Do You Need a Jeep Rental on the Big Island, Hawaii?

You’ve heard of intimidating rugged, tropical terrain and you might be wondering: do you need a Jeep rental on the Big Island, Hawaii?

The answer to this question will depend on your answers to the following questions:

• Where do you plan on visiting on the Big Island?
• Are there alternative ways to access where you want to visit on the Big Island?
• Can you afford a Jeep rental on the Big Island?

I like to start my research with pricing out the rental. Discount Hawaii Car Rental is the first place I would look.

I’ve seen as much as a $200 savings with Discount Hawaii Car Rental compared to other booking sites, but more on that later!

Let’s dive in and see if a Big Island 4×4 rental is right for YOU!

Do You Need a Jeep Rental on the Big Island, Hawaii?

Quick answer: No.

The Big Island has well paved roads to get you almost anywhere you are looking to go. A small rental car will just as easily get you there as well.

BUT, if you are the off-road, adventuresome type and want to access areas that are a little tricky and not suitable for a regular car, then keep reading.

Keep in mind, when driving a Jeep on the Big Island, you will scream tourist. Really. As a general rule, only tourists drive Jeeps; locals drive SUVs or pickup trucks.

So, if you are trying to blend in with locals, DON’T rent a Jeep.

How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Jeep on the Big Island of Hawaii?

Big Island Jeep Rental Price

You will have to do some price comparisons for the dates you will be traveling to the Big Island. Pricing can fluctuate with inventory availability, time of year, and other factors.

At the time of this post, you are looking at about an average of $700-$800 after tax for a week long Kona Jeep rental. Sometimes, the price difference between a Jeep and an economy car might only be about $20 for the week. Other times, like during Christmas, I’ve seen a weeklong Jeep rental cost $400 more than an economy car rental.

I’ve often found Discount Hawaii Car Rental to have the best pricing on the Big Island!
➡️ Check Jeep Rental rates for your dates here!

Please Note: when price comparing Jeep rentals, always be sure you are comparing apples to apples: taxes, fees, pick up times, etc.

Jeep Gas Mileage

Besides the price of the actual Jeep rental, another factor to consider regarding cost is the gas mileage.

Jeep Wranglers get about 21mpg while an economy Chevy Spark rental, for example, gets about 33mpg.

Gas on the Big Island can run up to $1.50 more per gallon than the US national average. So you might already be looking at spending more on gas than you are used to at home. Tack on a vehicle that doesn’t get the greatest gas mileage and you’re looking at a surprising gas budget.

To get an idea of how much you’ll be driving on the Big Island, pull up Google Maps and plug in your directions to/from the furthest destinations for your WHOLE itinerary.

Example: Day 1 – Royal Kona Resort to Akaka Falls (and back). Day 2 – Royal Kona Resort to Holei Sea Arch (and back), etc. It may be tedious, but this will give you an idea of how much mileage you will actually be driving.

After calculating Jeep rental price and gallons of gas needed, only then can you answer whether you can afford a Jeep rental on the Big Island or not.

Where Will You Want to Drive a Jeep Rental on the Big Island?

Okay doke, now on to the part about WHERE you want to visit on the Big Island that may require a Jeep rental. Here are the main places you will need a Jeep to access.

Mauna Kea Summit

Probably the most popular reason you will want a Big Island Jeep rental is to access the Mauna Kea summit.

Always double check with your rental company if they allow their vehicles up the mountain. Most do, but not all.

Mauna Kea is technically the tallest mountain on Earth. From base to tip it’s about 33,500 feet tall while Mount Everest is 29,029 feet tall. However, above sea level, Mauna Kea is “only” about 13,796 feet tall.

Due to the height of Mauna Kea, the atmosphere is clear of debris which is great for stargazing. Driving to the summit for sunset and stargazing is the most common reason to visit.

The Mauna Kea Visitor Center is at about 9,000 feet. If you wish to carry on to the summit, there is a checkpoint with rangers here. However, most people will park their car here and hike the small butte nearby to watch sunset and stargaze.

You are not allowed past the check point without 4 wheel drive as the road is unpaved, rough, and very steep. Coming down is where things can get the most problematic as you will need a vehicle that has a 4-low transfer case to take things slow and steady. You do not want to ride the brakes down the mountain causing overheating and brake failure. 

So, if sunsetting and stargazing at the Mauna Kea summit is at the top of your list on the Big Island, you will need a Jeep rental.

