Hawaii · SHORE EXCURSIONS

15 Shore Excursions in Hawaii Worth Booking

25 tours  ·  from $79 a head

The 15 best shore excursions you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.

Hilo Shore Excursion: Volcanoes National Park & Black Sand Beach - Rainbow Falls and the early photo stop
National Parks, Shore Excursions, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in the Big Island, Volcanoes National Park Tours

Hilo Shore Excursion: Volcanoes National Park & Black Sand Beach

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

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

From Hilo Pier, you’ll visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, walk through Thurston Lava Tube, search for turtles at Richardson Black Sand Beach, and stop for macadamia treats. Guides such as Robert, Jess, Donna, and Hannibal are praised for clear stories and local insight. The route can change with weather, volcanic activity, and park closures.

“This was a good tour. Boarding for the tour was unorganized and resulted in delays in beginning the tour.”

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Hilo Shore Excursion: Active Volcano, Lava Tube, Waterfall and Gardens - From Hilo to Kilauea, the ride sets the scene
Botanical Gardens, Shore Excursions, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in the Big Island, Volcanoes National Park Tours, Waterfall Tours, Waterfall Tours in the Big Island

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

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

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

Spend about 5.5 hours exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kilauea, Thurston Lava Tube, Chain of Craters Road, Rainbow Falls, Liliuokalani Gardens, and Big Island Candies. Guides such as Jill, Josh, and Julie add local stories and volcano lore. Pickup is available at Hilo’s port, airport, and select hotels.

“This tour was excellent! Perfect amount of time spent at each site. The variety of sites were great. Felt like you got a good sense of this side of the Island. The tour guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and entertaining! She was native of the Island and wealth of knowledge. We really enjoyed the tour!”

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Hilo Shore Excursion: Volcano Safari Lava Caves & Black Sand - Kaumana Caves: the day’s most physical stop
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Hilo Shore Excursion: Volcano Safari Lava Caves & Black Sand

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

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

From Hilo port or your hotel, ride with a local guide such as Ellen, Troy, Dave, or Lori to lava caves, Rainbow Falls, Pahoa, Lava Tree State Park, and recent Kilauea flow zones. Expect uneven ground, short walks, changing stops, and a small group of up to 14 people.

“Dave was our driver and a native and he was very informative about Hilo. Got lucky for a free day at the volcano national park! Pickup was super easy at the port. We even stopped and a grocery store for some fresh poke bowls. A couple lava tubes, big island chocolate, plus a few areas in the park to few different view points of the volcano. Saw Maui’s island (and was told the story) King Kamehameha statue. Missed the black sand beach, but the volcano was worth it.”

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Kona Shore Excursion: Sea Turtles, Historic Kona & Coffee - Key points to know before booking
Farms, Historical Tours, Shore Excursions, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in the Big Island, Turtle Snorkeling Tours

Kona Shore Excursion: Sea Turtles, Historic Kona & Coffee

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

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

From Kailua Pier, visit a Kona coffee farm, St. Benedict’s Painted Church, a local lunch stop, and Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park. You may see green sea turtles near a white-sand beach. Guides such as Kelvin, BJ, Rusty, and Marissa are praised for clear local stories and personal help.

“Coffee farm was interesting; history of the island was good; lunch at a local place was tasty; sea turtles were cool - just wish there were more than 3.”

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Hawaii Volcano National Park Shore Excursion - Pepeekeo Scenic Drive trades speed for jungle scenery
National Parks, Shore Excursions, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in the Big Island, Volcanoes National Park Tours

Hawaii Volcano National Park Shore Excursion

5.Hawaii Volcano National Park Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 117 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $168

Travel from Hilo Harbor with a local English-speaking guide, often Don, in a small group capped at 14 people. See Liliʻuokalani Gardens, jungle roads, waterfalls, macadamia nuts, lava fields, steam vents, a lava tube, Big Island Candies, the farmers market, and a black-sand beach. Park admission is included, but Rainbow Falls costs $5.

“Tour guide “Don” was very knowledgeable and is very dedicated to making sure everyone enjoys the tour!”

