The Big Island of Hawaii isn’t just the largest island in the chain. It’s the youngest, the wildest, and the most geologically active. While other Hawaiian Islands offer beautiful beaches and resort experiences, the Big Island gives you something entirely different: the chance to witness Earth itself in the act of creation.
From active lava flows to snow-capped peaks, black sand beaches to rainforest trails, the experiences here are unlike anything you’ll find on Oahu, Maui, or Kauai. Staying at our Big Island bed and breakfast, just three minutes from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, puts you at the center of these one-of-a-kind adventures.
Here are our favorite things to do on the Big Island that you won’t find on any other island.
1. Walk Through an Active Volcanic Landscape at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is home to Kīlauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes. The landscape here changes constantly as molten rock reshapes the earth.
Walk across hardened lava fields where steam vents hiss and crack. Peer into Halemaʻumaʻu Crater to see evidence of recent eruptions. Hike the Kīlauea Iki Trail, descending into a crater that erupted in 1959 and still radiates heat from below the surface. The sulfur smell, the barren black landscape, the sense that you’re walking on land younger than you are; this experience exists nowhere else in Hawaii.
During Kīlauea’s eruptions, you can witness molten lava creating new land in real time. Even between eruptions, the landscape tells its story. Drive Chain of Craters Road to the coast, where you can see Hōlei Sea Arch, a temporary and dramatic natural formation being constantly reshaped by waves crashing against volcanic rock. The coastline here changes with each eruption and storm, a reminder that this island is still very much under construction.
At Volcano Village Lodge, you can be on the crater rim before sunrise, catching first light on the caldera without fighting crowds or traffic.
2. Explore More National Parks Than Any Other Island
The Big Island is home to four National Park Service sites and a National Historic Trail, more than any other Hawaiian island. Beyond Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, you can explore:
Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, where ancient Hawaiians who broke kapu (sacred laws) could seek refuge and redemption. Walk among reconstructed temples, royal fishponds, and carved wooden kiʻi (guardian figures) on grounds that remain deeply sacred.
Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park preserves ancient Hawaiian settlement areas along the Kona coast, including fishponds, petroglyphs, and a restored heiau. It’s also an excellent spot to see Hawaiian green sea turtles basking on the shore.
Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site protects one of the last major temples built in Hawaii. Kamehameha the Great constructed this massive stone structure in 1790-91 as part of his campaign to unite the Hawaiian Islands.
Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail stretches 175 miles along the Big Island’s coast, following ancient Hawaiian footpaths that connected villages, temples, and fishing grounds.
3. Discover Ancient Lava Tubes Carved by Rivers of Fire
Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube) offers the most accessible lava tube experience in Hawaii. Walk through a massive tunnel carved by molten lava centuries ago, created when the surface of a lava flow cooled while molten rock continued flowing underneath. The walls show high-water marks of lava that once filled this space, and the temperature drops noticeably as you enter the cool darkness.
4. Hold a Seahorse at the World’s Only Open-Ocean Seahorse Farm
Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm in Kona offers an experience you won’t find anywhere else in the world. This working aquaculture facility breeds seahorses in natural seawater pumped from 200 feet deep. During tours, you’ll learn about seahorse biology and conservation, and actually hold these tiny creatures in your hand, feeling their prehensile tails curl around your finger. You’ll see seahorses in various colors and life stages, including pregnant males ready to give birth.
5. Snorkel Along Lava Rock Shorelines at Two Step
Two Step, officially known as Honaunau Bay, offers some of the Big Island’s best snorkeling in a setting unlike typical sandy beach entries. Here, ancient lava flows created natural rock ledges that step down into crystalline water, hence the name.
The lava rock shoreline provides unique underwater terrain. Swim along walls of volcanic rock covered in coral, where tropical fish dart in and out of crevices. The bay’s protected waters stay calm most days, with visibility often exceeding 100 feet. You’ll see schools of yellow tang, butterflyfish, parrotfish, and if you’re lucky, spinner dolphins that frequent the bay.
6. Walk on Black Sand Beaches Formed by Volcanic Activity
When lava meets ocean, it shatters into fine black sand. The Big Island has several stunning black sand beaches, each formed by relatively recent volcanic eruptions. Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach is the most famous, where endangered Hawaiian green sea turtles bask on the dark shore.
Walk barefoot on sand that’s slightly warmer than typical beach sand, a reminder of its volcanic origin. The contrast is striking: black sand, white foam, green palms, blue ocean. Watch as sea turtles haul themselves onto shore to rest, their shells glistening against the dark sand. Remember to give them space; these are protected species, and approaching too closely is both illegal and stressful for the animals.
7. Swim with Manta Rays at Night Off the Kona Coast
The Kona coast offers one of the world’s most reliable manta ray encounters. These gentle giants, with wingspans up to 12 feet, gather in the warm waters to feed on plankton attracted by underwater lights.
