4 Shore Excursions in Hawaii Worth Booking

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

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

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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