Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour
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September 2026
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Adults
Age 13 and over
Children
Age 12 and under
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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Same price on Viator, Outty earns a commission.
Traveler rating
4.1/5
Based on 50 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour worth booking?
Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour is a 15-hour experience in Big Island of Hawaii, United States, from $17 per person. It scores 58 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Worth a Look”, based on a 4.1/5 rating across 50 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 58 / 100
- Rating
- 4.1/5 (50)
- Duration
- 15 hours
- From
- $17 per person
Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! Get a taste of paradise on Hawaii’s Big Island. This driving tour guides you along the island’s picturesque coast and through lush jungle scenery. Lo
What you get
About this experience
Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! Get a taste of paradise on Hawaii’s Big Island. This driving tour guides you along the island’s picturesque coast and through lush jungle scenery. Lounge on pristine beaches, hike atop dormant volcanoes, go snorkeling in crystal-clear water, and more—all while learning about the fascinating history of this island and the people who call it home. Plus, learn about Hawaiian history, visit ancient burial grounds, and really get to know this island’s rich culture. After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
What's included
Included
- Just bring your car and phone; the app guides your tour.
- Support is available via chat, email, or phone if you need help.
- Planning tools, route maps, scenic stops, and area previews included.
- Private tour experience for your family, in your own car.
- Lifetime access: use the tour anytime and keep it for future trips.
- Works offline with GPS route guidance and automatic audio stories.
- One purchase covers everyone in your car, not per person.
- Flexible tour: start, stop, and pause anytime during your trip.
- Self-guided audio tour through our easy-to-use mobile app.
- Hidden gems and local stories included along the route.
Not included
- Self-guided tour — no live guide. Entrance fees, parking, food, and car rental are separate.
What you'll see and do
Hilo
Hilo is a town on Hawaii, commonly called the Big Island, in the state of Hawaii. It’s known for Wailuku River State Park, featuring Waianuenue, or Rainbow Falls, with its colorful mist effects. The bubbling basalt-lava rock pools known as the Boiling Pots are nearby. To the south is Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, home to rainforests and the active Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. Note: The tour is over 300+ miles long, with more than 210+ audio stories, and takes about 7-8 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
30 minutes here
The deck is a steel grid which creates a singing sound from the tires of cars driving on it.
30 minutes here
Quiet peaceful location to just sit and relax
30 minutes here
Honoli'i Beach Park
Popular with surfers, this picturesque cove is located less than two miles from downtown Hilo. It’s rocky bottom and occasional strong currents make it less of a swimming beach and more of a great spot for experienced surfers and watching surfing pros. Limited parking; must be able to climb down/up stairs to get to this beach.
Pass by without stopping
Discover this 0.8-km out-and-back trail near Pepeekeo, Hawaii. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 13 min to complete. This trail is great for hiking and walking. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.
Pass by without stopping
Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden
The Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Garden is a nonprofit botanical garden and nature preserve
20 minutes here · Admission not included
World Botanical Gardens and Waterfalls is a commercial botanical gardens with a large waterfall, located between Umauma and Hakalau, at the corner of Leopolino Road and Hawaii Belt Road, State Highway 19, 16 miles north of Hilo, Island of Hawaiʻi, Hawaii.
60 minutes here
A lush rainforest attraction with tropical gardens, waterfalls, and family-friendly outdoor adventures like ziplining and suspension bridges. It’s a fun stop for nature lovers looking to explore Big Island’s scenic, greener side.
20 minutes here · Admission not included
Small Waterfall
30 minutes here
Kolekole Beach Park is a Hawaii county park on the island of Hawaii.
Pass by without stopping
Laupahoehoe Point Cemetery
On April 1, 1946 the Big Island of Hawaiʻi was struck by the so-called "April Fools Day tsunami", originating from the Aleutian Islands earthquake. Approximately 160 people on the island were killed. While the greatest number of deaths occurred in Hilo, the school building at Laupāhoehoe was inundated, and twenty students and four teachers were drowned. A monument to the dead now stands on Laupāhoehoe Point.
Pass by without stopping
Kohala Coast
As you drive 20-minutes north of Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport, you’ll marvel at the rugged lava fields surrounding you. You may not see it from Queen Kaahumanu Highway, but the Kohala Coast is where you’ll find some of the island’s finest resorts.
30 minutes here
Anna Ranch Heritage Center
Anna Ranch Heritage Center is a former cattle ranch in Waimea, Hawaii County, Hawaii named for Anna Leialoha Lindsey Perry-Fiske (1900–1995).