As darkness falls, you’ll slip into the ocean and float on the surface, lights below illuminating the water like an underwater stage. Then the mantas arrive, massive, graceful creatures that glide beneath you, somersaulting and swooping in an underwater ballet. They come within inches, so close you can see their distinctive markings, their white bellies flashing as they flip to scoop plankton-rich water through their mouths.
8. See Snow-Capped Mountains and Tropical Beaches in One Day
Only on the Big Island can you experience this climate extreme. Mauna Kea, a 13,796-foot dormant volcano, is often capped with snow during winter. Yes, snow in Hawaii. Occasionally, you’ll even spot people sledding near the summit.
Start your morning watching sunrise from the misty rainforest around Volcano Village, then drive to Mauna Kea to see snow-dusted peaks before descending to a black sand beach or to Kona for an afternoon swim. Or reverse the journey and begin at sea level in shorts and sandals, drive upward through climate zones, and arrive at the summit needing winter jackets, gloves, and warm hats.
9. Stargaze from One of the World’s Best Astronomy Sites
Mauna Kea hosts some of the world’s most powerful telescopes and best stargazing in Hawaii. At nearly 14,000 feet, the summit sits above 40% of Earth’s atmosphere with minimal light pollution. Join a stargazing tour at the Visitor Information Station at 9,200 feet, where guides set up telescopes to view planets, nebulae, and distant galaxies. On clear nights, the Milky Way stretches across the sky so bright it casts shadows. Watching the sun set from Mauna Kea, then seeing stars emerge by the thousands as darkness falls, ranks among the most awe-inspiring experiences the Big Island offers.
10. Zipline Over a 250-Foot Waterfall
The Big Island offers some of Hawaii’s most dramatic zipline experiences, with several courses that take you soaring over waterfalls and through lush tropical forest. Umauma Falls features a course where you’ll zip 250 feet above a massive, multi-tiered waterfall. Other operations like Kohala Zipline and Skyline Eco-Adventures offer even more opportunities to complete with waterfall views and canopy tours through valleys and across gorges.
11. Stand at the Southernmost Point in the United States
Ka Lae, known as South Point, marks the southernmost point of the 50 states. Ancient Hawaiians launched their canoes from these cliffs to fish the rich waters beyond. Today, you can stand where green slopes meet deep blue Pacific, wind whipping around you, and know there’s nothing but ocean between you and Antarctica.
The drive out to South Point crosses windswept grasslands on a narrow road, passing wind farms whose turbines spin constantly in the strong trade winds. At the point, locals jump from 40-foot cliffs into churning water below. Most visitors are content standing at the edge, feeling the power of wind and waves, sensing the isolation of this remote corner of land.
12. Hike Through a Tropical Rainforest at 4,000 Feet Elevation
The rainforest around Volcano Village exists at an elevation of 4,000 feet, creating a unique ecosystem. Giant hāpuʻu tree ferns tower overhead while ʻōhiʻa trees with red lehua blossoms provide habitat for native honeycreeper birds. Trails wind through montane rainforest where moss coats every surface and rain falls gently most afternoons. From your lanai at Volcano Village Lodge, watch native Hawaiian birds like the bright red ʻapapane darting through the canopy.
13. Experience 10 of the World’s 14 Climate Zones in One Place
The Big Island contains 10 of Earth’s 14 climate zones, from tropical wet to alpine tundra. This diversity exists nowhere else in Hawaii, or in such a compact area anywhere in the world. Drive from the dry Kona coast to the wet Hilo side and watch the landscape transform. This climate diversity means you can customize your experience daily—sunshine and beaches in Kona, lush waterfalls along the Hamakua Coast, or cool rainforest atmosphere in Volcano Village.
14. See Ancient Hawaiian Petroglyphs Carved in Lava Rock
The Puʻu Loa Trail in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park leads to one of the largest concentrations of ancient Hawaiian petroglyphs. Over 23,000 rock carvings cover the lava field: human figures, canoe paddles, and geometric designs. Ancient Hawaiians carved these symbols to mark births, record journeys, and connect with this sacred landscape. Walk among them on a raised boardwalk that protects the fragile carvings.
Experience One-of-a-Kind Things to Do on the Big Island
These experiences share something important: they reward travelers who take their time. Not the rushed tour-bus version of Hawaii, but the slower, deeper exploration that comes from having a comfortable home base.
Volcano Village Lodge provides that base. Located just five minutes from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, you can be watching sunrise at the crater in minutes. After a full day of exploring lava tubes, snorkeling at Two Step, or visiting historical parks, return to your private lodge and let the sounds of the rainforest ease you into the evening.
Book your stay and discover why the Big Island’s unique adventures keep travelers coming back, year after year.