My 6 Days on Big Island

If you're thinking about taking a trip to Hawaii Island or are interested in learning more about the Big Island, then this blog post will be a great read for you. Learn how to potentially save hundreds on car rentals, maximize your trip and save time, and also how to avoid some BIG mistakes.

This blog post will cover how I spent my time during my 6 day stay on Big Island in Hilo and Kona. The post includes what I learned, my travel tips, and what I wish I would had known or would have done differently.

Also, be sure to check out my other blog post, "Hawaii Island: A Brief History," if you're interested in Big Island climate information, the landscape, and the origins of the Hawaiian Islands. I highly recommend learning more about the island before your visit.

And if you'd like a complete itinerary for Big Island based on my experience, check out my blog post "7 Days on Big Island: A Complete Travel Guide."

Exploring Big Island in 6 Days

Night 1: Friday

Arrival

I arrived in Hilo via a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu. The inter-island flights leave nearly every hour and are generally reasonably priced. The departure from Honolulu was around 7 PM, and I arrived 45 minutes later. The ticket was only $79. Southwest Airlines also offers inter-island flights, and if you don't mind smaller aircraft, you can also take Mokulele Airlines.

When I arrived in Hilo and walked outside from the terminal, I noticed the area was much more humid than Oahu. Additionally, there were either frogs or birds chirping everywhere. I found out that the noises were actually frogs and that the island has had a Coqui frog problem for a few decades now. They're tiny tree frogs that chirp incessantly from dusk until dawn and are also voracious eaters. Unfortunately, this invasive species has also landed recently on Oahu and is causing problems with the natural ecosystem there too.

Rental Cars in Hilo

Getting a rental car was easy in Hilo. The rental car area is in the airport's parking lot, was only a few hundred feet from our exit, and Enterprise stays open until about 9:30 PM. Leah, the associate at Enterprise, was helpful and friendly. My husband Björn and I were going to get an SUV or sports car, but the high mileage and sunscreen odor on the fabric interiors put off Björn. We ended up with a brand-new leather Nissan Altima, which worked just fine for most of our trip. I will say that the smaller engine made driving in the mountainous areas a little more difficult at times, but the sedan worked fine for us. Since off-roading isn't permitted per the lease agreement, not having 4x4 wasn't a dealbreaker for us.

Hilo to Kona Rental Car Tips

Initially, we had difficulty renting a vehicle. We looked through all the available rental car companies at the airport. Many were expensive—especially for our desired Hilo pick-up and Kona drop-off. For the two days in Hilo with a Kona drop-off, the original rental price would have been nearly $1,000. We ended up only paying a little over a hundred for the Hilo rental and then a few hundred for the Kona rental—with full liability protection (our credit cards offer full liability protection, but we would rather not bother with the claims process at the bank, if something were to happen).

Here’s what we did to save over $600 on a rental car.

We rented a car for two days in Hilo and then dropped the car back off in Hilo when we went to Kona. We made a separate reservation for Kona for one day, and we were allowed to keep the same car. When we arrived in Kona, we briefly stopped by Enterprise to start our third reservation; again, we were allowed to keep the exact vehicle.

Some people say they turn to renting U-Haul trucks because sometimes U-Haul can be cheaper, and sometimes the rental car companies are just out of cars. And we did see people driving around in U-Hauls. Sometimes people don't pick up their cars, but you're not allowed to rent the vehicles held for reservation because they made a reservation in advance. We were told by an associate at Enterprise that people rent out cars in extreme advance, and they said the company has reservations for a year out already.

Hotel Experience in Hilo

Since we only planned to spend two days in Hilo, we didn't want to splurge too much on a hotel. We saw that the Grand Naniloa Doubletree by Hilton near the airport had been recently renovated from pictures, so we decided to stay there (since it was the cheapest by far). It was okay for what we paid (around $1,300 for three nights), but I am not sure if I would stay there again. The lobby was nice, the grounds were okay, but the room still felt dated even with recent renovations, and the bathroom wasn't renovated at all.

The service wasn't that good at the hotel. If you plan to stay here, since the price is reasonable (compared to other hotels nearby) and the rooms aren't terrible, I recommend looking on the website or knowing what questions to ask ahead of time. Parking is a pain, and we circled the lots many times before we called the front desk—after three calls, we found out there is additional parking across the street at the golf course. We also weren't told to request housekeeping 24 hours in advance due to Covid, so we struggled to get new towels and extra soap.

