5-Day Big Island Hawaii Itinerary Based in Kona Hawaii
I have been coming to the Big Island since 2017, when I flew over for my babymoon while pregnant with Ryder. What started as a single trip turned into a years-long love affair with this island. I eventually bought a condo on Ali'i Drive and turned it into Kona Landing, my vacation rental right in the heart of Kailua-Kona. I have eaten my way across every neighborhood, snorkeled every beach worth snorkeling, and made this drive more times than I can count.
This is the trip I would plan for someone I love. Not the tourist version. The real one.
Before You Leave Home
Before anything else, grab the Hawaii packing list. You will need reef safe sunscreen, a quick dry towel, and something nice enough for dinner at the Four Seasons. It is all in there.
Your First Day in Kona: Settle In, Hit the Beach, and Dine at the Four Seasons
Arrive at Kona International Airport (KOA)
Most flights land mid-morning or early afternoon. Rent a car at the airport. You will need it for the whole trip. On your way to Kona Landing, stop at the Costco or Safeway to stock the fridge. Breakfast ingredients, snacks, drinks, and a few things for the lanai. The grocery run is part of the ritual.
Head Straight to the Kohala Coast
Do not stay in town on your first day. Drive 30 minutes north to the Kohala Coast and spend your first afternoon at Hapuna Beach State Park, one of the most consistently beautiful beaches in Hawaii. Wide open white sand, clear water, and way more space than the beaches right in Kailua-Kona. The resort beaches up here are a different energy entirely and worth prioritizing before you fall into the comfortable routine of your home base.
Every beach on this stretch has outdoor showers so you can rinse off and change into dinner clothes right there. Pack a nice outfit in your bag.
Full guide to the best beaches on the Big Island if you want to explore more of the coastline during your trip.
Dinner at the Four Seasons Hualalai
Spend your first night at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. You do not need to be a guest to dine there. My favorites are ULU Ocean Grill for fresh seafood and Beach Tree for a more casual outdoor dinner right on the water. Miller and Lux Hualalai is the steakhouse option if that is your thing. Make a reservation in advance for all of them.
Drive back to Kona Landing and open the lanai. That ocean air on your first night is everything.
The Best of Kona: Coffee, Snorkeling, and the Famous Happy Hour Crawl
Morning Coffee on Ali'i Drive
Start your morning at Kona Coffee and Tea on Ali'i Drive. I always order the lavender chai latte with macadamia nut milk and sit outside. It is my favorite morning ritual in Kona. If you are staying at Kona Landing, Kona Haven Coffee is literally downstairs and their macadamia nut chai is just as good on days when you do not want to move very far.
More of my coffee and cafe picks are in the Big Island coffee shop guide.
Snorkel Kahaluʻu Beach Park
Kahaluʻu Beach Park is 10 minutes from Kona Landing and one of the most accessible snorkel spots on the island. You will see sea turtles, tropical fish, and coral almost immediately after putting your mask on. Go early before it gets crowded. Wear reef safe sunscreen. It matters here.
The full guide to underwater adventures in Kona Hawaii covers every great spot including where to do manta ray night dives if that is on your list.
Poke Lunch
Grab poke to go and eat it at the beach. Da Poke Shack is a Kona classic. Makai Poke has more variety. Either way get it fresh, keep it cold, and eat it in the sun.
Afternoon: Actually Relax
This is the part most itineraries skip. Take a nap. Sit on the lanai. Float in the ocean. The Big Island moves at its own pace and the best thing you can do is match it. Magic Sands Beach is a five minute drive and one of my favorite afternoon spots on the island.
The Happy Hour Crawl
This is the best evening ritual in Kona. Full details in the Kona happy hour guide but here is how I do it.
Start at the Kona Canoe Club at 2pm for sliders, shrimp buckets, and a cold margarita with views of Kailua Bay. Walk down to Huggo's On The Rocks for fish tacos, sweet potato waffle fries, and a tropical cocktail. This place is magic if you are traveling with kids because the entire outdoor area has a sandy floor and children can just play. End at Magics Beach Grill above Magic Sands Beach for the Magic Sunset Happy Hour at 2pm. Order the Magics Margarita and watch the sun drop into the ocean. That moment is why people come back to Kona year after year.
Note: Foster's Kitchen, which was right next door to Kona Landing, has temporarily closed following a fire. Check their social media for updates on reopening.
Dinner
Walk to The Fish Hopper from Kona Landing. I do this every single trip. The monchong with risotto and the sunset views from the terrace are the combination that makes people fall in love with this island. For something more special, sit at the bar at Huggo's and order the ahi tuna tower, sizzling shrimp, and the Toes in the Sand cocktail without the pepper rim.
A Day Trip to Hilo and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Leave by 7:30am. It is about 90 minutes to Hilo and you want time for everything.
