Big Island, Hawai'i

Welcome to what I’m dubbing a quick hit, not-quite-a-guide guide for travel. What exactly is a quick hit guide, you ask? Well, it’s essentially a brief summary of my favorite hits and not-to-be-missed spots from a place. Because sometimes I haven’t spent enough time in a location, or don’t know it well enough, or don’t have enough professional photos from somewhere, to qualify for a full blown travel guide, but I still want to share the spots I do know, love and recommend, as well as ones I have bookmarked for future visits, in a particular town or place, in a simple, minimal and easy to digest format with small tips and tidbits as well as any relevant blog posts and links. The quick hits, if you will. Which is perfect for someone just looking for quick recommendations, and not wanting to scroll through a whole guide and paragraph after paragraph just to find a spot for dinner. The quick hit guides will also be added to and refreshed anytime I re-visit the featured location and have something new to add. I hope you’ll enjoy them and find them useful.

Not to be dramatic or anything but the Big Island has stolen my heart in a big way. But what’s funny is that when we planned our trip there, we were initially trying to plan a trip to Kauai. The Big Island wasn’t even really a spot on our radar. Wild, right?! And I could not be more ashamed to admit that because OMG it’s now one of my favorite places ever and I love it so much I’m basically ready to move there tomorrow.

The Big Island is definitely under the radar and not exactly the first spot people think to go when visiting Hawai’i. But that’s exactly what makes it just so special. It’s not teeming with tourists and it’s still very much local, untapped beauty, slow living. Everyone is incredibly friendly and welcoming, the fruit and fish is fresh and flavorful, the coffee is, well, Kona coffee (aka it’s the good stuff), and there’s no shortage of things to do and see (it is a BIG island after all). I now understand why anyone who has been here says its their favorite island and why we met so many mainlanders who had moved there. It really is just that magical.

I’ve started this guide to compile a list of places we went, things we did and what we ate, but let’s just say that it barely scratches the surface of all that this incredibly vibrant and beautiful island has to offer.

COFFEE

White Nene’s miso caramel latte was elite (this was one of my fave coffees of the trip), Arvo (Wimea; we loved their spot on Oahu so had to check out their location here, great if you need a spot to work), Greenflash and Kaya’s (more on both below) were my other favorite coffees of the trip

ACAI BOWLS

Acai Hawaii Company- a cute but tiny spot with well-priced good sized bowls; get it then walk over to the water to enjoy or if you’re lucky enough to snag an open seat you can enjoy it there with water view; be sure to add lilikoi drizzle no matter which bowl you get

SHAVE ICE

Gecko Girlz and Scandinavian Shaved Ice in Kona, Kat’s Shave Ice Cream Truck if you go to Magic’s Beach (it’s cash only), Kula Shave Ice and Wilson’s Shave Ice (Hilo), Anuenue Ice Cream & Shave Ice (Wimea)

GREENFLASH COFFEE

Yummy coffee drinks using local beans, delicious smoothies and breakfast foods; great prices but limited hours

SACRED GROUNDS COFFEE

One of the most memorable coffee experiences; this place is just so serene and the views are unreal! The menu is minimal but the coffee is wonderful. Be sure to go around lunchtime if you can and get either their fresh ahi or tuna plate for lunch, then finish with coffee.

KAYA’S COFFEE

Alocal gem with coffee (possibly my favorite latte of the trip), smoothies, healthy eats and treats; almost everything is made in-house (I especially loved their house-made veggie burger on house-made focaccia and all their desserts looked incredible), can be eaten there or packed to-go (For a beach picnic perhaps?!). Loved that they even had pre-made healthy to-go options like salads, hard boiled eggs and breakfast parfaits.

TWO STEP BAKERY STAND

An absolute must stop in Captain Cook; everything is incredible but our faves included the passion fruit loaf, passion fruit pie and white chocolate mac bars

THE BANANA BREAD STAND

Another stand to stop at in Captain Cook (on the same road as The Painted Church); yummy banana bread with mac nut topping

MANUELA MALASADA

Don’t miss this spot on the side of the road if you want the most insane malasadas! They make them to order once you pick your fillings and toppings, so they’re always hot and fresh and delicious! Lilikoi was our favorite and the li-hing sugar is the way to go if you like a sweet, salty and sour flavor.