Additionally, we didn't know about the paddleboard and kayak rental services until the next day, what time the pool opens and closes, how to access the fitness center, and we didn't know that you had to sign in for the fitness center at the front desk. We tried to get coffee from the lobby the following day, but we were told coffee services end at 9 AM—so also keep this in mind. Also, since we arrived late in Hilo, most restaurants had closed by 9 PM. Because we got in so late, we just ended up driving to a Pizza Hut around the corner. There are a handful of places within a ten-minute drive of the hotel to grab something to eat and pick up water.

Day 1: Saturday

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Saturday was our first full day in Hilo, and we were excited to start exploring the Big Island.

We explored the Bay and saw a lot of people paddle boarding and kayaking. The view from the Bay to the mountain was beautiful. We had heard from a YouTuber that Sweet Cane Café was an excellent spot for healthy food, and since we had just had Pizza Hut the night before, we decided to head over to Sweet Cane. The cane sugar juice was the best I have ever had, and we also got a few immune shots to make sure we could stay healthy for all the adventures we had planned. They're also generous with their food portions, and our food tasted pretty good overall for health-conscious food. If you go and get a sandwich, try their homemade Lilikoi Hot Sauce; it's terrific!

We got to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park around 2 PM. If you're in a private vehicle, you can get a single pass for $30 that's good for seven days, and the pass also works in other National Parks. So it'd be a good option if you were heading over to Maui to visit the volcano on that island or if you plan to visit any other National Parks during your stay. We decided to get the $80 annual pass, which works at all National Parks in the United States for one entire year for up to two individuals.

When you head into the park, the visitor's center is just down the road to the right. You can speak with a Park Ranger to ask any questions, such as what is currently closed since the 2018 volcanic eruptions or if there is presently any volcanic activity. The Park is open 24 hours, 7 days a week. However, we were told that the bathrooms and visitor's center shut down at 5 PM.

It took us about five hours to visit the Park in its entirety, just to see all the areas without any hiking. We started by exploring the Summit of Kilauea, just outside the visitor's center to the right. You drive along one side of the Crater Rim Drive up from 3,500 ft at the entrance to about 4,088 ft. I would recommend going to the end, looking at the Halema'uma'u Crater from the overlook, and then heading back down the drive to see the Steam Vents (Number 1 on the visitor's map) and the Sulphur Banks (Number 2 on the visitor's map). They do have signs up about the Volcanic Fumes and warn visitors to be careful because the fumes are hazardous. They advise against those with breathing issues and heart problems, pregnant women, and young children to avoid this area.

After a few brief stops, we drove back towards the visitor's entrance and went to the Thurston Lava Tube (Number 3 on the visitor's map). It was pretty cool being inside one of the old lava tubes. A sign at the entrance says they turn off the lights from 8 PM - 8 AM, so if you arrive later, keep in mind you will need a flashlight.

We then headed further down the Chain of Craters Road. We only stopped at one crater along the way. The Kilauea Overlook at the beginning often has cloud cover and fog, so it can be tough to get a good view. However, the stop along the way did not have clouds or fog, and we could see into the crater at this stop.

There are Nene crossing signs all over the park, and the Park Rangers were actively discussing the Nene with children. I noticed one Park Ranger even had a stuffed Nene toy and informed a group of children about the birds. So I was pretty excited when we were driving and I spotted two Nene along the side of the road. Nene is thought to have evolved from the Canada Goose. Nene is the official State Bird of Hawaii and is an endangered species, so be careful when driving around because they will waddle into the road. The park also takes their "no dog" rule very seriously, and we saw one man get fined a huge amount for having his two large dogs off-leash running around at the visitor's center.

Our next stop was the Keauhou Trail, which is about halfway along the Chain of Craters Road. The trail is pretty strenuous and takes about 3-5 hours one way. The park has a sign to warn you about elemental exposure, what to expect, and endangered species along the trail. We walked around for a bit and admired the fields of lava from the Mauna Ulu flows from 1969-1974. There's a pretty good view at the Kealakomo Overlook nearby.

Afterward, we drove along the Puna Coast Trail until we reached an area for parking near the end. There are some Port-a-Pottys here if you need a restroom break. Unfortunately, due to closure, you can't get much farther past the Holei Sea Arch. So after you're done admiring the lava cliffs, you'll have to head back up the mountain to exit.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Tips

If you're going to go to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, you're going to need to bring some things with you to prepare for a better experience. We saw a lot of people in shorts, flip-flops, and without umbrellas.

