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Biking on the Big Island: Rentals, Tours, and Where to Ride

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The best reason to rent a bike on the Big Island is Volcanoes National Park. Chain of Craters Road drops 3,700 feet over 19 miles through lava fields to the ocean, with almost no car traffic and views you won’t get from a windshield. E-bikes are allowed throughout the park, so riders of most fitness levels can manage the climb back up.

Outside the park, biking is best for exploring specific towns: Ali’i Drive in Kona, the Bayfront area in Hilo. Distances between destinations are too large for island-wide transport.

Rentals run $40–$150+ per day depending on bike type. Guided tours start around $120 and handle logistics, gear, and transport.

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Bike Rentals and Tours

Rent if you want flexibility. Set your own pace, stop when you want, cover the route twice if you feel like it. You’ll need to sort out transport to the trailhead yourself.

Book a guided tour if you want the logistics handled. Most tours include transport, helmet, and a guide who knows when to turn around. Worth it for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park if you’re not confident navigating the park solo.

Use bikeshare for getting around downtown Kona or Hilo on a short trip. It’s not built for distance.

Bike rental shops

You can rent a bike in most places on the Big Island. We list below our go-to places in Hilo, Kona, Waikoloa, and Waimea. Expect to pay between $40 (for the most basic bikes, not available in every shop) to $150+ (all the works, carbon fiber frame and wheels, etc.) for the first 24 hours, with a steep discount for following days.

Bicycle Tours

If you’d rather skip the planning, an organized tour handles transport, gear, and route logistics for you. Most run 3 to 7 hours and start around $120 per person. Good option if you’re visiting the park without a car or want a guide who knows the terrain.

Big Island Bike Tours (based in Waimea) runs tours across the island, including Volcanoes.

biking on the Big Island, Hawaii

Biking in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has the best biking on the island, by a wide margin.

Chain of Craters Road is a 19-mile descent from the park’s interior down to the coast, dropping 3,700 feet through hardened lava flows and past ancient petroglyphs. The road ends where a 2003 lava flow buried it. Almost no vehicle traffic. You’ll want a shuttle or tour to handle the return unless you’re riding back up.

Crater Rim Drive is shorter and flatter, looping past steam vents, crater overlooks, and the old Jaggar Museum site. Good for a few hours without committing to the full descent.

E-bikes are permitted on all bicycle-accessible areas in the park, so both routes are manageable for a wider range of fitness levels. The park lists every bike trail inside it, with safety information, on its “how to bike the volcanoes“.

Up and down the Volcano E-Bike Tour

If you’d like to explore the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park by e-bike we can heartily recommend the tours organized in and around the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park by bikevolcano.com. Tours start at $120/person.

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park E-Bike Tour

Another tour that uses e-bikes, this tour runs a bit longer than the Up and down the Volcano E-Bike Tour and can pick you up at the Hilo cruise terminal. Tours start at $199/person.

Bikesharing

Bikesharing stations are in downtown Kona and Hilo. You can rent these bikes for short periods (30 and 60 minutes) and are meant to make short trips around town. To get a day pass go to one of the bikeshare kiosks and follow the instructions on-screen.

If you feel like taking one of these bikes to explore Hilo or Kona see the Hawaiʻi Island Bikeshare website for station locations and day passes.

Biking safety

The Big Island is not set up for cycling the way European roads are. Shoulders are inconsistent, speeds are high outside of town, and drivers don’t expect cyclists on most routes.

Roads that work well:

  • Chain of Craters Road (inside Hawaii Volcano National Park): low traffic, wide lane, the best cycling on the island
  • Ali’i Drive (Kona): slow-moving traffic, bike-aware, good for casual riding
  • Bayfront area (Hilo): flat, low speed, easy

Roads to avoid:

  • Highway 11 between Kailua-Kona and Captain Cook: narrow shoulder, frequent truck traffic
  • Saddle Road: still mixed conditions in sections
  • Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway (Hwy 19): improved shoulders after recent upgrades, but fast traffic

Helmets are standard kit and included at most rental shops. Sunscreen matters more than most people expect — wind keeps you cool while the sun at elevation burns fast.