Curator’s statement
I was able to spend a glorious a week on the Big Island of Hawai’i with my forever partner-in-crime, who also happens to be my husband. While there were several days spent lounging by the pool and the beach, I am a bit of an adventurer and couldn’t sit still for very long! The following itinerary can be broken up by days of rest and relaxation, but I have put together an itinerary that hopefully excites and delights. While there are other islands to explore, the Big Island will hold a very special place in my heart for the rest of my life!
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Day 1: Check in to the Fairmont Orchid & start exploring

After a long day out and about, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the Fairmont Orchid’s restaurant, Binchotan Bar & Grill. Everything was delicious, down to the Chocolate Mochi with a Sesame Ash Ice Cream that I still dream about from time to time!
Between flights and layovers and car rentals, it took a good bit of the day to reach Kona, HI from Nashville, TN. We checked into the Fairmont Orchid, which is one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever stayed in! The outdoor hallways were lined with live orchids, and we loved watching the koi swim about while waiting for a table at breakfast. Our first full day, though, was spent driving around the Hawai’i’s western coast. We explored the Puako Petroglyph Archeological Preserve and several of the nearby beaches, including the Black Sand Beach near Waikoloa. One of my favorite activities is visiting local grocery stores, and we were fortunate to find the Foodland Farms Mauna Lani near the Fairmont, where we picked up snacks such as macadamia nuts (local to the island!) and gummy worms sprinkled with tajin (which was a fun surprise!) For ages, I have been a coffee addict, and Kona coffee is one of my favorites! Of course, I started our day with a trip to Kona Mountain Coffee. While I enjoyed every cup I had, this first iced coffee from Kona Mountain Coffee was sentimentally lovely.
Day 2: Snorkeling with manta rays

Snorkeling with Kona Snorkel Trips
We spent Day two out on the water. I saw something in my early planning for a Manta Ray Night Snorkel, and I have to say that I was incredibly intrigued. After a day of lounging by the pool, we went into Kona and jumped on a boat with a crew from Kona Snorkel Trips. They took terrific care of us and took a group of intrepid snorkelers out into the water at night, where we saw dozens of manta rays in the water. While no one is allowed to touch the manta rays, several of them swam close enough to us that I could barely breathe! It was an amazing experience!
Day 3: Day trip to Waimea

One of my favorite breakfasts
Day 3 was when we broke out of Kona and headed to Waimea. I had no idea before we arrived, but the northern part of the Big Island is dedicated to cattle ranches. There are green, wide open spaces as far as the eye can see, and I even picked up a history (a favorite subject of mine) called Aloha Rodeo, which covers the Hawaiian cowboys who traveled from the Big Island to the mainland to compete in rodeo championships in the early 1900s. As much as I love history, though, I also love trying different local cuisines. One of my favorite places ended up being the Hawaiian Style Café in Waimea. We stopped for breakfast: eggs, spam (grew up with it!), fried rice and a pancake that was the size of my face! Everything was fresh and amazing. The rest of Waimea is charming and full of fun and unique shops to explore.
Day 4: Shaved ice, organic farming & Papakolea Green Sand Beach

An amazing view from the top of the hill overlooking Papakolea
We had a very active Day 4. Our main goal was to explore the southern part of the island, so we made a day out of it. While driving through lush, green jungle, we stopped at a tiny roadside stand for Hawaiian shaved ices, something that this Southern girl is obsessed with. (Where I’m from, the humidity is thick enough to be cut with a knife, so ice is life!) I had a dragonfruit shaved ice, and my husband had a strawberry one. We sat on the steps and watched the colorful lizards dart around us and jump from the railings to the heavily laden banana trees, which I had never seen so many of in my life. From there, we continued south into the beautiful Kau Forest Reserve. This is where we found one of my favorite farms, Paradise Meadows Orchard and Bee Farm. This is a working farm, and we were greeted by an adorable pig who munched on greenery near the entrance to the farm’s on-site shop. The staff will let you taste test almost anything on the shelves, and we tried everything from roasted macadamia nuts to Hawaiian shortbread, and at least three different types of honey. They offer shipping back to the states, and, very importantly, they have clean restrooms for customers. (This will come in very handy at our next stop.) We reached our final point of interest for the day, which was the Papakolea Green Sand Beach. There are no facilities here, other than a few port-a-potties. While the article I read on Pinterest promised a 2-3 mile hike, roundtrip, I promise you it is about double that. We eventually opted to have one of the several pickup truck drivers parked at the parking lot take us out to the beach. It was beautiful! Our pickup truck was also full of other people; we met a lovely English couple and a family from Michigan, and we had a grand adventure together as we were driven to the green sand beach and back.
Day 5: Helicopter tour

