It’s no secret that I love to island hop! Each island has something unique to offer and it’s so easy to take a quick getaway. I took advantage of the long July 4th weekend and took a trip to the Big Island. We’ve both been there before so we got to show each other some of our favorite spots and check out some places that have always been on our list. If you’re looking for things to do on the Big Island, here’s a peek into our 3 day Big Island adventure!
I should start this off by saying in the first two days we drove to the northernmost point, the southernmost point and the highest point in all of Hawaii on one tank of gas. I would not recommend doing that! The Big Island is in fact very big. Keep reading to find out how that went!
Day 1: Waipio Valley + 4th of July Festivities
I’ve been to the Waipio Valley Lookout a few times and always wanted to hike down to the beach. I didn’t realize this hike was drivable, and the incline is no joke! While it was beautiful, I can check that off the list and won’t be doing that again. Next time we’ll take the Jeep!
Going down vs. going back up 
We ended the night with the 4th of July parade and firework show in Kona. The highlight of the night was when the crowd put on their own firework show. In the road. As people were driving by.
Day 2: South Point, Green Sand Beach, Mauna Kea
This was A LOT of driving, but these were all must dos for us! Off roading to Green Sand Beach was one of my favorite things we did. I’m a scaredy cat so I was freaking out most of the time, but we got there safely and it was so worth it! I will forever love this beach! The whole terrain looks like another planet.
This was my first time going up Mauna Kea and the drive up was so freakin’ beautiful. Once we got to the top, we realized we were on empty, and over an hour drive to the nearest gas station. 😱Since we knew there was nothing we could do about it at the summit, we forgot about it and enjoyed the sunset from the highest point in Hawaii. Photos don’t do it justice! This is something that needs to be on your bucket list!
Once the sun set and we got our fill of star gazing in, it was time to hold our breath and hope for the best when going down the mountain to the closest gas station. We put the car in neutral and said a little prayer (that’s what my mom would call “ratilicussing”) and we miraculously rolled in to the station with the gauge being well below empty. I wouldn’t push your Jeep to the limit like that… but now you know you can!
Day 3: Scuba Diving, Pu`uhonua O Hōnaunau, Ka’ikena Scanlan
I always go with Big Island Divers when I’m in Kona. Their shop is really nice, and I’ve always had great experiences! The boat charter was a great way to start the day.
Now the highlight of the trip! Three words: Utu Bang Bang!
If you live in Hawaii or you have traveled here recently, you’ve heard the song and you know you love it! I randomly looked up the artist Ka’ikena Scanlan on Instagram and saw that he would be in Kona, so we HAD to go! I couldn’t believe we were seeing Hawaii’s #1 artist playing at a bowling alley, but the venue was actually legit. We were front row all night and had the best time! He also has a song about “smoke meat, not drugs” that is worth a listen. It took me a couple of weeks to realize he’s not talking about drugs, he’s just describing the best BBQ ever.
Last morning: Huggo’s, Magic Sands Beach
We took it easy the last day and had breakfast at Huggo’s, one of my favorite places in Kona. The food is great, the view is awesome, and they have lots of mimosa flavors! After that we stopped by Magic Sands to people watch tourists getting their asses handed to them in the shore break.
Even though I was coming back home to Oahu, I didn’t want to leave our getaway! I travel to the other islands a lot for work so this was my first time in a long time going for fun. Now I am planning more island hop vacations, so if you loved this blog, get ready to feast your eyes on more!
I do my best to live in the moment while traveling, but I do toss up some photos and videos on my Instagram here and there when I’m on the go! If you want to keep up with my travels or just give me a little creep from time to time, check out the ‘gram: @chelseastratso!
