5 Shore Excursions in Hawaiʻi for a Free Day

1.Hilo Shore Excursion: Volcanoes National Park & Black Sand Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,338 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $159Our pick

Spend about six hours touring Hilo, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kilauea, Thurston Lava Tube, a macadamia nut farm, and Richardson Black Sand Beach. Guides such as Jess, Robert, Donna, Geo, and Hannibal are known for lively local stories. Port pickup, park fees, water, and return transport are included.

“We enjoyed this tour very much. Shevon, our guide provided abundant informative narration and treated us with lots of Aloha. Plenty of photo ops along the tour but no photo could do justice to the actual views we enjoyed at the volcano national park. We felt there was a lot of added value taking the organized tour vs. going on our own due to the details pointed out and insights our guide offered, being a local resident of the island.”

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2.Hilo Shore Excursion: Active Volcano, Lava Tube, Waterfall and Gardens

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 393 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $187Top rated

Spend 5.5 hours exploring Kilauea, steam vents, Halema'uma'u Crater, Thurston Lava Tube, and Chain of Craters Road with a small group of up to 12. Guides such as Jill, Josh, and Julie add local stories and volcano insight. Hotel, airport, and cruise-port pickup in Hilo are available.

“Jill was awesome and very knowledgeable and truly loved the experience! A local with alot of knowledge!”

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3.Hilo Shore Excursion: Volcano Safari Lava Caves & Black Sand

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 363 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $154

Spend about six hours exploring Hilo’s volcanic side with a guide such as Ellen, Troy, Dave, or Lori. Visit Kaumana Caves, Rainbow Falls, Lava Tree State Park, Pohoiki Bay, and eruption sites around Leilani Estates, with port pickup and return in a group of up to 14. Expect uneven ground, steep cave steps, rain, and a pay-your-own-way lunch stop.

“Tour was very informative, only hiccup was delay picking us up at the port. That was out of her control though. She provided umbrella and flashlight for certain stops definitely came in handy.”

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4.Kona Shore Excursion: Sea Turtles, Historic Kona & Coffee

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 324 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $149Best value

From Kailua Pier, ride with a local guide to a Kona coffee farm, St. Benedict’s Painted Church, a casual local lunch stop, and Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park. The turtle walk crosses easy but uneven ground, and sightings are never guaranteed. Guides have included BJ, Kelvin, Rusty, Marissa, and Jessica.

“A good tour but if we had gone to the turtles later maybe they would have been out of the water. Edmond was an excellent driver and guide. Recommend this tour”

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5.Kona Shore Excursion: Wild Dolphin Reefs Snorkel and Sea Caves

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 73 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $149

Board a 32-foot or 45-foot Zodiac at Kailua Pier for a three-hour coastal trip to Kealakekua Bay. You’ll snorkel for about an hour near the Captain Cook Monument, watch for dolphins and whales from the boat, view sea caves and lava formations, and enjoy lunch, snacks, drinks, and attentive crew support.

“Guides were great. My 5 year old, was not into the snorkelling part, but guides were great with her, and she did spend a good chunk of the time on the boat. My 11 year old and I loved the snorkelling. We did not see any dolphins, but we saw pilot whales and an Oceanic White Tip Shark, along with lots of fish snorkelling. Lunch was just a single hot dog, and there were no snacks offered, my kids were hungry, as I had thought there would be a bit more food. Overall it was a great experience, we had lots of fun, and saw lots of marine life.”

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