Blue Hawaiian Helicopters showed us a fabulous time. I would recommend letting me book them to anyone who travels to any of the Hawaiian Islands.
On Day 5, we opted for a helicopter tour. Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, on the Big Island, is located near where we stayed in Kona. After we passed it several times on our explorations, we couldn’t resist booking a tour. Our expert guide was fun, knowledgeable and incredibly sweet. My favorite views were over Mauna Loa and Waipio Valley. He even stopped at a beautiful waterfall near Waipio for us to wander around and make some wonderful memories.
Day 6: Western highlights

The steam vents near the volcano were getting active, and there was an eruption a week after we visited.
For Day 6, we traveled across the Big Island to hit the highlights on the western side. Starting with the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, we explored as much of the park as we could. If you’re a little nerdy like me, don’t forget to get your National Park Passport stamped at the visitor center. Our visit was about a week before the eruption in 2023, so the steam vents were piping hot. (I definitely had curly hair when we left.) We also hiked through the dormant lava tubes and visited the tropical rainforest before we left. After that, we drove to Hilo and had some amazing barbecue at the Kuhio Grill, and then we walked through the Japanese-style garden built and named by Hawai’i’s last queen, Lili’uokalani. Hilo is a picturesque town with many shops and museums, and we enjoyed a delightful afternoon there before driving back to Kona near Mauna Kea.
Day 7: Loco Moco, Akaka Falls & Kohala Forest Reserve

Who doesn’t love a ‘happy, little accident’? Especially if it looks like this!
Our last day of adventuring started with another amazing breakfast, this time at the Tex Drive-In, located in Honokaa, on the northern side of the big island. They specialize in two things: Loco Moco, which is a delicious hamburger steak covered in an over-easy egg and gravy and malasadas. I had no idea what a malasada was when we started discussing our trip to Hawai’i, but, once I had one, I was hooked! They’re basically a light, Hawaiian style doughnut that is filled with either jam, icing or custard. While my husband raved over the raspberry one, I was instantly on board with the chocolate. After that, we made our way to Akaka Falls to walk off those carbohydrates! It was a not a long hike, and the waterfall was well worth the visit. On our way back to Kona, we got a little lost in the Kohala Forest Reserve and discovered the Pololu Valley and Viewpoint. The waves crashing on the cliffsides were mesmerizing, and we always love a happy accident!
Need to know
The Big Island of Hawai’i has the most insane weather extremes. While the western (Kona) side of the island is dry and warm, the eastern side (Hilo) is humid and hot. Then, when traveling through the middle of the island, the Mauna Kea mountain area is about 30 degrees cooler than the coasts. When my husband drove us from Kona to Hilo, the temperature when we started was 80 degrees. By the time we reached the higher altitudes, it was only 50. That being said, do pack a jacket. Especially if you want to go to the observatory on Mauna Kea. While some of the tour companies do offer extra layers for their tours, this is not a universal gesture. Just in case you want to brave any of the higher elevations, throw a pair of leggings or jeans in your suitcase, along with a waterproof jacket.
Watch where you walk and pack smart shoes. When we visited the petroglyph park, the hubs and I weren’t prepared for the size of the thorns we came across while maneuvering our way around the area. Luckily, we had put on a good pair of walking shoes, because I pulled an inch long thorn from the bottom of my Hokas. Of course, take sandals to wear to the beach and to dinner, but don’t forget sneakers and/or walking shoes for your more adventurous treks.
Try the poi. I know this seems like a silly piece of advice, but I am an advocate for trying new foods wherever I go. Native Hawaiians know what’s good, and they wouldn’t serve it to you if they thought it was awful. The one thing I had a local tell me is that many visitors try the poi by itself and don’t care for its texture and flavor. However, by combining it with a piece of pork or chicken, the poi gives the meat a new and delicious flavor. Trust me on this one, and please try the poi!
Pack reef-safe sunscreen. Many places in Hawai’i sell this kind of sunscreen, but, like a lot of things on the island, it is more expensive to buy it there. I used Sun Bum, which is easy on your skin and available for purchase at most basic retail locations.
Don’t hesitate to rent a car when visiting the Big Island. While I’m a bit of a nervous driver, my husband loves driving. We rented a small SUV and drove it all over the place. While our hotel offered shuttle services, we enjoyed the freedom of having a car to get around and go to some of the lesser known locations. That being said, DO NOT TAKE YOUR RENTED CAR ON OFF-ROADING ADVENTURES. There are lots of options to get off the beaten path on Hawai’i, but that doesn’t mean your rental car insurance covers them. I recommend a tour company with the proper equipment and insurance for off-road adventures. (I can help you with that!)
If you want to go to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, and I highly recommend it, go early. The park fills up early with visitors every day, and, if you don’t want to fight the crowds, the best time to go is when they first open in the morning.
Definitely schedule a luau in advance. We attended the one at our hotel, the Fairmont Orchid. Everything was beautifully done, and the food was excellent. However, the spots for the luau filled up quickly because it was one of the largest and most popular ones on the island. These luaus are a chance to experience a wide variety of Hawaiian dance, food and culture in a small amount of time, so reach out to me and let me help you book one that you and your family will enjoy!

Travel Advisor
Meaghan Goldberg

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