Location: Hilo
Top Things to do in Hilo
Things to do in Hilo, Hawaii (HI): The Best Outdoor Activities
The landscape of Hilo, on the Big Island of Hawaii, is diverse. Beaches of black, gray, brown and white sand give way to mountains and dramatic waterfalls. Hilo's Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo is the only U.S. zoo in a tropical rainforest. A day trip away are snow-capped Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, with observatories near 11,000 feet on both mountains, and Kilauea Caldera, an active volcano. Back in town are a farmer's market, restaurants, shopping and banyan trees planted by celebrities and politicians.
Restaurants in Hilo
1. Maikai Ohana Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 440 reviews
Aloha! We are a Hilo-based tour company providing small-group sightseeing tours to Japanese guests and also Japan escorted tours to Hawaii locals. All of our Hawaii and Japan tours are carefully planned and created by us, professional Japanese/English speaking guides. Please join us!! Mahalo!
2. Arnott's Lodge and Hiking Adventures
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 581 reviews
Arnott's Lodge and Hiking Adventures is a unique and special place for people to spend their Hawaiian stay on the Big Island and take our tours. Our tours consists of Mauna Kea Sunset/Stargazing, Volcano National Park, Big Island Eruption Encounter and Frozen Fire Tour. We also do private and custom tours to cater to your needs. Arnott's Lodge and Hiking Adventures was established in 1990 and we continue to give our guests an experience they'll never forget. Take advantage of our discounted tours when you stay with us for a minimum of 1 night. We provide a place to pitch your tent, dormitories, semi-private units, suites, deluxe and deluxe suites.
3. KapohoKine Adventures
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3,399 reviews
Bringing the BEST of Hawaii to YOUR adventure! KapohoKine Adventures carries the brands you want like Keen and Salomon shoes, Patagonia rain jackets, and GoPro cameras and accessories. Our downtown Hilo store is an adventure hub. Check out our helicopter, zipline, and volcano tours. We also offer unique tours combining helicopter flights plus zipline and volcano adventures.
4. Big Island Aina Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 201 reviews
Hawaii Volcano Tours start in Hilo or at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Visitor Center. Hilo Shore Excursions include the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Rainbow Falls, Hilo Black Sand Beach and an Orchid Farm. Private Tours can also include Macadamia Farm or other locations. Custom tours also available. We are a family owned and run business. We perform small group tours with a maximum of 10 guests or private tours. We provide enjoyable informative tours. We walk with you at each stop to explain the sights and formations that we will see along the tour.
5. Lavaland Hawaii
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 488 reviews
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Tours, Rainforest Tours, Lava Hikes, Birding Tours in the most beautiful places on the Big Island of Hawaii.
6. Mauka Makai Adventures
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 564 reviews
Mauka Makai Adventures specializes in personalized tours of the Big Island of Hawaii. Visit the active Kilauea volcano, witness molten lava flows, explore tropical valleys with waterfalls, and beautiful black sand beaches. See all that Hawaii has to offer from the mountain (mauka) to the sea (makai). Aloha, e komo mai!
7. Kamaaina Custom Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 191 reviews
Please view our rates and visit our site at kamaainacustomtours.com. Private Full-Service Custom SUV tours of Hawaii Island. Competitively priced All-Inclusive Charter rates. Combination Volcano and Waterfall/Rainforest Tours available. Hike a lava tube and swim with Green Sea Turtles! Snorkel the shallow coral reefs at a Black Sand Beach. Two Chevy Suburbans for larger groups. Special couple's packages available. An array of fresh local fruit, local snacks and full beverage service are provided. WINNER OF CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE 2014-2019.
8. Lava Ocean Tours Inc
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,290 reviews
Lava Ocean Tours is your front row seat to feel the heat onboard our 40+ft high speed aluminum catamarans. Our Lava Boat Tours are world famous for delivering the best views of the active lava touching the sea dont wait till its to late to experience the magic of lava sizzling into the sea.
9. Native Hawaiian Lava
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 55 reviews
Meeting Point " Uncle Awe Bar ". Lava Walking Day And Night. Extreme Or Regular Tours.
Reviewed By CAtravelerCA
here was review I wrote for our hotel- VNP/Hilo side prior to Fairmont: If you are staying at the Fairmont and our planning a day trip it is definitely doable but I am very thankful that we had lodging near the VNP and 2 nights was great to have to enjoy that side- 3 might have been a little better but we were ready for poolside relaxing and thought our trip was planned excellently to meet our needs. We hiked the crater ~ 4 miles, Thurston lava tubes, Kilauea Overlook, Steam vents, sulphur banks, Jagger Museum, visitor centers, viewing area up at VNP. Down near ocean we rented bikes and rode into the park then hiked to surface lava flow and then viewed ocean entry lava flow. We saw lava via helicopter tour and as well took a boat tour to watch the ocean entry lava flow up close. All were fun but my preferences for seeing lava would be #1 bike/hike to see surface lava flow #2 boat tour if ocean flow is currently happening #3 helicopter. The helicopter tour was nice but it added frustration, nuissance, and loss of $$$ out of my wallet. The weather is unpredictable on the Hilo side. We have to prebook this expensive trip. The sky is solid grey with rain and thunder and the helicopter company will still not cancel the tour. You have to drive all the way to the airport. Pay to Park, check in for your tour, watch safety briefing and then sit till 5 minutes before tour time at which at that point when it is still dark skies, pouring rain and thunder that they say sorry tour cancelled you can leave. If you don’t show up to check in you lose over $1k. I know it s business for them and weather can change but it was quite obvious twice that the tour would not happen— so not only did we not get to go on tour but we lost 3 hours twice of our vacation. When we did go on the tour yes it was beautiful but it wasn’t anything special to me- the lava was so far away compared to the other times we saw the lava . Helicopter $1500. Boat $500. Bike $50 The hike to the surface flow was amazing!!! Would highly suggest over all 3 options if surface flow is active and safe. While on Hilo side we visited Akaka Falls state Park - beautiful and worth the trip. Tidepools: Hilo side- Kapoho. Excellent afternoon sitting on the lava rock, snorkeling and enjoying the day. There is no parking in the residential area but the walk is easy and you can count dead frogs in the street along the way. Warm pools/Hot Springs Pohoiki & Ahalanui pond. This was fun to stop at these 2 sites after our early morning Lava Boat Tour. We did boat tour, tide pools, hot springs, Helicopter tour, Akaka falls then headed back to VNP lodge. We also visited Akatsuka Orchid Gardens, Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Farm, Pana’ewa Rainforest Zoo and Garden- We loved the Zoo sadly we only had about 1 hour to visit the zoo and would have been better if we would have 2-3 hours but we did walk the entire zoo in an hour. If you arrive 2 hours before closing you can also watch them feed a lot of the animals and take a more leisurely pace then we did with just an hour.
10. Hilo Ocean Adventures
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 159 reviews
Hilo Ocean Adventures is a family-friendly, safe, and exciting scuba diving store right in Hilo. With a strong commitment to fun, Hilo Ocean Adventures provides scuba certifications and dive tours in all the favorite shore spots- and more! We also have the only Dive/Snorkel boat in Hilo!! Whether to purchase some new gear, to fill a tank, or check the shore report, we can't wait to meet you!
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