One of the best things about a vacation on the Big Island is the large number of free or very low-cost activities your Ohana “family’ can enjoy. Combined with a wonderful vacation rental home, a Big Island trip can be one of the best trips of your lifetime without breaking the bank.
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Let’s explore five different free or low cost activities you can do with your entire family.
1. Explore A Beach A Day
Big Island is home to so many great beaches that you can explore. You can discover a different beach every day and still have ones to visit on your next trip! Within the Mauna Lani Resort you can take your family to 49 Black Sands Beach (great snorkeling!), The Mauna Lani Beach Club (Napua Restaurant) and Pauoa Beach by the Fairmont Orchid. A short drive away are Hapuna Beach and Kauno’oa Bay (Mauna Kea Beach). Mauna Kea Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. Both beaches have soft powdery white sand that is perfect for long walks or building an epic sand castle with your kids. Just north of the Mauna Kea is a little-known beach called Mau’umae Beach. We think of it as a secret beach. A bit further south are Kua Bay and Makalawena Beach. For a bigger adventure you can do a day trip to a “Green Sand Beach” by the southern point of the island. Every beach on the island is public and free. Beach access and parking to those beaches are sometimes controlled by resorts or hotels and may have small parking fees. It is helpful to arrive early at the beaches to secure a parking spot and access.
Explore More of the Big Island’s beaches
2. Family Hikes (on the Kohala Coast and around the Island)
For nature lovers the island provides a variety of beautiful hikes of varying degrees of difficulty. There is a beautiful walking trail between Hapuna Beach and Mauna Kea that is suitable for families with small kids. A bit further away (day trip!) Akaka Falls features a nice walking path. You can see the falls after a easy and quick 0.4-mile hike from the parking lot. The walk is called ‘Akaka Falls Loop Trail and is an easy hike that is doable for the whole family. Another short but moderately advanced trail is hike down into Pololu Valley. The trail itself offers breathtaking views of the cliffs, the valley and the black sand beach on the valley floor. The hike down the side of the cliff to the valley floor is short but steep and takes about 20 to 25 minutes for the average hiker. Because of the relatively steep average grade of the trail the difficulty is moderate. Another family favorite is the hike from the highway to Kiholo Bay to see the sea turtles. All of these hikes are free, with some site charging nominal parking fees. Explore more hikes.
3. Snorkeling (Paradise In Hawaii Vacation Homes include complimentary snorkel equipment)
Big Island is known for its incredible snorkeling particularly along the Kohala Coast with many sites accessible right from shore. You will swim with loads of gorgeous fish, turtles, giant Manta Rays and more, over reefs with some healthy corals, all in perfect snorkeling depths. Some of our favorite snorkeling spots include 49 Black Sand Beach (wear water shoes as the sand heats up!), Mauna Kea Beach, Waialea Bay and Puako Beach. Always swim with a buddy and pay attention to beach signs for water conditions. Our homes are equipped with a variety of sized snorkel gear making snorkeling a great free or low cost activity ! Learn more about snorkeling on the Big Island here: Snorkeling on the Big Island
4. Visit an Active Volcano at Hawaii Volcano National Park
Experience some of nature’s most awe-inspiring wonders at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The park is home to two volcanoes including Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes on earth. In the evening you can look over and see the glow from the lava lake. In addition to visiting the volcanoes there are several wonderful hikes that showcase the steam vents on the volcanoes and lava tubes. Take a walk in the dark through the Thurston Lava Tube, a 500-year-old lava cave. If you have kids be sure to have them complete the tasks to be awarded a National Park Junior ranger badge. We recommend always checking conditions on Hawaii Volcano National Park before visiting.
5. Take a Bike Ride in Paradise (Paradise In Hawaii Vacation Rentals include complimentary bikes)
Few places in the world offer the incredible freedom and scenic beauty of bicycling like on the Big Island. Taking a family ride together is a wonderful way to connect with each other and the island. The Mauna Lani resort with its wide biking lanes and easy access to different beaches by peddling is a favorite. In addition, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has miles of paved roads and trails open to cyclists, from easy, flat rides to challenging ascents. Make sure you carry plenty of water and sunscreen. Don’t forget your helmet! For those who prefer bike tours – you can find out more here: Bikes and Bike Tours
These are just a few simple ideas for families that feature relatively zero or minimal costs while vacationing on the Big Island. Contact our Guest Ambassadors for additional suggestions !
Staying in a Paradise In Hawaii Vacation Home is a great way to have your family together at lower than cost than booking multiple hotel rooms and eating out for each meal. Explore our extensive selection of vacation homes!
Dream. Explore. Live.
Exciting volcano news – the current lava flow has changed direction and is now heading into the ocean through the National Park!
According to the Hawaii Volcano Observatory, the lava reached the ocean on July 26th (see map of current lava flow). Some of our guests have been able to hike or ride bikes to the lava flow in order to see the lava up close and feel the heat!
While staying at one of our vacation homes, Shawn and his sons (pictured above) visited the lava flow from the county viewing area at the end of Highway 130 near Kalapana. They rented bicycles when the viewing area opened at 3 pm and rode them down ~4 miles (one way) of loose gravel road to see the flowing lava. Alternatively, guests could hike the 4 miles each way (4-5 hours round trip). We recommend that guests take flashlights, good sturdy footwear, and plenty of water should you choose to visit the county lava viewing area.
For updates on the current lava flow, please visit the Hawaii Volcano Observatory’s website. To learn about accessing the current lava flow (including safety information), please visit the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park website and read the post from July 15th. There are also options for viewing from within the National Park if you plan to spend more time visiting the volcano.
For more ideas on things to do while visiting the National Park, check out our Volcanoes activity page!