What To Do In Hilo For A Day: Explore the beautiful paradise of Hawaii’s Big Island, where fun and rest go hand in hand. There are a lot of fun things to do on the Big Island, like walking up an active volcano or going to one of the islands’ unique beaches with white, black, and green sand. Even though it’s very big, the island is very diverse. It covers four of the world’s five main temperature zones.Â
Imagine being in a desert, a tropical jungle, and a frozen desert all on the same day! The Big Island has so many things to do that you could spend your whole life there, but we’ve picked twenty must-see spots that will make your trip truly special. Come along with us as we explore this beautiful island’s sights. It has the perfect mix of amazing scenery and exciting things to do.
How to Spend One Day in Hilo
We really enjoy staying at Kailua-Kona because it’s where we start our trips to see the Big Island. When we went to Volcano National Park for the last time in January, we didn’t plan to go there.
It was our choice to spend the night near Volcano Village in Fern Forest, even though we could have made the trip in one long day. This choice was affected by the fact that our dog Hattie and baby Henry hate long car rides. There needs to be more to see and do in Hawaii for us to drive for too long.
Before leaving our Airbnb in Kona Coffee Country, we booked a one-night stay at Fern Forest through Airbnb.
North of the Saddle Road (Route 200), through Waimea (Parker Ranch’s cowboy area), and along the Hamakua Coast. We really want to go back to the Mauna Kea Visitor Center, even though Henry wasn’t very interested in it this time.
From Kona to Volcano National Park, you can take the southern way around the island, but you have to go through Hilo first. Because of this, Hilo is a great place to stop and check out the town.
We knew we wouldn’t have a full day in Hilo because of the time it would take to get there and stay at our end destination. For people like us who only have eight hours to see the city, this is the best way to see this cute and historically important Hawaiian town on Hilo Bay.
One Day in Hilo: What to Do in Hilo for the Day
Hawaii can be reached from Kona in three ways: through the middle, through the top, or the bottom. Taking Saddle Road, which goes through the middle and works almost like a highway, is the fastest and best option. But if you want a more beautiful trip, take the north shore road to Hilo and the Saddle Road back home.
If you have more than one day to spend on the Big Island, you could visit the Hamakua Coast on a different day. You should do everything in one day if you want to get the most out of your time at the beach, pool, or lodge. If you want to start your day off right, Arvo Cafe in Waimea is a great place to go. They serve great coffee and toast with creamy avocado or Nutella.
To begin your trip, take Highway 19 up to the north shore of the island. Visit the Waipio Valley Overlook on a side trip to the West of Honokaa. Because of safety worries, the valley isn’t open to the public right now, but the overlook has a great view of the lush, tropical surroundings.
Enjoy the drive east on Highway 19 toward Hilo, and stop at any interesting places you come across along the way. This part of the walk might make you think of the beautiful scenery along the road from Maui to Hana.
Soon, you should plan a trip to Akaka Falls State Park. Akaka Falls, Hawaii’s most famous waterfall, is about 11 miles north of Hilo. It’s only a half-mile walk through the beautiful jungle to get to the 400-foot-tall falls, which are in a great spot.
Our Favorite Hilo 1-Day Itinerary
The whole world has been looking forward to this plan. Island time was made on the Big Island, where you are on vacation (though Kauai, with its laid-back vibe, might argue otherwise). Even so, you can be free.
Learn about the best things to do in Hilo so you can say, “Yeah, I’ve been to Hilo. It’s a great place.”
Hilo is a great town with lots to see and do. People from even big places like Singapore and Chicago can fully enjoy it in just one day.
Here are some things you can do in Hilo for one day. Going down this road with my family made me look at Hilo real estate ads on Zillow.
Hilo Things to Do on a Rainy Day
Some great shops, bars, and restaurants are just a five- to ten-minute walk away in Hilo’s small but busy downtown area. So, even though this schedule looks long, you can do everything on foot.
HiŻo Falls in Hawaii
In the Hilo area, you have to see a waterfall. It can’t be worked out. If you go to or from Hilo in one of two ways, you can see two beautiful waterfalls.
