Hawaii Family Activities | Little Bird on Big Island

Exploring Big Island with Kids

We were excited to leave the traffic, noise, and hustle of Oahu for a week-long trip to Big Island. Each island has its own unique flavor and Big Island is perfect for adventure.  Over the years, we’ve made many trips to the island. Our strategy was to take full advantage of a long weekend and pack in as much as humanly possible – a 10-mile hike in the park followed by a drive to the other side of the island for a bit of snorkeling? Sure, that sounds perfectly normal. This time we were going ultra mellow (or at least attempting mellow) and revisiting some of our favorite hikes and beaches that passed the kid-friendly test.

We started our trip with four days in Pahoa amid a chorus of Coqui frogs and roosters and followed by four days exploring the Kailua-Kona coast. We rented a minivan and felt super cool. Hele on!

The Flight

Although the flight between Oahu and Big Island is a brief 1-hour trip, it’s good to be prepared when you have young kids. Our travel essentials include stickers, snacks, and a Toob of animals. Micah had been begging to fly for the past year and he was bubbling with excitement in his window seat. That changed when he reached into the seat pocket and discovered the flight safety card.  Scenes of people evacuating planes dramatically changed his views on air travel. When the flight attendant performed the safety demonstration, he fully freaked out. He no longer loves flying and was desperate to return to solid ground.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

This park is my happy place. As you drive up the mountain from the coast, temperatures drop and the vegetation gets more dense and lush. By the time you reach Volcano, it’s fully chilly and the plants drip with moisture and moss. Thurston’s lava tube is a perfect spot to stretch your legs for a quick stroll.  Birdsong guides you along a canopied loop that passes through a lava tube.

There are many easy, kid-friendly hikes in the park like this short one from the visitor’s center (or even shorter, from steaming bluffs) to the sulfur bank.

The Napau Crater trail hike to Puu Huluhulu provides a contrasting backdrop to the lush forest around the visitor’s center. You get to venture over the ropey, pahoehoe lava flows and admire the plants and animals struggling to survive in this caustic landscape. The sea of lava is interrupted with kipukas of greenery – little islands spared from the lava flow. Hike up the forested pu’u to take in the view.

Kalapana: End of the Road

We made the long journey to the Kalapana viewing area at the end of the road in Pahoa to see if there was any volcanic activity. Will you see lava? It depends. As of October 2018, the road to Kalapana may not be accessible. A major eruption over the summer of 2018 devastated this part of the island. You can find lava updates on the USGS website.

If you do make it to Kalapana, you may be surprised to see all the houses built on the old lava flow. More and more houses are built each year on this windswept, barren landscape creating a unique community. There is even a vacation rental on the flow if you want to experience the lava life for yourself.

A Coastline Destroyed

The Pahoa coast has a wild, rural feel. Tree ferns meet lava amid a chorus of coqui frogs. Our favorite spots along the coast were the Kapoho tide pools and the nearby hot springs at Alahanui park. Sadly, both have been buried in lava during the 2018 flow.

Hilo Town

Hilo is a nice sleepy town for wandering. There are waterfalls to gawk at and parks to explore, but we love the candy. Sugar Coast Candy is an old-fashioned candy store in the heart of downtown Hilo. Treat yourself. And then maybe stop at nearby Cafe Pesto for a fancy lunch.

 Ready for more Big Island family activities?

Check out part two of the series as we explore the Kona Coast!