Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour

47 Reviews 4.15 out of 5 stars Based on 47 traveler reviews collected by Cool Hawaii and TripAdvisor | Big Island of Hawaii, USA

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On average, this is booked 27 (0) days in advance.

15 to 20 hours (approx.)
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Offered in: English

Overview

Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together!

Get a taste of paradise on Hawaii’s Big Island. This driving tour guides you along the island’s picturesque coast and through lush jungle scenery. Lounge on pristine beaches, hike atop dormant volcanoes, go snorkeling in crystal-clear water, and more—all while learning about the fascinating history of this island and the people who call it home. Plus, learn about Hawaiian history, visit ancient burial grounds, and really get to know this island’s rich culture.

After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point.

New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.

This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.

What's Included

  • Support is available via chat, email, or phone if you need help.
  • Planning tools, route maps, scenic stops, and area previews included.
  • Private tour experience for your family, in your own car.
  • Self-guided tour — no live guide. Entrance fees, parking, food, and car rental are separate.
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Meeting Location

Meeting point
End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Book Online

Our secure website provides real-time availability, instant confirmation, and free, no-hassle cancellations up to 24 hours before your activity begins.
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Hilo

Hilo is a town on Hawaii, commonly called the Big Island, in the state of Hawaii. It’s known for Wailuku River State Park, featuring Waianuenue, or Rainbow Falls, with its colorful mist effects. The bubbling basalt-lava rock pools known as the Boiling Pots are nearby. To the south is Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, home to rainforests and the active Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes.Note: The tour is over 300+ miles long, with more than 210+ audio stories, and takes about 7-8 hours to complete.New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
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30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

203 Kilauea Ave

The deck is a steel grid which creates a singing sound from the tires of cars driving on it.
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30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Scenic Outlook Park

Quiet peaceful location to just sit and relax
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30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Honoli'i Beach Park (pass by)

Popular with surfers, this picturesque cove is located less than two miles from downtown Hilo. It’s rocky bottom and occasional strong currents make it less of a swimming beach and more of a great spot for experienced surfers and watching surfing pros. Limited parking; must be able to climb down/up stairs to get to this beach.
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Onomea Bay Trail (pass by)

Discover this 0.8-km out-and-back trail near Pepeekeo, Hawaii. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 13 min to complete. This trail is great for hiking and walking. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.
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Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

The Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Garden is a nonprofit botanical garden and nature preserve
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20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

19 HI-19

World Botanical Gardens and Waterfalls is a commercial botanical gardens with a large waterfall, located between Umauma and Hakalau, at the corner of Leopolino Road and Hawaii Belt Road, State Highway 19, 16 miles north of Hilo, Island of Hawaiʻi, Hawaii.
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1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Botanical World Adventures

A lush rainforest attraction with tropical gardens, waterfalls, and family-friendly outdoor adventures like ziplining and suspension bridges. It’s a fun stop for nature lovers looking to explore Big Island’s scenic, greener side.
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20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Sugar Mill Road

Small Waterfall
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30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kolekole Beach Park (pass by)

Kolekole Beach Park is a Hawaii county park on the island of Hawaii.
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Laupahoehoe Point Cemetery (pass by)

On April 1, 1946 the Big Island of Hawaiʻi was struck by the so-called "April Fools Day tsunami", originating from the Aleutian Islands earthquake. Approximately 160 people on the island were killed. While the greatest number of deaths occurred in Hilo, the school building at Laupāhoehoe was inundated, and twenty students and four teachers were drowned. A monument to the dead now stands on Laupāhoehoe Point.
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Kohala Coast

As you drive 20-minutes north of Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport, you’ll marvel at the rugged lava fields surrounding you. You may not see it from Queen Kaahumanu Highway, but the Kohala Coast is where you’ll find some of the island’s finest resorts.
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30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Anna Ranch Heritage Center

Anna Ranch Heritage Center is a former cattle ranch in Waimea, Hawaii County, Hawaii named for Anna Leialoha Lindsey Perry-Fiske (1900–1995).
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20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Laupahoehoe Train Museum

