Driving the Island & What is Hawaii Midnight

Driving the Island & Hawaii Midnight

• You will hear time rather than milage when talking distance.
• If something is 20 miles away it could easily take 45+ minutes.
• There aren’t “freeways”.
• People drive a bit more relaxed here.
• Speed limits are often 45 mph, roads are often curvy, and there aren’t many passing lanes.
• We don’t honk (unless there is truly danger) but we throw friendly shakas 🤙
• We merge and let merge with aloha.
• In general be kind and slow down and enjoy the view brah – this ain’t the mainland.

Also – Always pack snacks and water; as there are often many miles between “pit-stop” opportunities. There can be unexpected traffic delays and with narrow roads that could mean you end up waiting on the road for a while.

If you are a Costco member, plan to fuel up there, when possible, it is BY FAR the cheapest gas on the island. Small towns will have gas stations but gas can often be $1+ more per gallon than in Kona and Hilo.

Hawaii Midnight ~ 9pm is Hawaii midnight. The Big Island of Hawaii is a daytime centered area. We get up early, often at the beach by 8am and settle in early so we can do it all again. We don’t have daylight late into the evening like in the summer on the mainland.
You will notice that restaurants and stores (especially local) close around 8pm, so always check the hours online (and then call too because the hours posted online can be wrong). There are some bars for night life, but overall the Big Island is not known for its nightlife and bar scene.