Hawai'i (Big Island)

There are 2 airports but the Kona is the more central one to most hotels and activities.

While I did not stay here, we did visit this resort for their access to the Black Sand Beach and if we could afford to stay here, we would love to

Open for lunch and breakfast. Serving fresh, local, organic Hawaiian Coffee & Espresso, Smoothies,

Part coffeehouse & bakery featuring Kona coffee, part American bistro serving locally sourced meals.

Quaint bakery & visitor center offering Hawaiian sweetbreads, cookies, souvenirs & island novelties.

Didn't eat here but the beach here is beautiful for sunset!

With all of your favorite island treats in one place, Hawaiian Ice Cones offers Hawaiian style shave ice, halo halo, bubble drinks and more.

This is about a 2 hour drive from most places in Kona so if you are looking to be there for sunrise I recommend heading out at 4am. We tried to visit but the roads were closed due to SNOW but if we come back this is a must redo. The drive down is beautiful regardless so take your time.

For $20 parking you can enter this resort with access to the 49 Black sand beach and it's definitely worth it. We had this place to ourselves and the beach is perfect for snorkeling.

We booked a manta ray excursion with Hawaiian Coastline and we can't recommend them enough! There will be several excursions but they have groups of up to 50-70 people but with Hawaiian Coastline we were only 4 people so it felt like a private tour. Highly highly recommend them!

This full-day nature tour offers an in-depth look at Hawaii’s youngest and largest island. From desert to rainforest, pasture to dry forest, discover diverse landscapes and 8 out of 13 climate zones in the world as you traverse the island, walk through rainforests to soaring waterfalls, and stroll black-sand beaches as you scan the horizon for green sea turtles. You will first stop at a Kona Coffee Farm in the morning. Walk through the orchards with your guide learning about the harvesting and milling process while sampling a warm cup of Kona-grown coffee. On the leisure drive, you’ll see views of South Point, the southernmost point of the United States, and Kealakekua Bay before stopping at Punalu’u Bakery for some famous Hawaiian malasadas. From there, you will have time to relax and take it all in at Punalu’u Black Sand Beach, a great place to spot marine life from the black-sand shore. Your adventure continues with exploring the wonders of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, including steam vents, past lava flow sites, the Halema’uma’u and Kilauea Iki crater lookouts, and take a short hike through the 600-foot-long Thurston Lava Tube formed hundreds of years ago. The afternoon is filled with visits to some of the most majestic waterfalls on the Big Island. First, Akaka Falls. This towering 442-foot (135-meter) waterfall plummets into a lush ravine at the center of a state park. You’ll enjoy a short walk through the vegetation for an up-close view and plenty of photo opportunities. The next stop is a waterfall that’s small by comparison, but not by beauty: Rainbow Falls, a beautiful 80-foot (24-meter) waterfall with a giant banyan tree beside it. Continuing on the drive along the Hamakua Coast, more postcard-worthy views will pass by your window, ushering you to the next destination, the sunset views will stop you in your tracks at the Waipio Valley lookout, where a dramatic backdrop of verdant cliffs drops into the sparkling blue ocean.

Bay View has been producing and processing the highest quality Kona Coffee since 1984.

Punaluʻu Beach is a beach between Pāhala and Nāʻālehu on the Big Island of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The beach has black sand made of basalt and created by lava flowing into the ocean which explodes as it reaches the ocean and cools. This volcanic activity is in the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

Rainbow Falls is a waterfall located in Hilo, Hawaii. It is 80 ft tall and almost 100 ft in diameter. The falls are part of the Hawai'i State Parks. There is no fee to see the falls. At Rainbow Falls, the Wailuku River rushes into a large pool below.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is on Hawaii Island (the Big Island). At its heart are the Kīlauea and Mauna Loa active volcanoes. The Crater Rim Drive passes steam vents and the Jaggar Museum, which features volcanology exhibits and a viewpoint overlooking Halema'uma'u Crater. Thick ferns mark the entrance to the Thurston Lava Tube (Nāhuku). The Chain of Craters Road weaves over lava. Trails crisscross the park.