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Island of Hawaii Vacations & Travel

Island of Hawaii Vacations

Hawaii, commonly known as the Big Island, is the largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago. In fact, it is bigger than all the other islands of Hawaii combined. The Big Island also contains some of the state of Hawaii’s most popular and colossal attractions, including Volcanoes National Park, an International Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site that is home to two of Earth’s most active volcanoes: Kilauea and Mauna Loa, which is the largest active volcano on the planet. 

Big Island Travel Packages

Region: Hawaii

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Featured Island of Hawaii Hotel

Hilton Waikoloa Village

Hilton Waikoloa Village

  • Kids 18 & Under Free in Room
Our 4.5-Star classification designates those properties with well-appointed, deluxe accommodations, extensive amenities and comprehensive guest services. Expect attention to detail and a warm and hospitable staff ready to cater to your needs. These superb properties offer a truly refined getaway. Half star indicates that the hotel/resort meets all criteria of the designated rating and exceeds in certain areas.
Waikoloa

Nestled amid swaying palms and overlooking the glistening blue Waiulua Bay, this oceanfront resort blends contemporary facilities with graceful Hawaiian culture.

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Overview

Watch the continual spectacle of the majestic Kilauea volcano, as it spurts molten rock into the sea (which it has done almost continuously since 1983), increasing the island’s size even further. Explore the steaming craters, lava tubes and rainforests on your next vacation to the Island of Hawaii.

This stark landscape vividly contrasts the lush, eastern side of the island, home to the friendly town of Hilo and the spellbinding 442-foot Akaka Falls.

Be sure to visit Banyan Tree Drive in the heart of Hilo. It takes about six hours to drive around Hawaii. However, you’ll be stopping throughout your trip to admire the amazing sights and sounds of the island such as Rainbow Falls State Park in the Hilo region, the mysterious black sand Punaluu Beach in the southeast, and the lively seaside town of Kailua-Kona on the sun-blessed west coast.

Shopping

There are lots of shopping destinations on the Island of Hawaii from Kohala to Hilo. Shop for Tahitian Black Pearls along the Kona Coast at Island Pearls. Browse the Kings’ Shops at Waikoloa Village for high-end apparel and more.

Just south of the Kailua pier, the Ali'i Gardens Marketplace provides plenty of locally made goods. Shop at the Kona Coast Shopping Center, just minutes from Kona Airport.

Nightlife

From sunset cruises to stargazing atop the world’s tallest sea mountain, Hawaii’s nightlife offers a variety of experiences you won’t find on the mainland. Listen to local Hawaiian slack key guitarists or contemporary music at one of the many restaurants, bars or hotels, and let the romance begin.

Off the Beaten Path

Get moving with a Botanical Segway Adventure through the stunning Hamakua coastline past fragrant gardens and colorful rainforests.

View ancient petroglyphs and wildlife at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park in Kailua-Kona. Swim and snorkel with wild Hawaii spinner dolphins for the vacation of a lifetime. A Pleasant Holidays expert can help you plan personalized Hawaii vacation packages for a truly memorable trip.

Food and Drink

Hawaii is the only state that commercially produces coffee. Start your day with a piping cup of Kona coffee, rated among the best in the world. Visit a Kona Coffee Plantation or one of the many coffee farms in the area.

Chocolate and macadamia nuts are also produced on the island.

You’ll also discover a variety of beers created in microbreweries across Kona, Waimea, and Hilo. Try some with huli huli chicken, kalua pig or lau lau, a delicious dish of pork wrapped in taro leaves. Taste the more contemporary Loco Moco made with a hearty hamburger patty and a fried egg covered in brown gravy atop steamed rice.

For something sweet, visit Big Island Bees, a Kona farm producing delicious raw and organic honey.

What To Do on Hawaii

In addition to Kilauea and Mauna Loa, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is home to the iconic Nahuku, a centuries-old lava tube found in a lush rainforest; and the 19-mile Chain of Craters Road, whose stops include a plethora of craters as well as ancient petroglyphs, hiking trails, awe-inspiring lookouts, and the Holei Sea Arch, a lava-rock formation in the ocean at the end of the road. 

Located on the south Kona coast, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park was once a place of refuge for ancient Hawaiians. It protected those who broke sacred laws, defeated warriors, and civilians during times of battle. If one reached the boundaries of the Puʻuhonua, no physical harm could come to them. Today, this sacred site features the Hale o Keawe Temple on the Royal Grounds, which housed the bones of 23 aliʻi (chiefs), the Great Wall that separates the Puʻuhonua, or “place of refuge,” from the Royal Grounds, and a visitor’s center. 

Majestic Akaka Falls plunges more than 440 feet into a breathtaking gorge. In addition to the waterfall, located in Akaka Falls State Park on the northeastern Hilo coast, there is a loop trail affording awe-inspiring views of Akaka Falls from various vantage points as well as a verdant rainforest overflowing with wild orchids, bamboo groves and ferns.

Check out some of our 5 favorite experiences on the Big Island.