29 Best Sights in Big Island, Hawaii

This gorgeous, expansive stretch of white sand, fringed with coconut palms, fronts the Waikoloa Beach Marriott and is a perfect spot for swimming, windsurfing, snorkeling, and diving. Unlike some Kohala Coast beaches near hotel properties, this one is very accessible to the public and offers plenty of free parking. The bay is well protected, so even when the surf is rough or the trade winds are blasting, it's fairly calm here. (Mornings are calmest.) Snorkel gear, kayaks, and body boards are available for rent at the north end.

 Locals will appreciate your efforts to use the proper name (pronounced ā'-nāe-ho'o-mā'lu) rather than simply its nickname, "A-Bay."

Behind the beach are two ancient Hawaiian fishponds, Kuualii and Kahapapa, that once served ancient Hawaiian royalty. A walking trail follows the coastline to the Hilton Waikoloa Village next door, passing by tide pools, ponds, and a turtle sanctuary where sea turtles can often be spotted sunbathing on the sand. Footwear is recommended for the trail. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming; walking.

One of Hawaii's most breathtaking beaches, Hapuna is a ½-mile-long stretch of white perfection, with turquoise water that is calm in summer, so it's good for kids, with just enough rolling waves to make bodysurfing and body boarding fun. Watch for the undertow; in winter it can be very rough. There is excellent snorkeling around the jagged rocks that border the beach on either side, but high surf brings strong currents. Known for awesome sunsets, this is one of the island's best places to see the "green flash" as the sun dips below a clear horizon.

Parking is ample, although the lot can fill up by midday and the beach can get crowded on weekends and holidays. Plenty of picnic tables and lots of grass overlooking the beach offer shady respite on a hot day. Lifeguards are on duty during peak hours. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

Hands down one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, if not the whole state, Kaunaoa features a short crescent of pure white sand framed by coconut palms. The beach, which fronts the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, slopes very gradually, and there's great snorkeling along the rocks. Classic Hawaii postcard views abound, especially in winter, when snow tops Maunakea to the east. When conditions permit, waves are good for body and board surfing also. Currents can be strong in winter, so be careful. Get a cocktail at the beach cabana and enjoy the sunset. Public parking is limited to a few spaces, so arrive before 10 am or after 4 pm. If the lot is full, head to nearby Hapuna Beach, where there's a huge parking lot ($10 per vehicle). Try this spot again another day—it's worth it!Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming; walking.

Billed as "the only natural tropical rain forest zoo in the United States," this 12-acre county zoo features native Hawaiian species such as the nene goose and the io (hawk), as well as many other rare birds such as the highly endangered Hawaiian crow, or alala. Two Bengal tigers are also part of the collection. The white-faced whistling tree ducks are a highlight, along with monkeys, sloths, and lemurs. There's also a petting zoo on Saturdays from 1:30 to 2:30. Myriad species of lush, unusual tropical plants fill the grounds. To get here, turn left on Mamaki off Highway 11; it's just past the "Kulani 19, Stainback Hwy." sign.

Depending on the season, the 20-minute walking tour of this working farm takes in various stages of coffee production, including a look at the 100-year-old coffee trees. The Greenwell family played a significant role in the cultivation of the first commercial coffee in the Kona area (as well as the first grocery store). No reservations are required, unless you are booking for a private party, which does have a cost. You can also book a master brewing class.

The trails at this sheltered 1,160-acre coastal park near Honokohau Harbor, just north of Kailua-Kona, are popular with walkers and hikers, and the park is a good place to observe Hawaiian archaeological history and intact ruins. These include a heiau (temple), house platforms, ancient fishponds, and numerous petroglyphs along a boardwalk. The park's wetlands provide refuge to waterbirds such as the endemic Hawaiian stilt and coot. Two beaches here are good for swimming, sunbathing, and sea turtle spotting: Aiopio, a few yards north of the harbor, is small and calm, with protected swimming areas (good for kids); Honokohau Beach, also north of the harbor, is a ¾-mile stretch with ruins of ancient fishponds. Of the park's three entrances, the middle one leads to a visitor center with helpful rangers and lots of information. Local docents with backgrounds in geology or other subjects give nature walks. To go directly to the beaches, take the harbor road north of the Gentry retail center, park in the gravel lot, and follow the signs.

