Last updated on February 24th, 2026
This 7 days on the Big Island itinerary + guide is full of tips on where to stay, what to eat, the top beaches, and the best things to do on the Big Island!
After visiting the state of Hawaii 5 times, including two trips to Maui, two trips to Oahu, and one trip to Kauai, we finally made it to the Island of Hawaii (nicknamed “The Big Island”) and it was absolutely magical!
Although we named our dog Kona after our love of Hawaii and coffee, we for some reason kept putting off visiting the Big Island. Maybe it was because its size seemed daunting or maybe we just didn’t know much about it, but regardless of why it took us so long, we are so glad we finally made it there.
We spent 7 days on the Big Island with Kathryn’s parents and had so much fun visiting different colored beaches, exploring waterfalls, eating our favorite Hawaiian treats, learning about volcanoes, taking a shelter pup out on a field trip, wandering around towns, touring a coffee farm, and so much more.
The island is both incredibly diverse and has something for everyone. While we still cannot pick a favorite island (they are all amazing!), we did love how less busy this island felt and how much nature it had to offer. One day we were driving through lava fields and the next we were in a rainforest. It made everyday feel both new and exciting!
We’re excited to share a 7 days on the Big Island itinerary + guide, filled with our favorite things we did while we were there. Normally our guides are 5 days or less, as we want to help those who have limited time off experience different places, but for the Big Island, we are doing 7 full days as we believe you really need that much time to see the main sights.
If you don’t have 7 days on the Big Island of Hawaii, then don’t worry! You couldn’t go wrong with just doing a portion of this guide.
A few disclaimers before we jump in:
We are not lay out at the beach all day type people. We like to spend our days doing a mix of beaches, hiking, eating, and exploring towns, so our guide definitely caters more to our travel style, but it still will give you tons of ideas even if you prefer to travel differently!
This 7 days on the Big Island guide involves a decent amount of driving as the island, as the name implies, is big! The drives are all beautiful though! We tried to organize the days so you stick to one area to reduce the total driving, as well as not put too many long driving days together so you get a little break 🙂
If you have any questions about the island or our guide, then please shoot us an email or send us a message on Instagram!
About the Big Island
The island of Hawaii, more commonly known as The Big Island, is the youngest and largest of the Hawaiian islands. In fact, all of the other islands could fit in it almost twice! The island is constantly growing due to two of the five volcanoes on the island being active, Kilauea and Mauna Loa.
There are 6 regions on the Big Island, which we will refer to often in this 7 days on the Big Island guide so you have a better understanding of where you’ll be. These regions are: Kona, Kohala, Hamakua Coast, Hilo, Puna, and Kau.
The island has 12 climate zones, from rainforest to frozen tundra to the desert and the rainfall across the island varies dramatically based on where you are. Kona on the West side, for example, receives 25 inches of rain a year, while Hilo on the East side gets about 125 inches. All of the Hawaiian islands are like this, similar to how the Road to Hana is so lush on the island of Maui!
While the island is known for its volcanoes, it is also known for Kona coffee. Only coffee grown in the Kona region of the island can be called Kona coffee. The coffee grows well in this region because of the volcanic soil, sunny weather, and occasional rain. Kona coffee is pricey to buy, but that’s due to the manual nature of picking and roasting the coffee, as well as US labor laws and the rarity of the coffee since it can only be grown in one region.
There is so much more to the Big Island than volcanoes and coffee though, the people were friendly, the food was delicious, the beaches were beautiful, and there was so much nature to explore. While a bit more laid back than Oahu, it still had many activities to choose from. We loved the island so much and we hope you do too!
Need more ideas for the Big Island?
Map of 7 days on the Big Island
Want to Learn More as you explore?
We highly suggest downloading the Guide Along – Big Island (totally worth the cost!!) audio tours to navigate you on the road. Even when you don’t have service it knows where you are and provides commentary and history about the area. As well as alerts you when to stop for specific sights. These guides are fun to listen to and the narrator feels like a fun friend in the car with you! They also offer a larger Hawaii Bundle which is great if you’re visiting multiple islands!
