Three Day Guide to Big Island, Hawaii

When you say “Hawaii” many people think of Honolulu, Waikiki, or North Shore, however, those are on a separate island called Oahu. Though Hawaii is a collection of eight main islands, its biggest one is the Island of Hawai’i, also known as Big Island. It’s the second most populated of the islands, with about 201,513 inhabitants. Big Island is the home to the Kilauea Volcano, Kona, and Hilo, and where Kona coffee is grown! I would recommend a minimum of three days here, and this is how I did it.

If you want great weather and lower crowds then visiting during the off-seasons, April-May and September-October are ideal.

Peak time tends to be November-February and June-August. You can expect bigger crowds and maybe even higher fees and transportation costs. Don’t be totally turned away by these months though if that’s what fits in your schedule. I visited in February because I went over the week of my birthday, which is peak season!

Big Island is pretty rural unless you’re in Kona or Hilo. You absolutely need a car! I rented one from Alamo at the Kona airport and was able to return it in Hilo with no problems! I also only topped off the tank once the entire time before returning it. This allowed us to see so much more of the island than would have otherwise been possible.

I would recommend getting a small or mid-size vehicle, as the roads at higher elevations curve a lot and can be tight. It will be more difficult to navigate these in a bigger car.

It does not matter how much melanin you have in your skin! Hawaii has a strong UV index, and the sun means business! Make sure to wear good sunscreen to prevent burns so you don’t ruin your trip on day one! I have made this mistake and trust me, it sucks! Make sure your sunscreen is reef safe. Hawaii has a lot of unique ocean life, and they work hard to protect it.

Day One

Start your three-day tour on the Kona side of the island! The airport is small, super cute, and open-air! Pick up your rental car and get moving because you have a lot to see and a lot of driving ahead of you.

I highly recommend stopping at 808 Grindz Cafe to grab something to eat! They have a pretty impressive menu with different styles of locos mocos, eggs benedict, etc. I ordered the steak, shrimp, and eggs with rice, and it was lovely! The restaurant is pretty small with a few tables on the inside, but there is a bit of outdoor seating as well. Staff will bring you your order if waiting outside, so no need to worry about that. The spot is located in a strip mall, so there’s plenty of parking!

After breakfast, you should head to HiCO to try 100% Kona coffee! If you’ve never had it before, the flavor was very earthy, and I think this came from the fact it’s grown in volcanic soil. I ordered it as a cold brew topped with ube cream for that extra Hawaiian touch and personally loved it. The ube cream was actually better than the coffee! You can try Kona coffee in a lot of different places, but this is a very cute shop and the key is to get 100% as many places may only serve percentages. This won’t be the same!

Poke is a classic Hawaiian dish made with cubed raw fish, cooked shrimp, or octopus and mixed in a sauce or seasonings. If you’re a fan of Japanese sushi or sashimi, this is right up your alley! I recommend going over to Umekes Fish Market Bar & Grill where you can try free samples of their poke. Don’t just get free poke and leave though, find something you like and get a quarter pound as a snack! I got quarter pounds of their Hawaiian style tuna and spicy creamy salmon. The tuna was my favorite of the two!

Take an hour or two to see the downtown area. Parking is pricey, but hey, it’s Hawaii.

Great spots to check out are Hulihe‘e Palace, Kamakahonu National Historic Landmark, Kona Inn Shopping Village, and Mokuaikaua Church. If you walk along Ali’i Drive, you’ll see an amazing view of the water!

Just south of the Kona international airport is this unique national historical park which features lava rock formations, wildlife, and ancient Hawaiian fishponds. I would recommend starting at the information building, where you can watch a video on how the Hawaiians lived in the area and were able to cultivate millions of fish. It’s a really fascinating video and maybe 10 minutes long! There are also restrooms if you need one.

After walking around this area, you’ll want to drive to the fishponds. You can hike there as well, but it will take some time. The road isn’t paved, tight, and also quite bumpy, so take it slow! Better to go 5 mph than bust a tire. There’s a regular beach here people can come to and the parking lot is small. The ponds will be to the right of the beach, but there are also some barriers preventing you from going all the way. It might be called a pond, but the area is actually quite large!

