Hawaii One Day Tours & Travel Guides

Holoholo: Day Trips

In the Hawaiian language, “holoholo“ means to go strolling or driving to see what you can see. That’s a great way to explore the Big Island, and you’re guaranteed to discover interesting places and people. To get you started, here are two itineraries for East and West Hawaii Island.

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Out & About in Hilo

Liliuokalani Gardens. Photo courtesy Big Island Visitor Bureau.

Hilo has more park space along its bay front than any other city in Hawaii, but that’s because it suffered hardest from the state’s worst natural disasters, the 1946 and 1960 tsunamis. Instead of tempting fate and rebuilding homes and businesses too close to the ocean, the tsunami-stricken areas were transformed into parks and sports fields.

Puuhonua o Honaunau, or the Place of Refuge. Courtesy Big Island Visitor Bureau.

Driving through the South Kona district is an adventure, hugging the lush, steep slopes of Mauna Loa on one side, and the impossibly massive Pacific Ocean on the other. Quaint roadside fruit and craft stands, coffee farms, art galleries, B&Bs and the occasional old-style Mom and Pop store are great excuses to stop and linger. Take turns driving, so everyone gets a chance to gawk.