name of the small village just outside the park, it’s also where I usually stay when visiting the park. The village is quite small and while there are some restaurants and food trucks in the area, if you’re staying for a few days, it’s a good idea to stop for some groceries in Hilo at either KTA or Foodland before officially heading to Volcano. I like to stay at least 2 nights in Volcano to give myself a full day to explore the National Park, particularly since I often make a number of stops along the way from Waimea and don’t get to Volcano until later in the afternoon/early evening. If you really like to hike, give yourself more time. For this trip, we stayed 2 nights in an Airbnb just outside of Volcano Village. There are some hotels and lodges in the area, but I‘ve only ever stayed in Airbnbs so I can’t speak to the other lodging options. Volcano House is a nice spot to get a drink after dark, especially if you can see a glow and/or lava in the Kilauea Caldera. When I was there in 2018, I was lucky enough to see an incredibly bright glow. This time… we saw the tiniest orange spot of lava way off in the distance and quite a bit of smoke. So we technically saw lava on this trip? Yeah… I’m going to say we saw lava. But even if Kilauea isn’t erupting, Volcano National Park is an amazing park to visit.
After staying in Volcano, we continued driving around the south side of the island on our way to Kona. The drive directly between Volcano and Kona is just over 2 hours, but I usually make a few stops along the way (are you noticing a trend?) so it takes a bit longer (you’re on island time, baby, what’s the rush?). Punalu’u Beach is a nice stop to see black sand and possibly some green sea turtles. And if you need a snack during the drive, you won’t be disappointed with the malasadas from Punalu’u Bake Shop (it’s also the southernmost bakery in the USA, so another reason to grab some baked goods there). When you need to stretch your legs a bit, stop at South Point and walk around. I don’t advise driving all the way to the southernmost point of the United States. The road to the South Point Cliff Dive location is narrow and a little rough, but I’ve driven my little sedan down it before without issue. But once you get to the former cliff jumping location (the ladder has since been removed so I don’t recommend jumping unless you want to spend the rest of your life in the sea), the “road” becomes more like a trail. I wouldn’t feel comfortable driving down it without 4-wheel drive and I don’t think I’d ever risk it in a rental car. If you want to get all the way to the southernmost point in the U.S., I suggest you park and hike a bit. The trail may not be easy to drive on, but it’s perfectly acceptable to walk down. Plus, this allows you to spend more time focusing on the beautiful views instead of navigating the rough road. A final note about walking around South Point, be aware that you are on a cliff overlooking the ocean. There can be high wind, high surf, and rogue waves. Keep your wits about you as you walk around. Safety first!
The 1 hour and 45 minute drive from South Point to Kailua-Kona is scenic and made even better if you stop for lunch at Kaaloa’s Super J’s. This lovely, family-run restaurant has some of the best, authentic Hawaiian food on the island (100% my personal opinion, but it’s the best I’ve ever had). The people are friendly and welcoming; it really feels like you’re sitting down to have a meal at your Hawaiian auntie’s home. Your meal choices are simple: pork laulau, chicken laulau, kalua pig and cabbage, or some combination of the 3 depending on how hungry you are. I had the pork laulau (pork wrapped in taro leaves) and it was incredible, but honestly, I don’t think you could go wrong with any of the protein choices. The plate lunches come with white rice, potato or macaroni salad, and lomi salmon. The meal was absolutely delicious, one of my favorites on this trip. Is it too cheesy to say that you could tell the meal was cooked with love? Maybe, but I feel like that’s the best way to describe it. You know what it tastes like when your grandma cooks something for you? That’s what all the food tastes like at Kaaloa’s Super J’s. And get some dessert while you’re at it. I didn’t and now I have to live with that regret for the rest of my life.
There are a variety of things you can do once you get to Kona. The two places I frequented the most in Kona when I lived on the Big Island were Target and Costco, but if you’re visiting on vacation, you can probably skip these spots. Since we visited in January on our most recent trip, we went on a whale watching tour. Humpback whales migrate to Hawaii during the winter months (November/December to April/May, with peak numbers typically occurring in January and February) to mate, give birth, and raise their young. We went on our tour with Hawaiian Adventures Kona and it was fantastic . The boat was state-of-the-art and comfortable. There didn’t seem to be a bad seat anywhere on the catamaran. The captain was funny and seemed to know what he was doing; despite some very large waves, we didn’t capsize and no one got sick. Maybe it was the captain, maybe it was the boat… I couldn’t say, but I’m going to give the credit to the captain, why not? The guide on the boat was incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic. She sees whales and dolphins all the time but she was still giddy when we’d spot them and that kind of enthusiasm will rub off on you. We saw humpback whales, bottlenose dolphins, spotted dolphins, spinner dolphins… I mean seriously, it doesn’t get much better than that. Hawaiian Adventures Kona offers whale watching tours year-round (though the humpback season is only in the winter) and they also offer a night manta ray snorkel. I’ve never done the night manta ray swim, but I’ve had friends who have (with a number of different tour/dive companies) and they rave about it. Doing a night manta tour or possibly a night dive is high on my list of things to do next time I’m in Kona.
