Hilo Town

Downtown Hilo

Downtown Hilo, 40 minutes north of Volcano, is lush and green, with large parks and a historic district full of interesting shops and small eateries with wonderful food from some of the many ethnicities that call Hilo home. It is famous for its near-daily rainbows and warm, friendly local culture. A short drive north of Hilo will take you past the popular surf spot of Honoliʻi and up to gorgeous Akaka Falls. Hilo itself boasts the Imiloa Astronomy Center, the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center, The Pacific Tsunami Museum, and numerous galleries and coffeehouses. Dinner choices run from Vietnamese to Indian to Italian cuisines. History buffs will enjoy the plantation-era Lyman House Museum.

Farmers Market

The Hilo Farmers Market is held every Wednesday and Saturday at the intersection of Kamehameha Avenue and Mamo Street, and is easy to find as it is extremely popular with residents and visitors alike. Here, you can find over 200 vendors offering prepared foods ready to eat, mounds of fruits and vegetables, baked goods, jams and jellies, heaps of avocados and coconuts, and an adjacent market selling local clothes, jewelry, arts and crafts, and a wide variety of keepsakes. There are also several food trucks of various ethnicities of cuisine. Hilo is only roughly 40 minutes north of Volcano. Market hours are 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a larger market on Saturday.
Pohoiki Beach - Pre - Eruption
Richardsons Snorkling

Keaukaha

Hilo is not generally known for its beaches but there are some hidden, unexpected gems. Where Highway 11 meets Kamehameha Avenue, turn right, or east, along the coastline until the road ends in about 5 miles. On the ocean side of the road you will find a series of small, bustling parks with rocky and sandy entrances, the three best known of which are Keaukaha, Carlsmith, and Richardonʻs beach parks. Ocean conditions are a bit more changeable on this side of the island, so take the time to observe the ocean for a while before entering. These somewhat protected bays, beloved by locals, are rich in reef fishes, and Hawaiian green sea turtles feeding on algae are commonly seen along this coast. From the months of December, to April, humpback whales can be seen in nearshore waters.

Wailuku River

The Wailuku River, the second-longest river in Hawaiʻi, courses through Hilo and into Hilo Bay. Generations of residents have grown up swimming and adventuring in and around this river, which is often in flood due to heavy rains, and therefore rich in waterfalls of various heights. Rainbow Falls, about 30 miles from Volcano Village, is named for the spectacular near-daily rainbows that form in the mists of its 80ft. falls. Find it by following Waianuenue Avenue inland and uphill from Kamehameha Avenue and looking for the turnout near Hilo Medical Center.
ARH Hawaii Falls

Shopping & Restaurants

Island Naturals

1221 Kilauea Ave
808.935.5533
Hours – 7AM – 8PM

KTA

321 Keawe ST
808.935.3751
Hours – 7AM – 9 PM

Safeway

381 Makaala ST
808.339.3795
Hours – 6AM – 12AM

Hilo Bay Café

123 Lihiwai St
808-935-4939

Café Pesto

308 Kamehameha Ave
808-969-6640

Jackie Rey’s

64 Keawe St
808-961-2572

Lucy’s Taqueria

194 Kilauea Ave
808-315-8246

Miyo’s

564 Hinano St
808-935-2273

Hawaiian Style Café

681 Manono St, #101
808-969-9265

Secure Your Reservation