Hilo offers a variety of amazing activities to explore, including snorkeling at Richardson Ocean Park, exploring the depths of Kaumana Caves, trekking to Akaka Falls State Park, admiring the beauty of Rainbow Falls, spending the day at Kulaniapia Falls, marveling at Pe’epe’e Falls, enjoying the verdant gardens around Onomea Falls, and tasting at the Big Island’s first meadery. Experience Hawaii Volcanoes National Park’s geological wonders in the light of day and after sunset with a private Hilo Shore Excursion. Other highlights include Liliuokalani Gardens, Rainbow Falls, Kaumana Caves, Lava Tree Park, and the newest black sand beach. Hilo Shore Excursion offers Safari Lava Caves, Falls, and Highlights, as well as a day trip to Mauna Kea Summit Sunset and Stargazing Tour. Activities include day trips, waterfalls, hikes, scenic drives, beaches, culture, museums, and outdoor adventures. For those seeking serenity, Liliuokalani Gardens and Banyan Drive are recommended. Hilo is known for its lush gardens, waterfalls, and stunning natural beauty, with attractions like Akaka Falls State Park, Rainbow Falls, and Big Island Waterfalls.
📹 BIG ISLAND HAWAII, TOP 15 things to Do, Kona, Hilo, Waipio Valley, Hawaii Volcanoes NP, Akaka Falls
I’m excited to share with you one of my favorite Hawaiian islands The BIG Island! Over the years, I’ve been to most of the …
Is Hilo worth visiting?
Hilo, a city on the Big Island, offers a unique blend of natural attractions and urban experiences. It’s home to the University of Hawaii-Hilo, a college town with a vibrant atmosphere. The city is home to live music, festivals, art galleries, and restaurants, as well as the Imiloa Astronomy Center, Lyman Museum, Pacific Tsunami Museum, and numerous talks and lectures. The Panaewa Rainforest Zoo, the only rainforest zoo in the US, is also a must-see. Despite being over 2 hours away from Kailua-Kona, Hilo is a convenient base for exploring scenic highways, waterfall tours, and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Can I get around Hilo without a car?
The Hele-in bus is the cheapest way to get around the Big Island, but it has long transit times and infrequent connections. It is meant for workers and departs early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Taxis, Uber, and Lyft are available on the Big Island since 2017, but taxis are not cheap and are mostly in and around Kona. To use these services, users must install their respective apps on their smartphone. Taxis are present in and around Kona but not cheap, so it’s worth exploring alternatives if possible.
What is special about Hilo?
The downtown area of Hilo, Hawaii’s largest small town, features a variety of architectural styles, including centuries-old wooden storefronts and more contemporary structures. The area is also home to a number of cultural and artistic attractions, including galleries, shops, restaurants, and other sites of interest. Hāpuna Beach on the Kohala Coast is notable for its extensive white sand, while the Pololū Valley Lookout provides an impressive vantage point for observing the northeastern coastline.
Is Hilo friendly to tourists?
Hilo, a charming, tropical, and laid-back city on the Big Island, is a favorite among tourists due to its rainy weather, friendly people, and slower pace compared to Kona. Located near the Maunakea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, Hilo is home to students, culture, orchids, and is the capital of the Big Island. With a population of nearly 45, 000, it is more than three times as populous as Kailua Kona and is home to nearly a quarter of all Hawaiʻi island residents.
What does Hilo have to offer?
Hilo, located on the east coast of Hawai’i, is a tropical paradise with lush rainforests, coastal views, black sand beaches, and volcanic landscapes. The town is a mix of art galleries, shops, restaurants, and features Liliuokalani Park and Gardens, a tropical zoo, and a tropical zoo. The climate is tropical and humid, with frequent showers but short rain periods. The best time to visit is September-November, when off-peak crowds and lower prices are available.
Is Hilo a walkable city?
The downtown Hilo area offers a distinctive shopping experience, with a compact urban layout that facilitates pedestrian navigation. The district encompasses a diverse range of retail establishments, including gift shops, art galleries, specialty stores offering outdoor recreation and sporting goods, and vintage Hawaiiana. Furthermore, visitors have the opportunity to experience the Tsunami Museum, the Farmers Market, and live music. A self-guided walking tour allows visitors to explore Historic Downtown Hilo at their own pace for approximately one hour.
Where to walk around in Hilo?
The top 15 trails in Mauna Kea include the Sunset Hill Trail, Rainbow Falls Upper Lookout, Kaumana Caves, Waiʻale Falls Trail, Liliuokalani Botanical Garden, Banyan Drive, Coconut Island, Rainbow Falls, Boiling Pots Viewpoint, and Queen Liliuokalani Garden Loop.