If you’re looking for other things to keep you entertained in Kona, there is some great snorkeling in Honaunau Bay right at Two Step Beach (about a 35 minute drive south of Kailua-Kona). It’s easy to get into the water (just takes about 2 steps) and the payoff is spectacular: a wide variety of fish and ocean life in just about 10 – 15 feet of water. When I went snorkeling there in the past, I just rented gear from Jack’s Diving Locker in downtown Kona. For those who prefer to stay out of the water, you can also visit coffee farms and try some of Kona’s world-famous coffee. Two farms that I’ve been to in the past and really enjoyed are Hula Daddy and Kona Joe. Both coffee farms offer great tours (it’s a good idea to book in advance), but I’d give the edge to Kona Joe when it comes to the views – Kona Joe has some incredible spots to drink coffee while looking out at the ocean (and you don’t have to take my word for it, look at their Google photos). As far as eating and drinking goes, Umekes Fish Market Bar and Grill has very good poke, and I always try to stop for a beer at either Kona Brewing Company or Ola Brew (or sometimes both). If you’re looking for waterfront drinking or dining options, On the Rocks serves a solid mai tai (and the views at sunset aren’t bad either) as does Don’s Mai Tai Bar and Restaurant. Both places serve food, but I’ve only ever gone for drinks at sunset. Other places that I think are fun to go for drinks would be Humpy’s Big Island Alehouse and Laverne’s Sports Bar. I say “think” because I’ve definitely been to both bars before… but I don’t remember much of my time spent there super well. That means it was extra fun, right?
We only stayed in Kona 1 night on this trip before making our way back to Waimea. The drive time between Kailua-Kona and Waimea is about 50 to 60 minutes depending on the route you take (I always drive the lower road for more ocean views). While I typically choose to stay in Waimea, most of my time during the day/evening is spent along the Kohala Coast. If you prefer to stay in beachfront resorts when visiting an island (and I don’t blame you), the Kohala Coast is where you’re going to find most of them. While I don’t generally stay at the nice hotels along the coast, I’m more than happy to frequent their surrounding bars and restaurants. One bar I make sure I always visit on my trips to the Big Island is Lava Lava Beach Club. They make my second favorite mai tai on the island (right behind Merriman’s), though it probably has more to do with the setting than the actual drink itself. Lava Lava (or “Lavas” if you’re feeling lazy) is situated right on the beach and is a prime location for sunset. On this trip, we conveniently stopped at Lava Lava on our way from Kona to Waimea right after our whale watching tour. We timed it so we would arrive for the start of the Notre Dame vs. Penn State CFP semifinal game (Christian is a Notre Dame grad for those who don’t know and was pretty insistent that we don’t miss this game). My stepdad and I were happy drinking mai tais and enjoying a beautiful sunset, and Christian was happy Notre Dame won – great experience all around.
As far as beaches go on the Kohala Coast, one of my favorites is Beach 69 (formally named Waialea Bay Beach, but I’ve never heard anyone call it that). I think it’s the perfect beach. There is great snorkeling (if you’re into that kind of thing), but my favorite part about the beach is that there are these little coves with trees. What the beach may lack in aesthetics (it’s not a long, wide beach with pristine white sand), it makes up for in ambiance and shade. The little coves between the trees help make the beach feel less crowded than it may actually be since you only really see the people sharing your little cove. And definitely don’t estimate the value of shade when spending hours at the beach. Beach 69 is the perfect beach to spend hours at because you can bounce between the sun and shade as needed depending on the exact amount of sunburn you’re hoping to achieve (did I say sunburn? I meant suntan). My other favorite beach is the one located at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel (this is also my favorite hotel to stay at along the coast when I can swing it, which isn’t very often). This beach is aesthetically beautiful. Seriously… it’s stunning. I love this beach so much despite the lack of shade. The only trouble with visiting this beach is parking. The parking is controlled by the hotel and extremely limited. I can usually only get access to park my car when I visit first thing in the morning (and by “first thing in the morning,” I mean close to sunrise). But never fear, I have a solution to that problem! When I can’t park at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, I just park at Hapuna Beach (a very nice beach in its right) and then hike the easy trail over to Mauna Kea Beach. Not only do you get to spend time at a beautiful beach, but you get to enjoy a lovely, short hike with incredible views along the way.