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Kauai Waimea Canyon & South Shore Excursion. Small Group - Hanapepe Valley offers a quiet preview of the canyon
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Kauai Waimea Canyon & South Shore Excursion. Small Group

6.Kauai Waimea Canyon & South Shore Excursion. Small Group

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 115 reviews · 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $225

Join Kauai Soul Travel for a six-and-a-half-hour van tour through Kauai’s south and west sides. Guides such as Coco Maria and Shasta combine local legends, island history, geology, scenic lookouts, Hanapepe’s swinging bridge, a plantation lunch stop, and coffee tasting. The group is limited to 13 people, with hotel, airport, and cruise-port drop-off options.

“Coco was the best guide, she was funny and very informative, and took us to great places all around Kauai. I highly recommend this excursion!”

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Kauai Cruise Ship Shore Excursion Journey to Waimea Canyon - Old Koloa and Kauai’s sugar country
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Kauai Cruise Ship Shore Excursion Journey to Waimea Canyon

7.Kauai Cruise Ship Shore Excursion Journey to Waimea Canyon

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 110 reviews · from $97

From Nawiliwili Harbor, ride an air-conditioned coach through Old Koloa, Waimea, and former sugar-plantation country to Waimea Canyon. You’ll stop at Hanapepe Valley, Spouting Horn, and the canyon lookout, with guides such as Leone and Leoni providing island history and local color. The tour is limited to Norwegian’s Pride of America passengers.

“This was a very enjoyable trip. Our driver was very enjoyable. Loved the canyon. Will recommend, very nice transportation”

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Volcanoes National Park Adventure Tour - Hilo Shore Excursion - Banyan trees and local names along the way
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Volcanoes National Park Adventure Tour – Hilo Shore Excursion

8.Volcanoes National Park Adventure Tour – Hilo Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 104 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $195

Spend about seven hours exploring Hilo and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in a small van, with port pickup, bottled water, narration, Rainbow Falls, Japanese gardens, black sand, a lava tube, volcanic steam vents, and Big Island Candies. Guides such as Karen, Mike, Ernie, and Sean are known for local stories and flexible help.

“Loved seeing the Volcano crater, laba tube and rainbow falls. This tour was very informative. Aunt Karen our tour guide was great”

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Hilo Shore Excursion: Visit Volcano, Waterfall, Beach with Lunch - Rainbow Falls gives you an easy start
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Hilo Shore Excursion: Visit Volcano, Waterfall, Beach with Lunch

9.Hilo Shore Excursion: Visit Volcano, Waterfall, Beach with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 80 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $189

Travel from Hilo to Rainbow Falls, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Nahuku Lava Tube, and Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach with Anthony and Desmond. This 6 to 7 hour tour includes lunch, local fruit, cultural artifacts, and pickup for cruise passengers and Hilo-area stays. Expect about 2.5 hours of driving and a maximum of 12 people.

“Fantastic tour! Desmond and Antony are the best! So knowledgeable and fun! We got to see the volcano erupting and had a wonderful lunch at the volcano village. Black sand beach was awesome too, as was the bowl of fruit they gave us. I loved the history chat and getting to hold some Hawaiin artefacts, brilliant! Thank you so much for a tour to remember!”

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Kona Shore Excursion: Wild Dolphin Reefs Snorkel and Sea Caves - Sea caves and lava formations, with a needed reality check
Dolphin Watching, Shore Excursions, Snorkeling, Snorkeling in the Big Island, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in the Big Island

Kona Shore Excursion: Wild Dolphin Reefs Snorkel and Sea Caves

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

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

From Kailua-Kona Pier, a small group rides south aboard a 32-foot or 45-foot Zodiac to Kealakekua Bay. Captain Trevor, Chris, Christian, and other local crew members may point out whales, dolphins, lava formations, and sea caves before about an hour of snorkeling near the Captain Cook Monument. Lunch, snacks, drinks, flotation gear, and port pickup are included.

“We were able to see dolphins and the fish were there. Our three guides, Trevor, Scott and Tamae, did a good job. Very well organized and fantastic excursion.”

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Cruise Ship Shore Excursion: Kauai Movie Sites Tour - From Nawiliwili to Wailua Falls
Cruises & Boat Tours, Movie Location Tours, Shore Excursions, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Kauai

Cruise Ship Shore Excursion: Kauai Movie Sites Tour

11.Cruise Ship Shore Excursion: Kauai Movie Sites Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 70 reviews · from $181

Ride an air-conditioned minibus from Nawiliwili to 13 Kaua‘i film locations, from Wailua Falls to Hanalei Pier. Your guide pairs each stop with movie clips and local stories, then serves a burger lunch with fries and a drink. Wendy, Andrew, Leoni, and Mickey are among the guides praised for their humor and island knowledge.