7 days on the Big Island Itinerary
This 7 days on the Big Island itinerary covers all of the main regions of the island and includes delicious food, gorgeous beaches (including three different colors!), and the best things to do!
Day 1 of 7 days on the Big Island: Kona
For your first full day of 7 days on the Big Island, enjoy some Hawaiian treats and relax at two of the most beautiful beaches on the Kona side of the island!
Try Kona Coffee
Kick off your 7 days on the Big Island with coffee at Kona Coffee & Tea! This spot is super nice on the inside and has some great drinks. We love a spot that’s both cute and delicious!
We recommend a coconut or macadamia nut latte or just a plain cup of delicious Kona coffee. As we mentioned earlier, Kona coffee is a big deal, especially here on the big island. So during your 7 days on the Big Island, be sure to drink Kona Coffee As much as possible!
In addition to drinks, they also serve a variety of local pastries and deli items. You could grab something from here for lunch later to enjoy on the beach! But don’t fill up now, because we have a delicious breakfast spot we are sending you to next.
Have Breakfast
One of the most iconic things to eat on the Hawaiian islands is Acai! Grab acai bowls for breakfast at Basik Cafe. Basik Cafe is not basic at all, the food here is delicious! Everything is super fresh and the large bowl is massive, so try to talk your group into splitting! All the bowl combos good options, and if you have time to try a few during your 7 days on the Big Island, then we highly encourage it. With acai, the limit does not exist!
Hit the Beach!
Spend the morning and afternoon at Kua Bay or Makalawena Beach, or both! We loved both of these beaches and highly recommend checking both out. Kua Bay is super easy to access, but not huge and can get busy, while Makalawena Beach is harder to access, but you’ll have a lot more space to yourself. We suggest packing a lunch to enjoy on the beaches! And don’t forget a boogie board 🙂
For more details on getting to Makalawena Beach or to learn more about Kua bay, check out our Best Beaches on the Big Island blog post!
And if you are in need of boogie boards and/or other beach gear, then join the Pass it on Facebook group to find people on the island who are heading home and passing along their beach gear to the next visitors! It’s agreat way to both save money and be better to our environment by reusing and recycling!
Eat Shave Ice
Eating shave ice in Hawaii is just as important as spending time on the beach! Shave ice (not shaved ice) is super soft and light, it feels like freshly fallen snow! It’s not like what you are used to eating on the mainland, and you’ll want to have this daily during your 7 days on the Big Island, at least we know we do!
Enjoy shave ice at Scandinavian Shave Ice in Kailua-Kona. This spot is sooo delicious! It’s been voted first place for shave ice on the island, and we agree! Be sure to get ice cream in the center, its’ definitely the best way to enjoy shave ice.
Walk around town
Walk around Kailua-Kona (otherwise known as Kailua Village), which is full of souvenir type shops and ocean views! You’ll already be here enjoying the shave ice, so relax and enjoy everything this cute area has to offer. You’ll even find a lot of history in the area as you explore, so be sure to learn all about Hawaii’s culture.
Have a Hawaiian Dinner
Grab dinner at Broke Da Mouth Grindz. This spot has great Hawaiian food, from laulau to kalua pork to shrimp, but one of the top items to get here is their furikake chicken! The restaurant has recently had a fire and is temporarily closed, but plans to open again as soon as possible!
Where to stay:
We recommend staying in Kona this night. See our recommendations in the “Where to stay” section below!
Day 2 of 7 days on the Big Island: Kohala
Explore more beautiful beaches, eat more delicious Hawaiian food, and if you’re lucky, then you’ll see tons of stars from the tallest mountain on the island (and depending on how you measure it, the world)!
Get a Traditional Hawaiian Breakfast
Grab breakfast at 808 Grindz in Kona (Closed on Mondays). This is a traditional Hawaiian breakfast joint with delicacies like loco moco, portuguese sausage, spam, and pancakes with coconut syrup!
Wondering what loco moco is? It’s easily one of the most popular local dishes, and is super unique! This dish starts with shite rice, topped with a burger patty, brown gravy and a sunny side up egg. It’s super savory! We recommend you try it at least once, you might love it like the locals do!
