Region Overviews: Hawaii Travel Guide: Overview
Made up of eight primary islands. Hawaii is home to postcard-perfect beaches and waterfalls, breathtaking sunsets, active volcanoes and ancient lava flows.
DESTINATION ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
There are currently special requirements for travelers to this region. Learn more.
Multi-Adventure
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Hawaii's Big Island Family Multi-Adventure Tour - Teens & Kids
Volcanoes National Park & the Kohala Coast
The Big Island has all the elements for a great family adventure vacation. Swaying palms, rugged volcanoes and whimsical rain forests. Plus crystal waters, colorful reefs and sleeping turtles. Experience it all as you paddle the Pacific, trek around craters and bike along the coast. Add aloha, sunshine, island cuisine and luxurious hotels. Find your element in Hawaii.
THIS ITINERARY: 6 days, 5 nights
ACCOMMODATIONS: Premiere & Casual Hotels*
FROM:
$3,549 - $4,849 pp dbl occ
($900 - $1,000 for sgl occ)
Bike
Walk/Hike
Kayak
Snorkel
Big Island Hawaii Map
Hawaii
Start Kailua-Kona / End Kailua-Kona or Kohala Coast
Start/End locations may vary. Do not book flights until your trip details are confirmed.
Highlights
- Hike along some of the Big Island's most scenic routes, where natural, historic and cultural splendors abound
- Paddle a kayak with your family, learn about ancient petroglyphs and enjoy time by the beach
- Snorkel with sea turtles and colorful fish in Kona's coral reefs, then kick back on the Hawaiian sand
- Bike through the black lunar landscape of Volcanoes National Park with mighty Kilauea as the backdrop
Videos
Itinerary
Accommodations may vary based on departure date.
6 Days Premiere & Casual Hotels*
Accommodations may vary based on departure.
Days 1-2
Visit a coffee farm and discover the story behind Kona's gourmet crop | Hike along the coast, where Hawaii’s best scenery is on display—sweeping ocean vistas, beautiful valleys, lush tropical gardens and dramatic cliffs | Visit Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, an ancient place of refuge | Dip your toes in the warm waters of the Pacific | Explore a newly formed caldera with a local guide and walk through a lush forest in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park | On today's bike tour, pass giant tree ferns on Crater Rim Drive and discover Mauna Ulu, the "growing mountain."
Kilauea Lodge
Volcano Village
| *Casual Hotel An up-country bed-and-breakfast with ideal access to Volcanoes National Park.
Days 3-6
Ride along the Red Road, showcasing some of the Big Islands most scenic coastal riding | Kayak past rocky cliffs and secluded sea caves in the crystal-clear waters around Puako | Take the plunge on a snorkeling adventure among colorful parrotfish, Moorish idols and Hawaiian lionfish | Back at our oceanfront retreat, snorkel with sea turtles or bliss out on white sand | Kids dive into traditional activities such as ukulele and hula lessons | Start the day with a sunrise walk along the ocean on the Khakai trail | Adults bike along the sun-soaked Kohala Coast, tracing 30 miles of the Kona Ironman Triathlon’s cycling course | Kids enjoy a beach day with paddleboards, hydro-bikes and a glass-bottom boat | Complete your Hawaiian adventure tour learning about historic petroglyphs and King Kamehameha the Great on a coastal walk.
Fairmont Orchid
Kohala Coast
| Premiere Hotel A blissful resort on a half-moon beach offering abundant amenities and exceptional aloha hospitality. Travel + Leisure World's Best. (pool, spa)
Dates & Prices
The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind — you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due. View cancellation policy
Click on dates for pricing, itinerary variations and to book your trip. Price is per person, double occupancy.
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Activity Level: 1-3
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Several routes and a range of levels are offered each day so you can choose how much or how little activity you want to do. Learn more about how we determine activity levels.
Route notes
On this Family Trip, our routes follow gentle terrain with some gradual climbs. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary.
Daily Route Options
What's Included
Available Bike Options
The key to a stellar day's ride is a bike that's perfectly in tune with your cycling style… Backroads has you covered with the best bike fleet in the world! Read on for your available bike options for this trip.
Backroads Performance Road Bike
Performance Road Bike
This custom-designed titanium bike is lightweight and responsive, featuring Shimano Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting, 11-speed compact gearing, a premium Mavic Ksyrium Pro wheelset and a full carbon fork.
Backroads Touring Bike
Touring Bike
A proven classic, our most popular custom-designed titanium bike is suited for a wide range of cyclists. It features a comfortable ergonomic seat and a long wheel base that add to the bike’s control and stability.
Backroads Electric-Assist Bike
NEW! Electric-Assist Bike
Our newly redesigned titanium e-bike is a lightweight yet powerful machine unique in the world of e-bikes. It provides plenty of power to flatten the hills and more than enough battery range to cover the distance.
Child's Bike
Kids' Bikes
Backroads is the only travel company to manufacture its own line of kid's bikes. While the wheels might be small, the performance is big—it's the perfect choice for kids. On our Family Trips, you'll find 20" and 24" bikes.
Burley Kazoo Trailer Bike
Trailer Bike
The Burley Kazoo trailer bike, for children up to 85 pounds, attaches to an adult bike with your child providing some of the pedal power for a real team effort! It's ideal for kids who aren't yet ready for bike touring.
Also Included
- All breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners
- Expertise and services of our experienced Trip Leaders
- Snacks and beverages between meals
- Additional guides and experts from the region on many trips
- Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
- Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
- Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions as noted in the Travel Planner
- All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
- Special events, including wine tastings and other select attractions as mentioned in the Travel Planner
- On biking and multi-adventure trips, use of fully equipped Backroads titanium bike plus helmet and accessories
- Trailercycles, carriers, and kid-sized helmets for Family Trips
- Equipment and experienced guides for kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, sailing and canoeing as described
- Park and other entry fees
- Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Travel Planner
- Select coach transfers
- Baggage transfers and porterage
Straight talk
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
Traffic & Highway Riding
Because the Big Island is rugged and covered in lava fields, there are a limited number of paved roads traversing the island. While Backroads strives to find roadways that are quiet and off-the-beaten-track, many of the routes on this trip include highways with fast moving traffic. Of course, you are always welcome to jump in the shuttle to avoid the busier roads.
Shuttle Distances
In order to bring you the full gamut of the Big Island's splendor, we spend more time shuttling on this trip than on many other Backroads trips. Our time in the shuttles will allow us to experience the incredible variety of ecosystems, scenery and activities that Hawaii has to offer. So sit back and relax, knowing that someone else is doing the driving, and enjoy the beauty of the journey.
Peak Season
The holiday and spring break months are a great time to travel; however, with days off and the desire to escape for sunshine many others have the same idea. While we always aim to get off the beaten path, during certain times of the year crowds and delays are unavoidable.
Weather on the Big Island
The Big Island boasts an astonishing array of climate zones. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is famous for its renowned active volcanoes, rain forests and weather that varies with the elevation. Despite the tropical latitude, it can be rainy and chilly any time of the year during our stay near the National Park and visitors should be prepared for a wide range of weather conditions, including heavy rain and strong winds. The Kohala Coast also experiences powerful winds, which may make cycling coastal roads difficult or require us to alter our planned activities.
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