If you’re craving some poke while enjoying the Kohala Coast, there are a few options to satisfy your needs. While I’m typically hesitant to eat any raw fish I pick up from grocery stores in Ohio, I have no problem doing it in Hawaii and I like getting the poke bowls from both KTA and Foodland. Now, locals may have a strong preference with regards to which grocery store has the better poke, but I personally don’t discriminate between the two (being from a state that is nowhere close to the ocean, both the KTA and Foodland poke taste pretty darn good to me). But the absolute best poke I’ve had on the Big Island is from Kawaihae Marketplace. It blows the other two out of the water. The poke bowls from Kawaihae Marketplace aren’t cheap, but they are worth every penny. They are just packed with delicious, fresh fish and you have your choice of side as well. I always try to stop here a few times for lunch when visiting the Big Island. If you like poke, trust me on this one and visit Kawaihae Marketplace.
After you’ve spent all day at the beach and you’re looking for a refreshing drink and maybe some light snacks (also known as “pupus” when in Hawaii), you could visit one of the classy bars at any of the nearby resorts (I’m partial to Copper Bar at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel because I just love that place… and no, they aren’t sponsoring this post, I just think it’s a lovely hotel and beach), or you could play it a bit more casual and go to Seafood Bar (its full name is Seafood Bar and Grill, but I’ve only ever heard it called “Seafood Bar”). They have strong drinks and great happy hour specials from 3-5pm. This was a frequent happy hour spot for me when I lived on the island. Seafood Bar may lack the glitz and glam of the resort bars, but I think that’s part of its appeal. It’s a chill, local spot that’s a great place to visit for a drink (or two…) and some appetizers.
If you’re less interested in chilling at a beach and prefer to do something a bit more active, driving out past Hāwī (the “w” is pronounced like a “v”) to hike into Pololū Valley is a great option. We didn’t go on this trip, but I pretty much took everyone who visited me when I lived there to hike the Pololū Trail. It’s a great little hike, only about 1 mile round trip, but it can be steep and slippery in parts so make sure you have proper footwear. The hike offers stunning views into the valley and your reward for making it to the bottom is a black sand beach on the valley floor. I don’t advise swimming here; this beach is really more for looking than swimming. But it’s a cool place to hang out for a bit before tackling the climb back up. I also enjoy stopping in Hāwī when heading back from the Pololū hike. I think Hāwī is a charming little town with a handful of shops and restaurants, so not only is it a nice place to stop to break up the drive, but it’s also handy if you’re feeling thirsty or famished post-hike.
We spent a total of 4 nights in Waimea, followed by 2 nights in Volcano, 1 night in Kona, and then 4 more nights back in Waimea. If you’re a little more pressed for time than we were but still want to see the entire island, I’d consider spending 2 nights in Kona, 2 nights in Volcano, and 3 nights in Waimea or along the Kohala Coast. I think that whether you stay in Waimea or along the coast comes down to your budget. It’s really nice to stay right next to the ocean, but Airbnbs in Waimea are typically going to be cheaper than the resorts along the coast. Fortunately, if you can’t quite afford the beach resorts but can find some options in Waimea, it’s really not difficult to drive between the two locations. I made the 30 minute drive from Waimea to Lava Lava more times than I can count, and that’s about the farthest you’d typically have to drive from Waimea, assuming you have dedicated time to stay in Kona. There are many different ways to plan a trip to the Big Island, and it’s ultimately going to come down to your interests (and possibly your budget). But I think that’s part of what makes the Big Island such a great place to visit. If you want to see amazing ocean life, you can. If you want to visit a pretty epic National Park, you can. If you want to drive up to the top of the tallest mountain in the world, you can. If you want to hike or see waterfalls, you can. If you want to spend your entire time relaxing on a beautiful beach, you absolutely can. Your vacation on the Big Island can be as adventurous or unadventurous as you want. Ultimately, what I’m saying is to consider the Big Island when you’re thinking about planning a trip to Hawaii. If you choose to go to Kauai instead, I won’t take it personally (it is bananas how stunningly gorgeous that island is). And I’ve never had a bad time on Oahu or Maui either, they are fantastic islands too. But the Big Island should be on your radar. If you want chill island vibes plus the option for some adventure, that’s definitely where you’re going to find it.
P.S. This post isn’t sponsored by the Big Island either, I just really love it and think it deserves its due.
Camping & Caviar 