45 Dry Activities When it Rains on the Big Island
You’re on a sunny Hawaiian vacation, but the clouds have rolled in and now you need to know what to do on the Big Island when it rains. You’re vacation doesn’t have to be ruined!
I lived on the Big Island for a year and saw A LOT of rain! It’s a tropical island so rain is inevitable lol!
But I didn’t let it stop me from having fun and nor should you! So my first piece of advice is not to necessarily cancel plans if it’s wet.
However, sometimes it can just get too stormy to have fun.
To help, this is my list of dry things to do on the Big Island when it rains.
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Things to Do on the Big Island When it Rains
I’ve broken up what things to do on the Big Island when it rains by major regions: Kona, Hilo, Ka’u, and Waikoloa. So no matter where you are on the island, you can find something fun to do out out of the wet.
What to Do in Kona When it Rains
1. Kona Glassbottom Boat Tour
Entrance Fee? Yes
The Kona Glassbottom Boat Tour goes out in the harbor from Kona to observe the ocean below as you view from above. It doesn’t rain underwater so viewing will be unaffected.
Stay dry inside the covered boat while looking down on the floor to windows that open up to the sealife below. See all colors of fish, turtles, coral, and maybe even dolphins!
>> 🛥️ Check Rates and Availabilty for your Kona Glassbottom Boat Tour Here! <<
2. Island Breeze Luau
Entrance Fee? Yes
The Island Breeze Luau is typically held outside, even during a sprinkling, at the Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel.
However, if the rains become too much, they move their show indoors. So rest assured, no matter what, the show will go on!
>> 🌺 Check Rates and Availability for Island Breeze Luau Here! <<
3. Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation
Way up Hualalai Mountain, in the middle of a cloud forest is Thunder Mountain Coffee Farm.
Sample their Kona coffee and take their free 15min coffee tour. I stayed dry as the tour took us from a covered pavilion to inside the coffee storehouse.
Their cute gift shop is fun to browse while sipping on warm coffee samples.
4. Kona Kat Cafe
Entrance Fee? Yes
If you like cats and coffee, then you’re gonna love the Kona Kat Cafe.
Reserve a spot on the catio to have cute felines surround you. Ogle at them, play with them, and pet them while sipping a cup of coffee!
5. Seahorse Farm
Entrance Fee? Yes
Experience a marine animal encounter at the Ocean Rider SeaHorse Farm. Take a one-hour tour seeing thousands of seahorses from all over the world.
Get your hands in the tanks and feel their tiny little tails wrap around your fingers.
6. Courtyard by Marriott History in Art
Entrance Fee? No
Inside the Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel is a FREE beautiful collection of artwork portraying the history of the Hawaiian islands.
Weave through the rows, learning about the stories that created these beautiful islands by reading the plaques and taking in the scenes depicted in the paintings.
7. Brewery Hop
Stay indoors while you sample different brews from the island. Get a flight or two and decide which beers are your favorite.
Kona Brewing Company offers a long list of beers to try, sure to satisfy any palette: lagers, heifeweizen, IPAs, and ales.
They also offer brewery tours within their new 30,000sqft warehouse (samples included).
Around the corner, Ola Brewing Company doesn’t brew just beer. They also make hard juices, hard seltzers, and hard teas. You’ll definitely want to split your flights with friends to be able to try all the alcoholic combinations.
They also serve meals, so take your time by ordering burgers, bao buns, and other pupus while drinking the rainy day away with hopped up brews.
💁♀️ Tab’s Trip Tip: my favorite drink from Ola Brewing Co. is their hot pink Dragonfruit Lemonade Hard Cider!
8. Painted Church
Entrance Fee? No
In South Kona/Captain Cook, up the road from Pu’uhonua o Honaunau, is St Benedict’s Painted Church.
It’s free to enter this handpainted chapel. A sense of reverence will wash over you as you enter this quaint, creaky church. When I visited, I could here the choir practicing next door.
Have a seat on a wooden pew and take in all the detail painted frescoes from over 130 years ago by Father John Velghe. No restorations have been done to the Biblical pictures, so all you see is 100% original artwork. See if you recognize any of the Bible stories displayed.
9. Kona Shopping
There’s plenty of shopping to be done in Kona while dodging between raindrops.
Ali’i Drive is the Big Island tourist strip for shopping with complexes like Kona Inn Shopping Village, Kona Marketplace, and World Square Shopping Plaza.
Find all the “Made in China” Hawaiian souvenirs you could possibly want! 😜
Of course there are plenty of non-commercial stores to be found as well selling locally made items.