Bring warm clothes and a rain jacket (or umbrella).

We arrived in warm clothes but quickly changed to winter attire upon arrival at the visitor's center. I wore fleece-lined pants, a long-sleeved sports shirt, and a rain jacket on and off (it rained a lot on and off during the visit). You'll also want to bring plenty of water and any snacks if you think you'll get hungry while in the park.

Dinner Recommendation

Afterward, it was pretty late, so we drove back towards Hilo, a 1.2-hour drive from the bottom of the park back to the hotel. We stopped at Hawaiian Style Café in Hilo once we were in town because we had not visited a Hawaiian restaurant yet. There's a mixed plate option if you want to try a few selections. It came with white rice, and I tried the mac salad as my second side (note that I was not told the mac salad had tuna in it, and I just don't like tuna pasta, so if you're like me, just skip the mac salad here). Björn and I shared the homemade lilikoi pie, which was like a passionfruit-topped cheesecake; it was pretty good!

Day 2: Sunday

Papakōlea Green Sand Beach, Punalu'u Black Sand Beach, Kalae, Old Kona Airport Beach State Park, Mauna Kea

The next day we woke up earlier to have coffee (learning our lesson from day one), and spent some time at the Bay again. We had heard from many people to try Popover, a locally owned café that sells donuts, desserts, and popover sandwiches. Unfortunately, the café only has one table and two chairs outside, so we found it difficult to eat our popover sandwiches.

We decided to go Southward and drive along the southeast coast. We stopped at Kau Coffee Mill, picked up a few bags of coffee, and then headed over to Punalu'u Beach to see the black sand and sea turtles. The iron in the black sand got stuck to the magnet of my phone case, which was a little fascinating. And seeing the turtles up close is always an incredible experience!

Papakōlea Green Sand Beach

Afterward, we headed down to Papakōlea Green Sand Beach. As mentioned above, because you can't take rental cars off the road and we didn't have a 4x4, driving to the area was not an option. I also hear it's illegal to do this. Therefore, you'll have to hike as a tourist unless you pay someone for a ride if you want to do the easy albeit illegal route (I heard people will take you and charge $20). The hike is about 2.5 miles one-way. The cool part about this beach is there are only four green sand beaches in the world, but if you're not feeling the long hike and don't want to break the rules or take a ride with a stranger, you could probably skip this one.

Kalae

Next, we headed to South Point: the southernmost point in the entire United States. The final descent into South Point is just miles of land, cows, and maybe a few stray wild horses. There's one sanctuary in this area trying to help cows and other animals, but most of the area seems to be government-owned and private-owned farms.

There was a lot of people cliff diving into the water at South Point. You can take up a ladder along one rock wall, so people would dive into the water and climb back up. The tides were strong, and there's an underneath cave people were swimming into. Björn and I were not prepared for this, so we just watched everyone. Maybe we'll do it next time? There's also a restricted area to the east of South Point, which is a native burial site, so make sure you don't go too far down the path: there are signs that warn about this, so just keep an eye out.

Food Recommendation

Next, we drove North towards South Kona and had lunch at Reel Aloha Poke & Fish Co. I had the poke nachos, and Bjoern had two scoops of poke. It seems to be owned by locals, the people were nice, and the food was good.

Old Kona Airport Beach State Park

We arrived at the Old Kona Airport Beach State Park at about 6 PM so we could catch the sunset at Kailua Beach.

There were a lot of mongooses running around, so we were cautious to avoid them because they would run right by our feet when we were sitting on the rocks. The mongoose is an invasive species that was introduced by sugar plantation owners in a failed attempt to help with rodent problems, but they just ended up killing a lot of native species, including the endangered eggs of the Nene as well as the eggs of endangered sea turtles.

Ice Cream Recommendation

After sunset, we stopped for dessert, coffee and snacks. If you're looking for ice cream near Kona and have already tried shaved ice, I recommend trying Sweet Journey Soft Serve. They make organic soft serve from Big Island macadamias. Since it's unique, I wanted to give them a try. The ice cream was good!

Mauna Kea

The drive to the Mauna Kea for the observatory from Kona takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes. And again, because we had a rental car, we couldn't drive past the visitor's center. It's extremely cold up on the mountain, so we immediately changed into our winter clothes once we got to the visitor's center.