📹 Best of Hilo | Shore Excursion | NCL
Start your tour with a leisurely drive through the “Hilo Walk of Fame” known for all the banyan trees that have been planted by …
Nice article! @0:17 Waipio Valley @1:27 Volcanoes National Park @2:21 Akaka Falls @3:09 Manta Ray Night Dive @4:00 Pololu Valley @4:37 Mauna Kea @5:10 Green Sands Beach @5:51 Punalu’u Black Sand @6:20 Isaac Hale Beach Park/Pohoiki Black Sand @6:50 Rainbow Falls @7:20 Pu’ukohola Heiau Historic Site @7:48 Lava Tubes @8:24 Kona Coffee @8:57 Lapakahi State Historical Park @9:25 Luau -you’re welcome! ~
Gonna add a few things, if youre gonna see the shores, especially the rocky ones or ones with plenty of waves, NEVER turn your back on the ocean, its something locals know, especially opihi pickers and shore fishermen, the waves can sneak up on you and take you out or slam you against reef or rocks. If you get dragged out to sea by rip currents, dont fight it, let it take you or swim parallel to shore, youll just exhaust yourself and drown, eventually itll take you to a more calm area. Dont leave your valuables in your car, especially in tourist areas, theres a lot of good people here but theres also crooks and crackheads here too, rental cars are easy to spot. Dont try to be hot shit and jump off rainbow falls, youre not the first to try, and it seems like each year, at least one tourist dies, you die an idiot and no one feels bad for you. Goes for boiling pots too, dont swim in it if you dont know what youre doing. Dont swim or drink from rivers, we have wild pigs and they can carry some disease, they crap near rivers and it gets into some streams. Idr what diseases they are but theyre serious ones. The tap water in hilo tastes great, if youre in kona, get bottled water, it tastes like crap there. And as others have mentioned, and very important, DONT BE AN ASSHOLE, treat others with respect, in person and on the road, be courteous, and youll likely get the same treatment. People here dont ‘’hate haoles’’, they hate how many from the mainland act, some mainland people come here with respect and get along fine all their lives living here, theres assholes from the mainland that act up and get their asses beaten and move back to the mainland and cry that hawaiians are racist.
Beautiful! Mahalo for taking the time to make this article and showing off the incredible scenery from all around the island. To all the locals out there. I understand that there’s a good amount of you who are criticizing and being disrespectful to this man for mispronouncing “Kamehameha”. Shame on you! Where is your Aloha spirit? This man already >>apologized in advance<< for his >>poor pronunciation<< at the >>beginning of this article<<. (Watch again if you missed it) Many tourists and even locals butcher Hawaiian names everyday! I know this because I have been living on the Big Island my entire life. Don’t make like you haven’t butchered a name, phrase, chant before. At least he’s making an effort to learn about our island and culture. I can see that this man respects the island and the people more so than most tourists and even locals. He also took the time to show us the beauty of our ʻĀina. So Mahalo for that! Show some "Aloha" Look up the "aloha spirit"
Thank you so much for this amazing information about our favorite island. At 76 and 77, my hubby and I wouldn’t be able to experience all of these wonderful scenes, ourselves, on the Big Island. So this article was truly magical. God bless you for your gift of sharing. God bless Hawaii. Love from Arizona.
I live in Kona and take all my visitors to most of what you’ve put down as “musts”. However, you forgot a big one: Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park (Place of Refuge). I specifically take them here to let them understand the beauty of Hawaiian culture and engineering. It is a place of great beauty. I usually, if open, include the Painted Church since it’s on the way down. You’ve done a wonderful and respectful narration of things to do/see. Thank you for your investment in time and resources for doing this service.
☺️ Everytime I go to the Big Island I bring my lightweight jungle survival hammock with some basic gear that fits in my backpack and go to my “secret” campground outside hilo for 4-6 days of a 10 day trip depending on weather and length of stay. It keeps me close to town and all the amenities while giving me some real seclusion… During covid most of the obscure areas are even more empty than normal and make for a very cheap vacation if you budget properly.
Aloha, 🤙🏽 you did a very nice review of our island and you were pono! Your sharing is done very respectfully and it’s okay if you mispronounced a few words as you are learning snd you are trying your best! All good as we know when you come back you will get it. It takes time🌺. I am glad others shared a few other places too. Mahalo nui!
Waipio is probably not a great idea for visitors at the moment. Definitely don’t be driving your rental jeep down the already busy road. If you visit the overlook try to go early or late in the day to avoid the lack of parking. Show respect, tread lightly, and be aware that this road was not designed to handle the amount of use that it currently is seeing.
My favorite coffee on the Big Island is at the Ka’u Coffee Mill. Not that far out of the way if you’re going down to Ka’u where the Green Sand Beach is. Go to the coffee gift shop. They have a variety of coffee and roasts there. Their dark roasts are to die for. And for this reason I actually prefer it over the Kona coffees.
Without the hassle of boating, check out Manta Ray Advocates. I was a bit disappointed we didn’t have a huge blue pretty square out a few hundred yards from shore. Then we swam a few meters from shore and spent 40 unbelievable minutes swimming and perusal these majestic creatures! The night of a lifetime!
Nice article! Did you realize you did 8 and 9 out of order ?! 🙂 1) Waipio Valley 2) Hawaiian Volcanos NP 3) ‘Akaka Falls State Park 4) Manta Ray Dive/Snorkel (Kona) 5) Pololu Valley (hike > valley floor river) 6) Manua Kea (tallest > 4wd to top, cold) 7) Papakolea Green Sand Beach 9) Punalu’u Black Sand Beach 8) Isaac Hale Beach Park & Pohoiki Black Sand Beach 10) Rainbow Falls 11) Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historic Site 12) Lava Tubes (Nahuku – Thurston Lava Tube) 13) Kona Coffee 14) Lapakahi State Historical Park 15) Luau.
Honestly, I”m pretty bummed out Hawaii has blown up as much as it has. It’s becoming increasingly over populated and not everyone treats it with the utmost respect. We keep blowing it up like this and literally all of those sacred, well kept spots are exposed. sadly, they quickly become less and less sacred with more traffic and development.
Please do not go to Mauna Kea, it insults The native Hawaiians to have tourists tromping on sacred sites and sacred grounds. There are many other places to see. Tourists leave their trash and disrespect the culture. You are coming here because it’s special. So many tourists are brash and inconsiderate. Would you want tourists stomping into your churches and cemeteries? There are burials there. Have respect. Thank you.