You might want to consider grabbing extra meals to take to-go so you can enjoy them for lunch on the beach later!
Relax on the Beach
Spend the rest of the morning at Hapuna Beach State Park. It costs $5 to park here, but the beach is very large and has great sand and water. There are bathrooms and lots of trees for shade! Plus, it’s a really great beach for beginner snorkelers, it’s not uncommon to spot sea turtles in this crystal clear water.
Head up the road to Mauna Kea Beach, which we regrettably didn’t visit due to a lack of time, but we have heard it’s incredible and many people’s favorite on the island. While you’re there, enjoy a picnic lunch!
Visit the World’s Tallest Mountain
After a day of relaxing, spend the rest of the day driving up Mauna Kea and visiting the summit! Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world if you’re measuring from the bottom of the ocean floor. While it is only 13,796 feet above sea level, the majority of the mountain is underwater and from the ocean floor to the top it is over 33,000 feet (Everest is 29,035 feet!)
A few things to know about visiting: It is about a 2 hour drive from Mauna Kea Beach, but once you reach the Visitor Information Station (VIS) at 9,200 feet, you need to stay there and acclimate to the elevation for at least 30 minutes to avoid altitude sickness. According to the VIS, pregnant women, persons in poor health, and children under 13 should NOT venture above the VIS.
To continue to the summit at 13,796 feet, you will need a 4WD vehicle, as the road is not paved past the VIS. You should leave the summit 15-20 minutes after sunset so you can make it to the VIS before it gets completely dark out.
Once you return to the VIS, we recommend going stargazing! The stars are supposed to be beautiful up here. There are tours you can do that will take you to Mauna Kea for stargazing or you can go on your own. This website has tons of info about visiting Mauna Kea.
Drive Back to Kona for dinner
After spending time on Mauna Kea, drive back to Kona, which is about a 2 hour drive. For dinner, head to either Umekes Fish Market Bar & Grill, Kona Brewing Company, or Jackie Rey’s Ohana Grill!
Where to stay:
We recommend staying in Kona this night. See our recommendations in the “Where to stay” section below!
Day 3 of 7 days on the Big Island: Kau + Kona
On day 3 of 7 days on the Big Island, visit one of the 4 green sand beaches in the whole world, learn about the process of making Kona coffee, and have some amazing tacos!
Get a quick breakfast and Coffee to-go
You’ll want to get an early start on today’s adventures, so swing by Green Flash Coffee in Kona on your way out of town to get some food and caffeine to-go. Here’ you can grab some super yummy breakfast sandwiches on bread, french toast, bagels for croissant rolls, so there’s something for everyone!
And to get excited about this afternoon’s adventure, grab some local Kona coffee too!
See a Green Sand Beach
Visit the Green Sand Beach, also known as Papakolea or Mahana Bay. The beach is 1.5 hours from Kona and we highly recommend getting there early to avoid the heat and crowds! It’s about a 2-3 mile walk to the beach and the walk is mostly on dirt/sand.
It’s pretty easy, just a bit tedious, but you have ocean views the whole time. Some say the effort isn’t worth it, but we disagree, we thought the beach was very cool! We arrived around 7:30 AM and got back to the car around 10:00 AM. We only stopped at the beach for a little bit due to crazy wind, but you could definitely spend more time there.
Read more details about this beach, including where to park, why it’s green, how to get down to the beach, and more on our Best Beaches on the Big Island blog post!
Eat Lunch
Your next stop will be to grab lunch at Kaaloa’s Super Js Authentic Hawaiian. This family run spot is known for having the best laulau, which is pork wrapped in taro leaves and then either steamed or cooked in an imu (underground oven). They’ve also got Kalua pork, mac salad and more authentic Hawaiian dishes to enjoy! It’s a great place to fuel up after a tiring morning.
Take a Kona Coffee Tour
Go on a Kona coffee tour at Heavenly Hawaiian Coffee Farm. A coffee tour is definitely one of the top things to do on the Big Island and with so many options to choose from, we went with Heavenly Hawaiian based on reviews and it was such a great choice!
