Big Island on a Budget (Cheap & Free Things to do on Hawaiʻi Island)

It’s no secret that it will cost you a pretty penny to visit Hawaiʻi. Flights and accommodations, which are amongst the most expensive in the U.S., are just the beginning, with food, rental cars, and pricey lūʻaus, excursions, and tours piling up as well. You’ll hear many things said about Hawaiʻi, but never that it’s a cheap destination.

But, there’s a silver lining. Thanks to Hawaiʻi’s outdoor beauty and natural offerings, you’ll find there is an abundant amount of awesome, free (or close to free) activities to enjoy throughout the islands, including beaches, hikes, ocean adventures, picnics, historical sites, and more.

Come along as we explore some of our favorite free and cheap activities on the Big Island.

Free and Cheap Big Island, at a Glance

Every option in this guide is in the sorted table below, cheapest first, so the free ones sit at the top with a Free label. Each row shows the price, whether you need to reserve ahead, and a quick note. Scroll down for the full write-up on any of them.

Outdoor Adventures

The Big Island is loaded with open space and outdoor offerings:

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

Entrance to the national park is “free” if you already have a park’s pass; otherwise, it will cost you $30 for a 7-day visit. Either way, it’s mighty affordable, with so much to see, including Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, Chain of Craters Road, Thurston Lava Tube, and a myriad of hiking and walking trails.

Read more about the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on our website.

Explore the Thurston Lava Tube, a 500 year old lava cave that could fit a truck in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Mountain and Volcano Hikes

The Big Island, with its various ecosystems and massive volcanoes, has a lot of unique terrain to explore. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is a great place to start, with hiking trails that traverse lava fields and the raw coastline of Kilauea Volcano. But options are abundant regardless of where you’re staying.

For a collection of our favorite hikes, check out our guide to hiking on the Big Island.

Hikers cross the floor of the Kilauea’iki crater in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Find out more about this hike on our website.

Multi-Colored Beaches

All beach access in Hawaiʻi is (most of the time) free, so any slice of sand can be your home for the day. In addition to fine white sand (Hapuna Beach), you’ll also find a variety of black sand beaches, like Punaluʻu. At South Point, you can hang out on a green sand beach.

Explore these natural wonders for a free and easy day.

Read more about our 3 favorite beaches in 3 colors, see also our list of most popular Big Island beaches.

Green sand containing olivine crystals from Papakolea (green sand beach).

Hāpuna Beach

Hāpuna is the Kohala Coast’s biggest white-sand beach, with easy swimming and snorkeling at both ends in summer. Non-residents pay a $5 per person entrance fee plus $10 per vehicle to park, card only, and neither is bookable ahead; residents with a state ID are free. The lot and the shaded spots on the sand both fill early on weekends, so come in the morning.

Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach

Punaluʻu is the island’s best-known black-sand beach, on the southeast coast between the volcano and Nāʻālehu. Green sea turtles (honu) often rest on the sand, usually roped off, so keep well back and never touch them. The surf and rip currents here can be strong, so it’s better for the sand and the turtles than for a long swim. Parking and restrooms are free at the county park.

Papakōlea (Green Sand Beach)

Papakōlea, the green-sand beach at South Point, gets its color from olivine crystals in the eroding cinder cone above it. Access is free, but there’s no driving in. It’s a hot, exposed hike of about 2.5 miles each way over open pasture, roughly an hour on foot in each direction, with no shade and no water, so bring your own. The trucks offering paid rides down the track run illegally and tear up the land; skip them and walk.

Waialea (Beach 69)

Waialea, known locally as Beach 69, sits just south of Hāpuna and is the calmer, more sheltered of the two, with good snorkeling among the trees at the water’s edge. It’s a state park, so non-residents pay the same $5 per person plus $10 per vehicle; residents are free. The lot is small and fills fast on weekends, so arrive early.

Snorkeling

Half-day, one-time snorkeling tours will cost more than $100 in many cases, but if you’re an experienced swimmer, you can hit shore-lined coral reefs for only the cost of renting a mask. The Kona Coast is riddled with places to snorkel. Check out the following guides to learn where to go.

1. Our guide to snorkeling spots on the Kona Coast
2. Our 3 favorite snorkeling spots on the Big Island
3. Our Big Island Snorkeling Guide with tips on safety, rentals, and snorkeling tours
4. Big Island snorkeling spots for beginners

Remember to always swim with a buddy!