Fun fact: we had brought a bag of Lay’s chips with us, and they popped open at 9,180 ft.

The observatory was such a great experience, and I want to go again. It's unbelievable how many stars you can see, and seeing the Milky Way has been on my Bucket List since I was 16. We used the Sky Guide app to inspect the stars. We put our iPhone 12s on a tripod on top of the car and were able to get some decent photos with the 30-second exposure feature.

Mauna Kea Observatory Tips

As for the observatory, make sure you bring very warm clothes. The extra clothes I had brought were not sufficient for me, and I had to get into the car many times to warm back up. Next time I would probably bring another layer of clothes, and my winter coat and gloves. It was about 30 F up there, and is even colder at the summit. Also, keep in mind what time the moonrise is; otherwise, the light will interfere with your stargazing.

Day 3: Monday

Moving to Kona

We packed up and headed over to the Kona side of the island on this day. We felt there wasn't much else to do in Hilo, as we had already driven around the area and ate at a few local places, plus we were excited to see Kona. We decided this morning that we wanted to extend our stay on Big Island, so we investigated hotels. Initially, we were supposed to leave on this day and not even stay on the Kona side. However, since we enjoyed our stay on Big Island so much, we didn't want to leave.

We stayed at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa and were pretty happy with the room and service. After checking in, we explored the Ku'ual'I and Kahapapa Fishponds behind the hotel. We ended up just exploring the area surrounding the hotel and Kona city on this day. We ended up having dinner at Umekes Fish Market in the industrial area. We both had the fish tacos and thought they were great. Afterward, we stopped at the Puna Chocolate Company and bought some coffee and macadamia chocolates.

Day 4: Tuesday

Exploring Kona and Pool Day

There wasn't a lot open for breakfast in the hotel area. The restaurant on-site just had typical American breakfast options, a small coffee shop on-site, and a few nearby restaurants in the Queens' Marketplace and the Kings' Shops. We opted for the Island Gourmet Market nearby for a quick breakfast; however, we did notice that there will be the Big Island's first Island Vintage Coffee at the Kings' Shops—so I'm hopeful that they'll be open for my next visit.

Island Vintage Coffee has been operating on the islands since about 1996 and is locally owned; Paul does a fantastic job with his recipes, food quality, service, and general atmosphere. The new shop in Kona was supposed to open in June but seems to be delayed due to Covid. If you're in the area and they're open on your visit, I don't think you'd be disappointed with anything. I really like the acai bowls there, but I recently switched it up to the smoked ahi sandwich and was not disappointed.

Sometimes the Kings' Shops have farmer's market days, where you can buy local fruit and pastries. One guy named Markus was selling pretty good Hawaiian-style Baumkuchen cakes here (from his company Baumkuchen Farm) and was planning to stick around until 1 PM on the day we visited. While walking around, we stopped to see the Waikōloa Petroglyph Reserves.

After breakfast, we explored the nearby Hilton village, which is just many hotels in one area. They're kind of cool because you can take a train around to the different hotels (or take the boat ferry), but we saw that many of the rooms inside were outdated. One hotel is in the process of getting renovated, and since we will likely stay in Kona again, we wanted to see what that hotel looks like. Next time we might opt for the Hilton Tower if we can get a renovated room.

The rest of this day, we stayed at Waikōloa beach and took advantage of the pools at the Marriott. There were grills on-site, and since we had bought groceries earlier at the Island Gourmet Market, we decided to take advantage of the grills on-site for dinner this night. Also, we were getting tired of eating out, and even simple meals on-site can be expensive. For example, one full-size pizza at one of the Hilton restaurants was $60.

After dinner, we stargazed for a bit behind the hotel. Although you can't see as many stars as the observatory, stargazing is still pretty good on Big Island in general. Keep in mind that the beach directly behind the hotel shut down and closes the gate at 7 PM, and this seems to be a standard rule for other beaches as well.

Day 5: Wednesday

Pu'uhonua O Hōnaunau, Honaunau Bay and Kekaha Kai State Park

We went to the Queens' Marketplace again for breakfast and then bought snorkeling gear. Unfortunately, the shop that sells snorkeling gear in the Queen's marketplace was closed, and the other shops were dive and rental stores that were quite a drive away. We did not want to rent snorkel gear. The snorkel gear at the Queens' Marketplace was reasonably priced. We paid about $29 for each "Pro" snorkel and maybe about $30 for a set of fins.