The team working there is incredible, knowledgeable, and make you feel like family! The tours are around 1 hour long and run every hour on the hour until 4 PM. We ended up spending 3 hours here going on the tour, drinking coffee, and talking with the employees–it was one of the biggest highlights of our trip! While most probably don’t stay that long, we loved every second of it.
Learn about some Hawaiian History
If you have time after your coffee tour, then check out Pu’uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park, which is home to some of the most significant traditional Hawaiian sites in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is a pretty quick stop, but a great place to learn about Hawaiian history!
Have Tacos for Dinner
For dinner, enjoy some killer tacos at Shaka Tacoz. We loved this spot! We tried all of the meats and they were all delicious and the guacamole is FREE (when does that ever happen?!) The view from the patio in the building behind the truck is so beautiful and is full of cute geckos that like to join you for your meal 🙂
Get Dessert!
End day 3 of 7 days on the Big Island with dessert at Gypsea Gelato! We LOVE gelato, we even have dedicated posts about the best Gelato in Rome and Gelato in Florence because we ate SO much of it while in Italy!
The gelato here is handmade daily and they offer super unique flavors! Some of the fun ingredients include lemongrass, ginger, lilikoi, hot chili pepper, sweet potato and more! But we always recommend something with Macadamia Nuts since those are a local delicacy in Hawaii!
Where to stay:
We recommend staying in Kona this night. See our recommendations in the “Where to stay” section below!
Day 4 of 7 days on the Big Island: Kona
More food and beaches (because that’s one of the best things about Hawaii!) in day 4 of 7 days on the Big Island, but today’s big activity is one of the coolest things we have ever done.
Have Breakfast with a View
Head a little south for breakfast at The Coffee Shack! This spot is known for having breakfast with a killer view and just like Shaka Tacoz, watch out for the hungry geckos! Here they have a good combo of Hawaiian breakfast fare and typical American breakfast dishes. And if you can handle some dessert this early in the morning, then be sure to have a slice of their homemade Mac Nut Pie!
Relax at the Beach
Spend the rest of your morning at Magic Sands Beach! This smaller, but beautiful beach is one of the few white sand beaches close to town. It is named Magic Sands because in the winter the surf will take away some of the sand, revealing the lava rocks below. When we went there was plenty of sand to enjoy though!
Get Poke for Lunch
Have lunch at Da Poke Shack! This poke spot is one of the best on the island, but they can sell out, so try to arrive early! (It’s pretty close to Magic Sands if you want to hop over there for lunch and then go back to the beach). They also have some options for non fish lovers, like Kalua pork!
But if you love poke already, or are feeling brave and want to give it a try, there’s no better place!! They serve super authentic poke here, and although it will look a little different than what they typically serve on the mainland with loads of toppings, this is the real stuff where they focus on the quality fish and is way better! Get a poke bowl or poke plate which comes with rice and sides.
Go Night Snorkeling with Manta Rays
Want to experience one of the coolest things ever?! Go night snorkeling with Manta Rays! This was one of the highlights of our trip and definitely one of the best things to do on the Big Island.
There are 240 manta rays that call the Kona coast home and they have all been identified and named due to black and white markings on their bellies that allow you to tell them apart, similar to human fingerprints. They can grow up to 16ft long and 1,600 pounds, but are considered one of the safest large animal encounters since they have nothing that can bite or sting you.
We went night snorkeling with Manta Ray Dives of Hawaii and they were the best! The crew was awesome and we saw at least 6 manta rays (this varies every night). The waves were very rough and choppy when we went and a good chunk of the boat felt sick, but we still had a blast! While you can’t book them through Tripadvisor anymore (and use our discount code) there are other similar tours like this one that have great reviews and can use the 10% off. Book it on Tripadvisor and use our code APLUSK10 for 10% off!
Want to save some money on this tour or experience? Join Tripadvisor Rewards to earn 5% Trip Cash on any hotel or experience booking made in their app, which can be applied to future in-app bookings!
Eat Dinner
After a super exhilarating evening snorkeling, you’ll be very hungry! For dinner, head to either Umekes Fish Market Bar, Kona Brewing Company, or Jackie Rey’s Ohana Grill!