Make sure to also look out for the wildlife barriers, as the animals are heavily protected by the Hawaiian government. Visiting this park is totally free!

Stop at Pine Tree Cafe for some great Hawaiian food! They do have non-Hawaiian options, but where’s the fun in that?? This was my first plate lunch experience! If you’re not sure what that is, it’s a common Hawaiian meal consisting of a protein, two scoops of white rice, and a scoop of macaroni (mac) salad. So it’s quite heavy on the carbs.

I ordered their boneless spare ribs, whose flavor reminded me of Korean galbi. The portion of meat was quite generous and kept me full the rest of the day!

This is one of the most incredible things you’ll do in your entire life! I wrote a whole post on my experience that I recommend you check out. I booked my tour with Sea Quest Hawaii, who did an amazing job and made me feel safe the entire time. The tour is typically done at night, so a blue light can attract plankton, which is what the manta rays eat. They are huge and will get up and personal, but don’t be afraid!

You’ll want a swimsuit, towel, and snorkeling gear if you don’t want to borrow theirs (it’s all sanitized, but everyone feels differently about that). I’d also recommend a Go Pro! I was able to rent one and the footage I got was incredible!

I stayed at a cute guest house called Aeolian Ranch up in the mountains with an amazing view! They have multiple rooms, but you do share a bathroom with everyone else staying. The house is no shoes as it’s owned by a French and Japanese family, and they also offer free Perrier. There’s a small kitchen if you need to do any cooking. For a single night, this was a great option as the hotels in the area were about double the cost.

Day Two

Before heading off on the next leg of your trip, I recommend stopping for breakfast at Island Lava Java! It’s in downtown Kona and offers a great morning menu and even Kona coffee. I ordered the Luau Scramble, which was pretty unique for my tastes. This included scrambled eggs with kalua pork, grilled pineapple, onion, cheddar & jack cheese. YES! You read that correctly, there was pineapple! I asked the waitress what she recommended and was told it was a bestseller.

To be honest, I wasn’t a fan of the pineapple in my eggs. However, I did try it and ate the whole thing! My sister ordered the Island Eggs Benedict, which I preferred. Of course, I also got a 100% Kona Coffee cold brew!

If you’re up for pineapple and eggs, go for it! Next time, I’m getting the Big Kahuna Fish Breakfast.

This state park is cute and oddly right next to a residential area. There is limited parking, but you can also find street parking. From a distance you can see the Captain Cook statue if you have time to make the hike over, go for it! Unfortunately, my timeframe didn’t allow for this.

There is a bathroom in a pavilion if you need it, as well as a water fountain. About 15–30 minutes here should be plenty. It’s free to visit!

A spiritual sanctuary said to be protected by Lono, the god of life. Upon entering, no one was at the booth to pay for parking, so I’m not quite sure what the situation is on that. We put my sister’s national park pass on the dashboard and didn’t have any issues.

There’s a beginning section with a movie and other information boards to read before you enter the area which is supposed to be protected by the gods who you need to ask permission from to enter. The park has traditional Hawaiian buildings and statues, while seated right by the water. You’re also supposed to keep your voice down in this area. Unfortunately, lots of other visitors ignored these things, even though there was a huge sign telling you to stop and read the rules first.

Pictures are permitted, and the area is really beautiful! I spent about an hour here and didn’t feel rushed. On your way out they do have a gift shop.

Stop at L&L Hawaiian Barbecue for a plate lunch! They also have offerings like Saimin, Hawaiian style ramen, if you want something a little different.

I ordered the grilled ono plate which came with two scoops of white rice and a scoop on macaroni salad. I found the ono to be a bit saltier and tougher than I normally like with fish. My sister got the lau lau, pork steamed in taro leaves, and that was delicious!

You can find L&L all around Hawaii and they even have locations on the mainland. However, the mainland menus are not nearly as large and don’t offer many of the more unique options.

