Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour

4.1 (53 reviews) Big Island of Hawaii, USA
Duration15h - 20h
Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Private tourOnly your group will participate

Overview

Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together!

Get a taste of paradise on Hawaii’s Big Island. This driving tour guides you along the island’s picturesque coast and through lush jungle scenery. Lounge on pristine beaches, hike atop dormant volcanoes, go snorkeling in crystal-clear water, and more—all while learning about the fascinating history of this island and the people who call it home. Plus, learn about Hawaiian history, visit ancient burial grounds, and really get to know this island’s rich culture.

After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point.

New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.

This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.

What's included

  • Just bring your car and phone; the app guides your tour.
  • Support is available via chat, email, or phone if you need help.
  • Planning tools, route maps, scenic stops, and area previews included.
  • Private tour experience for your family, in your own car.
  • Lifetime access: use the tour anytime and keep it for future trips.
  • Works offline with GPS route guidance and automatic audio stories.
  • One purchase covers everyone in your car, not per person.
  • Flexible tour: start, stop, and pause anytime during your trip.
  • Access your tour in our separate audio tour app after booking.
  • Hidden gems and local stories included along the route.
  • No live guide. Entrance fees, parking, food, and car rental are separate.

What to expect

  1. Hilo
    30m
    Hilo is a town on Hawaii, commonly called the Big Island, in the state of Hawaii. It’s known for Wailuku River State Park, featuring Waianuenue, or Rainbow Falls, with its colorful mist effects. The bubbling basalt-lava rock pools known as the Boiling Pots are nearby. To the south is Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, home to rainforests and the active Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes.

    Note: The tour is over 300+ miles long, with more than 210+ audio stories, and takes about 7-8 hours to complete.

