Residents like to complain that there isn't much to shop for on the Big Island, but unless you're searching for winter coats or high-tech toys, you'll find plenty to deplete your pocketbook. Kailua-Kona has a range of souvenirs from far-flung corners of the globe. Resorts along the Kohala Coast have high-quality exclusive clothing, art, and accessories. Galleries and boutiques, many with the work of local artists, fill historic buildings in Waimea and North Kohala.

In general, stores and shopping centers on the Big Island open at 9 or 10 AM and close by 6 PM. Hilo's Prince Kuhio Shopping Plaza stays open until 9 weekdays. In Kona, most shops in shopping plazas that are geared toward tourists remain open until 9. Big outlets such as KTA (a supermarket in Kona Coast Shopping Center) or Wal-Mart on Henry Street are open until midnight.