Secret Hawaii Shore Excursions: The Big Island of Hawaii
Looking for Hawaii shore excursions on the Big Island that are slightly different from what your fellow cruise passengers might be doing? Of course you are! We gay and lesbian travelers often love to find those “secret” spots, far away from the maddening tour busses! Here are options for both the Hilo and Kona areas of the Big Island, which are generally each visited for one day on Hawaii cruise itineraries (note–the ship likely won’t overnight at this island, rather it will dock in Hilo one day, and anchor/tender in Kona the following day).
Hilo, the Big Island:
Most everyone on your ship will be going to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. If you’ve never been there, it is a worthy excursion–national parks exist for a reason!
Randall (right) and husband Denni on the Big Island lava field that effectively ends the highway near Pahoa. Photo: Randall Shirley
Secret excursion : Rent a car and drive to the Pahoa region, about 45 minutes south of Hilo. You can even drive to the end of the road, where lava flows have wiped out the highway. This area is popular with both gays and hippies (and undoubtedly some gay hippies). The black sand at Kehena Beach makes for a popular nude beach, and Monday is known as Gay Day (nudity is not legal!). In Pahoa town, don’t miss the exceptionally tasty fare at Tin Shack Bakery. It’ll likely be brimming with adorable hippies.
Back in Hilo, stop by Hilo Homemade Ice Cream shop, which is a couple of miles out of the downtown core–inside you’ll know you’re very welcome when you see the rainbow and equality stickers. The freezer on the right has most of the tropical flavors—including three versions highlighting lillikoi (passion fruit) and several highlighting macadamia nuts. Take your ice cream out back to their exquisite tropical gardens and explore the fauna.
Kailua Kona, Big Island:
Most cruise passengers will head for a beach or just bum around town. Renting a car in Kailua Kona is challenging because the airport is a long way from the cruise pier, plus you must tender in from the ship. Since a lot of your day would be eaten up getting off the ship and to the car rental agency, I recommend you just hang in town. (This would be the one port where booking a shore excursion is not a bad idea if you want to go farther afield).
Secret excursion: Start the day with brew at Daylight Mind Coffee Co. , which has free wifi and an amazing ocean view from both its downstairs restaurant deck and its upstairs coffee bar deck. Ah-maze-ing views. You could linger there a very long time. Daylight Mind is the perfect place to sample several different coffees, from
The ocean views from Kona are accentuated when your cruise ship is floating offshore. Photo: Randall Shirley
Nearby Kona farms, each individually brewed just for you. Their food is also exceptionally good if you skipped breakfast on the ship or want a great lunch spot. The unnassuming location in a retail complex will divert most of your fellow cruise passengers.
Alternately, head for lunch at gay-owned Huggo’s on the Rocks , which gets great reviews. It is the casual, seaside restaurant affiliated with the fine-dining Huggo’s.
Kailua Kona is is also an excellent port for experiencing tropical fruits and flowers—the open-air market in the town is filled with such vendors. Super secret: if you are sailing on the NCL Pride of America , you can even take your fruits and flowers back on board!