I’ve been to some pink sand beaches and was severely disappointed as it barely had a tint. Punalu’u is a completely different story as the sand is made from basalt caused by lava and it’s truly black! This is one of the most unique beaches I’ve ever been to due to this phenomenon. The beach itself isn’t huge, but it also open to regular swimming.

If you’re lucky you might also catch turtles sleeping on some rocks. There are ropes up to keep us away from them, so please respect this. Parking here might be a little tricky with so many visitors and tour buses.

I believe this is one of the most amazing national parks in the entire United States! Kilauea is still an active volcano and has been erupting since December 2024 (as of May 2025). You can easily spend multiple days here if you’re big into camping and hiking. You’re able to walk through a lava tube, walk across an inactive crater, see the steam vents, and if you’re lucky…..lava!

I recommend you check out my exclusive guide on how to spend an entire day there! This spot is a CANNOT miss!

I recommend staying in the Volcano Park overnight! Make sure to check for reservations early, weeks to months in advance, as spots fill up.

I stayed at the Kilauea Military Camp because my sister is qualified to book there. I enjoyed this spot, even though it reminded me of my own former military days! Essentially they’re old barracks that have been converted into hotel rooms. There’s also a free breakfast buffet with a small Hawaiian twist to it. They also have a small restaurant for dinner, not included in your stay, with American food and trivia!

Another option if you or someone in your party isn’t in the military or the Department of Defense is The Volcano House. It was originally built in 1886, it has 33 guest rooms, 10 cabins, and 16 campsites. It’s on the edge of the Kilauea caldera, with a view of Halema’uma’u crater!

Day Three

Last day! Finish your stay at the Volcano National Park before heading over to the Hilo side of the island!

As I said above, I had a free buffet through my stay at the Kilauea Military Camp but you can also grab something at The Volcano House. Just get fueled to finish your day at the park before moving on!

Finally we’ve made it to the other side of the island! Hilo has a smaller vibe than Kona, but it’s very cute. I did a mix of driving around, seeing their college campus, and walking along Kamehameha Avenue in downtown Hilo. This will really depend on how much time you have before your flight.

We stopped at a popular local spot called Cafe Pesto to try their loco moco! This is a traditional Hawaiian dish and theirs had a local egg, crispy onions, grass-fed beef burger, fire-roasted demi-glace, house bacon, and furikake rice. Sounded amazing but honestly, it was kind of plain and needed salt. We also got their lobster bisque, needed salt as well. So these were a bummer.

However, the Bahn Mi was fun twist on Vietnamese and Hawaiian food and I enjoyed it! It came with kalua pork, goat cheese, pickle, red curry slaw, and fresh cilantro on toasted bread. Calling it a Bahn Mi is a stretch, but it was a good sandwich. I also really liked their coconut calamari with crispy coconut crust and mango mustard dipping sauce.

There are plenty of other items on the menu to try as well such as salads, pastas, risottos, and other sandwiches! The lunch and dinner menu also are a bit different, so take a look on which might be more appealing to you.

Tucked in the back of their flagship store, Wild Heartist, this adorable sweets shop sells 100% Hawaiian coffee, fresh baked pastries, unique drink concoctions, and ice cream! I was craving ice cream after lunch so I’m really glad I found it. The ube flavor was exactly what I was looking for! It was lightly sweet and the scoop was quite generous.

Beautiful beach park about five miles from downtown Hilo that spouts natural lava rock pools, fresh water springs, and tide-pool coves. The area is quite rocky from the cooled lava, but the water is amazingly clear! There are pavilions, a restroom, and this is also a great place from swimming and snorkeling. I spent about 20 minutes here taking in the views and really enjoyed it!

Time to head back to the airport and move on to the next island! Or time to go home, otherwise it was a busy three days on Big Island!

Big Island could honestly take a whole week or more to see everything. However, if you’re trying to see two islands in one week this was how I maximized my time with only three days. I found myself changing elevation quite frequently due to the volcano and the roads could get very tight and curvey. Make sure you’re careful when driving at night!

This island is truly something special and felt very different then my time on Oahu. I think that’s the beauty of the Hawaiian islands, each one is unique and has something different to share!