20 minutes here · Admission not included
The purpose of the Laupahoehoe Train Museum is to preserve, promote and protect the historic, cultural, educational, social, civic and economic interests of the North Hilo and Hamakua districts, while highlighting the history of the railroads on the island of Hawaii.
20 minutes here · Admission not included
Kings Hwy Foot Trail
Get to know this 7.7-km out-and-back trail near Waikoloa Village, Hawaii. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 1 h 44 min to complete. This trail is great for hiking and trail running.
Pass by without stopping
Picturesque lookout point offering sweeping views of the ocean, sunset & passing whales.
Pass by without stopping
Waikoloa Beach is an area located on the South Kohala coast on the island of Hawaii and is located in the census-designated place of Puako. It can be confused for Waikoloa Village, a CDP in the same "ahupuaʻa" and is also known as "Waikoloa".
30 minutes here
Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area
One of the Big Island’s most popular white-sand beaches, known for its wide shoreline, clear water, and great swimming conditions. It’s a perfect stop for relaxing, sunbathing, or enjoying a classic Hawaiʻi beach day.
30 minutes here · Admission not included
Kekaha Kai State Park
Kekaha Kai State Park, formerly known as Kona Coast State Park, is a beach park located along the north Kona coast on the island of Hawaiʻi. The main beach areas are Maniniʻowali Bay, Makalawena beach at Puʻu Aliʻi Bay, and Mahaiʻula Bay.
Pass by without stopping
Kīholo Bay is located in the ahupua`a of Pu`u Wa`awa`a in the North Kona District on the Big Island of Hawaii. the land surrounding the bay is flanked to the South by a lava flow from Mount Hualalai ca. 1801 and another flow from Mauna Loa in 1859.
Pass by without stopping
Kailua-Kona
Public park with white sand beach & rocky shoreline, offering lifeguard-overseen swimming & surfing.
30 minutes here
Hulihe'e Palace
Small beach & reef with generally calm water, making it a popular place to snorkel.
20 minutes here · Admission not included
The Kuamoʻo Burials (also known as the Lekeleke Burial Grounds) is a historic Hawaiian burial site for warriors killed during a major battle in 1819.
Pass by without stopping
Captain Cook is a census-designated place in Hawaiʻi County, Hawaiʻi, in the United States, located in the District of South Kona. The community, within the land division of Kealakekua, is so named because the post office for the area was located in the Captain Cook Coffee Co. during the early 1900s.
Pass by without stopping
Lekeleke Burial Ground
Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located on the west coast of the island of Hawaiʻi in the U.S. state of Hawaii.
20 minutes here · Admission not included
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Big Island of Hawaii
You can also begin the tour from 1030 Kanoelehua Ave, Hilo, HI 96720, USA.
Meeting point
Big Island of Hawaii
Drive past Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park and the tour will begin automatically, or join anywhere along the route. After booking the tour, search your email and text for "audio tour". Your tour is VALID FOREVER, so finish setting up while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until onsite.
Hotel pickup
No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.
Ends at
You can also begin the tour from 1030 Kanoelehua Ave, Hilo, HI 96720, USA.
Ends at
Drive past Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park and the tour will begin automatically, or join anywhere along the route. After booking the tour, search your email and text for "audio tour". Your tour is VALID FOREVER, so finish setting up while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until onsite.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Travel with Action
Know before you go
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Check current weather, road conditions, and closures before beginning the tour, as conditions may change unexpectedly.
- Some attractions along the Big Island tour require paid admission, while others may require or recommend advance reservations. Kula Kai Caverns requires reservations, and advance booking is recommended for Huliheʻe Palace. Entrance or parking fees may also apply at Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and ʻAkaka Falls State Park. These costs are not included with the audio tour.
- Allow approximately 1–2 days to enjoy the complete tour at a relaxed pace.
- Easy to use: GPS-triggered audio plays automatically along the route for a hands-free experience.
- Private tour: Explore in your own vehicle without crowded buses or large tour groups.
- At your own pace: Start anytime and pause for hikes, picnics, photos, or scenic stops.
- Works offline: Once downloaded, the tour works using GPS without Wi-Fi or cellular service.
- Good value: One purchase covers everyone in your vehicle, not each person separately.
- More ways to save: Choose a single tour, a nearby bundle, or access to 200+ tours.
- Download in advance: Download the Tour Guide app by Action and tour while connected to Wi-Fi or a strong cellular signal.