💁♀️ Tab’s Trip Tip: My two favorite Made in Hawaii stores are Aloha Toe Rings and Tasty Kona.
Locals do their shopping at Target, Walmart, and Costco. A rainy day is a good time to do your grocery shopping or pick up forgotten essentials.
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10. Kona Hawaiian Quilt Museum
Entrance Fee? Yes
If you are sewing inclined, you might enjoy visiting the Kona Hawaiian Quilt Museum.
Learn about Hawaiian quilting techniques, view vintage and contemporary quilts illustrating Hawaiian life and history, and trace a Hawaiian quilt pattern to take home with you.
11. Hulihe’e Palace
Entrance Fee? Yes
On Ali’i Drive is the historical Hulihe’e Palace, a residence site passed down through the royal Hawaiian families.
The palace consists of six large well-decorated rooms set amongst an oceanfront lawn. Inside showcases artifacts like koa wood furniture, feather work, quilts, and many other items dating back to the late 1800s during the time of King Kalakaua and Queen Kapi’olani.
Make your reservations online. Same-day reservations will be self-tour; reservations booked in advance will have a guide.
12. 808 Escape
Entrance Fee? Yes
808 Escape gives you only 60min to decipher clues and find your way out of a locked room:
- Tiki’s Shack is for 2-5 players.
- Carnevil Madness is for 2-6 players.
808 Escape also offers VR escape rooms and games. Be immersed in virtual reality to escape fantastical rooms or play other unique games like Beat Saber, Epic Rollercoasters, or Jurassic World. For those who get motion sick easily, be forewarned you might encounter some symptoms.
13. Find Live Music
Something to do on the Big Island when it rains is find some shelter with live music to pass away the drippy blues. Restaurants and bars often have live music to entertain patrons.
Live music is performed often in restaurants but it can be difficult to know when and where they will be playing. Here are a few that have a listed schedule:
14. Trivia Night Ola Brewing
Back at Ola Brewing, on Tuesday nights at 6pm, Geeks Who Drink hosts a free trivia night. One of my favoirte ways to spend an evening out is testing my trivia knowledge and maybe win some prizes.
It’s free to participate, they just ask that you order drinks and/or food.
15. Karaoke at Sam’s Hideaway
Do you like showing off your musical chops in front of strangers? I know I do…sometimes.
Every night at 8pm pick out a favorite song and belt it out at Sam’s Hideaway, a clean dive-bar tucked back in the World Square Shopping Plaza off Ali’i Drive.
What to Do in Hilo When it Rains
16. Lavaloha Chocolate Farm Tour
Entrance Fee? Yes
While most farm tours will undoubtedly have you walking outside in the elements, Lavaloha Chocolate Farm is prepared for wet weather.
First, you are taken around the farm in a covered golf cart bus. So no walking and no raindrops falling on your head.
Then in every seat, they have umbrellas for when you step out of the cart for a few minutes to observe the cacao trees And towels for drying off if you still got a little wet.
Sampling is done inside, so no need to worry about the weather there either.
>> Check Rates and Availability for Lavaloha Chocolate Farm Tour Here! <<
Read my full review of Lavaloha here.
17. Hilo Brewery Hop
Hilo has breweries too, so brewery hopping on the east side of the Big Island is just as feasible as the west side.
Hilo Brewing Company is set in a large warehouse with open garage doors. Order some Jello shot sized samplers and decide if you want a whole pint of something afterwards.
Ola Brewing Company is also in Hilo. To keep things interesting, some of their menu items differ from their Kona store, which will make you feel inclined to visit both locations.
18. Hilo Shopping
Old downtown Hilo is the shopping district for tourists. Wander down the streets of a town that feels like a has-been.
You’ll find novelty stores like a ukulele store, candy store, or “the most irresistible” store (the most click-baity store name ever!).
Hilo also has an indoor mall to hang out on rainy days with a TJ Maxx, Macy’s, Hot Topic, and other cliché mall stores. Kids will enjoy the arcade with a wide variety of games, right next to the food court.
19. Hilo Farmers Market
The Hilo Farmers Market takes place not far from across the waterfront. The paths between booths are all covered under a tent to keep you dry from the rain while you shop for handmade souvenirs.
While the market is open 7 days a week and you’ll definitely be able to find the tropical fruit vendors, Wednesdays and Saturdays are the bigger market days with more artisan booths.
20. Kaumana Cave
Entrance Fee? No
No matter the weather you’ll always be sheltered from the elements in a cave. Just outside of town is Kaumana Cave, a lava tube created in 1880 from a Mauna Loa eruption.
