10 Free (or Almost Free) Things to Do on the Big Island

If you’re looking for free things to do on your vacation, then the Big Island is the right island to visit. You pay a lot for airfare, hotel, and rental car in Hawai‘i. And now, you’ve got a limited budget for entertainment while you’re here! If you’re traveling with children, teenagers, or grandparents, that can be especially challenging. But never fear, there’s a lot you can do on the Big Island without maxing out your credit cards.

The Big Island is not a “tourist-centric island”, meaning that most of the businesses here do not exist simply for the tourist trade. The Kona district, Kailua-Kona, and the resort area in Waikoloa are the exceptions. You’ll find ocean sports, boat tours, and luaus that cater especially to visitors. These are specialty activities that you may want to spend your money on simply because you’re on vacation! But for most of the time you’re on our island, the natural beauty and cultures of the Big Island can be experienced without a lot of money.

Travel Tip: Bring your binoculars to Hawai‘i. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to use them. If you don’t have binoculars, it’s worthwhile to buy a set before your trip.

10 Free (or Almost Free) Things to Do on the Big Island for Families:

1. Go to the Beach

Do I even need to say this? But many visitors come here not knowing which beaches are the best for their families and they waste time driving around searching. The Big Island has LOTS of beautiful beaches, but they’re not all white sand beaches. Some have black sand; others are rocky lava shorelines where tidepools are waiting to be explored. The Kona district has the most white sand beaches that are family-friendly.

My favorite is Spencer Beach in the Kohala district. Warm-water outdoor showers, wheelchair accessible, picnic tables, shade trees and you can even camp overnight (reserve a permit well in advance). On the Hilo side of the island, Onekahakaha Beach Park and Richardson Ocean Park are local favorites. In the Ka‘ū district, the headliner black sand beach is Punalu‘u which is also a sea turtle sanctuary.

2. Go Hiking

There are many hikes on the Big Island that are relatively easy and kid-friendly. If you’re hiking with kids, make sure they have close-toed shoes. The Big Island rains almost daily in many areas, and tennis shoes are ok for a dry day but hiking shoes are better. No flip-flops (we call them rubber slippers here) or Crocs. One of the most popular family-friendly hikes is Pololū Valley on the northernmost tip of the Kohala district. Pack some sandwiches, spam musubi, and bottled water, and stay on the black sand beach for a while to enjoy the valley. On the drive home, stop to take photos of the King Kamehameha statue in Kapa‘au.

3. Do a Waterfall Crawl

East Hawai‘i also known as the “Hilo side” of the island, has a lot of waterfalls because it rains a lot, and excess water flows down from Mauna Kea. Some waterfalls are on private property and not publicly accessible. The waterfalls that are FREE to view are a couple of miles above Historic Downtown Hilo: Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots also known as Pe‘epe‘e Falls. Easy viewing and parking; they are both more impressive after heavy rains.

About 15 miles outside of Hilo is Akaka Falls with a 442-foot drop. It’s in a State Park, so there’s a $5 parking fee and a $1 per person fee. Umauma Falls is a triple-tier waterfall that is a beauty about 15 minutes away from Akaka Falls. For $5 a person, you can drive up to the waterfall viewing area and take a self-guided tour of their tropical garden. They also have activities onsite like ziplining, horseback riding, and ATV rentals, but they are all paid activities.

4. Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park

This 1,160-acre park is part of the National Park Service, and many visitors don’t realize that this is a FREE thing to do on the Big Island. Located just 5 miles south of Kona International Airport, there are hiking trails, you can view ancient Hawaiian stone temples and fishponds, and petroglyphs. You’ll likely also see Hawaiian sea turtles and native birds.

5. Historic Downtown Hilo

Download and print out this Historic Walking Tour map and you’ll see the historic sites in Downtown Hilo. Many buildings are of the Art Deco architectural style dating to the early 20^th century. Haili Church celebrated its 200^th anniversary in May 2024. While you stroll through the downtown streets, you’ll see lots of mom-and-pop restaurants, boutiques, thrift stores, used bookstores, art galleries, the 99-year-old Palace Theater, and more.

6. Banyan Drive

This tree-lined street is where Hilo’s three main hotels are and it’s only about one mile long. It’s an easy walk. On one end of it is Ice Pond where a lot of local kids love to swim and Reed’s Bay Beach Park. As you walk under the banyan trees, look at the base of the trees to read the name of the celebrity who planted each tree – Babe Ruth, Amelia Earhart, etc.

There’s no better place to enjoy a picnic lunch than Liliuokalani Gardens, and then you can walk over a bridge to Coconut Island where you can explore tidepools and swim.

7. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

With over 1.6 million visitors a year, this is the Big Island’s volcanic crown jewel, the home of Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. It’s not a free thing to do on the Big Island, but it’s pretty close. It’s a bargain at just $30 for a vehicle entry fee regardless of how many are in the car.

You could easily spend the whole day here hiking Kilauea Iki Crater, exploring the Thurston Lava Tube, and driving to the ocean on the Chain of Craters Road. Pack some lunch and snacks; bring a cooler with ice and drinks, and you won’t have to spend a penny once you’re in the park.

8. Pana’ewa Rainforest Zoo

This 12-acre zoo, the only U.S. zoo located within a rainforest, is just a few minutes outside of Hilo. It’s an easy walk among tropical plantings. You won’t find any elephants or giraffes here, but the animals you see are in natural settings similar to those in their home countries.

The stars of the Zoo are the two Bengal tigers: the orange Bengal is named Sriracha, and the white Bengal is called Tzatziki. There are covered pavilions that you can picnic in, and there is a children’s playground. Unfortunately, the Zoo won’t be free for long. Hawai‘i County plans to charge entry fees beginning in January 2025.

9. Mauna Kea Visitor Information Center

Located at the 9,200 ft elevation level, this center is about a 1-hour drive from Hilo and a 2-hour drive from Kona. Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in Hawai‘i, and the Visitor Center is not at the summit.

Only 4WD vehicles are allowed at higher elevations, and those with health conditions or children under 13 shouldn’t proceed to the summit because of altitude sickness.

The Center is open daily from 9 am-9 pm and nightly stargazing activities are available without using telescopes. You will almost always be higher than cloud cover and the view of stars is amazing. The view of the sunset is also spectacular on clear days.

10. Free Community Events & Activities on the Big Island

It’s easy for visitors to forget that there are 200,000 residents living their daily lives on the Big Island. So public events are always happening at community centers, churches, the University of Hawaii-Hilo, schools, clubs, and ball fields.

To experience the real life of Big Islanders, seek out events that might be happening around you. Most will be FREE or low-cost. Buy a daily newspaper where events are advertised. In Kona, the newspaper is West Hawaii Today.  In Hilo, it’s the Hawaii Tribune-Herald. There are also active Facebook groups that visitors can access for advice and event announcements from locals. Some examples are Big Island Recommendations and Reviews and Hilo Puna Happenings, but there are many more.

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Check out our blog for more free things to do on the Hawaiian Islands!

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