03-31-2026
6 Day Big Island Itinerary
Six Days on the Big Island of Hawaii
Founder & certified Hawaii travel expert with 20+ years of experience in Hawaii tourism.
Aloha! This article may link to trusted Hawaii resources at no extra cost to you. Mahalo for your support!
Big Island 6-Day Itinerary
Six days is the sweet spot for the Big Island. The island is 4,028 square miles — bigger than all the other Hawaiian islands combined — and six days lets you cover the Kona coast, South Kona coffee country, Volcanoes National Park, Hilo waterfalls, the Hamakua Coast, and Mauna Kea without feeling like you're living in your car.
A rental car is essential. No way around it on this island.
1 Day 1 - Kona Coast & Kohala
Start in Kailua-Kona for breakfast along Ali'i Drive, then head north to the best beaches on the island. Kaloko-Honokohau is where the turtles are, Kua Bay has the best water color, and Hapuna has half a mile of white sand.
Stops for the Day
- 1 Kailua-Kona Town — Waterfront shops, Ali'i Drive, Hulihe'e Palace. Coffee spots everywhere.
- 2 Kaloko-Honokohau NHP — Sea turtles, ancient fishponds, petroglyphs. Free admission.
- 3 Kua Bay — White sand, turquoise water, zero development. Can be rough in winter.
- 4 Hapuna Beach — Consistently rated top beach in Hawaii. Lifeguards, facilities, half a mile of sand.
2 Day 2 - South Kona & Coffee Country
South Kona has world-class snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay, one of the most significant Hawaiian cultural sites at Pu'uhonua o Honaunau, and the coffee farms that produce some of the most expensive beans on earth. This is a full day that covers history, food, and water.
Stops for the Day
- 1 Kealakekua Bay — Best snorkeling on the island. Get there by kayak or boat tour. Spinner dolphins show up most mornings.
- 2 Pu'uhonua o Honaunau — Sacred place of refuge with reconstructed temples and carved ki'i. Budget an hour.
- 3 Greenwell Farms — Free tours of a working Kona coffee farm. Taste the coffee at the source.
- 4 Painted Church — Tiny church with hand-painted biblical scenes on every surface. Quick 15-minute stop.
3 Day 3 - Volcanoes National Park
Drive from Kona to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (about 2.5 hours). Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes on earth. On the way back, stop at Punalu'u Black Sand Beach for sea turtles on jet-black sand.
Stops for the Day
- 1 Kilauea Visitor Center — Orientation, ranger talks, eruption updates. Steam vents are a short walk.
- 2 Nahuku (Thurston Lava Tube) — Walk-through 500-year-old lava tube. Lit and paved, about 20 minutes.
- 3 Devastation Trail — 1-mile paved walk through a cinder field from the 1959 eruption.
- 4 Chain of Craters Road — 19-mile drive to the coast with multiple lava flow overlooks.
- 5 Punalu'u Black Sand Beach — Jet-black sand, coconut palms, green sea turtles hauling out daily.
4 Day 4 - Hilo & Waterfalls
Hilo is the wet side — green, lush, and full of waterfalls. Rainbow Falls is viewable from the parking lot. Akaka Falls drops 442 feet through bamboo forest. Hit the Hilo Farmers Market if you're here on a Wednesday or Saturday.
Stops for the Day
- 1 Rainbow Falls — 80-foot waterfall viewable from the parking lot. Morning light creates rainbows in the mist.
- 2 Akaka Falls — 442-foot drop via a short loop trail through bamboo forest.
- 3 Hilo Farmers Market — Biggest farmers market in Hawaii. Full market Wednesday and Saturday.
- 4 Richardson Beach — Black sand beach with tide pools and sea turtles. Locals' spot, rarely crowded.
5 Day 5 - Hamakua Coast & Waipi'o
The Hamakua Coast runs along the northeast shore from Hilo to Waipi'o Valley. This is old sugar plantation country — small towns, scenic drives, and dramatic valleys. Waipi'o is a sacred valley with 2,000-foot cliffs and a black sand beach at the bottom.
Stops for the Day
- 1 Pepe'ekeo Scenic Route — A 4-mile detour off the highway through dense tropical vegetation and over one-lane bridges. Worth the short side trip.
- 2 Akaka Falls — If you missed it on Day 4, or worth a second look. The 442-foot drop is spectacular after rain.
- 3 Honokaa Town — A small plantation town with good malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts) and a handful of local shops.
- 4 Waipi'o Valley Lookout — A sacred valley with 2,000-foot cliffs, waterfalls, and a black sand beach. The lookout is free and the view is staggering. The road down to the valley floor requires 4WD and is extremely steep.
6 Day 6 - North Kohala & Mauna Kea
Finish your trip with the northern tip of the island and the highest point in Hawaii. Pololu Valley is the North Kohala version of Waipi'o — fewer people, same drama. In the evening, drive up to the Mauna Kea Visitor Center at 9,200 feet for some of the best stargazing on earth.
Stops for the Day
- 1 Pololu Valley Lookout — Dramatic valley overlook at the end of Highway 270. A steep 20-minute trail drops to the black sand beach below.
- 2 Hawi Town — An artsy small town with galleries, restaurants, and the original King Kamehameha statue. Good lunch stop.
- 3 Lapakahi State Historical Park — Ruins of an ancient Hawaiian fishing village along the coast. Self-guided trail, no facilities. Bring water.
- 4 Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station — At 9,200 feet, the stargazing programs here are free and run by university astronomers. Bring warm layers — temperatures drop into the 40s after dark even in summer.
Six days covers the Big Island thoroughly. For a shorter trip, check our two, three, or four-day itineraries. If you have even more time, our seven and ten-day itineraries go deeper.
Published by: John C. Derrick
Founder & certified Hawaii travel expert with 20+ years of experience in Hawaii tourism.
Affiliate Disclosure: We may earn commissions from some travel partners (like Amazon or Expedia) which helps us maintain this site. These links are at no extra cost to you and don't impact our honest & unbiased recommendations. Remove all the ads →
×
![]()
Try out our AI Powered
Search & Chatbot →