Bring flashlights or headlamps to explore this dark cave. It has been measured at 2 miles long but you might reach some points where you don’t feel comfortable going any further; it’s up to you.
⚠️Word of Caution: when I visited during a rainy day, the left side of the caves had a “river” running through it, so be aware of flash floods and make wise choices.
21. Pacific Tsunami Museum
Entrance Fee? Yes
The Pacific Tsunami Museum seeks to bring awareness to visitors about the dangers of tsunamis by educating them on the science of how they operate and about the destructive history they have caused right there in Hilo.
22. Lyman Museum & Mission House
Entrance Fee? Yes
This property is divided up into two separate tours.
The Lyman Museum is a self-guided tour. It is a Smithosonian-affliated museum filled with Hawaiian artifacts.
The Mission House is the Big Island’s oldest standing wooden structure built in the 1830s for missionaries David and Sarah Lyman. A guide will take you on a 30min journey back in time through the house where royalty and celebrities have visited.
23. East Hawai’i Cultural Center
Entrance Fee? No
Located in the Old Police Station of Downtown Hilo, the East Hawai’i Cultural Center offers a constant rotation of art exhibits. Hawaiian artists express their own interpretations of Hawaiian culture, history, and nature through various mediums.
They also offer lectures, performances, workshops, and classes.
24. Big Island Candies
Entrance Fee? No
For the sweet tooths, Big Island Candies offers free shortbread cookie samples as you peruse their visitor center. Watch through big windows as the kitchen factory makes their chocolates and cookies.
I’m not usually one for shortbread cookies, but their buttery flaky crispiness quickly became an addiction.
💁♀️ Tab’s Trip Tip: my favorite item is their dark chocolate dipped macadamia nut shortbread cookie!
25. Escape Hilo
Entrance Fee? Yes
Escape the rain at Escape Hilo, the Big Island’s first escape room. You have 60min to find clues and keys to escape a Big Island themed room that incorporates real Hawaiian history.
The puzzles are designed for a group of 2-8 players, ages 12+.
26. Find Live Music
Stay dry from the rain by enjoying live music. It’s always tricky trying to find who has live music and when. Two places you can check out are:
- Hilo Town Tavern – Mondays open mic night 8pm-close; Tuesdays Hawaiian music 6:30-930pm; Fridays local style jams 8pm-11pm
- Pineapples – nightly starting around 5:30pm
27. Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Visitor Center
Mauna Loa is probably the most recognized brand of macadamia nuts in the US and you can visit their Visitor Center in Hilo
You’ll be greeted with free macadamia nut samples of different flavors. As you eat them you can wander the spacious gift shop with shelves full of boxes of nuts, branded merch, and various Hawaiian made products.
A video on a loop about the history of Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Farm and the processing of these nuts plays on the outside covered patio out the back door.
If you like reading informational placards, there is a long covered walkway with large pictures depicting the history and processing too.
Honestly, I was a bit underwhelmed with the whole experience, but it’s a good place to get out of the rain for a bit.
💁♀️ Tab’s Trip Tip: Please note that you won’t be buying 100% Hawaiian macadamia nuts as Mauna Loa sources their nuts from all over the world.
28. Trivia Night Ola Brewing
Ola Brewing Company in Hilo also hosts a Geeks Who Drink trivia night on Tuesdays starting at 7pm.
Come up with a punny team name and see if you have the knowledge to defeat others in the room.
29. Karaoke at Joann’s Lounge Bar
For the lazy karaoker, at Joann’s you sing from your booth table, no need to get up from your seat. Definitely a local’s hangout with friendly staff and free pupus (appetizers) with your drinks.
If you want to keep the singing performances to your own group, call and reserve a private karaoke room.
💁♀️ Tab’s Trip Tip: it can get really busy here, so bring your patience as it could take an hour or more before it’s your turn to sing
What to Do in the Ka’u District When it Rains
30. Volcano Winery Winetasting
Entrance Fee? Yes
Volcano Winery is the only winery on the Big Island, so it’s a special place to hang out and hide from the rain.
You’ll have a standing-only table and 6 wine pours (1oz ea.) will be brought to you one at a time, giving you time to savor each sip and think about the tannins on your palette.
If you find a wine you like, order a whole bottle to enjoy on premise with maybe a cheese platter. Tables are outside under a tent to set up a whole picnic lunch if you’d like.
💁♀️ Tab’s Trip Tip: if wine isn’t your thing, they also do an estate tea tasting with two different teas that are grown on the property.