Northwest of the old plantation town of Paauilo, at a cool elevation of 2,000 feet, lies this sweet 100-acre state park with a lush forested area with picnic tables and restrooms. There's an easy 0.7-mile loop trail with additional paths in the adjacent forest reserve. Small signs identify some of the plants, including the Gothic-looking native ohia and the rare loulu palm. It's chilly and damp here, making it a good escape from the heat at sea level. Three campground areas with full-service kitchens, as well as four cabins, can be reserved online.

This beach is where King Kamehameha spent his final days—the replica of the Ahuena Heiau sits on a platform across from the sand. Adjacent to Kailua Pier, the scenic crescent of white sand is one of the few beaches in downtown Kailua-Kona. The water here is almost always calm and the beach clean, making this a perfect spot for kids. For adults, it's a great place for swimming, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), watching outrigger teams practice, or enjoying a lazy beach day, but it can get crowded on weekends. Snorkeling can be good north of the beach, and snorkeling, SUP, and kayaking equipment can be rented nearby. There's lots of grass and shade. Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

At this meticulously run family operation, artisanal honey is produced slowly and organically. They focus on three varietals: Lehua, Macadamia Nut, and Wilelaiki (Christmasberry). You can take a secured, screened tour of the bee hives, see how the queen lives and is cared for, and enjoy free samples of honey. Reservations are required for the tour, but you can peruse the museum and shop free of charge.

Just off the highway, this garden park on more than 300 acres of former sugarcane land has wide views of the countryside and the ocean; it's also the place to see the beautiful Kamaee waterfalls. During a visit you can follow a walking trail with old-growth tropical gardens including orchids, palm trees, ginger, hibiscus, and heliconia; visit the 10-acre arboretum, which includes a maze made of orange shrubs; explore the river walk; ride the relatively small zip line; and take the only off-road Segway adventure on the island. You can tour the garden only for a nominal fee, which is waived if you take the zip line or Segway. If you skip the zip line, you can see it all in a few hours. This place is 3 miles north of Honomu.

Not technically a beach, this beautiful small bay is an underwater wonderland. Living in and among a wide stretch of lovely coral gardens, yellow tangs, coronet fish, triggerfish, eels, eagle rays, and even Hawaiian green sea turtles make daily appearances. Access is via a lava rock step. Due to its easy access, this spot has seen much overuse in recent years and can get very crowded. Only a few parking spots are available outside the bay as it's also an active fishing launch area. Please visit with the utmost respect to other users of the bay, including residents, canoe club members, fishermen, and others. Please do not stand on coral, use toxic sunscreen, or chase or herd dolphins ($500 fines for violators). Early is best for all conditions—there will be fewer humans and more fish.

The 2½-mile road to this secluded little gem feels like you're venturing off the beaten path, through an area rich in history. Remnants of an old steamship pier testify to its former role as a thriving port town, complete with (now gone) post office, church, and stores. A favorite of writer Robert Louis Stevenson, Hookena suffered virtual abandonment after tsunami, earthquakes, and the decline of steamship travel. Today, though much quieter, it's still an active Hawaiian fishing village, beloved by residents and tended to by a county-community partnership. The beach has a soft mix of dark brown and gray sand and is backed by steep emerald embankments and a dramatic sloping pali (cliff) that make for picturesque tropical vistas. The bay is usually calm, tranquil, and clear with small surf. The park caretakers oversee beach concessions, camping permits, and security. You can rent equipment, beach chairs, and umbrellas. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

On the northernmost stretch of the park's coastline, this lovely beach fronts an absolutely beautiful bay with crystal-clear, deep aquamarine water. It's peaceful in summer, but the park's paved entrance, amenities, and parking lot make the beach very accessible and, as a result, often crowded. Fine white sand sits in stark contrast to old black lava flows, and there's little shade—bring umbrellas. Rocky shores on either side protect the beach from afternoon winds and offer some fabulous snorkeling spots. Gates open daily from 8 to 7. In winter, surf can get rough, and often the sand washes away. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: surfing; swimming.