Alternatively, to reach the summit without a Jeep rental you can take a tour and have a guide do the driving for you. Doing it this way will also be more informative as you’ll have a professional expert telling you stories and explaining what you are looking.

Please Note: altitude sickness is a real thing on Mauna Kea. You’ll want to stop at the visitor center for about an hour to acclimate before heading further up. Even at this altitude I suffered from altitude sickness and I consider myself a relatively healthy person.

Kekaha Kai State Beach and Makalawena Beach

Another location you will need a Jeep to access is Kekaha Kai State Beach and Makalawena Beach.

The 1.7 mile dirt road to Kekaha Kai State Beach is treacherous for lowriding cars due to the large potholes and eroded trenches. I made the mistake of trying to take my Hyundai Accent down this road and quickly regretted my decision, wishing I had a Jeep instead.

So I definitely HIGHLY recommended a Jeep rental on this road; it’s pretty much necessary.

Once you reach Kekaha Kai State Beach you can stay and enjoy the white sands, picnic tables, and keeping an eye out for endangered monk seals.

To reach Makalawena Beach, continue on a 1 mile hike north, over a flat path of a lava rock field to reach. Here you’ll find a pristine white sand beach with very little people crowding the shore as it is a bit awkward to access.

There is also a trailhead to Makalawena Beach on Hwy 19 by Kua Bay Access Rd. There is an unmarked dirt pullout on the shoulder of Hwy 19. Follow the bumpy, rocky and gravely trail right up to Makalawena Beach.

Alternatively, you can hike from the trailhead or from the start of the road to Kekaha Kai State Beach to get to Makalawena Beach. It can be a long walk, especially in the midday sun, but if you go earlier in the morning or while it’s cloudy it’s not too bad.

Green Sands Beach (Papakolea)

The only green sand beach in the United States is located near South Point, the southernmost point in the US. You need a 4×4 to traverse the 5-mile roundtrip of an off-road, bumpy and dusty road on trails worn down so much over the years that you are driving in ditches as tall as as a truck.

There is some debate on whether you should or should not drive these trails. The vehicular traffic is eroding the land and is the vicinity of ancient sacred sights. You might get some disapproving looks from locals. On the other hand, some locals make a living off of carting tourists to and from the beach in their 4WDs.

Use your own judgement and comfort level to proceed driving yourself in your Jeep to Green Sand Beach. If you get stuck or the Jeep breaks down, which DOES happen, there is only one tow truck in the area willing to save you and they charge the tow by the feet!

Alternatively, you can walk the 5-mile roundtrip. It feels good to “earn” the green sand experience (I go early in the mornings to avoid crowds). Or, pay $20 per person to get shuttled to and from the beach by locals in their pickup trucks.

Waipio Valley

Please Note: Due to unsafe road conditions, Waipio Valley is currently closed to tourists except by taking a guided tour.

When and If they repair the road and open it to the public again, the road down to Waipio Valley is one of the steepest in the world. You can destroy brakes going down and stall out coming back up, it’s not a pretty sight. So while the road is paved, only 4WD vehicles are allowed to drive the tight and treacherous road.

At the bottom of Waipio Valley, you can take in the breathtaking scenery and explore some hikes along the black sand beach or further up into the valley to waterfalls.

Alternatively, when they open it back up, you can hike down (but remember, the hike up is what does people in).

For now, the only way to access Waipio Valley is by taking a guided tour down to the valley floor.

Spontaneous Side Roads

While the above locations are the main off-road attractions that will require a Jeep rental, the only other scenarios you might come across are spontaneous pullouts with a dirt road leading to a beach. These will likely be unmarked and the only reason you would know they exist is from a local telling you or keeping your eye out for other 4WDs accessing a random dirt trail.

But once again, alternatively, you would more than likely be able to park your car at the entrance to this trail and hike the mile or so in.

FAQs

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If you decide to get a Jeep rental on the Big Island
I highly recommend Discount Hawaii Car Rental to get you the best deal.
>> Check pricing for your dates here! <<

Epilogue: Do You Need a Jeep Rental on the Big Island, Hawaii?

In conclusion, when deciding whether you need a Jeep rental on the Big Island, Hawaii or not, it really comes down to where you want to visit, how you want to visit, and if you can afford it.

They are fun and come in a rainbow of colors, you will very clearly stick out as a tourist, and aside from renting a convertible (which you can also book with Discount Hawaii Car Rental), it’s “the cool” vehicle to rent.

Sidenote: a fun car game you can play on the Big Island is counting how many Jeeps you pass on the road OR how many different colored Jeeps you can find.