Big Island attractions
The free and self-guided sights across Big Island of Hawaii: waterfalls, beaches, parks, valleys and viewpoints. No booking needed, just what to know before you go and the tours worth pairing nearby.
"Which waterfalls are worth it near Hilo?"All attractions· 120 places
'Imiloa Astronomy Center
Observatories · Hilo · Adults $19, kamaʻāina adults $14, children 5 to 12 $12, members free; full day in the exhibit hall and planetarium; tickets non-refundable (ʻImiloa)
A-Bay (Anaehoomalu Bay)
Beaches · Waikoloa
Ahu'ena Heiau
Historical Sites · Kailua-Kona
Akaka Falls
Waterfalls · Honomu · Non-residents $5 per person entry and $10 per vehicle parking, credit card only; Hawaii residents free with ID (State Parks)
Ali'i Drive
Scenic Drives · Kailua-Kona
Anaehoomalu Bay (A-Bay) Snorkel
Snorkel Spots · Waikoloa
Anna Ranch Heritage Center
Cultural Sites · Waimea
Big Island Candies
Cultural Sites · Hilo
Boiling Pots (Pe'ePe'e Falls Overlook)
Viewpoints · Hilo · Non-residents $5 entry and $10 per vehicle parking; Hawaiʻi residents free with Hawaiʻi ID or driver license; children 3 and under free; paid by credit card (Hawaiʻi DLNR Division of State Parks)
Buddha's Cup Coffee
Coffee Farms · Holualoa
Carlsmith Beach Park
Beaches · Hilo
Crater Rim Drive
Scenic Drives · Volcano · Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park entrance: $30 per private vehicle, $25 per motorcycle, $15 per person on foot or bicycle; free for ages 15 and under; no cash accepted (National Park Service)
Crater Rim Trail
Hiking Trails · Volcano · Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park entrance fee: $30.00 per private vehicle (NPS)
Crescent Beach Dive
Dive Sites · Kailua-Kona
East Hawaii Cultural Center
Cultural Sites · Hilo · Free; donations welcome (East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center)
Garden Eel Cove (Manta Night Dive)
Dive Sites · Kailua-Kona
Green Sand Beach (Papakōlea)
Beaches · Pahala
Greenwell Cultural Heritage Garden
Cultural Sites · Kealakekua
Greenwell Farms
Coffee Farms · Kealakekua
Halemaumau Trail
Hiking Trails · Volcano · Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park entrance fee: $30.00 per private vehicle (NPS)
Hamakua Coast Drive
Scenic Drives · Hilo
Hapuna Beach
Beaches · Waikoloa · Non-residents $5 per person entry (credit card only) and $10 per vehicle parking; Hawaii residents free with ID (State Parks)
Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve & Garden
Gardens · Papaikou
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Parks · Volcano · $30 per private vehicle, $25 per motorcycle, $15 per person on foot or bicycle; free for ages 15 and under; no cash accepted (National Park Service)
Hi'ilawe Falls
Waterfalls · Waipio Valley
Hilo Bay
Viewpoints · Hilo
Hilo Farmers Market
Markets · Hilo
Holualoa Village
Cultural Sites · Holualoa
Honoli'i Beach
Beaches · Hilo
Hookena Beach
Beaches · Captain Cook
Hualalai
Volcanoes · Kailua-Kona
Hula Daddy Kona Coffee
Coffee Farms · Holualoa
Hulihe'e Palace
Historical Sites · Kailua-Kona · Self-guided: visitors 18 to 64 $16, youth 6 to 17 $14; kamaʻāina, seniors 65+ and military with ID $12; 5 and under free. Guided: $20 (Daughters of Hawaiʻi)
Hulihe'e Palace Cultural
Cultural Sites · Kailua-Kona · Self-guided: visitors 18 to 64 $16, youth 6 to 17 $14; kamaʻāina, seniors 65+ and military with ID $12; 5 and under free. Guided: $20 (Daughters of Hawaiʻi)