Where to stay:
We recommend staying in Kona this night. See our recommendations in the “Where to stay” section below!
Day 5 of 7 days on the Big Island: Kohala + Hamakua Coast
Today you’ll be hiking, eating more delicious food, and seeing the stunning northern coastline of the island! A perfect way to spend day 5 of 7 days on the Big Island!
Drive to Waimea and get coffee
Head to Waimea, about an hour from Kona, for coffee at Waimea Coffee Co! But don’t be tempted by their delicious looking burritos and acai bowls. I’m sure they’re great but we are heading somewhere epic for breakfast next!
Eat Breakfast
After enjoying some coffee, head across the street to Hawaiian Style Cafe for some breakfast! This spot is super delicious and we highly recommend getting their massive macadamia nut banana pancakes! Their loco moco is also super popular and we loved their homemade Portuguese sausage. But honestly, you can’t go wrong with anything here!
Go on a Hike
Go for a hike at Pololu Valley! You can view the valley from the parking area, but the view is amazing if you hike down to the beach, which is only around 0.9 miles and goes down 344 feet in 0.6 miles. We loved this beach because it wasn’t too crowded due to the hike and it had black sand! Make sure to bring water because we got super hot hiking back up.
We share more information about the hike in our Best Beaches on the Big Island blog post!
Fuel up with Lunch
After a nice hike and some beach time, have lunch at The Fish and the Hog. Their BBQ sampler and tacos were really good! But they’ve also got a wide variety of other items like poke, ribs, fish and chips and more! There really is something for everyone here.
Shave ice time!
Enjoy some delicious shave ice at Original Big Island Shave Ice. This shave ice was different than any we have had before. It felt more decadent and the flavor combinations were so unique. The Kimrah Special with ube and the Trini Chantilly were incredible!
When we were there last they were located in a food truck, but now they have a permanent shop in Waikoloa, not far from Waimea.
See Stunning views of the coast
Venture to the Hamakua Coast to see Waipio Valley. This overlook is a quick walk from the parking area and offers gorgeous views! While you used to be able to go down to the beach here, the road is now closed indefinitely to visitors.
Drive to Hilo and Check in
After exploring Waipio Valley, we suggest driving to Hilo and making it your home base for the rest of your Hawaiian adventures. You could just make a day trip to Hilo, but we think the Hilo side of the island deserves a few nights!
Dinner in Hilo
Grab dinner in Hilo. A few good spots to check out: Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine (Closed Mondays), Puka Puka Kitchen (Only open for dinner Tuesday-Friday), or Moon & Turtle.
Where to stay:
We recommend staying in Hilo this night. See our recommendations in the “Where to stay” section below!
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We use AllTrails Plus on every single hike and it is the most helpful hiking tool out there! Some of the features we love are offline maps (so we can navigate even without cell service), wrong-turn alerts, and its 3D maps feature, so we can get a feel for trails before we hike.
Day 6 of 7 days on the Big Island: Hilo
Hilo is the oldest city in Hawaii and the largest city on the Big Island. On day 6 of 7 days on the Big Island you’ll be seeing waterfalls, exploring lava tubes, and eating tons of delicious food!
Grab Some Coffee
Start the day with coffee at Waipuna Coffee. It’s a super cute little shop that serves up some of the most fresh and delicious coffee!
STop to see a Waterfall
Check out Rainbow Falls, which is quite a bit smaller than ‘Akaka Falls at 80 ft tall, but if you arrive early on a sunny morning, then you’ll be treated to a rainbow over the falls! This is a super quick spot with two overlooks of the waterfall (and it’s free!).
Walk through the Lava Tubes
Explore the Kaumana Caves. These free to access lava tubes are from an 1881 lava flow from Mauna Loa! You can explore quickly, or go deeper into the caves (some spots get narrow). No matter how much you want to explore, make sure to bring a flashlight or headlamp…it’s super dark!
Eat Acai Bowls
Get a beautiful acai bowl at Makani’s Magic Pineapple Shack. We got ours in a pineapple and it was massive and oh so good! I mean just look at that photo above! the acai bowls here are insane!
