Big Island, Hawaii: Volcanoes, Beaches, & Hidden Spots

From black sand beaches, hidden underground natural spring pools, to active lava, jumping off the Southernmost point of the USA, and watching the sun set from the highest peak on Earth (if you measure from the sea floor)…… the Big Island is pretty damn amazing!

Having lived in Hawaii (on Oahu) for about 19 years now, I have been to all the islands many, many times, and to the Big Island about half a dozen. Being so large (all the Hawaiian islands could fit into the Big Island, and then some), it’s hard to cover the whole area in a few days. So each time I go, I get to see awesome places that I hadn’t seen the time before. This blogpost is a collection of some of my very favorite places on the Big Island, where if you only have a couple of days to spend there, you can cover a lot of ground, and see some of the most awesome and varied spots that the island has to offer, all whilst keeping the kids entertained. This most recent family-friendly trip, we had 3 full days there (4 nights), and we managed to pack in so much, while still keeping a relaxed, no-pressure, no-rushing pace!

Since this trip included our three combined kids, aged 10-12, everything we did was adventurous and “fun-centric”, with water activities as the main focus, to keep the kids entertained and cool during our stay. Great friends of mine have a 3 bedroom townhome there, and we were fortunate enough to have done a trade with them, which allowed us to stay in their awesome digs in Waikoloa. There are a ton of awesome properties all over the Big Island, and I always use booking.com as my first go-to, when looking for properties anywhere. I also love AirBnB as a great alternate resource.

Waikoloa is a great spot, about 20 minutes from the Airport, and situated in between areas like touristy Kailua-Kona, and relaxed, slow-moving Hilo. It’s also not far from Upcountry, with the Paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) towns like Waimea & Kamuela. It is surrounded by fields of lava rock, and is a sight unlike any other. There are amazing secluded beaches everywhere up the coast, but it is also home to incredible resorts like the Hilton Waikoloa and the Four Seasons Hualalai, where I had one of my favorite meals ever on the Big Island (on a previous trip, sans kids.) If you should find yourself wanting to splurge on dinner and an incredible sunset, make a reservation at the Beach Tree. You won’t regret it.

We began day one with an early start to Pu’uhonua O Hōnaunau, the Place of Refuge near Captain Cook. We got there early and had the entire place to ourselves (highly recommend this). Admission is $20 per vehicle. It’s a beautiful place to explore and take photos – with traditional Hawaiian hales, roaming goats, tiki statues, a fishing pond, and a beautiful lagoon. You are not allowed to swim here on the protected ancient grounds, but not to worry— there is one of the best snorkel spots on the island, called ‘2-Step’, and it is a just few meters from Honaunau. You can walk there along the road, about a 5 minute walk from the parking lot. Or you can drive there and park for another $5 in a privately owned parking lot, right in front of 2-Step, which we did. (I think it’s worth the $5 not to trek in substantial heat lugging snorkel gear, towels, etc.) Regardless of where you park, this gorgeous spot shouldn’t be missed. The water is crystal clear with tons of sea turtles & marine life.

After swimming, snorkeling, and droning there for a few hours, we headed towards Punalu’u to visit the black sand beach. We stopped for a bite at Punalu’u Bakery, which not only serves incredibly tasty loaves of sweet bread, but also serves lunch- burgers, plate lunches, smoothies, etc. We then headed a few more miles up the road to Punalu’u beach, which if you are looking to see some Honu, you’ve come to the right place. There was only one on the beach this time, but I’ve been there when there have been 8 on the sand at one time. Don’t miss seeing the gorgeous lily pond in back of the beach (behind the tall palms). You can walk all across & around the ponds on boardwalks that circle the area. It’s beautiful!

After Punalu’u, we headed down to South Point, which I think is a must do for a bunch of reasons!! Firstly, it is THE Southernmost point of the United States.… cool! Secondly, the drive down is about a 15-20 minute drive off the main road, but it is a beautiful drive flanked on both sides by open ranch land and prancing horses and wind farms! Once you get down to South Point, you’re greeted by dramatic cliffs and rocky caverns (accessible from both above and the sea below). Cool to see, just be careful where you walk! I jumped off the 40-50 foot cliff a few years back, and this year, my offspring sprung off! Several meters to the left of the plank/platform, is a spot where you can jump from various heights off the rocks (8 feet, 20 feet, 40 feet), and you can climb back up the rocks, instead of using the swinging ladder, which is how I had to get up three years back. Please use UTMOST CAUTION, as at times currents can be very strong. Check the situations to make sure it is OK before making the jump.