The purpose of the Laupahoehoe Train Museum is to preserve, promote and protect the historic, cultural, educational, social, civic and economic interests of the North Hilo and Hamakua districts, while highlighting the history of the railroads on the island of Hawaii.
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20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kings Hwy Foot Trail (pass by)

Get to know this 7.7-km out-and-back trail near Waikoloa Village, Hawaii. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 1 h 44 min to complete. This trail is great for hiking and trail running.
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Buddha Point (pass by)

Picturesque lookout point offering sweeping views of the ocean, sunset & passing whales.
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Waikoloa Beach

Waikoloa Beach is an area located on the South Kohala coast on the island of Hawaii and is located in the census-designated place of Puako. It can be confused for Waikoloa Village, a CDP in the same "ahupuaʻa" and is also known as "Waikoloa".
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30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area

One of the Big Island’s most popular white-sand beaches, known for its wide shoreline, clear water, and great swimming conditions. It’s a perfect stop for relaxing, sunbathing, or enjoying a classic Hawaiʻi beach day.
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30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kekaha Kai State Park (pass by)

Kekaha Kai State Park, formerly known as Kona Coast State Park, is a beach park located along the north Kona coast on the island of Hawaiʻi. The main beach areas are Maniniʻowali Bay, Makalawena beach at Puʻu Aliʻi Bay, and Mahaiʻula Bay.
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Kiholo Bay (pass by)

Kīholo Bay is located in the ahupua`a of Pu`u Wa`awa`a in the North Kona District on the Big Island of Hawaii. the land surrounding the bay is flanked to the South by a lava flow from Mount Hualalai ca. 1801 and another flow from Mauna Loa in 1859.
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Kailua-Kona

Public park with white sand beach & rocky shoreline, offering lifeguard-overseen swimming & surfing.
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30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hulihe'e Palace

Small beach & reef with generally calm water, making it a popular place to snorkel.
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20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Magic Sands Beach Park (pass by)

The Kuamoʻo Burials (also known as the Lekeleke Burial Grounds) is a historic Hawaiian burial site for warriors killed during a major battle in 1819.
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Kahalu’u Beach Park (pass by)

Captain Cook is a census-designated place in Hawaiʻi County, Hawaiʻi, in the United States, located in the District of South Kona. The community, within the land division of Kealakekua, is so named because the post office for the area was located in the Captain Cook Coffee Co. during the early 1900s.
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Lekeleke Burial Ground

Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located on the west coast of the island of Hawaiʻi in the U.S. state of Hawaii.
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20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park (pass by)

Pāhala is a census-designated place in Hawaiʻi County, Hawaiʻi, United States. The population was 1,356 at the 2010 census.
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Honaunau

Kīlauea is an active shield volcano in the Hawaiian Islands. Historically, it is the most active of the five volcanoes that together form the Big Island of Hawaiʻi.
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1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Heavenly Hawaiian Kona Coffee Farm Tours & Konalani Coffee Bar

Kona coffee is the market name for coffee (Coffea arabica) cultivated on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the North and South Kona Districts of the Big Island of Hawaii. It is one of the most expensive coffees in the world.
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20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hawaii Belt Road (pass by)

The Hawaiʻi Belt Road is a modern name for the Māmalahoa Highway and consists of Hawaiʻi state Routes 11, 19, and 190 that encircle the Island of Hawaiʻi.
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87 Hawaiʻi Belt Rd

Pebble Beach got its name because instead of a sandy beach it's full of pebbles. The pebbles are black so it gives the appearance of a black sand beach but it won't be sandy here.
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30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kula Kai Caverns

Centuries-old lava caves & tube systems once used by native tribes for shelter & water collection.
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20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Black Sand Beach Apparel (pass by)

Punaluʻu Beach is a beach between Pāhala and Nāʻālehu on the Big Island of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The beach has black sand made of basalt and created by lava flowing into the ocean which explodes as it reaches the ocean and cools. This volcanic activity is in the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
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Mauna Loa Observatory (pass by)