The Kona coast offers some of the best snorkeling on Hawaiʻi. Image adapted from source and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

Two Step / Hōnaunau Bay

Two Step is the best-known shore snorkel on the island, named for the natural lava ledge you step off into deep, clear water. It sits right next to Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau, about 300 feet from the park entrance. There’s no beach and no fee: park on the highway shoulder or in the small county lot and walk in. The lava entry is sharp, so wear reef shoes and take it slow. Get there early, because parking is tight.

Kahaluʻu Beach Park

Kahaluʻu Beach Park in Kona is the easiest place to learn to snorkel on the island: a shallow, protected bay right off the road, with a lifeguard and restrooms. Green sea turtles graze the reef here through the day, so keep at least 10 feet back and never touch them. The entry is rocky and the current picks up at the north end, so stay inside the bay. It’s free, and the small lot fills by mid-morning.

Surfing

Surf lessons are pricey, but after taking one to learn the basics, renting a board is cheap. Find the local surf shop, learn the local breaks, and spend a few hours in the water to appreciate why surfing is more or less the state sport.

Read more on our website about surf lessons, spots, and rentals.

Mauna Kea Summit & Stargazing

Driving up to the summit of Mauna Kea can be an all-day experience that will only cost you the gas to get there. There are several experiences to have on the mauna. If you have four-wheel drive, you can drive to the very top of the mountain, which is often above the clouds. You can jump on one of the nearby hiking trails. And, once it’s dark, you can stargaze outside the visitor center. Do your own night sky tour, or check the park schedule for the free, ranger-led stargazing sessions.

Check out more info on the DIY options for visiting the summit in our guide to stargazing on Mauna Kea.

The sunsets from Mauna Kea are out of this world, making a trip to the summit even more attractive

Waterfalls

The Big Island has a variety of easy to reach waterfalls, headlined by Rainbow Falls and ʻAkaka Falls in and near Hilo.

The Rainbow falls (or Waianuenue) in Hilo. Check out the people in the top left of the image for scale.

Check out some of our favorites around the island.

Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls (Waiānuenue) is an 80-foot waterfall on the Wailuku River in Hilo, a two-minute walk from the lot right off the road. Morning is the time to catch the rainbow in the mist. The flow is strongest after rain and can slow to a trickle in a dry spell. A short paved path leads up to a lookout over the falls, and the rocks near the top are slick, so mind the railings.

Non-residents now pay a state-park fee to park here, $5 per person plus $10 per vehicle (residents free), card only, the same as ʻAkaka Falls.

ʻAkaka Falls

ʻAkaka Falls drops 442 feet in a state park north of Hilo, near Honomū. A paved loop of about 0.4 miles passes ʻAkaka and the smaller Kahūnā Falls through thick rainforest. Non-residents pay $5 per person plus $10 per vehicle, card only, with residents free. It’s often drizzly here, so the path can be slick and an umbrella helps.

Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo

The Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens south of Hilo is the only rainforest zoo in the United States, with animals set among tropical gardens. Admission is $13 for non-resident adults and $5 for children, with residents paying less, and the fee has been creeping up by about a dollar a year. Plan on an hour or two. It sits on the rainy side of the island, so bring a jacket and expect some mud underfoot.

Pololū Valley

The lookout at the north end of Highway 270 in Kohala is free, and the view is right at the parking, no hike needed. From the railing you see the black-sand beach below and the sea cliffs running south. The trail down is steep and muddy after rain, about 20 to 30 minutes each way. You climb the same grade back up. The lot at the road’s end is small and fills on clear mornings, so arrive before 9am. Our Pololū Valley guide covers the trail and beach.

Waipiʻo Valley lookout

The Waipiʻo Valley lookout is free, and you stand about 900 feet above the valley floor, looking out to where the walls meet the surf. The road to the valley floor is restricted to residents and permitted tours, so most visitors stop at the lookout. Our Waipiʻo Valley guide has the access rules and the tour options for reaching the bottom.

Kaumana Caves

Kaumana Caves Park in Hilo is a free, unlit lava tube you walk into on your own. A steep staircase drops about 20 feet from the roadside to the entrance, and the floor is uneven rock in both directions. Bring a flashlight and shoes with grip; the ceiling gets low the farther in you go. There are picnic tables, drinking water, and restrooms at the top. Our lava tubes guide lists the four free tubes and the guided ones.