Breakfast in Hilo
Ken's House of Pancakes is the classic Hilo breakfast. Order the macadamia nut pancakes. The portions are enormous. If you want something smaller and more local, Paul's Place has incredible French toast and daily specials worth asking about.
Rainbow Falls and Akaka Falls
Rainbow Falls is a 10 minute drive from downtown Hilo and free to visit. The falls cascade into a pool surrounded by ancient banyan trees and the mist catches the morning light in a way that is genuinely stunning. Then drive to Akaka Falls State Park for a short loop through the rainforest to a 442-foot waterfall. Bring your waterproof shoes because the trail is wet. More hike options in the Big Island hiking guide.
Lunch in Hilo
Suisan Fish Market is where locals get poke. Order the shoyu ahi or spicy ahi, grab a container, and walk down to the waterfront. Alternatively Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine downtown has some of the best fish tacos on the east side and my sister once ordered a drink served inside a pineapple. Walk around downtown Hilo after lunch. Stop at Cafe 100, where the loco moco was invented, and order the original. It is a cultural moment.
The full Hilo restaurant guide has everything else worth knowing about eating on the east side.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is about 45 minutes from Hilo and unlike anything else on earth. Kilauea has been erupting on and off in recent years with multiple active episodes and the possibility of seeing actual lava flow is very real right now. Check the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory before you go for current activity status.
Two important notes. Book the Kilauea Iki trail or the lava tube walk in advance if possible as they fill up. And check air quality before your visit because the volcanic SO2 emissions, called vog, can be intense enough to affect people with respiratory sensitivities. The Hawaii State Department of Health has a real-time vog map.
Before you leave the volcano area, stop at Volcano Winery. It sits at 4000 feet elevation right at the edge of the national park and produces macadamia nut honey wine and guava wine you will not find anywhere else in the world. It is one of those uniquely Hawaiian experiences that most people miss entirely.
Where to Stay Near the Volcano
If you want to make this a two-day adventure, Volcano House is the historic hotel inside the national park sitting right on the rim of the Kilauea caldera. The views are unreal. It books up quickly, especially during active eruption periods, so reserve well in advance. Staying overnight means you can see the glow of the crater after dark which is a completely different and unforgettable experience. There are also good options in Hilo itself if you prefer to stay in town.
Drive Back to Kona
If you are heading back in one day, stop at Kona Inn when you get back to Ali'i Drive. Order the World Famous Mai Tai and the calamari steak. It is the perfect end to a big day.
Exploring North Kona or a Manta Ray Night Snorkel
This day is deliberately loose. You have covered the main attractions. Now you decide what kind of traveler you are.
Option One: Drive the North Shore
Head up the Kohala Coast to Waikoloa Petroglyph Preserve for ancient lava rock carvings that are genuinely striking. Continue north to the Pololu Valley Lookout and hike down to the hidden black sand beach at the bottom if you have the energy. The views from the top are worth the stop even if you turn around there. This whole drive is covered in the driving around the Big Island guide.
Option Two: Manta Ray Night Snorkel
If you do one bucket list thing in Kona, this is it. Book a manta ray snorkel tour through a local operator in advance. You float in the dark water while enormous manta rays glide beneath you lit up by the boat lights below. I have done it multiple times and it never stops being incredible. See tour options in the Kona tours guide.
Option Three: Do Nothing
Some days in Hawaii should just be a beach day. Swim, read, eat poke, watch the turtles at Kahaluʻu. The island will not judge you.
Dinner
If you have not been yet, this is the night for CanoeHouse at Mauna Lani. Upscale, oceanfront, and genuinely one of the best dining experiences on the Big Island. Reserve ahead.
Your Last Morning in Kona
Do not pack this day full. You are leaving soon. Let it be slow.
Grab breakfast at Island Lava Java on Ali'i Drive. I always order the macadamia nut pesto scramble and their cinnamon roll is the size of your head. Then walk or drive to HiCO Hawaiian Coffee for an ube foam drink and avocado toast that will genuinely blow your mind.
Spend your last afternoon at Magic Sands Beach. Body surf, find a turtle, sit in the sun. When you are ready for your last happy hour, wander up to Magics Beach Grill for a final Magics Margarita.
For your last dinner, either walk to The Fish Hopper one more time or sit in the sand at Huggo's On The Rocks. After dinner, walk Ali'i Drive from end to end one last time and stop at Kona Inn for a goodbye Mai Tai.
That is the trip.
Where to Stay
Kona Landing is a 2-bedroom 2-bathroom oceanfront condo on Ali'i Drive, steps from everything on this itinerary. The lanai has ocean views. Kona Haven Coffee is literally downstairs. The Fish Hopper and Huggo's are a short walk. If you have never stayed somewhere where you can hear the ocean from every room, this is it.