Located inside the park, Kilauea Military Camp, established in 1916, offers visitor accommodations to members of the military and their families but also has places open to the public, including an arcade, bowling alley, diner, buffet, general store, and gas station. The Lava Lounge cocktail bar is open nightly and features live music on weekends.

Rangers and volunteers greet people and answer all questions at this visitor center, located just beyond the park entrance. There are lots of educational murals and displays, maps, and guidebooks. Also check out the daily itinerary of ranger-led activities. The gift shop operated by the Hawaii Pacific Park Association stocks excellent art, books, apparel, and more. A small theater plays documentaries about the park.

Behind a stone loading platform of the once-famous Hawaii Consolidated Railway, constructed about 1900, the former manager's house is now a museum and a reminder of the era when sugar was the local cash crop. It displays artifacts from the sugar plantation era, the 1946 tsunami, local railway history, and the rich culture of the Hamakua Coast. The museum's Wye railyard has a vintage switch engine, large standard-gauge caboose, and narrow-gauge explosives boxcar. The trains even run a few yards along the restored tracks on special occasions. Call before coming: hours may vary according to docent availability.

Located near the subdivision of Ocean View, this lowland forest reserve spreads across several relatively recent lava flows, offering a semi-rugged trail that follows a 2-mile loop past a pit crater and winding around interesting trees such as hau and kukui (candlenut). You can wander through the well-maintained arboretum, snap photos of the eerie forest, and let the kids scramble around trees so large they can't get their arms around them. The pathways can get muddy and rough, so bring appropriate shoes if you plan to hike. Large populations of the Hawaiian hoary bat inhabit the area, which, in totality, encompasses 25,000 acres of forest reserve. Restrooms and picnic areas are available.

Acres of macadamia nut trees lead to a giant roasting facility and processing plant with viewing windows and self-guided tours. You can even watch demonstrations showing how they coat nuts and shortbread cookies with milk chocolate to create their famous products. There are free samples and plenty of gift boxes with mac nuts in every conceivable form of presentation for sale in the visitor center. Children can burn off extra energy on a nature trail here after enjoying dairy-free ice cream for sale.

Also known as Coconut Island, this small island sits just offshore from Liliuokalani Gardens and is a nicely manicured spot where children play in the tide pools and anglers try their luck. Accessible via a footbridge, it was considered a place of healing and refuge in ancient times. There's a grassy picnic area, swimming spots, and a restroom, plus incredible views.

This is a great place to learn about the stunning Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, which encompasses nearly 140,000 square miles in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands and is the only mixed UNESCO World Heritage site (meaning one that has both natural and cultural significance) in the United States. Giant murals, 3D maps, and hands-on interactive kiosks depict the monument's extensive wildlife, including millions of birds and more than 7,000 marine species, many of which are found only in the Hawaiian archipelago. Knowledgeable staff and volunteers are on hand to answer questions. A 3,500-gallon aquarium and short films give insight into the unique features of the monument, as well as threats to its survival. Located in the refurbished F. Koehnen Building, the center is worth a stop just to get an up-close look at its huge stuffed albatross with wings outstretched or the monk seal exhibit.

This coffee producer offers hourly "bean-to-cup" tours, including a tasting and access to the processing plant, which shows dry milling, sizing, coloring, sorting, and roasting. For $10, take the lava tube/nature walk in the cloud forest ecosystem. There's a small retail store where you can purchase coffee and souvenirs. Remember that afternoon rains are common at this elevation, so bring an umbrella and sturdy shoes.

Hugging the long shoreline adjacent to the runway that served Kona's airport until 1970, this beach is flat, generally clean, and speckled with black rocks and coral bits. Mostly calm waters make for good snorkeling, and a few accessible small coves of white sand offer safe water entry and tide pools for children. Shady areas are good for picnics or admiring the Kona skyline, complete with a whale (in season) and a cruise ship or two. A well-tended community garden, jogging trail, and dog park opposite the runway are worth checking out. Just north, an offshore surf break known as Old A's is popular with local surfers. It's usually not crowded, but this area can get busy on weekends. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; walking.