Walk Around Hilo
Explore the town of Hilo! We like the older character and authentic Hawaiian feel in Hilo. There were also way more local boutiques in Hilo vs. Kona. Some good spots to check out while you’re there (most of them are food related and we recommend being hungry so you can try lots of treats!):
- The Locavore Store. We grabbed some amazing toffee from here and they had other local treats and souvenirs!
- The Hilo Farmer’s Market, which has more vendors on Wednesday and Saturday. Try a unique fruit like a Rambutan!
- Poke at Suisan Fish Market!
- Mochi at Two Ladies Kitchen. The butter mochi is especially delicious!
- Shave ice at Wilson’s by the Bay or Kula Shave Ice
- Vegan gelato at Nicoco. You wouldn’t know it was vegan if someone didn’t tell you! They also have delicious homemade vegan and gluten free cones that they make fresh!
Visit another beautiful waterfall
Visit ‘Akaka Falls at Akaka Falls State Park! This 442 ft tall waterfall is gorgeous and is a super short walk that’s lush and beautiful from the parking lot, which costs $10 to park at, plus there is a $5 per person entrance fee. However we hear there’s free parking right outside the park, but we did not park there so we cannot vouch for that. Follow all rules and posted signs!
Drive back to Hilo for Dinner
Drive the scenic drive back to Hilo. We made a quick stop at Onomea Bay and it was beautiful!
Grab dinner in Hilo. A few good spots to check out: Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine (Closed Mondays), Puka Puka Kitchen (Only open for dinner Tuesday-Friday), or Moon & Turtle.
Where to stay:
We recommend staying in Hilo this night. See our recommendations in the “Where to stay” section below!
Day 7 of 7 days on the Big Island: Puna + Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Learn all about volcanoes on the last day of your 7 days on the Big Island! From the history of the volcanoes on the island, to walking on a crater, prepare to be mind blown by how crazy nature is!
Grab breakfast and a coffee to-go
Swing by Coffee Girl on your way out of town for a coffee and breakfast on the go. This might be one of the most beautiful coffee shops on the island, plus has an awesome selection of specialty coffees and a handful of food options to choose from.
Visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Get an early start and head to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, about 45 minutes from Hilo. This is one of two national parks in the state of Hawaii and the only one on the Big Island. It is home to two of the world’s most active volcanoes: Kilauea and Mauna Loa.
There was an eruption and lava flow last year that impacted the island as well as changed the park. At the time of our visit in November 2019, there was no lava flow or glow to see and many sights were closed.
View our Hawaii Volcanoes National Park guide for more details on the park and ideas of things to do!
Hike to the Crater Floor
We recommend starting your day at the park with the Kilauea Iki Trail. This hike is about 3 miles round trip and a 688 ft elevation change. You start the hike at the top of the crater and then go to the crater floor, which is a crazy experience. You then hike back up the other side. The parking area has a good amount of spots, but the hike does get busier as the morning goes on, so start the hike early to beat the crowds and the heat (the crater part of the hike has zero shade!).
Visit the Visitor’s Center
Swing by the Visitor’s Center to learn more about volcanoes! We walked up as the ranger was talking about the history of the island’s volcanoes and it was sooo interesting! The ranger was very entertaining and engaging and we ended up listening to him for 20 minutes or so. It was a great way to learn about the park, we really enjoyed our stop att he visitor center.
Stop by the Volcano House
Across from the Visitor’s Center is Volcano House, which is a hotel with a beautiful balcony overlooking Kilauea. It’s definitely worth a stop for the view!
Go on a short hike
Walk along the short Sulphur Banks trail (1.2 miles roundtrip), which takes you by steam vents and colorful mineral deposits, which are signs of volcanic activity. Warning: it may smell a bit 😉
Walk Along Crater Rim Drive
Park by the Devastation Trail and then walk along Crater Rim Drive to Keanakakoi Crater. This road is now closed to vehicles due to the earthquakes that happened in 2018, but you can either bike or walk along the road to a certain point. Along the way there are viewpoints to see Kilauea Crater, as well as chances to see the cracked road due to earthquakes.
