This tour was great and the employees were fantastic. They made everything very easy and we're…read moresuper good to work with. This was our first time to Hilo and we enjoyed every minute of it. The driver was very informative and gave us points of history from the locations of which we stopped. The candy shop stop was the absolute best. We had time to go downtown on our own and had lunch, which was fantastic. We caught the shuttle back at the drop off point and returned to the pier. The whole process was a breeze. Highly recommended !

This was a reasonable priced way to see the few attractions of Hilo. At the end of the tour, the…read morebus drops you off at the farmers market in town which makes it a nice shopping spot you can purchase from locals. You can get on and off on any hoppa bus which come by every 20 minutes. Very convenient. Takes you to a couple of beaches too! Our driver was very informative about the island and Hilo itself. Highly recommend.

We were the very first inaugural users of Sam's Tours. We met him as an Uber driver and paid him to…read moretake us around Big Island and he was so good we used him every day of our trip and said he should set up a tour company. He is a great host: friendly, knowledgeable and interested in making conversation and show us around; while also willing to wait by the car and allow us to explore together. He had exceptional local knowledge of the area from its history to the location of the nearest grocery store to our B&B. By the end of our tour we'd made a new friend. His car was always clean, capacious and air-conditioned. He was always willing to make a pit stop or diversion without any issue. You won't regret this affordable, high quality and varied tour of the island.

Nestled amidst the lush landscapes of the Big Island of Hawaii, Sam offers an unforgettable…read moreexperience that combines relaxation, adventure, and authentic hospitality. A hidden gem and blessing for people visiting the island! Sam was not only knowledgeable about the area, but also was very personable and an amazing person to be around. Overall, my experience was nothing short of magical.

This review is strictly for Cameron, our tour guide. He has set the bar for everyone else. I was…read moreamazed by his legitimate Aloha spirit (harder to come by than professed around the islands). He has the type of personality that I could see as a successful tv host on a discovery or nature channel type show. He offered a wealth of knowledge about the land, flora, fauna, history, and beliefs of Hawai'i. At every point he kept us safe, entertained, and informed. He has made Hawai'i my favorite of the islands. My only complaint about the tour has nothing to do with him, but with scheduling. I really didn't want to go to a hotel gift shop and would have preferred more time to swim or snorkel.

What an amazing experience. We booked a tour to see the lava fields and enjoy a snorkeling…read moreadventure and it was a full day of adventure. Keep in mind there is no snorkeling on this excursion and the area around the Hilton is not safe or appropriate for snorkeling. I am writing the review solely on the lava field excursion part. My wife was very dissapointed that there was no snorkeling as we purchased new snorkeling equipment. Roxy was our tour guide and was probably the most knowledgeable and professional tour guide we have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Roxy was knowledgeable in the history of volcanoes on Hilo and elsewhere, horticulture, bird species, animals, Hawaiian culture, tourist attractions, history of the Hawaiian Islands, tribes and Capt. Cook, beaches, teachings, burial practices and so much more. Roxy told stories of the early days in Hawaii and how it evolved. Also as a noted her driving and safety practices were impeccable. If you are planning to come to Hilo you must make it a point to reach out to Roxy. We spent approximately 8 hours on the tour and it was so enriching although the lack of snorkeling was a dissapointment . Highly recommended Mahalo

`My wife and I were celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary with our children and grand children…read morecruising with NCL Pride of America. We got off in Hilo on the Big Island with no particular plan. We ran into the staff of this company and allowed their pitch. Since there were 9 of us, we accepted their offer and John Milare loaded us into his van and off we went. The beauty of a private van was we pretty much called the shots. First stop was Starbucks for our morning "fix" what other tour would make this stop for you? After our coffee break John took us to the highlight of the Hilo side of the island. John was very engaged and excited to share his knowledge of Hawaii and its history. His being this engaged made the tour very interesting and entertaining. John and this company get two thumbs up He also gave us some snorkeling tips for Kona -- BEST snorkeling ever!!

My husband, 1yr old son, and I spent the day touring the big island with Savannah and Keola. We…read morewere greeted with leis and smiles! Really felt the "Aloha Spirit" with them. We were so grateful to find a tour that was kid friendly and they made it so easy with accommodating our son and potty/diaper changing stops. The van was very clean and comfortable with a tv screen that showed educational videos about where we were about to visit. Both Keola and Savannah would chime into the videos and tell different stories that connected with the video, felt very interactive. We had a blast and would 100% recommend!

From the owner: Exploring a new Island may lead to unneeded stress. Don't worry leave it to us your Hawaii Local…read moreConnection to take care of you like ohana (family). All of our tours are done Hawaiian local style full of ALOHA. Lots of fun and laughter will be shared during your tour. We will assure your safety is our #1 priority. Then let the fun times roll. These tours are suited for all ages and fitness levels. If weather is not ideal, we got you covered. We will provide umbrellas and alternat sites to visit if needed. We will provide snacks nonalcoholic drinks and lunches. You will also be driven around in a luxury mercerize sprinter van equipped with a large tv. We will be featuring rare Hawaii videos of Historic lava events, Hawaiian Legends of the lava/fire goddess Pele, Hula dancing and the connection to Pele, and much more options. You will be able to kick back and relax on "Hawaiian time" while we drive you around to visit some of Hawaii's most breath-taking sites. Let us take care of you and show you true Aloha. About Hawaii Local Connection Tours LLC Hawaii Local Connection tours is a 100% local, family-owned company, operating on the big island of Hawaii. Our tours specialize in a fully customizable authentic local island experience. We can take you almost anywhere you want to go on the island with a variety of epic scenic locations available to choose from, with native guides bilingual in Hawaiian-Pidgin and English. We are here to serve you as your Hawaii local connection.