Explore the Hilo Area in a Day
Hilo is in the northeastern part of the Big Island. The area is known for its beautiful natural features. Beautiful beaches, well-kept gardens, interesting tropical jungles, and waterfalls are a few of these things.
When making our plans, we carefully thought about how many days we would like to spend on the Big Island of Hawaii. On this page, you can see options for one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven-day plans. You can make the most of your time (and money) on the Big Island by following these plans. They will help you see the island and see its main sites. We want your trip to Hawaii’s Big Island to be everything you hoped it would be, so we have things for both people who want to go on adventures and people who want to relax on the beach.
To make the schedule days for each island, including the Big Island, we put places together based on how close they were to each other. On Volcano Day, for example, you’ll find the best things to do, such as climbing trails and sights, in the Volcano area of the Big Island. We don’t stress following our plans in order because it might be too hard. Instead, think of them as an easy-to-use tool for planning your trip. Please think of us as your Wayfinder’s guide to Hawaii’s Big Island. We suggest making day-by-day plans and setting aside time for the most important events and sights first. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, you can switch days. Just remember always to keep your attention on the main sights. In this way, the less interesting sites will be the ones you should avoid at all costs.
Why You Should Take a Day Trip to Hilo Hawaii
The beautiful and peaceful Kohala on the western coast of the Big Island is the crown jewel of a nearly perfect Hawaiian paradise. One of the best things to do in Hawaii is to take a vacation in or near Kailua-Kona. The beaches are white and clean, the days are calm and pleasant, and there are lots of things to do. There are enough interesting things to do on the east side of the Big Island to keep you busy for at least a day trip, even if all you do is watch the sunset from the shore.
Hawaii Arts and Culture Center East:
Sculptors, singers, quilt makers, and other artists from the area show their work at the East Hawaii Cultural Center, which is a great place for creative people to visit. There are many ways to connect with the Hilo art community at the East Hawaii Cultural Center, which also hosts regular events that are sure to educate guests.
There is a National Park of Volcanoes in Hawaii.
A lot has been written about the park and its many features, but if you are coming from the West, the first thing you should do is stop in Hilo for lunch or dinner. Hilo has a lot to offer besides the park, so it’s a good idea to find a hotel and spend the night relaxing before making the long and sometimes difficult journey back across the island to Kailua-Kona in the morning.
Wonderful Restaurant Choices:
Some really great cooks in Hilo make delicious American, Thai, and Japanese food with a Hawaii-inspired twist. Hilo is a great place to start your trip around the Big Island because there are so many great places to eat, from the expensive Hilo Bay Cafe to the less expensive but still delicious ‘Imiloa Sky Garden.
The Island of Coconuts:
This small island is in Hilo Bay, close to Liliuokalani Park and Gardens. It has a large grassy place for picnics, a swimming area, and other amenities. It’s a public park so that weekends can get busy. But from the water, the island has beautiful views of Hilo Bay. For kids, the seaside swimming area with a diving board is the most fun.
Is Hilo Hawaii worth visiting?
If you only have 4-5 days, perhaps spent 1 day in Hilo and the rest of your time in Kona and Volcanoes National Park. Kona and Hilo are both worth visiting – just adjust your schedule based on whether you prefer beaches and upscale shops or rainforests and history. You can’t go wrong with either destination!
Hilo has buildings from the 1830s to the 1960s, so the atmosphere is more raw and natural, which is more like Hawaii than Kona, where buildings look more finished and modern.
There are lots of used bookstores, coffee shops, and art galleries in the old Hilo area that are ready for you to check out.
There are beaches close by where you can swim, surf, and fish, and each one is different from the others.
Hilo has a lot of great things to offer. Some of my favorites are the Pana’ewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens, the beautiful Pepe’ekeo Drive, and the amazing Rainbow Falls.
Check out the many reasons why you should visit Hilo on your trip to the Big Island. Find out what makes this place interesting to visit and explore the wealth that lies ahead!
What is special about Hilo?
On the geographic flipside of the volcanic Kohala Coast, the region is blessed with dramatic waterfalls, fertile rainforests and blooming gardens. It’s also home to Hilo International Airport and is a convenient stop on your way to HawaiÊ»i Volcanoes National Park, located 45 minutes south.
