Best places to stay in hawaii
Even before you set foot on The Big Island of Hawaii for your elopement, you’ll want to be prepared and know where you should stay! Each city and town in Hawaii is unique, and offers various different experiences and vibes. Let’s take a tour to figure out where you’ll be staying during your Hawaii elopement adventure.
You’ll probably book your flight to land in one of these spots! Hilo’s airport code is ITO, and Kona’s is KOA. There is a Costco in Kona near the airport, so it may be a good idea to invest in a Costco membership to fill up your rental car because it ends up being a lot cheaper to get gas here (usually at least .50-$1per gallon cheaper).
The two main cities on The Big Island are Hilo and Kona.
click each city below for more details on where to stay!
Towns Worth Checking Out During Your Hawaiian Vacation:
- There aren’t many big box stores, as many restaurants or many opportunities to get groceries. You will want to stock up in either Kona or Hilo.
- You should be prepared for a travel fee and early morning wake up fee from vendors (hair and makeup and officiant) if you're doing a sunrise elopement at Volcano National Park or anywhere in this area. If you are doing your own hair and makeup, you can stay near the park so that you don't have to be up as early. If you are including vendors, and don’t want to pay travel fees, you may want to stay in Hilo or Kona to have access to your vendors, then stay at smaller towns the day of your elopement and during your stay in Hawaii.
- You’ll find cute hidden gem restaurants, but for more variety, consider larger towns!
Here’s What You Should Know if You Stay in a Smaller Town:
- If you’re not sure which side of the island to stay on yet, I recommend booking two different spots on VRBO or AIRBNB that have a lenient cancellation policy. Some hosts only allow you to cancel within 48 hours of booking…while others let you cancel with a full refund 2 weeks to a month before your booking date.
- The earlier you book, the more options you have as reservations can fill up quickly.
- Most of the beaches in Kona are accessible through resorts and hotels. For better beaches, you will want to head 30 minutes to an hour north of Kona closer to Waikoloa.
Things to Remember When Booking Your Stay in Hawaii:
And on that note...
No matter where you decide to stay in Hawaii during your elopement trip, I just know you’ll pick the perfect place based on what is important to you and your partner.
Check out my ceremony locations guide for the Big Island
