Where to Stay on the Big Island, Hawaii

Ali'i Drive is the spine of Kailua-Kona, a 2-mile oceanfront strip lined with open-air restaurants, coffee shops, and dive operators. Kuakini Highway runs parallel one block inland with cheaper eats and grocery stores. The historic pier at the foot of Palani Road is where the Ironman triathlon starts. Most mid-range hotels cluster between Palani Road and Keauhou, 3 miles south. You can walk to snorkeling at Kahaluu Beach Park in 20 minutes from most central hotels. Rain here is rare. The town is touristy but functional, and the farmer's market on Ali'i Drive on Saturdays is genuinely good.

Best for

First-timerssnorkelerspeople who want restaurants and nightlife within walking distance

Walk times

Kahaluu Beach Park snorkeling 20 min
Kailua Pier and town center 5 min
Lava Java coffee on Ali'i Drive 3 min

Skip if: You want seclusion or the luxury resort experience

Local tip: Book a room south of Palani Road. North of it puts you on a highway with no sidewalks and no ocean access.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

Kohala Coast

Hawaii's luxury resort corridor, designed to impress

Budget $0-$0/night

The Kohala Coast stretches roughly 25 miles between Kona and Waimea, anchored by the Waikoloa Beach Resort area. Highway 19 is the main artery, but the resorts sit on private roads off it. The Four Seasons Hualalai sits at Ka'upulehu Drive. The Fairmont Orchid and Mauna Kea Beach Hotel are north at Mauna Kea Resort. These are self-contained compounds: beaches, pools, restaurants, and retail all on site. The coastline is black lava broken by white sand pockets. Anaehoomalu Bay (A-Bay) near Waikoloa is open to the public and one of the island's best beaches. You will need a car for everything off-property.

Best for

Honeymoonsluxury travelersfamilies who want a resort bubble with great beaches

Walk times

A-Bay beach from Hilton Waikoloa 10 min
Waikoloa Village shops and restaurants 25 min
Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area 15 min

Skip if: You are on a budget or want to explore local culture. Everything costs resort prices here.

Local tip: Hapuna Beach is a public beach just north of the Mauna Kea resort complex. Park in the state lot for $10 and use the same water the $700-a-night guests swim in.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

Hilo

The real Hawaii, wet and worth it

Budget $0-$0/night

Hilo sits on the rainy east side and most tourists skip it. That is a mistake. Downtown Hilo along Kamehameha Avenue is a walkable grid of 1920s storefronts, independent coffee shops, and the best farmers market on the island (Wednesday and Saturday on Mamo Street). Richardson Ocean Park on Kalanianaole Avenue, 4 miles east of downtown, has black sand and sea turtles. Banyan Drive curves along the bay with affordable older hotels including the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. Liliuokalani Gardens, a formal Japanese park on Banyan Drive, is free and peaceful. Rain arrives most afternoons but clears by evening. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is 30 miles south via Highway 11.

Best for

Budget travelersvolcano visitorspeople who want to eat and shop like a local

Walk times

Hilo Farmers Market from Banyan Drive 15 min
Liliuokalani Gardens 3 min
Downtown Hilo restaurants on Keawe Street 12 min

Skip if: You want beach weather. Hilo averages 130 inches of rain per year. The sun does come out, but not reliably.

Local tip: Eat at Cafe 100 on Kilauea Avenue. The loco moco here costs $5.50 and has been on the menu since 1946.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

Volcano Village

Sleep inside a cloud, wake up at the caldera

Budget $0-$0/night

Volcano Village is a small community at 3,700 feet elevation on Highway 11, less than a mile from the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park entrance. Old Volcano Road and Haunani Road are the two main residential streets, dotted with B&Bs and vacation rentals in rainforest settings. There are no chain hotels here. Kilauea Military Camp just inside the park boundary offers affordable lodging for anyone affiliated with the military. The Lava Rock Cafe on Old Volcano Road opens early for hikers. At night, if lava is active, the glow from Halemaumau Crater is visible from the park overlook 10 minutes away. Temperatures run 15 degrees cooler than the coast, so bring a layer.

Best for

Volcano-focused travelerscouples wanting a quiet rainforest retreatearly morning park hikers

Walk times

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park entrance 4 min
Halemaumau Crater overlook via Crater Rim Drive 15 min
Lava Rock Cafe breakfast 6 min

Skip if: You want beach access. The coast is an hour away and the weather here stays misty and cool year-round.

Local tip: Buy your park pass online before you arrive at recreation.gov. The $35 weekly pass pays for itself on day one if you plan to visit the park more than once.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.