History · Big Island (Hawaiʻi) · United States
6 historic sites to see in Big Island (Hawaiʻi)
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Pacific Tsunami Museum, Big Island (Hawaiʻi) · Photo: dronepicr, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
Start with Chain of Craters Road, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park and Kealakekua Bay. Together the 6 picks below take roughly 9–11 hours across 5 areas; 1 is free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 6
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 9–11 hours
- Areas
- Volcano, South Kona and Hilo
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Historic sites in Big Island (Hawaiʻi)
Viewpoint · Volcano
1.Chain of Craters Road
There are no services along the way.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Nature
- History
- Photo spot
Historic site · South Kona
2.Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park
The park has a reconstructed temple guarded by carved kiʻi images, a massive stone wall and royal grounds, and green sea turtles often rest on the lava shoreline.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Photo spot
Nature · South Kona
3.Kealakekua Bay
Spinner dolphins often rest in the bay in the mornings.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Active
- History
- Outdoors
Museum · Hilo
4.Pacific Tsunami Museum
Housed in a former bank building on Kamehameha Avenue, this small museum tells the story of the 1946 and 1960 tsunamis that devastated Hilo's waterfront, with survivor accounts and exhibits on tsunami science.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Palace · Kailua-Kona
5.Huliheʻe Palace
Built in 1838 as a summer home for Hawaiian royalty, this two-storey palace on Aliʻi Drive is now a museum run by the Daughters of Hawaiʻi, displaying koa wood furniture, royal portraits and artefacts on Kailua Bay.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Historic site · Kohala Coast
6.Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site
A short trail from the visitor centre passes the heiau, and blacktip reef sharks are sometimes seen in the bay below.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Photo spot
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Volcano | Chain of Craters Road | 2–3 hours |
| South Kona | Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park and Kealakekua Bay | 1.5 hours + Half a day |
| Hilo | Pacific Tsunami Museum | 1 hour |
| Kailua-Kona | Huliheʻe Palace | 45 minutes |
| Kohala Coast | Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site | 45 minutes |
Booking and timing
Of these 6, 1 free, 3 low cost, 2 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Kealakekua Bay; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Volcano and South Kona): Chain of Craters Road → Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (South Kona and Hilo): Kealakekua Bay → Pacific Tsunami Museum, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Kailua-Kona and Kohala Coast): Huliheʻe Palace → Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site, at least 2 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- May: highs of 29°C (84°F), about 9 rainy days, quiet crowds. A shoulder month with fewer visitors, calm seas and good value.
- September: highs of 30°C (86°F), about 9 rainy days, quiet crowds. Quiet after the summer holidays, with warm seas and lower prices.
- November: highs of 29°C (84°F), about 8 rainy days, moderate crowds. Coffee harvest is in full swing, and winter rains begin on the Hilo side.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Kailua-Kona — The west side's main town with Aliʻi Drive, snorkel beaches and harbour tours
- Kohala Coast — Resort enclaves on black lava fields with white-sand bays
- Hilo — Old-fashioned bayfront town of farmers markets, gardens and rain
- South Kona and Hōlualoa — Coffee country on the slopes above Kealakekua Bay
More of Big Island (Hawaiʻi)
All things to do in Big Island (Hawaiʻi) · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Big Island (Hawaiʻi)?
Chain of Craters Road. This road descends about 1,100 metres over roughly 30 km from the summit to the coast, past pit craters, recent lava flows and the Puʻu Loa petroglyphs, ending near the Hōlei Sea Arch.
+Which of these are free in Big Island (Hawaiʻi)?
Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site.