Shallow, rock-wall-enclosed tide pools and an adjacent grassy picnic area make this park a favorite among Hilo families with small children. The protected pools are great places to look for Hawaiian marine life like crabs and opihi (limpets). There isn't much white sand, but access to the water is easy. The water is usually rough beyond the line of large boulders protecting the inner tide pools, so be careful if the surf is high. This beach gets crowded on weekends. Amenities: lifeguards (weekends, holidays, and summer only); parking (no fee); restrooms; showers. Best for: swimming.

A small but informative museum in a vintage First Hawaiian Bank building designed by noted Hawaii-raised architect C. W. Dickey provides tsunami education and scientific information. It may seem odd that downtown Hilo businesses tend to be far from the scenic bayfront, but the 1946 tsunami alone killed 158 people in Hilo. Visitors can peruse the history of these devastating disasters, with accounts taken from tsunami survivors from Hawaii and worldwide. Exhibits include a wave machine and interactive tsunami warning center simulation as well as films and pictographs detailing tsunamis in Japan, Alaska, and Indonesia. A safety-wall exhibit demonstrates how to be prepared and what steps to take during an evacuation.

Just east of Hilo, almost at the end of the road, is one of the best snorkeling sites on this side of the island, as rocky outcrops provide shelter for schools of reef fish and sea turtles. Richardson Ocean Park is also the only beach in Hilo with black and green sand. Don't get close to turtles or disturb them; they are protected from harassment by federal and state law. The shaded grassy areas are great for picnics. The surrounding area unfolds into bays, protected inlets, fishponds, and lagoons, as well as the adjacent Leleiwi Beach Park. Local kids use the small black-sand beach for body boarding. The annual Richardson Rough Water Swim event takes place in October. Amenities: lifeguards (weekends, holidays, and summer only); parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; walking.

Come here to learn how growers create the perfect cup of Kona coffee through a multilayered process, with coffee cherries getting pulped, sorted, and dried in preparation for roasting, both by hand and with machinery. Take an easy, self-guided tour of this mill by following the descriptive plaques around the property. Then stop off at the coffee center to see coffee-making relics, peruse the gift shop, and watch an informational film. Visitors can also enjoy the beautiful views and stroll through a real lava tube on the grounds.

Popular with local families because of its reef-protected waters, this white-sand beach is probably the safest beach in West Hawaii for young children. It's also generally safe for swimming year-round, which makes it a reliable spot for a lazy day at the beach. There is a little shade, plus a volleyball court and pavilion, and the soft sand is perfect for sand castles. It tends to get crowded with families and campers on weekends, but the beach is mostly clean. You won't see a lot of fish if you're snorkeling here, but in winter you can often catch sight of a breaching whale or two. The beach park lies just below Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site. Amenities: lifeguards (weekends and holidays only); parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming.

One of the park's star attractions, Thurston Lava Tube (named "Nahuku" in Hawaiian) spans 600 feet underground. The massive cavelike tube, discovered in 1913, was formed by hot molten lava traveling through the channel. To reach the entrance of the tube, visitors descend a series of stairs surrounded by Hawaiian rain forest and the sounds of native birds. The Kilauea eruption of 2018 resulted in an almost two-year closure of the tube. During the closure, the drainage system was improved to reduce standing water on the cave’s floor, and electrical lines and lighting were replaced. Visitors should not touch the walls or delicate tree root systems that grow down through the ceiling. Parking is limited near the tube. If the lot is full, you can park at the Kilauea Iki Overlook parking lot, ½ mile away.

The only place to see the triple-tier Umauma Falls, this kid-friendly 200-acre park has 14 waterfalls and a classy visitor center. Options include a zip and rappel, where zip liners can zip, swim, and rappel over caves, waterfalls, and pools; the standard zip adventure; and the zip and dip, a refreshing swim in a private waterfall pool after a nine-line zip. Visitors can also choose various à la carte adventures, such as a walk through the tropical grounds, a flume trail hike, kayaking, and a giant swing.