Pu'uhonua O Hōnaunau

I wanted to visit the Pu'uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park and then snorkel at Honaunau Bay. If you picked up a National Park Pass, you can use it to park here for no additional fee. If you didn't, it's $20 per car.

I enjoyed the self-guided tour at the Royal Grounds and Pu'uhonua. In this area, you can step back in time to how Hawaii was many centuries ago. There's a great wall that spans over 950 feet made up of huge rocks, as well as many other ancient structures. Be mindful of the sacred site and the resting grounds of 23 former Keawe chiefs. You cannot picnic, climb around, smoke, have pets, sunbathe, or snorkel for these reasons. The gates also lock at 7:30 PM, so make sure you get here earlier in the day. There's a map you can pick up at the entrance that will guide you along your tour. There's even an ancient rock game called Kōnane that you can play towards the entrance of the grounds, but be sure to pick up the rules at the Visitor Center.

Honaunau Bay

After the tour, we walked around the corner to Honaunau Bay to snorkel. I had read that the coral reef here makes Honaunau Bay a perfect spot for snorkeling, and it is—there's so much marine life.

There's a lava flow shoreline at the Bay, and at first glance, it looks like you just step into the water. And you can, and that's what we did. However, I was disappointed with my lack of pre-planning on this one, so listen close and don't be like me... I saw a few people bleeding from running into rocks and sea urchins.

With the currents, we had to be extra cautious not to hit rocks—if you go on a day with a lot of waves, this could be a problem. But the biggest problem, which I didn't realize until I got into the water, was the thousands of sea urchins within the lava rocks and coral reef just inches below the water. I am not kidding; the entire rock structure is basically just a surface of sea urchins ready to stab you.

People enter the water from all sides of "Two Step," and we investigated many entry points—including the area to the far right, which looks like you can literally just step in the water. You cannot do this easily, and I saw a few people bleeding from running into rocks and sea urchins. There are also many eels within the coral reef, so be mindful of all the different and possibly dangerous sea creatures. But don’t let me scare you! There are so many beautiful fish and marine life of all shapes, sizes, and colors.

Honaunau Bay Tips

There's an area towards the middle of the lava rocks that looks like a step. You can essentially just sit down and slide into the water (pictured above on the far left). There's enough area to push yourself away without worrying about sea urchins because there is a steep cliff right off the step. This was the only area I felt safe going into the water.

There's also a boat ramp to the left, and some people were jumping into the water from here and then swimming over to the reef. I heard some people say they felt that area was the best way to enter, so perhaps you could check into this to see how you feel. I read online that some people said they did a tour where they were dropped out into the middle by boat to snorkel. If available, I will take the boat tour if I ever snorkel here again.

Lunch Recommendation

After the snorkeling experience, we drove to Shaka Tacoz for a snack. The tacos were good, but it was really the gecko visitors outside that got me. They're quite friendly and will just walk right up to your plate. They love the mango in the mango salsa and on the tacos; they are not shy about trying to get to the food at all. I was talking with Björn and suddenly noticed a gecko in the lid for my mango sauce licking it. (The geckos are another invasive species on the island.)

Kekaha Kai State Park

To wrap up Day 5, we went to Kekaha Kai State Park to enjoy the beach and snorkel in "safer" waters. The park closes at 6:30 PM, and gates lock at 7 PM. It has a lovely white sand beach with toilets and showers. There are some rocks in the area, so there are a few spots where you can snorkel because the fish like to keep safe near the rocks. The fish in this area were not as vibrant as the Bay, but some enormous blue and striped fish were swimming around. Again, be mindful of the sea urchins along the rocks. A big wave pushed me into a rock wall when I was swimming between rocks, and I missed hitting urchins with my hand by an inch.

After watching the sunset, we headed back to the resort. We had picked up some local volcano wines from the store earlier in the day, so we enjoyed those with the pools and hot tubs at our hotel. These wines were sweeter than we were used to, but the Volcano Red and Guava-Grape were pretty good (note that the Guava-Grape is very sweet, like a port). Unfortunately, both Bjoern and I did not enjoy the pineapple, so we ended up throwing away the entire bottle.

Day 6: Thursday

Coffee Farm, Kukio Beach and Departure

Our check-out time was 11 AM, and our flight didn’t leave until 8 PM, so we spent the day exploring, and we wanted to see at least one coffee farm.