“The tour was fun but overall feel it was not worth the money. We spent a lot of time driving around the island and being shown fields and farm land where movies were filmed. It would be worth it if it was less expensive.”

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Cruise Ship Shore Excursion: Kahului Heavenly Hana Tour - Kaumahina shows Maui’s changing scenery
Cruises & Boat Tours, Road to Hana Tours, Shore Excursions, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Maui

Cruise Ship Shore Excursion: Kahului Heavenly Hana Tour

12.Cruise Ship Shore Excursion: Kahului Heavenly Hana Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 51 reviews · 8 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $242

Ride from Kahului Harbor into Maui’s rainforest on an 8.5-hour Roberts Hawaii tour. Your guide handles the narrow Road to Hana while you stop at Ho‘okipa, Ke‘anae, waterfalls, Wai‘anapanapa State Park, and Hana. Guides such as Bjorn and Tai are known for strong island commentary. Lunch is available in Hana, but food is extra.

“Great day, Bjorn was very knowledgeable and passionate about the Hana Tour- he took you along on the journey. The only negative was the seats on the bus weren't too comfy for such a long day.”

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Princeville - Snorkeling Shore Excursion - Choosing between Anini Beach and Tunnels Beach
Shore Excursions, Snorkeling, Snorkeling in Kauai, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Kauai

Princeville – Snorkeling Shore Excursion

13.Snorkeling Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 43 reviews · from $123

Meet at Anahola Marketplace at 8:00 am for a private, self-guided Kauai snorkeling outing with a sea scooter, mask, fins, and map. Staff explain the scooter and suggest places such as Anini and Tunnels Beach, while you choose your own pace. Kelly may also provide useful beach and parking advice.

“The drive was beautiful Kelly was so good with info would do it again the scooters were so much fun saw a lot of turtles and fish”

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Kauai Shore Excursion - Waimea Canyon Adventure Tour - Nawiliwili - Kalalau Lookout and the Na Pali Coast from above
Shore Excursions, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Kauai, Waimea Canyon & Na Pali Coast Tours

Kauai Shore Excursion – Waimea Canyon Adventure Tour – Nawiliwili

14.Kauai Shore Excursion – Waimea Canyon Adventure Tour – Nawiliwili

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 42 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $189

Spend about seven hours touring Kauai in an air-conditioned vehicle with a local guide. See Waimea Canyon, Kalalau Lookout, Hanapepe Valley, Spouting Horn, and the historic Captain Cook site, then sample Kauai Coffee. Lunch, snacks, and bottled water are included, with groups capped at 14 people.

“This was one of the best tours we have been on. It was amazing we loved every bit of it. Rad our Tour guide was fabulous shared his knowledge with us. The only downside was the air-conditioning didn't work on the bus so was an uncomfortable ride”

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Private Shore Excursion Hilo Volcanoes National Park up to 10 PPL - Halemaʻumaʻu Crater and the main park sights
National Parks, Private, Shore Excursions, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in the Big Island, Volcanoes National Park Tours

Private Shore Excursion Hilo Volcanoes National Park up to 10 PPL

15.Private Shore Excursion Hilo Volcanoes National Park up to 10 PPL

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 36 reviews · 6 hours (approx.)

Spend about six hours with a private guide such as Rob, Skylar, Jodi, Dash, or Ron, touring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park from Hilo. You will see Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, steam vents, Thurston Lava Tube, Chain of Craters Road, and Hilo sights, with park fees, snacks, water, umbrellas, and transportation included.

“Our family of 8 including 4 young children had 1 day in Hilo and we spent it with Rob touring Rainbow Falls and Volcanoes National Park. Rob was absolutely fantastic with his knowledge, friendliness, and insight for a great day. He was really good with the children and this is by far the best experience I've ever had touring Volcanoes National Park in all my times going there. Well done Rob! I highly recommend this tour for anyone...couples, families, friends, everyone!!”

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New in Shore Excursions

★ 4.5Private Shore Excursion: Best Highlights of Maui3 reviews
★ 4.5Kahului Shore Excursion: Private Tropics of Maui & Rainforest3 reviews
★ 5.0Private Shore Excursion Tour: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park6 reviews
★ 5.0Private Hilo Shore Excursion Volcano National Park up to 104 reviews

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