Private Tour
Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together!
Get a taste of paradise on Hawaii’s Big Island. This driving tour guides you along the island’s picturesque coast and through lush jungle scenery. Lounge on pristine beaches, hike atop dormant volcanoes, go snorkeling in crystal-clear water, and more—all while learning about the fascinating history of this island and the people who call it home. Plus, learn about Hawaiian history, visit ancient burial grounds, and really get to know this island’s rich culture.
After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point.
Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
For the best experience, please use an iPhone running iOS 15 or later, an Android device running version 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular connectivity, as these are recommended for navigation.
Tsunami Warning: Due to a massive earthquake in the Pacific Ocean, a Tsunami Warning has been issued for Hawaii. For the most up-to-date information, visit: tsunami.gov.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Great value: One purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!
Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales, history, and facts for a memorable journey!
Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations
What To Expect
Hilo
Hilo is a town on Hawaii, commonly called the Big Island, in the state of Hawaii. It’s known for Wailuku River State Park, featuring Waianuenue, or Rainbow Falls, with its colorful mist effects. The bubbling basalt-lava rock pools known as the Boiling Pots are nearby. To the south is Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, home to rainforests and the active Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. Note: The tour is over 300+ miles long, with more than 210+ audio stories, and takes about 7-8 hours to complete. Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
The deck is a steel grid which creates a singing sound from the tires of cars driving on it.
Options
Big Island Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tour
Reviews
43 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Volcano National Park - awesome!
Jessica M,
Sep 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Great tour and easy to use. My only “but” is that it would have been helpful to know that the excursion into volcano national park was not the main park entrance. We were fortunate that the road was closed and we didn’t spend 40 minutes driving all the way to the end and then discover we had not seen the main park area. It would be helpful to advise the options well before the first entrance to Volcano National Park. The Volcano National Park was incredible - the highlight of our trip to Hawaii!
Disappointed in self driving tour
Randal T,
Sep 27, 2025
- Review from Viator
1.00The self driving tour doesn't stay on track, repeats and completely detours around popular things to see like Cooks momument.
Helpful guide
Viola H,
Sep 3, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Lots of information about Hawaii and not very much about actual sights along the way but very professional. Was a little hard to find the starting points. It would be nice if you could pick it up somewhere along the route rather than having to go to the starting point.
Do this one!
christC2406BK,
Aug 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent self driving tour. The app employs good tech and has great information spanning the whole of the Big Island. One benefit is that you don't have to do all of it at one time.
The app and guide was...
Emily G,
Aug 2, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00The app and guide was user friendly. A lot of great facts . It’s convenient that we can stop and finish the tour at our own pace. Reasonable price, great value.
Our First Self Driving Tour
Amy I,
Jul 31, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00It was worth the price and made the drive a whole lot more interesting! We only drove bits and pieces of the island, but we learned a lot and stopped to see places and we otherwise would have driven right past! We enjoyed it and will consider doing more self guided driving tours in the future!
Scenic Trip
Kimberly L,
Jul 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We couldn't take a bus tour, so this was the next best thing. We traveled to the Kilauea volcano and then to Hilo. The storyteller was able to give us rich, historic events about the road we were on throughout the whole trip!
Worth it!
Ildiko B,
Jul 2, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This tour is well worth it! 100% recommend! I almost booked a tour that would have cost the three of us more than $700. Luckily, I didn’t book it on time, and we had only one day for a tour. We rented a car with points and bought this audio tour for under $20. We enjoyed the flexibility of stopping at the locations we really wanted to see and drive through the ones that we weren’t too interested in. The narration was great; we learned so much!
Excellent tour, coffee farms not available
pcullenMD,
Apr 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00The tour is generally very well described and during the road time you talk about important cultural and geological aspects of the island as well as the places you visit. The only fault is that coffee farms are described in the app but are not marked or visible along the way
This guide is great! Many hidden gems.
Shelly S,
Mar 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This guide is great! Many hidden gems! Traveling with my Mom....and it's a great way to find hidden places with no pressure or pace. Highly recommend!
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