We had some fruit and coffee at the hotel, and then we drove to Umekes Fish Market for one last meal in Hawaii. I tried the ahi katsu, and it was terrific; Björn had two scoops of poke and the grilled ahi belly. We stopped by the Puna chocolate store again because I wanted a wooden Nene magnet made by a local artist, and Björn wanted to buy more coffee and pick up a few local-made art pieces as well.

After, we drove to Mountain Thunder coffee. It's about 3,200 feet up on a volcano in the Kona coffee belt area. Their goal is to make the best coffee in Kona, and they're meticulous. They have coffee processing tours about every 30 minutes. The tours take about 15 minutes. Marty, the tour guide, was very friendly and knowledgeable, and both Björn and I enjoyed the tour. You can also take a self-guided nature walk tour for $10 per family, but you'll have to sign a waiver so that the farm isn't liable if you hurt yourself while out roaming their farm. You can go on a self-guided tour any time. If you're lucky, you might spot Margie, the coffee farm cat. We were told that she gets fed around 3:30 PM, so she was patiently waiting by her bowl for her lunch.

Kukio Beach

After the coffee farm, it was about 4 PM, so we headed to Kukio Beach. We were pleasantly surprised by this beach. It's near the Four Seasons resort, but since all beaches must be public by Hawaiian law, you can still access the beach… there's just a little additional security. First, you'll need to visit the security entrance to get a pass and put your name down on the visitor's list. Then, you'll be able to get past the gate a little down the street after getting buzzed in by security. The beach was beautiful, and there were showers and restrooms as well. We both agreed we would visit Kukio Beach again.

After that, it was off to Enterprise to return the car and then the airport. The rental car area is down the street from the airport, so you'll have to drop off your vehicle first and then take a shuttle. Enterprise had an area where you could just drive up, hand an associate a key, and then walk to the building to wait for the shuttle. There was only one shuttle, but we only had to wait about 10 minutes to take the short 2-3 minute drive over to the airport.

What I Would Do Differently

If I had to replan the trip, there are some things I would do differently. For starters, I would try to find ways to support locals and Native Hawaiians more.

Additionally, I wouldn't stay in Hilo again, though I would visit the city on my way through to another destination. I'd also make a stop at Akaka Falls State Park, Hiilawe Falls, and Waipi'o Valley just north of Hilo.

If you've been to Hilo, drop me a comment below of your recommendations for both sightseeing and locally-owned eats.

On our way from Hilo to Kona, we did stop in Waimea, and I enjoyed seeing all the goats standing around on their rocks. Just acres of rocks and goats. Björn and I agreed we would spend longer in Waimea. Specifically, we would go to The Fish & The Hog and the Waimea Farmers Market. I'd also like to visit Hāmākua Macadamia Nut Company.

As for the observatory, I want to visit the peak, but I'm also lowkey scared. We got out of the car and walked down the path where rental cars aren't permitted, and the steep incline with no guard rails had me a bit nervous. I'd also definitely take warmer clothes, a better camera, and maybe a small telescope. Jupiter and Saturn were high in the sky, so it would have been cool to see them more closely.

I would also make more time for coffee farms. Unfortunately, we only had time to visit Mountain Thunder, but I have also heard that Buddha's Cup, Heavenly Hawaiian, Greenwell Farms, and Hula Daddy are good farms to visit.

If you've been to Kona, what was your favorite coffee farm?

I might also practice cliff diving so that I can conquer the big cliff dive at South Point. And speaking of diving, we thought about the Shark and Manta Ray night dive. Also, some people really enjoy the helicopter tours to get a good view of the island, so we also thought about that too. Blue Island Helicopter Tours seems to be popular and is conveniently located near both Kona and Hilo.

What were your experiences on Big Island? I'd love to know! Comment below so we can talk about it.

If you haven't visited, I hope this guide inspires you to consider a few days on Big Island. Make sure to visit the State of Hawaii Covid-19 site for up-to-date travel information.

If you're thinking about taking a trip to Big Island (or any Hawaiian Island), support local businesses and people when possible. You can visit Shop Small Hawaii for a list of over 350 Hawaiian small businesses. Additionally, the Kanaka Economic Development Alliance project is attempting to empower the Native Hawaiian Community through business; you can click here to see their current list of Native Hawaiian owned businesses.

Aloha,