Trip Plan
Overview
The Big Island has the most free and low-cost outdoor experiences of any Hawaiian island: Volcanoes National Park costs just $30 per vehicle for a week, most beach parking is free, waterfalls are free, and the snorkeling rivals paid experiences anywhere. The main cost is the rental car (essential here, $40-60/day) and gas for the long distances between sights.
Budget tips: Buy groceries at KTA Super Stores or Sack N Save (local chains with better prices than resort shops). Pack a cooler for beach days. Plate lunches from local drive-ins run $10-14. Camping is available at several beach parks with permits ($20-30/night). Free showers and restrooms are at most state and county beach parks.
Day 1 — Kona Coast: Free Snorkeling & Beach Hopping
7:30 AM
Start at Kahaluʻu Bay Beach Park in Kailua-Kona. Free parking, free entry, lifeguarded, and the inner reef provides some of the best beginner snorkeling on the island without paying for a boat charter. Bring your own mask and snorkel (rental markup at the beach stand is $15+ vs. $10 for a set at Walmart). Sea turtles and reef fish are abundant in the shallow water.
Parking: Free at Kahaluʻu Beach Park. Arrive before 9 AM on weekends. Restrooms and outdoor showers on site.
11:00 AM
Drive 30 minutes south to Two Step at Honaunau Bay (free parking, free entry). This is arguably the best free shore-access snorkel spot on the Big Island, with exceptional coral coverage and marine life starting immediately at the lava-rock entry. The adjacent Puʻuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park ($20/vehicle) is optional; the snorkeling at Two Step is accessed from outside the park boundary for free.
Afternoon
Hapuna Beach — Drive 45 minutes north to this award-winning beach ($5/vehicle parking, the only cost of the day beyond gas and food). The half-mile of white sand and clear water needs no extras to enjoy.
Check water quality. Pack out your cooler dinner or grab a plate lunch from a Kona drive-in on the way north ($10-14 per plate).
Day total: $5 parking + gas + food. All snorkeling and beach time is free.
IF BROWN WATER IS ACTIVE
The Kona Coast is dry and rarely affected. If conditions are poor, spend the day exploring free Kailua-Kona town: Aliʻi Drive waterfront walk, Huliheʻe Palace grounds (exterior is free), and the farmers market.
Day 2 — Volcanoes National Park ($30 for 7 Days)
7:00 AM
Drive to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park ($30/vehicle, valid 7 days, making it one of the best per-hour values in tourism). Pack a full lunch and 2+ liters of water per person since there are no food vendors inside the park. Start at the free Kilauea Visitor Center for the ranger talk.
9:30 AM
Hike the free trails: Kilauea Iki (4 miles, crosses a solidified lava lake), Thurston Lava Tube (short walk through a lava tunnel), Crater Rim Trail segments (various lengths along the caldera edge), and the Puʻu Loa Petroglyphs (1.4 miles over lava rock to see 23,000+ ancient carvings). All trails are free with park admission.
Afternoon
Drive the free Chain of Craters Road (19 miles one-way to the coast). Stop at every overlook; they are all free and dramatic. The Holei Sea Arch at the road terminus is one of the most impressive free viewpoints in Hawaiʻi. Return via Highway 11 through Kona coffee country. Stop at free farm tour operations along the belt road for complimentary coffee tastings.
Day total: $30 park entry (valid 7 days). Everything inside the park is free. Coffee tastings are free.
IF BROWN WATER IS ACTIVE
The volcano is entirely inland. Rain enhances the experience with misty rainforest trails and dramatic steam vents. This is the ideal rain-day destination on the Big Island.
Day 3 — Free Waterfalls & Black Sand Beach
7:30 AM
Drive to Rainbow Falls in Hilo (free, 80-foot waterfall visible from the parking area, restrooms available). Then drive 15 minutes north to ʻAkaka Falls State Park ($5 parking) for the 442-foot waterfall. Continue to Waipiʻo Valley Lookout (free) for the dramatic valley panorama.
11:00 AM
Explore downtown Hilo, one of the most affordable towns in Hawaiʻi. The Hilo Farmers Market (free to browse, affordable produce and prepared food) operates daily but is largest on Wednesday and Saturday. Walk the bayfront and explore the historic buildings. Lunch from a local plate lunch spot runs $10-12.
Afternoon
Drive to Richardson Beach Park (free parking, free entry) for black-sand beach time with sea turtles. Or drive south to Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach (free) where turtles bask on jet-black sand under coconut palms. Both are free and visually stunning. Return to the Kohala Coast via Saddle Road (1.5 hours from Hilo) through the dramatic lava fields between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.
Day total: $5 (ʻAkaka Falls parking) + food. Everything else is free.
IF BROWN WATER IS ACTIVE
The Hilo side is often rainy anyway. Waterfalls are actually more spectacular after rain. Skip the beach swim and add Boiling Pots (free, dramatic river cascades) and the Pacific Tsunami Museum ($10) for an indoor option.
⚠️ Important Disclaimer
Safe to Swim Hawaii is an independent passion project — it is not affiliated with the Hawaii Department of Health,
any entity mentioned on this page, or any government agency or hotel brand.
Water quality ratings on this site are estimates based on publicly available testing data and geographic analysis.
They are not real-time measurements and may not reflect current conditions.
Always verify current water quality conditions with the
Hawaii Department of Health Clean Water Branch
before entering the water. This site is for informational purposes only and should not be the sole basis for any swimming decisions.
This site does not recommend or advise anyone to swim at any beach. We share government data and geographic analysis so you can make your own informed decisions. By using this site you accept full responsibility for your own safety. See our Terms of Use for full details.
When in doubt, donʻt go out. 🤙