See a Sea Arch
Drive Chain of Craters Road down to Hōlei Sea Arch. Along the way you’ll have ocean and lava views, some of which have signs saying which year the lava flow was from. There are also other quick stops you can make if you have time, but we focused on getting down to the arch, as the weather was a bit crazy.
ENjoy a local lunch
Have lunch at Cafe Ono (Closed Mondays) or Aloha Mix Food Truck (Closed Mondays and Saturdays).
See turtles at a black sand beach
Visit Punalu’u Beach, which is a beautiful black sand beach full of palm trees and if you’re lucky, then you’ll see turtles! We saw 5 turtles total on the sand, as well as a couple turtles swimming in the ocean. There is free parking and the beach is a hop and a skip from the parking area, making it much easier to access than Pololu or Waipio Valley’s black sand beaches.
Have Dinner back in Hilo
Grab dinner in Hilo. A few good spots to check out: Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine (Closed Mondays), Puka Puka Kitchen (Only open for dinner Tuesday-Friday), or Moon & Turtle.
Where to stay:
We recommend staying in Hilo this night. See our recommendations in the “Where to stay” section below!
If you have extra time…
If you have more than 7 days on the Big Island, or are just looking for more things to do, then here is a list of food and activity suggestions, with the region of the island they are in!
Food
- Kanaka Kava (Kona)
- Loko Wraps (Kona)
- Herbivores (Kona)
- On the Rocks (Kona)
- Kohala Burger and Taco (Kohala)
- The Booch Bar (Hilo)
- Paul’s Place (Hilo)
- VIBE Cafe & Health Bar (Hilo)
Sweets
- Mrs. Barry’s Kona Cookies (Kona)
- Manuela Malasada Company (Kohala)
- Anuenue Ice Cream & Shave Ice (Kohala)
- Tex Drive In (Hamakua Coast)
Coffee
- HiCo (Kona)
- Kona Mountain Coffee (Kona)
- Green Flash Coffee (Kona)
- Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation (Kona)
- Kona Wave Cafe (Kona)
- Tin Shack Bakery (Puna)
Activities
- Take a shelter pup out on a field trip! (Kona, Waimea, and Hilo)
- Tour the Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory (Kona)
- Go on a bee tour at Big Island Bees (Kona)
- Hike to Captain Cook Monument + snorkel at Kealakekua Bay (Kona)
- Visit Lapakahi State Park (Kohala)
- Hike to Kiholo Bay (Kohala), which is 2.8 miles. This post has great info on how to get to it!
- Walk down Banyan Drive to see Banyan trees planted by various famous people (Hilo)
- Go snorkeling at Carlsmith Beach Park (Hilo). This is supposed to be one of the best snorkeling spots on this side of the island. We didn’t snorkel there, but we went by there quickly and saw multiple turtles!
- Visit the newest beach at Isaac Hale Beach Park (Puna)
General tips for 7 days on the Big Island
Between weather, the language, and what to bring, here are a few things that are good to know before you visit!
We found that the best weather website for the Big Island (and Hawaii in general) is Hawaii Weather Today. Typical weather websites said we would have rain every day of our trip (this happened to us last time on Maui too!) and on both trips, we only got rained on maybe once. So don’t panic if it says it’ll rain! This website is great because you can view the weather by region, which is crucial since the islands have many different ecosystems and weather patterns!
Speaking of rain, bring a rain jacket for your 7 days on the Big Island! Ideally you won’t need it, but it’ll be a lifesaver if you have one!
Learn some Hawaiian words before you go! Not only does this help you understand some of the words you’ll see often, but it helps you get immersed into the culture more. And it’s nice to know how to pronounce them too!
When to spend 7 days on the Big Island
The Big Island is known for having two main seasons: the wet season and the dry season. The wet season is between November-April, while the dry season is between May-October.
However, we mentioned above, some areas of the Big Island get much more rain than other areas of the island, which means that when you visit, even if it’s raining in one area of the island, that doesn’t mean you can’t find sunshine elsewhere!