The name “Hilo” refers to the town of Hilo as well as the larger areas of South and North Hilo. The song begins in Hilo-Hanakahi, a neighborhood near Ke-au-kaha named after Hilo’s famous chief Hanakahi. Three common spellings of Hilo are Hilo-one (sand Hilo), Hilo-Hanakahi, and Hilo-pali-ku (Hilo of the upright hill, east of the Wailuku River). This name comes from either the first night of the new moon or a Polynesian sailor. Hilo is the name of a type of sweet potato and a type of grass called mauhuhilo. The name itself can mean many things, like “to braid or twist.”
In Hilo’s writing, “to braid or twist” refers to a real event from history. When they got to Hilo by boat, Kamehameha told one of his followers to keep the canoe safe. When Kamehameha came back, he was thankful and worried about the boat that wasn’t being watched. The disciple showed how he used a braided cord to tie the boat. Because it was first worn in Hilo, this braid is now known as Hilo braid.
Is Hilo a walkable city?
Downtown Hilo offers a unique, local shopping experience in a few easy-to-walk blocks. Discover gifts and souvenirs, galleries featuring Big Island artists, sports adventure stores, vintage Hawaiiana, and more as you stroll the streets.
The simple layout of downtown Hilo is what makes it interesting. You can easily walk around and find shops, bars, and historical sites. You can get the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association’s walking tour map from the Historic Hawaii Foundation and look at it even if you can only make it to some places. This will help you understand the city’s geography, important sites, and architectural history.
After a hearty breakfast at Ken’s House of Pancakes, you can take a tour of the Lyman Museum and Mission House. The 1839 mission house is a fascinating look into Hawaii in the early 1800s, and the museum, which opened in 1931, tells stories about Hawaii’s natural and human past.
Pineapple’s is the only restaurant in the middle of Hilo where you can eat outside, and it’s a fun place to have lunch. At the corner of Mamo and Keawe streets, this famous spot offers a cool place to eat lunch or dinner, complete with live music and a lively streetside vibe. There are also happy hours.
Is it safe to walk around Hilo at night?
Hilo, as part of the United States, generally maintains good standards of safety. However, it’s always a smart approach to remain cautious when traveling solo, especially at night. Keep aware of your surroundings, stick to well-lit, busy areas, and avoid risky scenarios such as accepting rides from strangers.
Because Hilo is in the United States, it usually has good safety standards. But you should be careful, especially if you are going by yourself at night.
Be careful, go to busy, well-lit areas, and stay away from situations that could be risky, like taking rides from people you don’t know. It’s always a good idea to take precautions, even if crime is rare. Luckily, most of the people who live there are nice and willing to help, which usually makes it a safe place to be.
How many days do you need in Hilo?
Then my opinion would be to stay 2 days/ 2 nights. Enough time to see Hilo, including the Farmers Market and the nearby falls. I agree 2 days/2nights. This is the ‘rainy’ side of BI and really you can see most of the waterfalls in the area in about an hour (plus Akaka Falls when you drive past).
When making a trip to the Hawaiian Islands and choosing how long to stay on Hawaii’s Big Island, there are a lot of things to think about. The point of this article is to help you figure out how long you should stay in Hawaii on your trip.
Your choices will determine which activities are most important, whether you want to relax on beautiful beaches or learn about volcanoes. We also talk about getting around the island, which is a big part of figuring out how long your trip will be. Lastly, we will help you make a plan that includes both exploring and relaxing.
This plan on how many days are best to stay on Hawaii’s Big Island takes all of these things into account to make sure you have a great trip.
A day trip to Hilo is an interesting adventure that includes the city’s many natural, cultural, and culinary sights. Any visitor to Hilo will remember its many attractions for a long time, whether they choose to savor the unique treats made by local cooks or get lost in the culture at the East Hawaii Cultural Center.Â
Being close to the beautiful Hawaii Volcanoes National Park lets you see how the Earth’s powerful forces are at work. On the other hand, Coconut Island is a quiet place to hide away with beautiful views of Hilo Bay.
Hilo is the spirit of the Big Island. You can spend the day enjoying nature, eating at great restaurants, or connecting with local art. You’ll always remember the good times you had in Hilo, both the city and the beautiful Big Island of Hawaii.