The Island of Hawaiʻi is the largest of all Hawaiian Islands, making it the best island for renting a car and hitting the open road for your Hawaii island travel adventure! There’s so much to see, do, and experience, not to mention eleven out of the world’s thirteen climate zones to discover. Follow this custom itinerary and spend six days ticking off the island’s top attractions, ensuring a memorable Hawaii island travel experience.
Day One: Explore the Lava Fields
Arriving at Hilo International Airport (ITO), pick up a rental car and let your Hawaii island travel adventure start. Not stopping to taste Big Island Candies’ delicious sweets would be a crime given their five-minute journey from the airport. Spend the morning becoming acquainted with the second-biggest town in Hawaii, Hilo. Driven via the hotel-lined Banyan Drive, see Japanese-style Liliʻuokalani Park and Gardens; pause for a picture at Rainbow Falls after a beach cruise out to Richardson Ocean Park. Park your car at Hilo Farmers Market and meander around the nearby fruit and vegetable stands, as well as craft and art display tables. Before deciding to eat lunch at Cafe Pesto, shop along Kamehameha Avenue, the main thoroughfare in Hilo, as part of your Hawaii island travel itinerary.
Set the GPS to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and savor the landscape on your way to Kīlauea volcano. Your first destination for the most recent information on volcanic activity should be the Kīlauea Visitor Center. Speak with the Rangers, check the displays, and then pick up a park map. You should not miss the instructional film! Before you see the steam vents, head across the street to the Volcano Art Center. View the comfortable resort Volcano House from Halemaʻumaʻu Crater and Kīlauea caldera. This evening, at The Rim Restaurant, eat delicious local food as you continue your Hawaii island travel journey.
Day Two: Meet the Fire Goddess
Spend this morning in the wonderful outdoors at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on a prescribed trail. For instance, go for a 45-minute walk on a paved path to the crater in the Ranger-led Exploring the Summit program. You will learn about the native flora and wildlife, as well as about Hawaiian history and the tales of Pele, the Hawaiian Goddess of Fire, the creative force that shaped these volcanic islands, enriching your Hawaii island travel experience.
Before embarking on an afternoon excursion to view one of the distinctive black sand beaches on Hawaii Island, grab a quick lunch back at Volcano House. Drive south towards Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach, then veer to Kaʻū Coffee Mill, a 100% Hawaiian estate-grown coffee farm with tastings. Once Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach is reached, keep your eyes open for Hawaiian green sea turtles sunbathing on the sand. Before going back to Volcano House, cool down in the ocean and lounge on the shore. Tonight is a fine dinner at the adjacent Kīlauea Lodge Restaurant, continuing the culinary delights of your Hawaii island travel.
Where to stay
Overnight, we spent the first two days at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. This southern part of the island was dominated by the moist rainforest and volcanic settings adjacent to Hawaii Volcanoes, making it an integral part of any Hawaii island travel itinerary.
Day Three: Hike to Hidden Waterfalls
Today, go around the top of the island. Return to Hilo and stop at the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo, the only natural tropical zoo in the United States. Highlights are two Bengal Tigers, Pueo (Hawaiian Owl), Nēnē (the state bird), and the threatened Io (Hawaiian Hawk!). Proceed north, following the Onomea Bay Scenic Drive, to fully experience the verdant rainforest of Hawaii. Proceed to Akaka Falls State Park, pausing for a brief stroll across dense vegetation to view the falling Kahuna Falls and tumbling Akaka Falls, which will add to your Hawaii island travel adventures.
You will be ready for a meal by the time you arrive in Honokaʻa. A local favorite offering excellent homestyle cuisine is Gramma’s Kitchen. The gorgeous Waipio Valley Lookout, with its steep sea cliffs and gorgeous black sand, comes next. From here, you can see most of the valley. Keep walking toward the Kohala Coast to enjoy the changing scenery. Before heading to the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, stop quickly in the small hamlet of Waimea to pose for a picture beside the huge cowboy boot. Check in, then walk down to one of the few white-sand beaches on the island and wait to see the sunset. Visit the hotel’s seaside eatery, Hau Tree, as a highlight of your Hawaii island travel experience.
Where to stay
Spend the night at expansive resorts on the Kohala coast, the northernmost region of the Island of Hawaii. There are lots of white-sand beaches, golf courses, opulent spas, and fine cuisine here, perfect for a relaxing Hawaii island travel stay.
Day Four: Swim with gentle giants
Soak in the sun, then lap up the pleasures of your hotel or dip in the glistening, clean waves of Hāpuna Beach Park. Get south to Kona exactly on time for a late lunch at the Kona Brewing Co. Kona Pub & Brewery. Local Kona beer is the best to sample anywhere! Leave the brewery and head for Kona-Kailua. Spend the afternoon lazing around the hotel pool, exploring Kailua Village, a little hamlet that adds a quaint touch to your Hawaii island travel.
As the clock approaches 4:00 p.m., you should return to your accommodation to change for your Manta Ray Night Dive using Jack’s Diving Locker. From the harbor shop, the boat trip leaves at 5:00 p.m.; the walk from the hotel takes twenty minutes, a five-minute cab journey. This ocean swim is once in a lifetime. The guides hand out torches for tourists to hold onto while floating on the water’s surface. This light tunnel illuminates plankton and attracts enormous mantas to feed beneath you, making it a must-do on your Hawaii island travel itinerary.
Day Five: Sunsets and stargazing
Early in the morning, head for Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, holy grounds bursting with history and culture. While traveling, you will come across The Coffee Shack, perched on a hill overlooking the Kona coast, serving as a perfect spot for breakfast and a freshly brewed cup of 100% Kona coffee. Once at the park, spend time on a self-guided walk investigating the archeological sites. Discover a rebuilt heiau (temple), kiʻi (wooden figures), hālau (thatched construction), old fish ponds, and more. Hawaiian green sea turtles abound on the lava stone coast, making it a prime spot for Hawaii island travel enthusiasts.
Return to the hotel and prepare for your afternoon excursion—a sunset and stargazing tour with Mauna Kea Summit Adventure. Calculated from sea level, Mauna Kea is the highest mountain on Earth. Because of the island’s low humidity, bright sky, and absence of light pollution, this is one of the best locations on Earth for astronomy study. Spend an enchanted evening searching for shooting stars and stargazing, a magical part of any Hawaii island travel journey. Prepare yourself for the likelihood of snow if you are visiting Hawaii during November–April, the winter months!
Where to stay
On days four and five, Kona sleeps overnight. Palaces, temples, and museums distinguish this little coastal town. It is located on the west side of Hawaii and is famous for its sunny, dry climate, perfect for a Hawaii island travel stay.
Day Six: A Hui Ho Hawaiʻi
Kona is a pedestrian beach town; hence, spend the early hours walking every inch of the town. Along with outstanding sights such as Mokuʻaikaua Church, the oldest Christian church in the Hawaiian Islands, there are plenty of retail options and a fantastic farmer’s market. See the hotel and wish a hui hou to this unique Hawaiian island until we get back together, concluding your unforgettable Hawaii island travel experience. Plan an afternoon flight from Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport in Kehole (KOA), also known as Kona Airport.