- Follow the route: Begin at the suggested starting point or join anywhere along the route shown in the app.
- Lifetime access: Preview the tour before your trip and revisit the stories, photos, and details afterward.
- Supported devices: iPhone with iOS 15+, Android with version 9+, or a GPS-enabled iPad/tablet with cellular capability.
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 50 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
Knowledge and storytelling
4 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
The guide
3 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Traveler reviews
50 verified traveler reviews for Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
AutoTour Of the Big Island
the Auto tour was very informing. A nice background to the drive. Well worth the money spent. have a good time.
Response from the operator: Thank you for taking my Big Island Hawaii GPS driving audio tour. I’m so glad the audio added helpful background to your drive and felt well worth it. For more Hawaiian adventures, check out my All Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tours Bundle, featuring Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and more. I wish you more amazing travels!
via Viator
Useful.
This definitely gave us a starting place to know what was available around. Some of the activities we ended up finding we wouldn't have found had we not done this tour. They did well picking a route that is scenic but also easy to follow.
Response from the operator: Tyler, I’m so glad you enjoyed my Big Island Hawaii GPS Driving Tour. It’s wonderful to know it gave you a helpful starting point and introduced you to activities you might not have discovered otherwise. I’m especially happy the route was both scenic and easy to follow, helping you make the most of your time on the island. For more Hawaiian adventures, check out my All Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tours Bundle, featuring Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and more. I wish you more amazing travels!
via Viator
Informative
It takes a while to coordinate the route on Google Maps with the dialogue as there are 2 programs running concurrently. It is difficult to toggle between the app with the tour guide infi with the map app. I would prefer one app that did both jobs, rather than a separate subordinate app for the directions.
Response from the operator: Hi Stuart, my tour does both the stories and the directions. Can you tell me more about why Google Maps was running? Were you routing to your specific hotel perhaps?
via Viator
Good tour. Give yourself plenty of time.
The 7-8 hour estimate for the tour doesn't count any stops you make along the way. It's a big island to drive around! Start early. Tour was informative. There were a few spots that required reservations that weren't marked on the tour. A few things that were closed (tsunami museum) or had far diff hours than listed.
Response from the operator: Susan, thank you for the thoughtful review and helpful tips. You’re absolutely right that the Big Island can take much longer than the basic driving estimate once you start stopping at viewpoints, beaches, and attractions. I’m glad you found my tour informative, and I appreciate you pointing out the reservation-only stops and closures like the tsunami museum. I’ll share that with my team so we can review and update the information. I also love that my self-guided tour is now valid forever, so you can explore at your own pace over multiple days if needed.
via Viator
Not easy for non-tech people
Couldn't figure out how to get it to work in time. You need this code for this and that. Had to back out of app to get to email code.
Response from the operator: Peggy, I’m really sorry to hear that getting started with my Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour felt confusing. If you’re open to sharing a bit more, I’d love to understand where it became difficult—was it downloading the app, redeeming the code from the email, or finding the tour inside the app after entering the code? After booking, an email is sent with step-by-step instructions and a short tutorial video to make the setup easier, but if something still wasn’t clear I’d really like to improve that. Please feel free to reach out as well—I’d be happy to walk you through the setup step by step and help get everything working for you.
via Viator
Good to know
- Duration
- 15 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Hotel pickup
- No pickup, meet at start point
- Booked in 30 days
- 18
- Verdict
- Worth a Look
Why this scores 58
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Big Island of Hawaii.
How much does Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour cost?
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Prices start at $17 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Big Island of Hawaii usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour take?
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Plan for about 15 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Big Island of Hawaii is not rushed.
Is Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 58 out of 100, which we label "Worth a Look". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.1/5 across 50 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Big Island of Hawaii, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 15-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour?
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Around 18 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Big Island of Hawaii can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Big Island of Hawaii and add a light layer if any part of the 15-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Big Island of Hawaii within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Big Island of Hawaii?
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The Big Island is volcano country: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park tours, Mauna Kea summit stargazing, night manta ray snorkels off Kona, Waipio Valley lookouts and coffee farm visits. Summit tours have real altitude rules, so we weight safety detail. On Outty we rank every Big Island of Hawaii experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include KONA Manta Ray Night Snorkel - FREE re-ride if no Sightings, Big Island: Captain Cook Snorkel On A Power Catamaran With Lunch, Big Island in a Day: Volcanoes Waterfalls Sightseeing and History. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Big Island of Hawaii?
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April to October, though the island runs year round. Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Big Island of Hawaii?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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