Things to Do in Hilo, Big Island
Best Time to Explore Hilo
The best things to do in Hilo cluster around the east-side rain: waterfalls fed by it, gardens grown by it, and a bayfront that shrugs it off. Hilo is the Big Island's rainier, greener east-side base, with a working harbor, an easygoing downtown, and enough short stops to fill a day or two before you push on to Volcano or up the Hamakua Coast.
Plan around the weather rather than fighting it. Mornings are the better window for waterfalls, gardens, and bayfront walks. Rainy afternoons pair well with downtown shops, museums, and casual local food.
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1. Rainbow Falls
Rainbow Falls (Waiānuenue), inside Wailuku River State Park, is a short walk from the parking area to the main overlook. Go early for softer light and a better chance of seeing the falls before tour vans stack up.
2. Hilo Farmers Market and Downtown Hilo
Hilo Farmers Market sits at Mamo Street and Kamehameha Avenue, one block off the bay. Produce stands, cut flowers, snacks, and shops make it an easy first stop before waterfalls, or a low-key plan when the rain settles in.
3. Liliuokalani Gardens and Coconut Island
Liliuokalani Gardens sits along Hilo Bay with ponds, arched bridges, stone lanterns, and pagodas in an authentic Japanese-garden layout. Coconut Island (Mokuola) sits just offshore, but its footbridge collapsed on November 14, 2025, and the County lists the island as closed until further notice. Confirm current access with Hawaii County Parks and Recreation before you plan to cross. The gardens themselves are still worth a slow loop for the views back across the bay.
4. Hilo Bayfront: Where to Walk and When
Hilo Bay is the connective tissue between most of the stops on this page. The walking path along Bayfront Highway runs from near the farmers market past Liliuokalani Gardens and out toward Coconut Island — a flat mile or so with Mauna Kea over your shoulder on a clear morning. Go before mid-morning for calmer water and less traffic noise. Pair the walk with the market on one end and the gardens on the other and you have built a full Hilo morning without moving the car. Skip the swim: the bay is a working harbor, not a snorkel spot.
5. Richardson Ocean Park
Richardson Ocean Park is the shoreline stop most locals send visitors to, with black sand, lava-rock coastline, and tide pools along the edge. Check ocean conditions before swimming, especially after heavy rain or a north swell.
6. Hamakua Coast Day Trip
Use Hilo as a base for the drive north up the Hamakua Coast. Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve & Garden and Akaka Falls State Park are both north of town and work as half-day extensions when you want more waterfalls, rainforest, and coastal scenery. If you want that east-side terrain from the air, compare Big Island helicopter routes before choosing a Hilo-side or west-side departure — the view of the coast is very different depending on where you lift off.
How to Plan Your Time in Hilo
Allow: A full day for town and the Hamakua Coast; 3–4 hours for Hilo itself. Best for: Waterfalls, gardens, local food, and a slower East Hawaii day.
Choose a different plan if: You primarily want reliably dry beach weather; base that day on the Kona side.
Hawaii Guide's recommended order
- Rainbow Falls: Start early, before pairing the falls with downtown.
- Hilo Farmers Market and bayfront: Use the middle of the day for food, town, and the waterfront.
- Richardson Ocean Park or the Hamakua Coast: Pick the coast according to weather and how much driving you want.
Planning tip: Keep a rain layer in the car and make the waterfall-and-garden stops the priority on a wet day.
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Where to Stay and Eat Nearby
Use these nearby hotel and restaurant ideas as a practical base for planning more time around Hilo.
Hotels near Hilo
- Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo - a DoubleTree by Hilton (Hilo)
- Castle Hilo Hawaiian Hotel (Hilo)
- Hilo Reeds Bay Hotel (Hilo)
- Old Hawaiian B&B (Hilo)
Restaurants near Hilo
- Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine (Hilo, Hawaiian)
- Cafe Pesto (Hilo, Italian)
- Big Island Grindz (Hilo, Casual)
- Bangkok Villa (Hilo, Thai)
Published by: John C. Derrick
Founder & certified Hawai'i travel expert with 20+ years in Hawai'i tourism, University of South Carolina climate-research training, and NOAA weather-station experience.