    New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
  2. 30m
    The deck is a steel grid which creates a singing sound from the tires of cars driving on it.
  3. 30m
    Quiet peaceful location to just sit and relax
  4. Honoli'i Beach Park
    Pass by
    Popular with surfers, this picturesque cove is located less than two miles from downtown Hilo. It’s rocky bottom and occasional strong currents make it less of a swimming beach and more of a great spot for experienced surfers and watching surfing pros. Limited parking; must be able to climb down/up stairs to get to this beach.
  5. Pass by
    Discover this 0.8-km out-and-back trail near Pepeekeo, Hawaii. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 13 min to complete. This trail is great for hiking and walking. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.
  6. Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden
    20m · Admission ticket not included
    The Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Garden is a nonprofit botanical garden and nature preserve
  7. 1h
    World Botanical Gardens and Waterfalls is a commercial botanical gardens with a large waterfall, located between Umauma and Hakalau, at the corner of Leopolino Road and Hawaii Belt Road, State Highway 19, 16 miles north of Hilo, Island of Hawaiʻi, Hawaii.
  8. 20m · Admission ticket not included
    A lush rainforest attraction with tropical gardens, waterfalls, and family-friendly outdoor adventures like ziplining and suspension bridges. It’s a fun stop for nature lovers looking to explore Big Island’s scenic, greener side.
  9. 30m
    Small Waterfall
  10. Pass by
    Kolekole Beach Park is a Hawaii county park on the island of Hawaii.
  11. Laupahoehoe Point Cemetery
    Pass by
    On April 1, 1946 the Big Island of Hawaiʻi was struck by the so-called "April Fools Day tsunami", originating from the Aleutian Islands earthquake. Approximately 160 people on the island were killed. While the greatest number of deaths occurred in Hilo, the school building at Laupāhoehoe was inundated, and twenty students and four teachers were drowned. A monument to the dead now stands on Laupāhoehoe Point.
  12. Kohala Coast
    30m
    As you drive 20-minutes north of Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport, you’ll marvel at the rugged lava fields surrounding you. You may not see it from Queen Kaahumanu Highway, but the Kohala Coast is where you’ll find some of the island’s finest resorts.
  13. Anna Ranch Heritage Center
    20m · Admission ticket not included
    Anna Ranch Heritage Center is a former cattle ranch in Waimea, Hawaii County, Hawaii named for Anna Leialoha Lindsey Perry-Fiske (1900–1995).
  14. 20m · Admission ticket not included
    The purpose of the Laupahoehoe Train Museum is to preserve, promote and protect the historic, cultural, educational, social, civic and economic interests of the North Hilo and Hamakua districts, while highlighting the history of the railroads on the island of Hawaii.
  15. Kings Hwy Foot Trail
    Pass by
    Get to know this 7.7-km out-and-back trail near Waikoloa Village, Hawaii. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 1 h 44 min to complete. This trail is great for hiking and trail running.
  16. Pass by
    Picturesque lookout point offering sweeping views of the ocean, sunset & passing whales.
  17. 30m
    Waikoloa Beach is an area located on the South Kohala coast on the island of Hawaii and is located in the census-designated place of Puako. It can be confused for Waikoloa Village, a CDP in the same "ahupuaʻa" and is also known as "Waikoloa".
  18. Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area
    30m · Admission ticket not included
    One of the Big Island’s most popular white-sand beaches, known for its wide shoreline, clear water, and great swimming conditions. It’s a perfect stop for relaxing, sunbathing, or enjoying a classic Hawaiʻi beach day.
  19. Kekaha Kai State Park
    Pass by
    Kekaha Kai State Park, formerly known as Kona Coast State Park, is a beach park located along the north Kona coast on the island of Hawaiʻi. The main beach areas are Maniniʻowali Bay, Makalawena beach at Puʻu Aliʻi Bay, and Mahaiʻula Bay.
  20. Pass by
    Kīholo Bay is located in the ahupua`a of Pu`u Wa`awa`a in the North Kona District on the Big Island of Hawaii. the land surrounding the bay is flanked to the South by a lava flow from Mount Hualalai ca. 1801 and another flow from Mauna Loa in 1859.
  21. Kailua-Kona
    30m
    Public park with white sand beach & rocky shoreline, offering lifeguard-overseen swimming & surfing.
  22. Hulihe'e Palace
    20m · Admission ticket not included
    Small beach & reef with generally calm water, making it a popular place to snorkel.
  23. Pass by
    The Kuamoʻo Burials (also known as the Lekeleke Burial Grounds) is a historic Hawaiian burial site for warriors killed during a major battle in 1819.
  24. Pass by
    Captain Cook is a census-designated place in Hawaiʻi County, Hawaiʻi, in the United States, located in the District of South Kona. The community, within the land division of Kealakekua, is so named because the post office for the area was located in the Captain Cook Coffee Co. during the early 1900s.
  25. Lekeleke Burial Ground
    20m · Admission ticket not included
    Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located on the west coast of the island of Hawaiʻi in the U.S. state of Hawaii.
  26. Pass by
    Pāhala is a census-designated place in Hawaiʻi County, Hawaiʻi, United States. The population was 1,356 at the 2010 census.
  27. Honaunau
    1h
    Kīlauea is an active shield volcano in the Hawaiian Islands. Historically, it is the most active of the five volcanoes that together form the Big Island of Hawaiʻi.
  28. Heavenly Hawaiian Kona Coffee Farm Tours & Konalani Coffee Bar
    20m · Admission ticket not included
    Kona coffee is the market name for coffee (Coffea arabica) cultivated on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the North and South Kona Districts of the Big Island of Hawaii. It is one of the most expensive coffees in the world.
  29. Hawaii Belt Road
    Pass by
    The Hawaiʻi Belt Road is a modern name for the Māmalahoa Highway and consists of Hawaiʻi state Routes 11, 19, and 190 that encircle the Island of Hawaiʻi.
  30. 30m
    Pebble Beach got its name because instead of a sandy beach it's full of pebbles. The pebbles are black so it gives the appearance of a black sand beach but it won't be sandy here.
  31. Kula Kai Caverns
    20m · Admission ticket not included
    Centuries-old lava caves & tube systems once used by native tribes for shelter & water collection.
  32. Pass by
    Punaluʻu Beach is a beach between Pāhala and Nāʻālehu on the Big Island of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The beach has black sand made of basalt and created by lava flowing into the ocean which explodes as it reaches the ocean and cools. This volcanic activity is in the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
  33. Mauna Loa Observatory
    Pass by
    The Hawai'i Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) is a Mars and Moon ... located on a Mars-like site on the Mauna Loa volcano on Hawai'i Island.
  34. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
    2h · Admission ticket not included
    Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is on Hawaii Island (the Big Island). At its heart are the Kīlauea and Mauna Loa active volcanoes. The Crater Rim Drive passes steam vents and the Jaggar Museum, which features volcanology exhibits and a viewpoint overlooking Halema'uma'u Crater. Thick ferns mark the entrance to the Thurston Lava Tube (Nāhuku). The Chain of Craters Road weaves over lava. Trails crisscross the park.
  35. Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park
    Pass by
    Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located in the Kona District on the Big island of Hawaiʻi in the U.S. state of Hawaiʻi. It includes the National Historic Landmarked archaeological site known as the Honokōhau Settlement.
  36. Lyman Museum
    20m · Admission ticket not included
    A small but fascinating museum in Hilo showcasing Hawaiian history, geology, and island culture through thoughtful exhibits. It’s a great stop for travelers who want deeper context on the Big Island beyond the scenery.
  37. 20m · Admission ticket not included
    A sweet stop where you can learn about locally made Hawaiian chocolate and pick up handmade treats. It’s a fun visit for chocolate lovers who want a taste of something uniquely Big Island.
  38. Pacific Tsunami Museum
    20m · Admission ticket not included
    A meaningful museum in Hilo that shares the island’s tsunami history through survivor stories, exhibits, and local records. It’s an insightful stop that offers a deeper understanding of the forces that have shaped coastal Hawaiʻi.
  39. Akaka Falls State Park
    20m · Admission ticket not included
    A beautiful rainforest park home to one of the Big Island’s most famous waterfalls, plunging dramatically into a lush gorge. The short walking loop makes it an easy and scenic stop for tropical views and classic Hawaiʻi beauty.
  40. Wailuku River State Park
    20m · Admission ticket not included
    A scenic park in Hilo best known for Rainbow Falls and the dramatic lava rock formations of Boiling Pots. It’s an easy stop for beautiful views and a quick look at the power of the island’s waterways.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

