Last updated August 13, 2026 · Editorial policy
Things to Do in Big Island, Hawaii: What Is Actually Worth Your Time
Quick answer: This is an honest look at Big Island, Hawaii: which popular attraction to think twice about, what to do with that time instead, and the spot most visitors never reach. It also covers the transit and money moves that save the most hassle.
Rainbow Falls in Hilo gets pinned to every itinerary, and it is the one I would skip. It is an 80-foot drop a five-minute drive from downtown, so it draws tour-bus crowds for a quick rail-side glance, and Wailuku River State Park now charges around $5 per person plus about $10 per vehicle. Drive 15 miles up the Hamakua coast instead to Akaka Falls, which plunges 442 feet at the end of a short paved loop through rainforest. The under-the-radar swap most visitors miss is on the water. Skip the boat-tour scramble to Kealakekua Bay and snorkel Two Step at Honaunau Bay, where a lava-rock shelf lets you walk straight in, the reef sits close to shore, and you can usually park free on the roadside or pay roughly $5 at the adjacent Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park.
One smart move that saves both time and money:
- Your Hawaii Volcanoes National Park ticket runs about $30 per vehicle and stays valid for seven days, so see Kilauea’s caldera once at dusk and return another day for the Chain of Craters drive rather than cramming it into one rushed visit. Pair Volcanoes with Punaluu Black Sand Beach nearby, where sea turtles haul out and you walk in from the lot with no hike, unlike the exposed 5.5-mile round trip to Papakolea green sand beach.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