When I'm in Hilo, I always love visiting Big Island candies. It's always fun seeing the factory…read moreprocess and seeing the cookies dipped, but what I enjoy most is the complimentary samples. This place is a piece of heaven. Those cookies, brownies and rocky road are things I dream of. I do prefer dark chocolate over milk, but milk chocolate stuff is really yummy too. Who am I kidding if only milk chocolate dipped cookies in front of me I'd totally take them. The packaging is also beautiful, but if you just want cookies for you or to make goodie bags save a little money and get the bagged cookies vs boxed ones. And if you have any product questions, make sure to ask the friendly staff.

Bigger of an operation now compared to back when I was growing up in Hilo. But they have always…read morekept the fact that you can walk in and see the workers hand dipping cookies and whatnot. They've not changed much besides having newer items here and there. They've classic chocolate dipped shortbread cookies are always a winner. Best part about visiting is that you get samples of their products if you just ask kindly! The staff are always so friendly and helpful. I wish they would bring back the Peanut Butter Crunch Bars!

We booked the 6 1/2 hour volcano tour and it was fantastic! We got to see most of the island. It…read morewas super scenic and just breathtaking! We got to visit the volcano national Park, see the steam vents, see the volcano, went to the volcano house, and drove through Hilo. Our guide, Chris was amazing and gave us such great information about the island and all the facts! He was very friendly, fun, and professional! It was just an enjoyable drive! Even my six-year-old ,who I did not know how he was going to do because this was his first tour and being in the car for so long , he did Fantastic.! We also made a special stop and got some delicious treats and picked up lunch for later, which was really good! He also provided us with water, juice, soda, snacks, and a cold towel. Also very accommodating for dietary restrictions like myself who is gluten-free. The booking process was super easy and they confirmed details the evening before your reservation date. They will call you and then send you a text. Pick up was on time so be ready! The shuttle is super comfortable ride with AC. I highly recommend booking this tour if you're visiting the big island.

Our tour guide Thia was fantastic. Super knowledgeable of the island and very genuine. Highly…read morerecommended this tour for anyone who would like to learn about the island and have a fun experience.

DeWaine with Holoholo Adventures is awesome! My husband and I visited the Big Island in January…read more2018, and we were very glad we booked with Holoholo Adventures to tour the Hilo side of the island and Volcano National Park. First of all, they were very accommodating when we were making our plans. They asked if we had any food issues and if there was anything specific we wanted to see. Big plus, the cafe they stop at on the way to Volcano National Park has gluten free sandwiches! Second, having a small tour was amazing! He said they do no more than 5-6 people! With a group that small and a van we were able to go to places that would have been more difficult with a large bus. DeWaine was amazing at adjusting his tour based on the weather. Since the Hilo side is more of a rainforest this is key! He could like sense the rain, we'd hop in a little shop for a snack while it rained, and boom 10 minutes later we were golden! Also, they had everything we could need in the van! Folding chairs, umbrellas, coolers, etc. - we were all set for an adventure and got to save space in our luggage! Third, and most importantly, having a local tour guide like DeWaine made our experiences more memorable. When we only had a day or so to tour an area, it was really nice to have him provide tidbits of what we were seeing. Now when I go through pictures I have stories about the flowers, bridges in the jungle, Volcano tubes, Pele's hair, etc. Sidenote about pictures, DeWaine will send you a link to any pictures he takes for you to download for free! It was nice to see candid pictures from him. Overall, we both really enjoyed our experience and would recommend!

HOLOHOLO, "to go out, especially for a ride for leisure", was a great beginning for our Hawaiian…read moreADVENTURE! DeWaine is the perfect person to share his genuine Island interest and knowledge, offering a personalized tour suited for the guests' interests, and adapting the itinerary given the changing weather. DeWaine's fully equipped comfortable van accommodates the needs of the guests for the day's travel. Being with a small group, with an exceptional guide, was the highlight of our vacation. Without reservation, we highly recommend Holoholo Adventures for a memorable experience!!

The Circle Island Tour was fantastic. Justin was a great tour guide. The amount of information that…read morehe has is incredible. He kept us entertained the entire time which says a whole lot considering how long the tour is. He was so full of great stories and information not only about the Island but so much more. I asked him had he ever considered being a Jeopardy contestant. lol . I highly recommend this company and I recommend Justin as your tour guide even more.

This review is for the Twilight Volcanoes and Stargazing Tour, with tour guide Drew…read more My partner and I had never been to the Big Island before, so we chose a tour that would essentially bring us around the island and visit some of the major "must-see" locations. We also happen to love astronomy, which made the stargazing tour an easy choice for us. It was also extremely important that we selected an experience that offered *small* tour groups and was locally owned and operated. Drew was an absolutely fantastic and entertaining host. His enthusiasm and knowledge shines through the way he spoke non-stop from the moment he picks you up. On this tour, we visited Bay View Coffee Farm, Punalu'u Bake Shop, Punalu'u Black Sand Beach, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, and stargazed near Mauna Kea. This was a LONG tour, but was filled with so much fun that time flew by. Although we missed Kīlauea's most recent fountaining episode (51) by a few days, Drew still made time for us to catch the lava glow which was super cool and a highlight of the tour. Our weather was not super favorable with thick, overcast skies; and my partner and I actually gave up on our hopes of stargazing. But Drew is so observant of the weather that when a window to view the night sky opened up, he did so. He provided thick coats to those that needed them and spent some time pointing out different stars and constellations. By this time in the evening, it was really cold and we didn't mind our limited stargazing time. We truly enjoyed our experience, as well as Drew's expertise and respect in regards to Hawai'i's culture and history. We highly recommend that you take a Wasabi Tour early in your trip (like first day if you can), and then you can tailor the rest of your Big Island afterward.