31. Volcano Art Gallery
Within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a beautiful art gallery inside the old historic Volcano House hotel. Each creaky wooden floored room is filled with fine arts and crafts made from local Hawaiian artists.
It’s like a museum where you can buy the displays.
32. Volcano House
The current Volcano House hotel has a large foyer with giant windows overlooking the Kilauea’s crater. Stay dry while observing smoke or lava rising from the crater.
Two gift shops and two restaurants are also inside to help you kill time until the rain lets up.
💁♀️ Tab’s Trip Tip: they have a penny press machine in the lobby – it’s one of my favorite things to collect as a souvenir!
33. Kilauea Military Camp Bowling Lanes
Entrance Fee? Yes
A small bowling alley with six lanes is hiding within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at the Kilauea Military Camp. While staying at the camp is for military personnel only, anyone can come use the facilities and bowl.
Reservations are highly recommended.
They also play free movies with popcorn, have arcade games, and a cafe and coffee shop.
34. Volcano Garden Arts
In Volcano Village is another art gallery store, Volcano Garden Arts, that was once the Hopper Estate in 1908. This historic farmhouse built using California redwood is set amongst a quaint, cultivated garden.
Rooms here are packed with Hawaiian made souvenirs and art.
35. Paradise Meadows
Entrance Fee? No
Less than a mile down South Point Rd you’ll see signs for The Local Buzz, aka Paradise Meadows. Turn onto their macadamia nut shell driveway and enter into their shack shop.
Get free tastings of more treats than you are prepared for. Different flavors of:
- Macadamia nuts
- Chocolate
- Cookies
- Honey
- Ka’u coffee
36. Akatsuka Orchid Gardens
Flower hobbyists might enjoy stepping into Akatsuka Orchid Gardens. Friendly staff will answer any questions you might have on the various different species of orchids featured in their spacious store.
Pick an orchid plant to send home or as a gift to a loved one.
37. Kula Kai Caverns
Entrance Fee? Yes
It doesn’t rain in caves, so give a call to Kula Kai Caverns to set up a tour to wander through their braided lava tube system used by ancient Hawaiians.
There are different tour lengths and difficulty to choose from, depending on your interests.
I had so much fun on the 1hr tour and learned a lot, even already being familiar with lava tubes. Our guide was fun and loved answering questions.
38. Find Live Music
There is not much for entertainment in Ka’u but you can still find a couple of spots to listen to live music.
Like:
- Kai Loki Saturdays 4pm-7pm
- OKK Farmers Market – Wednesdays 8am-2pm
39. Karaoke at Kai Loki
Friday nights are karaoke nights at Kai Loki. You’ll have to pay per song and take turns with locals who are frequent singers. But it’s a welcoming crowd, at least they were towards me lol!
What to Do on in Waikoloa When it Rains
40. Kona Kozy Comedy and Magic Show
Entrance Fee? Yes
Not the Hawaiian entertainment you were expecting, but Waikoloa has its own internationally acclaimed “World-Class Comic Magician” at Kona Kozy Comedy and Magic Show.
Escape the rain, stay dry, and laugh at corny jokes and impressive magic tricks.
>>🎩 Check Rates and Availability for Kozy’s Comedy and Magic Show Here! <<
41. Waikoloa Luxury Cinemas
Entrance Fee? Yes
Not just any movie theater, it’s in the name: Waikoloa Luxury Cinemas. Reserve your plush loveseat chairs with removable armrests, guaranteeing the location you want.
Food and full service bar drinks can even be brought to your seat.
All this while watching the latest blockbuster as it rains outside.
42. Hamakua Macadamia Nut
Entrance Fee? No
Hamakua Macadamia Nut Company prides itself on using 100% Big Island macadamia nuts and you can sample all their crazy flavors at their visitor center. Try their staple flavors like wasabi or Spam or their rotating seasonal flavors like birthday cake or pumpkin spice.
Peruse the rest of the gift shop with Kona coffee, plants that are take-home-able, and sweet treats.
In the back of the visitor center, watch the kitchen at work through large viewing windows.
43. Queen’s Marketplace and King’s Shops
Both Queen’s Marketplace and King’s Shops provide many shops on to peruse and spend your money; everything from Crocs to fine gallery art.
These are outdoor malls so ducking from store to store will be necessary to avoid rain drops.
💁♀️ Tab’s Trip Tip: for some crazy Instagram-worthy shave ice, visit OBISC in King’s Shops.
44. Spa Day
Waikoloa is home to many luxury resorts, and with resorts come spas.
