It drizzled on and off the whole time I was in Hilo, but I still didn’t want to leave.
Hilo may be quieter than the sun-soaked Kona side of the Big Island, but this lush, rain-kissed town has a unique charm that’s easy to fall for. Tropical waterfalls, sea turtles in calm lagoons, vibrant local food spots, and easy access to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park make it a place that rewards slow exploration.
I left Hilo wishing I’d spent an extra day there. Even though it’s a little less flashy for tourists, I felt like the city deserved more time—there were cute shops, parks, and museums I didn’t get to explore, and I would have loved to experience it all at a more relaxed pace. This side of the island seemed to have more to offer than I expected.
Whether you’re planning to stop in Hilo on a Big Island of Hawaii road trip or are just wondering what to do in Hilo Hawaii, this guide covers all the best Hilo activities, some great food spots, and a few day trips to help you plan the perfect Hilo itinerary.
Quick summary:
Hilo may be the quieter side of the Big Island, but it’s full of hidden gems—from waterfalls and sea turtles to tropical cocktails and volcanic adventures. In this post, you’ll find the best things to do in Hilo, plus tips on where to eat, stay, and explore nearby.
Recommended tours:
💦 Majestic Waterfalls Tour from Hilo — See multiple epic waterfalls on a scenic rainforest tour
🐢 Sea Turtle Snorkel Tour at a Black Sand Beach — Swim alongside green sea turtles at a black sand beach
🌋 Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Day Tour — Explore an active volcano, lava fields, and craters
🔭 Stargazing tour on Mauna Kea — Watch galaxies and planets through telescopes under Hawaii’s clear night skies
Where to stay in Hilo, Hawaii:
We stayed in a private guesthouse in the outskirts of town near Rainbow Falls. It was comfortable and we had a pleasant stay, however, next time I think I’d go for something a little more resort-y next to the beach with an ocean view.
We walked past the Hilton Grand Naniloa Hotel while venturing out to Coconut Island, and I definitely think it looked like a nice Hilo accommodation option!
The 10 best things to in Hilo, Hawaii:
1. Take a look at Rainbow Falls
Rainbow Falls is one of the most popular attractions in Hilo. The waterfall is 24 metres (80 ft) tall and is surrounded by lush greenery in a rainforest setting. It was very easy to access as the parking lot is right beside the viewing area.
Apparently the falls reveal a rainbow in the mist on sunny mornings, though unfortunately it didn’t appear for us on the cloudy morning that we visited. Still, it was a nice spot!
💦 Want to see all the best Hilo waterfalls? Hop on a majestic waterfalls tour for a half-day excursion along the Big Island’s lush Hamakua Coast!
2. Visit Akaka Falls
Drive outside of Hilo to get to Akaka Falls, located in the nearby Akaka Falls State Park. The falls are 135 metres (442 ft) tall and are surrounded by dense rainforest, through which visitors follow a walking loop to access the falls viewpoint about 20-minutes in. There are some great photo spots on the walk and facilities at the trailhead.
The $20 we paid to access this spot ($5 each for site entry and $10 for parking) seemed a little steep for this activity, though you can probably save on the parking by pulling over further up the road from the entrance (in hindsight, that’s definitely what we should have done!).
💦 If you won’t have a car to drive out to this spot, you have the option of seeing it on a majestic waterfalls tour which takes you to all of the most amazing waterfalls around Hilo!
3. Have a drink at Pineapples
Pineapples is one of those places that everyone will tell you to visit if you’re in Hilo! They have a great open air bar in the middle of town with a fabulous cocktail menu. Famous for the ‘pow’ which is served in an entire pineapple!
We tried some of the other options such as the hibiscus coco, pineapple mojito, and the coconut mocktail with rum… and ended up staying for hours while enjoying the live music (a hobo guitarist) and lively vibes.
4. Grab a meal at Ola Brew
We went to this brewery because it was one of the only places open in Hilo on a Monday, but we were incredibly impressed with their offerings! Ola Brew had a nice selection of beers in a variety of sizes, with the 4oz taster being my fave for trying a few options.
The food was the biggest hit though – an Asian-American fusion menu from which we ordered Japanese curry fries with mango and pickled onion, followed by ice cream bao which tasted like churros (we paired it with the porter – great choice!).
5. Swim with sea turtles
I hadn’t seen a green sea turtle at any of the other snorkelling spots in Kona/Captain Cook, so I was ecstatic to see multiple turtles while swimming at Carlsmith Beach Park in Hilo! Two turtles (one of which was absolutely massive – over 1m long!) swam right past us and we lounged in the shallow waters of the lagoon. We saw another two frolicking next to the rocks after we got out of the water, so we stood by the shore to watch them for a good 10-15 minutes.
It’s important to note that if you spot a sea turtle in Hawaii, keep at least 10 ft (3m) distance to avoid disturbing them. These ocean dwellers are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and Hawaii has laws around purposefully getting too close.
🐢 You could also choose to see the local sea turtles on a guided black sand beach snorkel tour, which takes you a nearby coral reef to swim with these incredible sea creatures!
6. Check out Coconut Island
In the middle of Hilo Bay is Coconut Island, which is connected to the mainland by a footbridge. This is a popular spot for both locals and tourists to visit.
The island is very small, so it takes all of 5 minutes to walk around, but it’s a generally known as cool place to hang out and relax on a nice day. People will take picnics to have on the grass, go fishing, swim in the shallows, or even jump off an old stone tower into the deeper water below.
7. Visit the Pacific Tsunami Museum
Islands in the Pacific Ocean are susceptible to tsunamis, and the Pacific Tsunami Museum is designed to raise awareness and explore the science behind these natural yet impactful events through interactive exhibits, videos, and artifacts. The purpose of this little museum is to make people better prepared when a tsunami warning is issued, as well as acting as a memorial for past events. Opening hours are Tuesday–Saturday, 10AM-4PM.
8. Take a day trip to Volcanoes National Park
Hilo is the closest city to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and you should absolutely plan a day trip out there while you’re in town! It’s honestly one of the most incredible places I have visited.
Home to one of the most active volcanoes in the world, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park offers opportunities for hiking, sightseeing, and learning about the history and geology of a volcanic area. If you’ll have a car for your Hawaii Big Island road trip, it’s just a 45-minute drive to the park entrance so it’s easily do-able in a day.
🌋 You can also book a guided Volcanoes National Park day tour from Hilo that will take you out to the national park for an exciting day of exploring the active volcano and surrounding area.
9. Stargaze on Mauna Kea
One thing I didn’t get to do—but really wish I had—is head up to Mauna Kea for some stargazing. It looks absolutely epic. Apparently you can see planets, star clusters, nebulae—the whole cosmic show. If you’ve got the time, this would be such a cool way to spend an evening.
🔭 A Mauna Kea stargazing tour from Hilo will take you up Saddle Road to a prime spot for watching the night sky with telescopes. The guides are legit astronomy experts too, so you’re not just staring up at space with no idea what you’re looking at.
10. Drive up to Waipio Valley
When I was researching things to do around Hilo, Waipio Valley Overlook came up a few times a good day trip. Rob and I ended up doing a drive out there one of the days that we were in Hilo, and although it was a fairly easy drive at about 1-hour each way, I found the overlook itself to be kind of underwhelming. We were greeted with a fairly pretty view from the lookout point, but I wish I’d planned time to do the hike down to the black sand beach as well. It just would have been better to spend more time there than just drive out and back.
If you’ve got the time, then I’d suggest this activity as part of a day trip up the coast, but if you’re running short on time (like I was) then I’d suggest skipping it for some of the more nearby Hilo activities.
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