We spent 7 days on the Big Island during November (the week before Thanksgiving) and had pretty awesome weather the entire trip despite it not being the “best time” to visit! So don’t be afraid to visit during the wet season, although we’d suggest being mentally prepared for rain so you’re not disappointed.
Besides weather, another thing to consider when choosing when to visit the Big Island are holidays. Summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are popular times for families to vacation on the Big Island, which means prices will be higher and the crowds will be larger.
We had originally planned to visit during Thanksgiving, but by visiting the week before we saved a total of $2,100 on four flights and didn’t notice anything being too busy! So we’d suggest looking at when flights will be the cheapest and planning your trip around that time.
Want to learn other tricks to save money on flights? Check out this post!
Getting to the Big Island
There are two main ways to get to the Big Island: by airplane or by cruise ship.
Airplane
The Big Island has two airports, one in Hilo and one in Kona. We flew into the Kona international airport, as that’s where we found the best flights. This is the more popular of the two airports, but definitely check both when booking your flights, as Southwest and Alaska (two of our favorites!) fly to Hilo international airport.
Cruise
While this is the less common way to visit the Big Island, it’s a good option if you want to see all of the islands. Norwegian Cruises offers a variety of Hawaiian cruises, all of which stop in Hilo and in Kona! This option doesn’t give you as much time on the island and wouldn’t allow you to fully use this guide, but it should still help you plan your days on the island!
Getting around the Big Island
Renting a car is a must for 7 days on the Big Island! There are so many things to do all over the Big Island and while they do have public transportation, the freedom of having your own rental car is so worth it!
For our car rental, we had a Jeep in order to have 4×4, which helped us on the road to Makalawena Beach and would’ve been necessary for Mauna Kea had we gone. If you want to access some trickier spots, then we highly suggest renting one.
Where to Stay for 7 days on the Big Island
Choosing where to stay on the Big Island is tough because it’s so big! The two main areas to stay in are Kona and Hilo, with Kona being the more popular option. We have an entire post devoted to where to stay on the Big Island, including the towns we mention below, plus other great options you should consider. Here is a quick rundown of the two areas based on our experience and opinions:
Kona:
- Pros: White sand beaches, lots of shops and resorts, close to snorkeling and coffee farms, more of a beachy vibe, close to the main airport
- Cons: Touristy in some areas, not very walkable
Hilo:
- Pros: More walkable, more character and local boutiques, close to the National Park and waterfalls, less touristy feeling, super lush and green
- Cons: Some areas are more industrial, no white sand beaches, few resorts
The distance between Kona and Hilo is about 1.5 hours, so traveling back and forth to those areas everyday can get a bit lengthy. We split our trip between Kona and Hilo and while having to change rentals midway through wasn’t 100% ideal, it was totally worth it to maximize our adventure time and not have to drive hours everyday!
If you want to see the entire island, we suggest splitting your time, but it’s also doable to stay in Kona and drive more everyday. Below are some options of where to stay in the two main regions of the island, as well as some smaller areas that have cool places to stay. We will put under each day where we suggest staying that night to maximize your time on your 7 days on the Big Island.
Places to stay in Kona
- Vacation Rental Option #1: A 1 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo with ocean views
- Vacation Rental Option #2: A 2 bedroom and 2 bathroom condo, perfect for families
- Aston Kona by the Sea
- Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel
- Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa
Places to stay in Hilo
- Vacation Rental Option #1: A modern 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom condo overlooking the ocean
- Vacation Rental Option #2: A 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo perfect for families
- Grand Naniloa Hotel
- Hilo Hawaiian Hotel
Need more ideas for your Hawaii trip?
- One Day at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
- 8 Best beaches on the Big Island
- 11 Things you Must Eat on the Big Island
- 5 Days on Oahu
- Hiking up the Koko Head Stairs on Oahu
- Hiking to the Lanikai Pillboxes on Oahu
- 5 Days on Maui
- 14 Must-visit Beaches on Maui
- The Ultimate Road to Hana Guide
- 7 Days on Kauai
- All Hawaii blogs + guides
Ready to explore the Big Island?
Pin this guide with where to stay, what to eat, and the best things to do with 7 days on Big Island!
