Waterfalls abound on the Island of Hawaii. (Photo by 2DadsWithBaggage) The Big Island of Hawaii Before you embark on all the fun adventures, it’s important to know a little about the Big Island. Hawaii is the largest of the Hawaiian Islands and is more than 4,000 square miles. It’s unlike smaller islands we’ve visited, like Kauai and Maui, where we could easily drive around the entire island. Yes, we advise that you rent a car. It is possible to drive around the Island of Hawaii but it would take about 12 hours. For any family, that seems too much to ask when there are so many beautiful reasons to be out of the car. However, you will need a rental car to get you from here to there, since taxis and Ubers seem scarce. You may also enjoy the freedom to come and go as you please.