Hawaiʻi Island isn’t my usual go-to for island hopping, but when a friend who once called it home invited me along, I couldn’t resist the chance to see the place through his local perspective. Whether you’re planning a long weekend getaway or a quick staycation, here’s how to experience the best of the Big Island
As I walk around the corner of Keawe Street and Furneaux Lane in downtown Hilo on Hawaiʻi Island, bright red traffic signs shout, “Do Not Enter” and “Wrong Way”—which means I’m in the right place. I follow the edge of the building until I find a staircase. As I descend into The Hidden Nēnē, I’m
While it shares its name with the canyon on Kauaʻi and the bay and valley on Oʻahu, the town of Waimea on Hawaiʻi Island stands apart in a delightful way. Located toward the northern tip of the Big Island, Waimea is unlike any other town on the Big Island—and it’s one of my favorites to
*This story was originally published on Jan. 22, 2019, and updated in September 2025. It’s early on a Thursday morning, the sun is just beginning to rise over North Kohala and I’m staring up at the king himself. Standing regally with his right arm outstretched, the King Kamehameha statue looks out over the small
With its sunny weather, world-renowned coffee and rich history, region marked by fields of lava rock formations and, offshore, crystal clear waters. It’s also home to the community of Kailua-Kona, where the annual Ironman World Championship takes place. On Oct. 11, nearly 3,000 of the best triathletes in the world will take on the iconic
Kīlauea continues to keep the world enthralled with its epic eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, which started on Dec. 23, 2024. Ten months later, the volcano remains active and mesmerizing. On Oct. 1, 2025, episode 34 began at 12:53 a.m. HST. According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, lava fountains soared to an estimated 1,300 feet. By
*This story was originally published on Sept. 17, 2024. Today is World Manta Day, a day to celebrate these majestic marine creatures and raise awareness of the threats they’re facing. Swimming with manta rays on Hawaiʻi Island—specifically off the Kona Coast—is on a lot of travelers’ bucket list. It’s one of the most unique
My family and I stand steps from the ocean, just south of Kona’s airport. Salt is everywhere—we smell it in the air, even taste it, and soon we’ll soak our feet in the briny water. We are on a tour of Kona Sea Salt Farm, a small operation that harvests salt made from the deep-ocean
It had been a long day. While I’d love to complain about a hectic schedule or long commute, I was actually exhausted from all the fun I was having. Once I checked into the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai, a sprawling oceanfront luxe resort that looks carved into lava rock, I felt immediately energized. I donned
*This story was originally published on Dec. 11, 2019, and updated on Sept. 1, 2025. It’s pretty hard to have a proper road trip in Hawaiʻi. Driving from Oʻahu’s central city of Honolulu to the North Shore, for example, takes less than an hour (without traffic). This is not the case on Hawaiʻi Island, which
*This story was originally published on March 6, 2019 and updated on Aug. 20. On a Sunday at sunrise, the South Kona sky painted in pastels, I drive bleary-eyed on Māmalahoa Highway heading south past monstera and banana plants toward the hulking mass of Mauna Loa, rising nearly 1,500 feet into the sky. Two
