Top 5 Big Island Car Tours: Road Trip Hawaii!
Thinking about visiting the Big Island of Hawaii? It’s almost unreal just how much there is to explore, right? One great thing is that seeing it by car is truly an awesome way to do it, offering freedom to go where you want and when you want. The Big Island isn’t like your typical Hawaiian island either; it’s bigger, with such extremely different landscapes that you’ll go from tropical rainforests to stark volcanic deserts really quick. I want to share a collection of drives I put together for folks to experience its awesome sights. These Big Island car tours offer distinct experiences, which get to the heart of what makes the island so very unique. So, let’s see a handful of ways to make your visit unforgettable.
1. Volcanoes National Park Exploration
Of course, no trip to the Big Island feels totally complete without spending a meaningful chunk of time at Volcanoes National Park. That is just plain truth. A drive through here gets you up close to Kilauea, that has very active caldera that’s the park’s star, even if currently dormant. The Crater Rim Drive is very scenic, hitting several viewpoints that showcase Halema’uma’u crater’s hugeness and that weird misty glow it tends to put off. Jaggar Museum’s overlooks often have a clear look inside if you go when the weather is cooperating and the air quality is just alright, while the Thurston Lava Tube provides a cool walk through a cave formed by ancient lava flows. While that is really cool the main attraction for many, even apart from the main volcano overlook is a super stunning view that many visitors will spend over an hour trying to catch. Hiking around is quite doable too, but honestly driving to key spots maximizes your time to appreciate what you see, because the place is so huge! When it comes down to it, experiencing these geologic wonders yourself will simply leave you in absolute awe.
Recommended Detour: Take Chain of Craters Road down toward the coastline; it’s a somewhat surreal experience winding between hardened lava fields stretching out all the way to the sea. See where past flows impacted things and even see steam vents off the side of the road. That very desolation out there, as strange as it might sound, can be surprisingly beautiful.
2. The Kohala Coast: Beaches and History
The Kohala Coast area just flat out drips with fancy resorts and pristine beaches on the northwest section of the island. Traveling along Highway 19 could be the quintessential scenic Hawaiian drive, that’s for certain. The drive really has great ocean vistas and glimpses of perfectly manicured golf courses, of course. But do stop at Hapuna Beach which folks will claim is among the best on Earth; it absolutely has soft white sand that gives way to clear turquoise waters! Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historic Site provides cultural depth with its very impressive ancient temple that King Kamehameha I constructed — you can feel some historical gravitas, almost, walking those grounds. It very much combines perfect chilling beach time with significant local history for a well rounded day trip perfect for tourists! A local recommended trying stand-up paddle boarding when you visit!
Recommended Detour: Make a stop at Waimea (Kamuela) for a quick jaunt into cowboy country and some surprisingly cool, cooler temperatures. You’ll notice some significant temperature variation, and see lots of paniolos (Hawaiian cowboys) can often be seen around town too. Maybe get something to eat for your trip later!
3. Hamakua Coast Scenic Drive
For folks wanting lush greenery and picturesque waterfalls, going to the Hamakua Coast is an incredible option to go! Highway 19 meanders right along that northeast coast. You’ll get fantastic views of the ocean, plus countless little bridges crossing over the many stream valleys. You might want to check out Akaka Falls State Park so you could check out those impressive cascades. And be sure to stop by the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, because it is a veritable treasure trove of colorful plant species. It goes to show that that wetter eastern side really is a huge contrast versus that dry western side of the Big Island! I remember stopping there on a whim. You feel that island experience instantly just strolling around!
Recommended Detour: Look into a quick trip toward the Waipio Valley Overlook and be astonished as you spot those dramatic cliffs plummeting into the black sand beach far, far below. There’s a rough road that goes into it, so I recommend having four wheel drive or going on a tour, but honestly that distant view, too, has its charm if the time cost is a bit too significant for some people in the group. Maybe skip some tourist trap that most folks do!
4. South Point (Ka Lae) Adventure
Traveling to South Point — or Ka Lae as it’s named locally — and experiencing this place means going toward that southernmost spot in the US. The area provides some starkly beautiful views! That wind really whips over those cliffs. It honestly might not be everybody’s favorite type of spot! The drive takes you past sprawling grasslands and windswept bluffs and provides peeks into the ancient Hawaiian history; this is supposedly where some of the first Polynesian explorers set foot. The coastline around here is exceptionally raw; the ocean is powerfully strong when those big swells kick up and hit against those rocks. Remember though: those cliff jumping spots can truly look tempting. But keep in mind that the currents down there could be hazardous so only really go jumping into that water with some trusted local advice.
Recommended Detour: Stop in Punalu’u Black Sand Beach near the highway when you get closer to the southern point of the island — the turtles can often bask on that sun warmed shore. These days turtles can easily grow accustomed to visitors nearby. I just mention this so folks can show appropriate respect!
5. Kona Coffee Country Cruise
People who drink that famed Kona coffee might want a drive through the heart of its coffee-growing lands. As you travel down the slopes of Hualalai Mountain on Route 11, what you’re greeted with truly shows a sight of coffee farms stretching off just about as far as the eye can see. There are places you can stop where they give some insight on the beans grown locally plus even sample that fragrant stuff too! Keep a look out for those smaller farms as these could easily have some of that best deals if that big farm felt just that tiny bit touristy to begin with. Plus getting coffee from small batch, local growers feels neat in that respect. Not just all of that delicious java; Kealakekua Bay can truly offer amazing views when the skies cooperate, and a bit further along the road too can bring you near the Place of Refuge which can easily show what Hawaiian history was just really that bit earlier on. Basically with that Kona coffee, you are really able to experience quite a bit around just how the crop impacted what Kona actually is! My friend still has a Kona cup that he picked up at a farmer’s market down there.
Recommended Detour: Consider a visit towards the Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park also called Place of Refuge down near that southern area around the Kona coffee growing region — as people might have realized just now with that very earlier hint I may have just accidentally gave with Place of Refuge!