Free wildlife watching

Green sea turtles (honu) haul out on the black sand at Punaluʻu, and they feed along the rocks at Kahaluʻu Beach Park in Kona. Both are free to watch from the sand. Keep at least 10 feet back and never touch them; at Punaluʻu the resting turtles are usually roped off.

Spinner dolphins

Spinner dolphins rest in the calm Kona bays through the morning, often visible from shore at Hōnaunau and Kealakekua. Do not swim out to them: a federal rule keeps swimmers and boats 50 yards from Hawaiian spinner dolphins, and it’s enforced.

Humpback whales (Kohala Coast)

From November to April, humpback whales pass close to the Kohala Coast, and you can watch them from the shore lookouts north of Kawaihae without a boat.

History & Culture

Many historical sites around the island are free or cheap to access:

Museums

Home of Kamehameha the Great and a broad range of geological intrigue, the Big Island is loaded with cultural and historical interest, told through a variety of affordable museums. Examples include the Lyman House (natural history), ʻImiloa Astronomy Center, the Pacific Tsunami Museum, Huliheʻe Palace, and more.

You can see our big list of Big Island museums here.

Cultural Sites

If you’re interested in Hawaiian culture, there are many historical stops that will enrich your time as you explore the Big Island. Most are small, great for dropping by if you find yourself in the area, such as the Naha Stone, Kamehameha Rock, Puakō Petroglyphs, and Puʻukohala Heiau.

Other sites are more involved and extensive, such as Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau, the Captain Cook Monument, or Huliheʻe Palace. To read more about these special places, check out our complete list of Big Island cultural sites here.

Puʻuhonua o Honaunau National Park in the south Kona district is a good place to take in Hawaiian History. Next door (300 feet from the park entrance) is one of the best places of the island to go snorkeling.

Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau

Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau, the place of refuge, is a national historical park in South Kona: a reconstructed temple, carved kiʻi, fishponds, and the great wall, on a palm-shaded point. Entry is $20 per vehicle for seven days, card only, and the Hawaiʻi Tri-Park pass ($55) covers it along with Hawaiʻi Volcanoes and Haleakalā on Maui. Two Step, a favorite shore-snorkel spot, is right next door.

Kaloko-Honokōhau

Kaloko-Honokōhau is a free national-park site just north of the Kona airport, built around ancient Hawaiian fishponds and petroglyphs, with a flat coastal trail. Green sea turtles often rest on the small beach at ʻAiʻōpio, and you can usually spot them without going in the water. The visitor center is off Highway 19, and the trail is fully exposed, so bring water and a hat.

Liliʻuokalani Gardens

Liliʻuokalani Gardens on Hilo Bay is a free, formal Japanese garden of arched bridges, stone lanterns, and koi ponds, named for Hawaiʻi’s last reigning monarch and built to honor the Japanese immigrants who worked the sugar plantations. It’s an easy, flat walk, open all day, with free parking along the bay.

Free hula shows

A paid luau on the Big Island runs $182 to $256 a head. Several shopping centers run free hula in the evenings instead. Queens’ MarketPlace in Waikoloa has a free show at the Coronation Pavilion on Monday nights, 6 to 7pm, with both traditional kahiko and modern hula. Keauhou Shopping Center in Kona runs free hula in the courtyard on Fridays, 6 to 7pm. Kings Shops in Waikoloa adds a weekly hula program and fire-knife performances every other week.

Schedules shift with the season, so check each center’s site before you drive out. Our Big Island luau guide compares the paid shows if you want the full imu-and-buffet evening.

Agritourism

Next to a plethora of farm tours, there are several budget-friendly ways to explore the rich agricultural life on the Big Island.

Botanical Gardens

Entering a botanical garden costs just a small entry fee, but the experience can provide up to a half day of enjoyable immersion in the beauty and variety of Hawaiʻi’s tropical and indigenous plants. There are botanical gardens on both the Kona and Hilo side of the island, so accessing one should be little trouble.

You can learn more about them in our list of the best botanical gardens on the Big Island.

The 1 mile self-guided tour in the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens is one of our favorite short hikes on the Big Island

Macadamia Nut Farms

The Macadamia nut is originally from Australia, but it thrives in the Big Island’s volcanic soil. You can visit the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Visitor Center for free and try samples (it’s the world’s largest processor of macadamia nuts), or visit a smaller, family-run farm, like Ahualoa Family Farms or the Hamakua Macadamia Nut Company.