POKE

Da Poke Shack (Kona), Poke To Your Taste (Hilo) is a build-your-own poke sitch and was definitely my favorite that we had on the island. The tuna was just so insanely fresh and flavorful! Go early though as they often sell out by 10:30AM (Yes, really! They open at 5:30am btw). Another spot to check out is Suisan Fish Market (Hilo).

KONA FISH MARKET

A this local business that works to support local fisherman is a must stop; if you’re staying in a house, pick up fresh fish and seafood to cook for dinner, or you can get sashimi. The ono we got was literally some of the best I’ve ever had, it tasted like butter and I could have inhaled it all plain, but they actually make you a side sauce, fresh, to go with it if you’d like.

KATSU + PAPAYA

If they have to be having a pop-up when you’re in town, go! They sell what they catch and trust me when I say it’s so incredibly fresh and delicious! I’m still dreaming of this ceviche we got!

BEVS

Cheeky Tiki (tiki drinks with tiki vibes overlooking the bay), On the Rocks (right on the water in Kona, live music some evenings, go for happy hour or sunset), Lava Lava Beach Club (Waikoloa Village, for happy hour on the beach), Magic’s (for happy hour/sunset)

GYPSEA GELATO

There can be a line in the evenings, but it’s worth the wait. Get the passion fruit and coconut stack and thank me later!

BREWERIES

Kona Brewing (a little touristy imo, but good for groups and families and still fun to check out if you like their beers), Ola Brew (definitely more local vibes, good for just beers and/or food)

ON MY LIST TO TRY

The Coffee Shack (Captain Cook, for breakfast and views), Canoe Club (for dinner), Hawaiian Style Cafe (for breakfast either in Wimea or Hilo), Shaka Tacoz, You Make the Roll Sushi (Kona; supposed to be really good sushi but you have to call a million times to get through and then wait forever so definitely requires some planning), Pau Hana Poke (Kona, behind Costco), Poke Market (Hilo), Ulu Ocean Grill, Sushi Shiono, Tetsumen (Hilo, ramen spot with original location in Tokyo), Kuleana Rum Shack (Waikoloa Village; happy hour, rum tasting and rum cocktail classes), Broke Da Mouth Grindz, The Fish and The Hog (Wimea), Moa Kitchen (Wimea, for sushi), Punalu'u Bake Shop (for malasadas in Naalehu, you have to go early FYI), Ka Lae Coffee (for coffee near the southern most point, closed on Sundays), The Inn Kulaniapia Falls (for a cooking class or dinner)

BEACH DAY

Beach 69 was a favorite; not over crowded, plenty of shady little pockets, bathrooms; definitely a good option to post up at all day. Magic’s is pretty but small and with easy access it can quickly get quite crowded (but definitely a good one if you have kiddos). Kua Bay, Beach 49, Kahala’u beach park (great snorkeling, picnic areas) are a few others to check out.

POLOLU VALLEY

A short but steep hike takes you down to this stunning black beach; it’s not a laying out kind of beach but it so beautiful to see and definitely worth it if you’re in the area

WATERFALLS

Rainbow Falls + Akaka Falls can both be done in the same day; Rainbow Falls is right next to the parking lot but Akaka Falls requires a quick hike (it’s stunning though so totally worth it in my opinion)

SNORKELING

So many great spots, Two Step is a local favorite, but Dave even spotted lots of fish and a sea turtle at Beach 69

Pu'uhonua O Honaunau

Really cool to check out this national historic park; make a day of it by snorkeling at Two Step Beach right next door, then tour the park, hike the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail (keep your eyes peeled for the wild goats) and finish with a sunset meal in the picnic area (they even have grills FYI).

HORSEBACK RIDING

Pali Nana Farm up by Hilo is the most incredible horseback riding experience complete with ocean views, amazing wood fired pizza lunch and a chocolate making demo; for something down south past Captain Cook I have this Horseback 2 the Sea option bookmarked as I love that it takes you out to the Green Beach (an otherwise difficult to reach beach)

GOAT THERAPY

Whatever you do, don’t miss the goat farm on your way to or from Akaka Falls (they have lots of signs so you can’t miss it). It’s free to stop, but you can get goat treats for $1, and you can stay as long as you want (Yes, I wanted to stay all day. No, Dave did not let me.).