Pamper yourself out of the rain and get a massage, facial, mani/pedi, or hair care. Relax and forget the stress of rain “ruining” your Hawaiian vacation.
Here are some spas to look into:
- Kohala Spa at Hilton Waikoloa Village
- Auberge Spa at Mauna Lani
- Spa Without Walls at the Fairmont Orchid
45. Find Live Music
Waikoloa has restaurants scattered all around, some individually located and others inside the resorts. You’re sure to find some place that performs live music.
Here are a few to look into:
- Lava Lava Beach Club
- Copper Bar at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
- King’s Shops Center Stage
A Note About What to Do About Rain on the Big Island
While you might be tempted to cancel whatever plans you had for the day due to the weather, my first piece of advice is DON’T.
Rain can be so finicky in Hawaii. One minute dark cumuluses pour out their contents, the next minute could be a cloudless sky. Or, if it’s raining where you are standing, it could be dry just a couple miles down the road.
Also, Big Island rain is not always like rain on the mainland. Usually it’s more misty and light.
Now don’t get me wrong, there can be torrential downpours that cause road floodings and mudslides. But in general, it’s not as annoying as you would think.
Another thing to consider is while it is raining, there are a lot of natural and unnatural coverings from the wetness. Whether it be buildings, awnings, covered lanais or thick tropical foliage, more than likely you’ll still be protected wherever you are exploring.
You can even still snorkel in the rain as it doesn’t rain underwater. The only thing to be aware of is how the surf is behaving in the weather. If it’s an actual storm it can be dangerous to be in the waves and currents. But if it’s just a misting from the sky it is not going to affect your view underwater, especially since the raindrops only affect topical viewing.
FAQs
Which Side of the Big Island Is Rainy?
The eastern side of the Big Island is more notorious for being the rainy side of the Big Island. You can tell just by the more thick tropical foliage gracing the area and the more humid air.
Hilo gets between 120-150 inches of rain per year and is considered the rainiest city in the US. However, often when I’m visiting there isn’t much rain. It usually happens at night when everyone’s sleeping.
To compare, Kona only gets 10-20 inches of rain per year. There’s a reason all the resorts are on the west side, besides all the white sand beaches.
Does the Big Island Have a Rainy Season?
To an outsider, Hawaii is pretty temperate and there is little variety in the weather. However, the winter months from November to March are considered to be the “rainy season”, with more inches fallen than in other months.
Also, hurricane season is considered to be between June and November. Storms happen more often during this time. And while hurricanes are known to threaten the area, the last time a Hawaiian island was actually hit by one was in 1992.
Feeling melodramatic about the rain?
➡️ Consider escaping to Pearl Harbor for the day!
Epilogue: Things to Do on the Big Island When it Rains
Even if the weather decides to not cooperate on your dream Hawaiian vacation, you’ll still be able to find things to do on the Big Island when it rains; from shopping, entertainment, or tours. There is something for everyone.
Or better yet, just embrace the wet and make the most of your soggy situation!
🌺 Big Island Travel Planning Guide 🌺
🚨 Should I buy Hawaii travel insurance?
YES — I recommend Travel Insurance Master because you can compare multiple options with one click. With plans starting at $5/day per person, why not give yourself piece of mind? Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!
🚗 Is it safe to rent a car on the Big Island?
YES — It’s totally safe to drive on the Big Island. And unless you plan to chill by the resort pool the entire time, renting a car is pretty much a necessity on the Big Island! Jeep rentals are popular. I recommend Discount Hawaii Car Rental, as they have some of the best prices around.
📞 Will my phone work on the Big Island?
PROBABLY — Most, if not all, cell providers work on the Big Island. However, be prepared for some dead spots in the more remote parts of the island. For example, I always lose service driving through Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
🛏️ What’s the best way to book my Big Island accommodations?
For Big Island hotels, Booking.com is amazing because you can often reserve your room with no money down. If you are looking for an Airbnb condo with a kitchen and more space, don’t forget to check VRBO for potentially better prices and options.
✈️ What’s the best site to buy Big Island flights?
I recommend looking at Skyscanner for finding cheap flights. Pro Tip: check if flying into Hilo is cheaper than flying into Kona.
🛂 Do I need a passport to visit Hawaii?
NO — If you are a US citizen, you do not need a passport as Hawaii is part of the United States. If you are from out of the country, the same passport and visa requirements are the same as entering anywhere in the United States from your country.
🧳What should I pack to the Big Island?
Pack for tropical weather but also prepare for colder than expected nights and early mornings, so a light sweatshirt is recommended. Check out this list of 5 Things Not to Forget to Pack.