Kahalu'u Beach Park
Beaches · Kailua-Kona · Non-resident parking $12 for 4 hours; Hawaii residents with ID park free (The Kohala Center)
Kahalu'u Beach Snorkel
Snorkel Spots · Kailua-Kona · Non-resident parking $12 for 4 hours; Hawaii residents with ID park free (The Kohala Center)
Kahuna Falls
Waterfalls · Honomu · Non-residents $5 per person entry and $10 per vehicle parking; Hawaii residents free with ID (State Parks)
Kailua Pier
Historical Sites · Kailua-Kona
Kaiwi Point
Dive Sites · Kailua-Kona
Kalapana Lookout
Viewpoints · Pahoa
Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park
Parks · Kailua-Kona · Free; no entrance pass required (National Park Service)
Kalopa Native Forest State Park
Parks · Honokaa · None (Hawaiʻi DLNR Division of State Parks)
Kamehameha Birth Site
Cultural Sites · Hawi · No admission fee (National Park Service listing)
Kapoho Tide Pools (historic)
Snorkel Spots · Pahoa
Kaumana Caves
Caves · Hilo
Kauna'oa Bay
Dive Sites · Kawaihae Harbor
Kealakekua Bay
Beaches · Captain Cook · No entrance fee (State Parks)
Keauhou Bay Manta Point
Manta Ray Sites · Kailua-Kona
Keauhou Farmers Market
Markets · Kailua-Kona
Kekaha Kai State Park
Beaches · Kailua-Kona · Non-residents $5 per person entry (credit card only) and $10 per vehicle parking; Hawaii residents free with ID (State Parks)
Kiholo Bay
Beaches · Kailua-Kona · No entrance fee (State Parks)
King Kamehameha Statue (Original)
Historical Sites · Hawi
Kohala Mountain Road (Hwy 250)
Scenic Drives · Waimea
Kona Coffee Living History Farm
Coffee Farms · Captain Cook
Kona Farmers Market
Markets · Kailua-Kona
Kona Joe Coffee
Coffee Farms · Kealakekua
Kua Bay (Manini'owali)
Beaches · Kailua-Kona · Non-residents $5 per person entry (credit card only) and $10 per vehicle parking; Hawaii residents free with ID (State Parks)
Kuaiwi Farm
Coffee Farms · Captain Cook
Kukio Beach
Beaches · Kailua-Kona
Kula Kai Caverns
Caves · Captain Cook · Lighted Trail: adults $35, children 6-12 $20, 5 and under free. Archeological: adults $45, children 6-12 $25, 5 and under free. Extended Wild: adults $98, children 8-12 $68 (Kula Kai Caverns)
Kulaniapia Falls
Waterfalls · Hilo
Kīpukapuaulu (Bird Park)
Hiking Trails · Volcano
Lapakahi State Historical Park
Cultural Sites · Hawi
Laupāhoehoe Point
Viewpoints · Laupahoehoe
Lava Tree State Monument
Parks · Pahoa · None (Hawaiʻi DLNR Division of State Parks)
Liliuokalani Gardens
Gardens · Hilo
Lyman Museum
Historical Sites · Hilo
Magic Sands Beach (La'aloa)
Beaches · Kailua-Kona
Mahukona Beach Park
Snorkel Spots · Hawi
Makalawena Beach
Beaches · Kailua-Kona
Manta Heaven (Makako Bay)
Manta Ray Sites · Kailua-Kona
Manta Village (Keauhou Bay)
Manta Ray Sites · Keauhou Bay Harbor
Mauna Iki Trail
Hiking Trails · Volcano · Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park entrance fee: $30.00 per private vehicle (NPS)
Mauna Kea Beach
Beaches · Waikoloa
Mauna Kea State Recreation Area
Parks · Waimea
Mauna Kea Summit
Viewpoints · Waimea
Mauna Lani Beach (49 Black Sand)
Beaches · Waikoloa
Mauna Loa
Volcanoes · Volcano
Mo'okini Heiau
Cultural Sites · Hawi · No admission fee (National Park Service listing)
Moku'aikaua Church
Historical Sites · Kailua-Kona
Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation
Coffee Farms · Holualoa
Nani Mau Gardens
Gardens · Hilo
Old Airport Dive
Dive Sites · Kailua-Kona
Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area
Parks · Kailua-Kona
Onomea Bay Overlook
Viewpoints · Papaikou
Onomea Falls
Waterfalls · Papaikou · Self-guided admission: adults $35, kamaʻāina $33 with Hawaii ID, active military $28, children 6 to 12 $25, under 6 free (the place's own site)
Onomea Trail
Hiking Trails · Papaikou
Pacific Tsunami Museum
Historical Sites · Hilo · General $15; seniors 65+ and military $10; youth 6 to 17 and kamaʻāina $5; kamaʻāina youth and children 5 and under free (Pacific Tsunami Museum)
Painted Church (St. Benedict's)
Historical Sites · Captain Cook
Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens
Gardens · Hilo
Parker Ranch
Historical Sites · Waimea
Pe'epe'e Falls
Waterfalls · Hilo · Non-residents $5 entry (credit card only) and $10 per vehicle parking; Hawaii residents free with ID (State Parks)
Pebble Beach (Halape area)
Beaches · Volcano · Backcountry permit $10 per trip, plus the park entrance fee (National Park Service)
Pepe'ekeo Scenic Route
Scenic Drives · Pepeekeo
Pine Trees
Dive Sites · Kailua-Kona
Pololu Valley Lookout
Viewpoints · Hawi
Pu'u Huluhulu Trail
Hiking Trails · Volcano
Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs Trail
Hiking Trails · Volcano · Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park entrance fee: $30.00 per private vehicle (NPS)
Pu'u Ulaula (Red Hill)
Viewpoints · Volcano · Backcountry permit $10 per trip, non-refundable, debit or credit card, plus the park entrance fee (National Park Service)
Pu'uhonua o Honaunau (Place of Refuge)
Historical Sites · Captain Cook · $20 per private vehicle; $10 per person on foot or bicycle, 15 and younger free; each good for seven days; no cash (National Park Service)
Puakō Petroglyph Archaeological Preserve
Cultural Sites · Waikoloa
Punalu'u Black Sand Beach
Beaches · Pahala
Rainbow Falls (Waianuenue)
Waterfalls · Hilo · Non-residents $5 entry (credit card only) and $10 per vehicle parking, one fee for both Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots; Hawaii residents free with ID (State Parks)
Richardson Ocean Park
Beaches · Hilo
Royal Botanical Garden of Hilo
Gardens · Hilo
Royal Kona Visitor Center
Coffee Farms · Kailua-Kona
Saddle Road (Daniel K. Inouye Highway)
Scenic Drives · Hilo
Sadie Seymour Botanical Park
Gardens · Kailua-Kona
South Point (Ka Lae)
Viewpoints · Pahala
Spencer Beach Park
Beaches · Waikoloa
Two Step (Honaunau Bay)
Beaches · Captain Cook
Umauma Falls
Waterfalls · Hakalau · Falls and garden: $10 per adult, $5 for children 5 to 10, free for 4 and under (the place's own site)
Wai'ale Falls
Waterfalls · Waipio Valley
Waialea Bay (Beach 69)
Beaches · Waikoloa
Waikoloa Petroglyph Field
Cultural Sites · Waikoloa
Wailoa River State Park
Parks · Hilo · None (Hawaiʻi DLNR Division of State Parks)
Waimea Farmers Market
Markets · Waimea
Waipio Valley Lookout
Viewpoints · Waipio Valley
Whittington Beach Park
Beaches · Pahala
World Botanical Gardens
Gardens · Hakalau
Attractions vs. tours: what is the difference?
Attractions are the island's free or self-guided sights: pull over, walk in, usually no reservation. Many pair beautifully with a booked activity nearby, so each attraction page lists hours, access notes and the tours worth adding around it. Tell the concierge which sights you do not want to miss and it threads them into your week between the bookable highlights.