How long does it take to drive around Big Island?

Driving around the island takes about six hours – and that's without stopping or running into any traffic. If you're looking to break up your trip a bit, try taking a self-guided tour like the one Action Tour Guide offers. Action Tour Guide's self-guided tour allows you to drive through the Big Island at your own pace.



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Driving around the island takes about six hours – and that's without stopping or running into any traffic. If you're looking to break up your trip a bit, try taking a self-guided tour like the one Action Tour Guide offers. Action Tour Guide's self-guided tour allows you to drive through the Big Island at your own pace.

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How long does it take to drive across the largest island in Hawaii? If you take Daniel K. Inouye Highway (The New Saddle Road) from outside of Waikoloa (Kamuela) to outside of Hilo, about 75 minutes. That's the only cross-island road.

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While you can get a taste of the Big Island in 3 days, spending at least 5-7 days, and ideally more, exploring its diverse attractions is recommended.

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Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is located on the island of Hawai'i. From Kailua-Kona: 95 miles southeast on Highway 11 (2 to 2.5 hour drive), or 125 miles through Waimea and Hilo via highways 19 and 11 (2.5 to 3 hours).

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Drive from Waimea/Hilo to Volcano. From the Saddle Road, North Big Island, or Hilo Airport, you can arrive at Aloha Junction via Route 11 on the Eastern shore of the Big Island to Volcano (45 Minutes).

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We suggest splitting your stay between Kailua-Kona on the west side and Hilo (or Volcano) on the east side during your trip. This will ease a lot of extra driving and allow you to experience both sides of the island.

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If you really want to hit the most isolated bit of beach or waterfall, you might use 4wd (or rather the extra ground clearance), but most people will find far more than enough to occupy a week without getting off the paved or graded roads.

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If the park determines that access to the flow is safe you can go on a hike to see the lava. Because viewing conditions change on a daily basis you should look up the most recent information about the active surface flows shortly before you plan to see the lava yourself.

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However, driving in Hawaii does come with its own set of challenges that you should be prepared for, including poor road conditions. While the more populated islands like O'ahu or the Big Island have decent roads, the more rural isles like Kaua'i have roads that are often unpaved and difficult to drive on.

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Yes. It's illegal to sleep in your car in Hawaii. On Oahu, there is one campground that allows vehicle camping. Malaekahana Beach Campground And some Hipcamp sites likely allow this but if you park your car somewhere without permission, neighbors may call the cops.

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Is the Big Island very touristy? If you're looking to get away from the tourist experience, the Big Island is an excellent option for visiting Hawaii. In addition to its 186,000 residents, the island receives about 1.7 million tourists every year.

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You should plan to spend around $250 per day on your vacation in Big Island of Hawaii, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, $106 on meals for one day and $38 on local transportation.

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Kona offers better weather, the best beaches and snorkeling, newer resorts, more vacation rentals, and more nightlife compared to Hilo Town. Hilo is worth a visit but may not be worth staying for more than a night. Erica and I make Kailua-Kona our launching pad during our Big Island vacations.

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