You can also begin the tour from 1030 Kanoelehua Ave, Hilo, HI 96720, USA.

Meeting point

Drive past Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park and the tour will begin automatically, or join anywhere along the route. After booking the tour, search your email and text for "audio tour". Your tour is VALID FOREVER, so finish setting up while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until onsite.

End point

You can also begin the tour from 1030 Kanoelehua Ave, Hilo, HI 96720, USA.

End point

Drive past Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park and the tour will begin automatically, or join anywhere along the route. After booking the tour, search your email and text for "audio tour". Your tour is VALID FOREVER, so finish setting up while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until onsite.

Additional information

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Check current weather, road conditions, and closures before beginning the tour, as conditions may change unexpectedly.
  • Some attractions along the Big Island tour require paid admission, while others may require or recommend advance reservations. Kula Kai Caverns requires reservations, and advance booking is recommended for Huliheʻe Palace. Entrance or parking fees may also apply at Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and ʻAkaka Falls State Park. These costs are not included with the audio tour.
  • Allow approximately 1–2 days to enjoy the complete tour at a relaxed pace.
  • Easy to use: GPS-triggered audio plays automatically along the route for a hands-free experience.
  • Private tour: Explore in your own vehicle without crowded buses or large tour groups.
  • At your own pace: Start anytime and pause for hikes, picnics, photos, or scenic stops.
  • Works offline: Once downloaded, the tour works using GPS without Wi-Fi or cellular service.
  • Good value: One purchase covers everyone in your vehicle, not each person separately.
  • More ways to save: Choose a single tour, a nearby bundle, or access to 200+ tours.
  • Download in advance: Download the Tour Guide app by Action and tour while connected to Wi-Fi or a strong cellular signal.
  • Follow the route: Begin at the suggested starting point or join anywhere along the route shown in the app.
  • Lifetime access: Preview the tour before your trip and revisit the stories, photos, and details afterward.
  • Supported devices: iPhone with iOS 15+, Android with version 9+, or a GPS-enabled iPad/tablet with cellular capability.
  • The app’s audio will play through your car’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto display, while the app’s map will display on your phone. You can connect your phone to the car via Bluetooth to listen to the commentary through the car stereo.

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Reviews

4.1 (53)
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