Find out more about visiting in our Big Island Macadamia Nut guide.

You can buy macnut products from the Ahualoa Family Farms at the “Nuthouse” in Honokaʻa. Credit: Ahualoa Family Farms

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Visitor Center

The Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Visitor Center on the Hilo side is free to visit, with samples to try and a self-guided look at what the company calls the largest macadamia processing operation in the world. It’s an easy stop off Highway 11 between Hilo and the volcano. The store sells nuts and chocolate-covered macadamias to take home.

Coffee Growing Regions

The Big Island is famous for its coffee production, most notably within the Kona Coffee District on the slopes of Hualālai Volcano. Take a ride up and visit a local farm, such as Greenwell Farms, which offers free guided tours and tastings.

In the southeast part of the island is the emerging Kaʻū Coffee District. Stop at the Kaʻū Coffee Mill for an overview of the area, then explore some of its attractions, such as Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach or the Kaʻū Desert Trail.

Check out our BIG list of Kona coffee tours on the Big Island to find out our favorite free and paid coffee tours and tastings.

Visitors take a Kona Coffee Farm Tour at the Greenwell farm. Source: here by user horspowr1001 under a CC BY-NC 2.0 license

Greenwell Farms

Greenwell Farms in the Kona Coffee District above Kealakekua runs free guided tours of a working coffee farm, from the orchard to the drying decks, ending with a tasting. Tours run through the day. It’s one of the older Kona estates, and the drive up Māmalahoa Highway passes a string of small farms if you want to taste more than one.

Food, Drink, and Shopping

Eating and drinking in Hawaiʻi can be expensive. Here are some tricks to save money:

Local Grocery Stores

This advice is not unique to the Hawaiian Islands, but it is as effective here as anywhere.  Shopping at a local grocery store is much cheaper than buying from restaurants or corner stores. Plan ahead and hit the grocery store to help save on food costs. Our favorite is the KTA.

Stock up at Costco

A Costco run is the standard local move for a cheap trip. The Kailua-Kona warehouse sits near the airport, an easy first stop on the way in to fill a condo kitchen: produce, poke, prepared meals, and the cheapest gas on that side of the island. You need a membership to shop. Cooking even half your meals cuts the biggest line in a Big Island budget, since a sit-down dinner for four runs well past $100 here.

Sunset Picnic in Paradise

Many restaurants offer prime-time seating for the sunset, and you’ll be tempted to be amongst the crowds each and every night. However, eating and drinking at restaurants adds up quickly, and as every local knows, you don’t have to dine at an expensive waterfront bar or restaurant to enjoy the sunset. If you’re looking to save money, getting creative at mealtime is the number one way to cut costs.

Pack a small cooler bag with drinks and snacks (poke, etc) and throw yourself a sunset picnic, either on the beach or somewhere else along the coast (see our favorite Big Island picnic spots here). You can save quite a bit of money over the course of a few days with this strategy. Restaurants can cost an arm and a leg, but you can get a pound or two of poke and a six pack of beer for less than $30 at a grocery store.

Find a scenic spot to sit, either on the beach or in a park, and enjoy a picnic in paradise.

Farmers Markets

The island’s farmers markets are free to browse and the cheapest way to eat local: fruit, poke, malasadas, and plate lunch straight from the growers and cooks. The Hilo Farmers Market is open downtown daily, biggest on Wednesday and Saturday. On the Puna side, the Makuʻu Farmers Market fills the field off Highway 130 on Sunday mornings, with $2 parking. Bring cash and small bills.

Cheap Souvenirs

We always encourage folks to shop at locally-owned, independent stores when traveling through the island. However, if you’re in need of some cheap souvenirs for folks back home, the ABC Store’s prices are easy to love. These stores are found everywhere in Kailua-Kona, and T-shirts can be had for less than $10, as well as various other trinkets for family and friends back home. If your budget is dwindling but you need souvenirs, the ABC Store is a great option.

More free and affordable activities guides

If you have made it this far down the page chances are that you will also enjoy our other island guides with free and affordable activities:

• Our list with cheap and free Maui activities lets you enjoy Maui without breaking the bank!
• The same goes for our list of cheap and free Oʻahu activities!
• And, of course, don’t miss our our Kauaʻi on a Budget list.