Planning a trip to Hawaiʻi Island? This Big Island travel guide goes beyond the typical recommendations—bringing you the best local food, authentic Hawaiian dishes, sunset spots, happy hours, and Kona coffee straight from our Waikoloa crew.
Whether you’re exploring land or seeing it all from above, these are the spots that truly define the Big Island experience.
Best Local Food on the Big Island:
No Big Island travel guide is complete without food—and these are the places locals go:
- Poke Nachos from Umekes
- KTA
- Pono’s
- Umekes (overall favorite)
- Pau Hana Poke
One Hawaiian Food Everyone Should Try:
To truly understand Hawaiʻi, you must experience its traditional foods:
- Laulau
- Poi
- Spam Musubi
- Squid Lu’au
- Malasadas
Best Happy Hour on the Big Island:
After a day of adventure, unwind at some of the best Big Island happy hour spots:
- Island Hopper
- Quinn’s Almost By The Sea
- Wine Bar at Island Gourmet
- Beach Tree at Four Seasons Hualalai
Best Sunset Spots on the Big Island:
The west side of Hawaiʻi Island is known for its legendary sunsets—and these spots never disappoint:
- OTEC (near the airport)
- Blue Hawaiian Waikoloa Base
- A-bay (Anaeho’omalu Bay)
- Anywhere on the West side
Best Kona Coffee on the Big Island:
No Big Island trip is complete without Kona coffee—and these are some of the best places to experience it:
- Kona Joe’s
- Kona Mountain Thunder
- Kayas
- Kona Coffee & Tea Company
Hear directly from our team in our Crew Notes series—now streaming on the Blue Hawaiian Helicopters YouTube channel.