The Hawai'i Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) is a Mars and Moon ... located on a Mars-like site on the Mauna Loa volcano on Hawai'i Island.
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Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is on Hawaii Island (the Big Island). At its heart are the Kīlauea and Mauna Loa active volcanoes. The Crater Rim Drive passes steam vents and the Jaggar Museum, which features volcanology exhibits and a viewpoint overlooking Halema'uma'u Crater. Thick ferns mark the entrance to the Thurston Lava Tube (Nāhuku). The Chain of Craters Road weaves over lava. Trails crisscross the park.
Read more

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park (pass by)

Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located in the Kona District on the Big island of Hawaiʻi in the U.S. state of Hawaiʻi. It includes the National Historic Landmarked archaeological site known as the Honokōhau Settlement.
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Lyman Museum

A small but fascinating museum in Hilo showcasing Hawaiian history, geology, and island culture through thoughtful exhibits. It’s a great stop for travelers who want deeper context on the Big Island beyond the scenery.
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20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory

A sweet stop where you can learn about locally made Hawaiian chocolate and pick up handmade treats. It’s a fun visit for chocolate lovers who want a taste of something uniquely Big Island.
Read more

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Pacific Tsunami Museum

A meaningful museum in Hilo that shares the island’s tsunami history through survivor stories, exhibits, and local records. It’s an insightful stop that offers a deeper understanding of the forces that have shaped coastal Hawaiʻi.
Read more

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Akaka Falls State Park

A beautiful rainforest park home to one of the Big Island’s most famous waterfalls, plunging dramatically into a lush gorge. The short walking loop makes it an easy and scenic stop for tropical views and classic Hawaiʻi beauty.
Read more

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Wailuku River State Park

A scenic park in Hilo best known for Rainbow Falls and the dramatic lava rock formations of Boiling Pots. It’s an easy stop for beautiful views and a quick look at the power of the island’s waterways.
Read more

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Show 39 more stops

Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
  • Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
  • The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.

Frequently Asked Questions

(6)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the activity for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the activity start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the activity start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the activity local time (HST). Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the activity for a full refund.

Still have questions?

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Activity code: C-267535P21

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.15
47 reviews

Average 4.15 out of 5 stars based on 47 traveler reviews collected by Cool Hawaii and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

5 stars
24
4 stars
15
3 stars
3
2 stars
1
1 star
4

Loading Options
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 27 (0) days in advance.

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What's Included

Activity name

  • Support is available via chat, email, or phone if you need help.
  • Planning tools, route maps, scenic stops, and area previews included.
  • Private tour experience for your family, in your own car.
  • Lifetime access: use the tour anytime and keep it for future trips.
  • Works offline with GPS route guidance and automatic audio stories.
  • One purchase covers everyone in your car, not per person.
  • Flexible tour: start, stop, and pause anytime during your trip.
  • Hidden gems and local stories included along the route.
  • Self-guided audio tour through our easy-to-use mobile app.
  • Just bring your car and phone; the app guides your tour.
  • Self-guided tour — no live guide. Entrance fees, parking, food, and car rental are separate.

Additional Info

Activity name

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
  • How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
  • Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
  • Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
  • Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
  • New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
  • Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
  • The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.
  • Important Note: Some Big Island attractions along this tour require advance reservations or paid admission, including places such as Huliheʻe Palace, Kula Kai Caverns, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Akaka Falls State Park, and more. We recommend planning ahead and allowing 1–2 days to enjoy the full tour at a relaxed pace.
  • Important: Recent Kona storms caused flooding, debris, and temporary road closures in Hawaiʻi. Conditions are improving, but parts of Maui County and Hawaiʻi Island may still have delays, cleanup, or closures.
  • Reservations may be needed: Some stops along the tour require advance reservations or have limited walk-in availability, so guests should verify directly before visiting. Kula Kai Caverns and The Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory require reservations, while Huliheʻe Palace and Lyman Museum allow walk-ins subject to space, with reservations recommended.
  • Some tours/activities need booking ahead: Hawai'i Tropical Botanical Garden and Botanical World Adventures allow general admission/day-pass entry, but guided tours and certain activities require reservations. At Anna Ranch Heritage Center, the grounds are free to explore, but the historic home tour is best reserved at least 72 hours in advance.
  • Self-guided audio tour via app; no in-person guide provided and no entrance fee included.

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Free Cancellation

100% refund
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You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the activity for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the activity start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the activity start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the activity local time (HST).

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