Day Trips
1. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
This is the Big Island day trip that actually feels like you went somewhere. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park spans huge elevation and climate changes and includes Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, two of the world’s most active volcanoes. It’s a place to see living geology up close, with a lot of cultural and ecological significance layered into the landscape.
Park site (hours, fees, alerts, closures)
Drive time from Kona side is about 96 miles (roughly 2 to 2.5 hours) via Highway 11.
A few ways to experience it:
Kīlauea Iki + Crater Rim: walk through a crater” hike
Rainforest on the rim, then down onto the solidified crater floor, then back out. It’s one of the most iconic day hikes in the park.
Devastation Trail: short, easy, and visually wild
A paved walk across cinders from the 1959 Kīlauea Iki eruption, with big views and a quick “how did this grow back?” feeling.
Nāhuku: Thurston Lava Tube, easy, classic lava-tube stop
A short walk through rainforest into a lava tube. Parking can be tight at peak times, so it’s often nicer when it’s quieter.
2. ʻAkaka Falls
Akaka Falls is one of the easiest awe inspiring stops on the Hilo side. It’s a short loop walk through lush rainforest to viewpoints over two waterfalls: Kahuna Falls and ʻAkaka Falls, which drops 442 feet into a gorge.
Official park page [hours, fees, basic info] | AllTrails [route map + recent trail notes]
3. South Point
South Point is the edge-of-the-island kind of place. Big sky, big wind, raw lava cliffs, and that feeling of standing at the southernmost point of the 50 states. It’s also an officially recognized National Historic Landmark District, with some of the oldest archaeological sites in the islands tied to early settlement and coastal life.
What it’s like
This is not a “beach day” stop. It’s exposed and rugged, with high sea cliffs, strong wind, and a lot of locals posted up fishing. The people-watching is part of it in a good way: trucks, coolers, rods, and the whole “we’ve been coming here forever” vibe.
Good to know
There aren’t amenities out there, and the hazards are mostly the obvious ones: cliffs, uneven footing, and ocean conditions that can be intense. Hawaii County’s shoreline access notes put it plainly.
AllTrails [area + nearby routes] | Official reference [historic site overview]
4. Hawaiian Tropical Botanical Garden
HTBG is an incredibly lush rainforest garden with an impressive collection of tropical plants. It’s an easy way to get that “east side jungle” feeling without a big hike, with paved paths, big canopy, and constant little surprises around the corners. There are also some fun waterfall swimming holes to check out near by.
5. Waipiʻo Valley
What it’s known for: Legendary valley views from the overlook. Waipiʻo is an iconic, deeply significant valley on the Hāmākua Coast, with that straight-down, postcard view into the cliffs, taro fields, and black-sand shoreline. We like to stop here on our way to Hilo town to go to the Booch Bar for a tasty meal.
Important note on access: Hawaiʻi County has maintained emergency rules restricting access on Waipiʻo Valley Road due to safety concerns and ongoing management of the roadway. The overlook remains accessible, but the road into the valley has limited access and can be further restricted or closed during weather events or road work.
If you’re thinking about hiking in: Treat this as “research first” territory. Trail status and enforcement change, and AllTrails reflects recent reports and closures for the Waipiʻo Valley Trail.
6. Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary Tour | Soundbath | Yoga
What it’s known for: A guided walk, sound bath and/or yoga in a true cloud forest environment, up on the slopes above Kona. It’s cooler, greener, and quieter than the coast, with that damp, mossy, fern-heavy feel you only get when you’re in the clouds.
Their tours are designed as a slow, immersive walk through restored forest, with guides pointing out what you’re actually looking at, and sharing their knowledge of how the ecosystem works up there.
This is all natural terrain (roots, rocks, uneven ground), not a paved garden stroll, and the weather can shift fast at elevation.
7. Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park
What it’s known for: A rugged Kona coastline made of old lava flows, with some of the clearest “how people lived here” sites you can actually walk through. The park protects traditional Hawaiian cultural features like fishponds (loko iʻa), coastal settlement sites, and sections of the Ala Kahakai coastal trail, all set against a stark lava-and-ocean landscape.
This is more of a lava-walk / shoreline explore than a sandy beach day. You’re walking on uneven surfaces, and the highlights are spread out in a way that rewards taking your time. The fishpond areas also create a wetland habitat that can be great for birding.
8. Hilo day trip
A short loop walk through rainforest to big waterfall viewpoints.
Hawaiʻi Tropical Botanical Garden
A full-on tropical garden walk in a lush valley. It’s one of the best “rainforest feel” stops on the island.
Wailuku River State Park (Rainbow Falls + Boiling Pots)
Two quick stops close to town. Rainbow Falls is the classic view, and Boiling Pots is the river swirling through lava rock upstream.
AllTrails (Boiling Pots)
Kaūmana Caves (Hilo)
A lava tube park right above Hilo. Quick, local, and a cool contrast to the rainforest stops.
