Big Island Must Sees
1. Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
This park is filled with ample volcanic adventures from steam vents to lava tubes to craters and more! For more details, please read Top Activities In Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.
Research before you travel to see if there are any active lava flows. This photo was taken in January 2022.
2. Green Sand Beach
Visiting Papakolea Beach provides a unique adventure indicative of what the Big Island has to offer. There are very few places you can see green sand in the world, and this beach is absolutely stunning!
3. Mauna Kea Star Gazing (not pictured for obvious reasons)
At nearly 14,000 feet above sea level, this is one of the best stargazing locations in the world. All vehicles are permitted to drive to the Mauna Kea visitors center. If you would like to drive to the summit, you are required to have a 4x4 vehicle. Because of this, the easiest way for most people to visit the summit is by taking a guided tour. They will not only drive you there, but they’ll usually provide food and necessary coats for the drastic change in temperature. Since the guided tours are 7-8 hours, we decided to drive to the visitors center on our own to view the stars and save some time.
'Akaka Falls state park was sadly closed the day we were in Hilo, so we didn’t get the chance to see this beautiful waterfall. Make sure you don't make the same mistake we did - check their hours first!
If you are a coffee lover, you will have to try the world-renowned Kona coffee! You can even tour Kona coffee plantations to learn how the coffee is grown and try some samples.