The east side of the Big Island offers spectacular scenery, hidden attractions, must-see destinations, and Hilo’s thriving downtown.
Day 1: Volcano Village and the National Park
From your home base at Volcano House or your cozy nearby vacation rental, drive to small, artsy Volcano Village for breakfast at Lava Rock Cafe. Explore Kilauea Kreations for local souvenirs and handmade Hawaiian quilts, and check out 2400 Fahrenheit gallery for handblown glass; Volcano Garden Arts offers more locally crafted items. Notice the old homes and lodges, including historic Kilauea Lodge, tucked away in the residential neighborhoods. Arrive at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park by 11 am, so you can explore the steam vents, sulfur banks, Thurston Lava Tube, and Kilauea Iki Trail, a 2-mile (one way) trek into the still-steaming crater. Have dinner at The Rim at Volcano House, which features views of Halemaumau Crater. After dinner, visit the arcade and bowling alley at Kilauea Military Camp.
Logistics: Distance traveled: 4–5 miles round-trip via Hawaii Belt Road from the park to Volcano Village, and Crater Rim Drive inside the park.
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Day 2: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Head to Kilauea Visitor Center to talk to the rangers and to learn about ranger-led programs. Visit Devastation Trail, an area strewn with cinder that descended from towering lava fountains in 1959. One of the park’s most fascinating hikes is Mauna Ulu Trail (2½-mile round-trip) off Chain of Craters Road. Purchase a trail guide at the visitor center about the Mauna Ulu lava flow of 1969–74. Allow about two hours for the hike, which has stellar views of Mauna Loa and Maunakea. Afterward, continue driving Chain of Craters Road to its end and take in the view of the sea arch from the viewing station. After lunch back at Volcano House, wander along the Earthquake Trail and Waldron Ledge just outside the hotel. Don’t miss Volcano Art Center, which presents works by Hawaii artists.
Logistics: Distance and time traveled: about 40 miles round-trip, starting in park via Chain of Craters Road.
Day 3: Hilo and Vicinity
From Volcano, take a 40-minute drive to Hilo and have breakfast at a local restaurant. Wander around the Hilo bayfront to visit the many galleries, cafés, and shops, including Sugar Coast Candy. If you are in Hilo on a Wednesday or Saturday, the Hilo Farmers Market is in full swing with Hawaii-made products like honey, mochi, goat cheese, and crafts. Across the way on Banyan Drive, Liliuokalani Gardens offers a serene Japanese setting with arched bridges and gazebos. Take in a planetarium show at the Imiloa Astronomy Center. Afterward, head back to town (2 miles away) for lunch and more exploring. Then drive up the road a mile above town and visit Rainbow Falls and, a bit farther up, Boiling Pots. Take a walk by Reeds Bay along Banyan Drive, shaded by a canopy of 50 enormous banyan trees, followed by a first-rate dinner at Hilo Bay Cafe.
Logistics: You’ll need a car to travel between sights, though you can walk around downtown Hilo. Distance and time traveled: 30 miles, 45 minutes one way. Car, via Highway 11 starting in Volcano.
Day 4: Hamakua Coast, Honokaa, Waipio Valley
The longest drive of your itinerary takes you back through Hilo to the opposite side of the island on the Hamakua Coast. It’s a 22-minute drive from Hilo to Akaka Falls State Park on the Hamakua Coast, with its two cascading waterfalls. Then drive to the historic town of Honokaa and browse the galleries and shops downtown. Afterward, follow the signs to the awesome Waipio Valley lookout at the end of the Hamakua Heritage Corridor. At this writing, the road down to the valley is closed to all but valley residents, farmers, and property owners due to hazardous road conditions. On your way back to Hilo, stop at Laupahoehoe Point Beach Park for breathtaking ocean views. Treat yourself to dinner in Hilo before driving back to Volcano.
Logistics: Distance and time traveled: 78 miles; 1 hour, 50 minutes one way, starting in Volcano. Car, via Highway 19.
Day 5: Lower Puna and Pahoa
It’s a 31-mile drive east from Volcano to the Big Island’s most offbeat destination, Pahoa. It’s in the Puna District, known for its wild, jagged, black lava coastline. This funky, historic village, developed during the sugar plantation era, has escaped destruction twice: in 2014 and more recently in 2018, when an eruption destroyed entire neighborhoods in Lower Puna. Explore the hippie boutiques and cafés of Pahoa Town; eat lunch in town. Near Pahoa, you can explore the lava molds of expired tree trunks at Lava Tree State Monument. On the nearby coast, explore the striking, new Pohoiki Black Sand Beach, formed when hot lava from the 2018 eruption flowed into the ocean and was pulverized. Note that this beach is for viewing, not swimming. Head back to your home base for dinner.
Logistics: Gas up for the round trip to this destination. Distance and time traveled: 31 miles, 42 minutes one way, starting from Volcano. Car, via Highway 11 and Highway 130.