On our way back from South Point to Waikoloa, we stopped in Kailua-Kona for dinner & to watch the sunset. Had some great fish tacos at Foster’s Kitchen, and then hopped across the street to see the gorgeous sky as the sun went down.

On day two, we headed over to Hilo, driving up through Kamuela to get a taste of Paniolo (Cowboy) Up-Country. We headed to Akaka Falls before hitting Hilo Town, and even though the parking lot was closed, we parked outside and went to see the falls anyway. There’s a 1/2 mile loop walking trail through lush rainforests with wild orchids and jungle flora, where you can see the 442 foot Akaka Falls and the smaller 100 foot Kahuna Falls. After the falls, we had yummy smoothies and iced chai lattes at Hilo Shark’s Coffee, and then headed to see the awesome underground lava tube Kaumana caves. There are two. Bring headlamps or a flashlight for exploring, as they are verrry dark inside!

After the caves, we headed to Carlsmith Beach Park, which was an absolutely gorgeous mix of lagoons, tiny islands, grassy patches, and there are even handrails that help you ease into the ocean. First time seeing that! I would definitely recommend spending some time here… it’s awesome!

On our last day, we decided to stay close to Waikoloa and hit the beautiful Kiholo Bay, on the recommendation of our friend, whose house we were staying in. And, oh man! It did not disappoint! One thing to mention about Kiholo Bay, is that is takes a bit of a hike to get there, and it’s not a soft-white sand beach, so this location is more of an adventure and less of a lazy-beach-day type place. But if you like adventure, and seeing some amazing things, and enjoy walking, then I would highly recommend this spot!

The water is cold! But you are rewarded with its crystal clarity and gorgeous blue hues, if you dare get in. With a little squirming and high pitched squeals, we all managed to eventually submerge our entire bodies, and then had so much fun splashing around and taking cool photos, once we acclimated a bit to the 70 degree water temperature! Please though, be very, very respectful of this sacred site (where the Queen actually did bathe), and do not leave anything behind- on land or in the water. There’s a reason these spots remain beautiful, so please do your part. Also, side note: Watershoes and a light (from a flashlight or mobile phone) will definitely help you to navigate the underground lava tube that connects the two watering holes, as it can be a bit dark, and there are jagged rocks everywhere.

After that cool experience (no pun intended!) we continued our walk along the black sand beach until we finally came to the Bay. You will pass two huge, stunning properties and then finally a little adorable wooden house (that is the epitome of ‘beach shack’), and you’ll know you have arrived. The beach shack has a huge piece of white driftwood in front of it, that is perfect for climbing, and you might see some honu (sea turtles) sunning themselves on the beach too.

This area is teeming with honu, and if you snorkel, or even just walk along the beach, you will likely see tons of them!!! Halfway around the bay, there is a narrow man-built rock channel, that connects the bay to a wildlife nature preserve/fishing pond that is a little bit inland. We stood on the little bridge that goes over the channel, and counted nearly a dozen honu swimming back and forth from the bay to the pond. It was incredible! I could’ve watched the turtle channel for hours! Lol

After oggling the pilgrimage for a while, we continued on and finally settled on a rocky area where the kids jumped in and swam around. They snorkled, jumped off some rocks, and we snacked and soaked in the sun for a few glorious hours, before finally heading back to the car for our last adventure of our trip… Mauna Kea!

Mauna Kea in my opinion, is a must for sunset, if you can manage to fit it into your schedule. If you are able to take the time to get up there, it will reward you with stunning views and a true appreciation for the Mana (power/energy) of the island. Mauna Kea is actually the tallest mountain in the world, if you measure it from its base, under sea level. At 33,500 feet, it beats Mt Everest by about 4,000 feet. Since Mauna Kea’s peak above sea level though is 14,000 feet (and the other 20,000 are under water), Mauna Kea does not reach the treacherously below-freezing temperatures of Everest. Although, it is quite cold up there, especially at sunset, so definitely bundle up with at least a fleece, socks, and some covered shoes! You might even want a hat up there. The Visitors Center, at a 9,200 foot elevation, hosts the trail path to the Sunset Point, where you can grab your hydroflask of hot tea or hot cocoa, and make your way up the red dirt path to the viewing peak. Snuggling up with your loved ones, above the clouds and craters, to watch the sun set from atop a dormant volcano in an island in the Pacific, is definitely a bucket list item, if you ask me. And the perfect way to end a perfect three day mini-vacay!

Until next time…….. Aloha, Big Island!