VISIT A COFFEE FARM

There are no shortage of coffee farms to visit. Part of it depends on location, part preference. Greenwall Farms offers free tours and Kona Joe lets you roast your own beans.

FARMER’S MARKETS

We especially loved the one in Wimea (they have it both Wednesday and Saturday) but there’s also one in Kona and Hilo. Great prepared food options as well as produce. You can also visit Kekela Farms (Kamuela) on Saturdays from 8-noon, Big Island Bees (Captain Cook), there are tons of fruit stands scattered around the Captain Cook area and keep your eyes peeled on the Hawai’i Belt Road not too far from Safeway (on the right side of the road, if you’re headed the direction of Captain Cook) for the lychee lady (she sells big bags of lychee for only $20!).

SMALL TOWNS

Whether it’s on your way to or from the waterfalls, hikes or other excursions, chances are there will be a small town or two that you’ll drive through, and between the mix of historic buildings, local food, small shops, thrifting and art scenes, they’re almost always worth a stop if you have the time. Hawi on the way to Pololu Valley is a good one and Holualoa (where White Nene has a location) is a cute one not far from Kona on the way to some of the coffee farms. Lots of them have monthly art fairs or street fairs which is a fun way to experience the towns, too.

THRIFTING

Bet you weren’t expecting me to say this one were you?! But let me tell you, there are some gems to be found here! Wimea has several thrift stores and you’ll notice others sporadically throughout the island. Keep your eyes peeled for them when you’re driving!

HOME RENTAL

Since we were staying for a week, we went the home rental route and stayed in Kona. It was a great location, especially for our first trip, as it was close to so many things to do, and we liked having a house to cook some food, do laundry, etc.

HOTEL

There are plenty of stunning hotel options to choose from if a resort stay is more your speed. A few to consider include the Mauna Lani and the recently re-opened Rosewood property.

HOW LONG TO STAY

This will definitely depend on things like type of trip (exploring vs staying at a resort) and if it’s a first time visit vs if you’ve been previously, but I think a week is a nice amount of time to get a good balance of all that the island has to offer. However, the island is huge so if you have more time, stay longer.

CAR RENTAL

A car is a must to get around on the island. The only exception to this is if you’re staying at a resort the entire time and not exploring off property. Also, they are harder to come by and a bit pricier but if you’re planning to explore the island fully, get an SUV if you can as there are definitely spots that are only accessible by SUV.

GETTING AROUND

Getting around via car is quite easy as there are several main highways connecting the various points of the island. Traffic is minimal, drives are easy, parking is plentiful. However, the Big Island has it’s name for a reason-it’s, well, big. So keep in mind that it does take a bit to get from one area to the next and while day trips are doable, it may make sense to spend a few nights in a few different areas depending on what you’re trying to see and do.

LAY OF THE LAND

Kona is definitely one of the busier areas of the island, with lots of restaurants, shopping, bars, etc. It’s very accessible and easy to get around. Captain Cook is a bit more remote and jungle-like but still close enough to Kona to have access to the amenities there. Wimea over to Polulu Valley and Hilo is more rolling hills and farmland, definitely cooler and rainier. Hilo is more jungle like, and then back down the Kohala Coast is where you’ll find many of the best beaches as well as the resorts.

SNORKEL GEAR

There are a few spots to rent it on the island, but given how you can snorkle just about everywhere, it’s definitely easier, more efficient and more cost effective to bring your own or pick some up right at Target (they have a whole snorkeling gear aisle).

HELPFUL THINGS TO PACK

Besides your own snorkel gear, if you have room in your luggage I highly recommend packing your own beach towels (or, again, snagging some at Target once you’re there) since a lot of times the ones provided are small or don’t dry the best (or my worst fear, they aren’t aesthetic haha). Reef-safe sunscreen and a refillable water bottle are also helpful to have as well as a cooler for picnics, beach trips or day trips around the island (this one is easy to pack).