Things to do in Hilo
Hilo is on the northeastern side of Hawaiʻi Island, built around a crescent-shaped bay, the seat of county government and home to Hilo International Airport. It grew from a farming and fishing area into a commercial center for the sugar industry. Downtown faces Hilo Bay along Kamehameha Avenue, with shops, restaurants, the Palace Theatre and the Hilo Farmers Market, and many of its wooden storefronts are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Staying in Hilo? Ask the concierge what's close.73
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Travel guide
Top Hilo activities
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Attractions near Hilo
All attractions ▸Rainbow Falls (Waianuenue)A waterfall in Wailuku River State Park in Hilo, known for the rainbow that forms in its mist on many mornings.Kulaniapia FallsA waterfall on private property in Hilo, open by advance reservation, where swimming depends on river conditions.Nani Mau Gardens20-acre botanical garden in Hilo with Japanese garden and orchidsLiliuokalani GardensLargest authentic Japanese garden outside Japan, spanning 30 acres along Hilo Bay with pagodas, stone lanterns, koi ponds, and ocean views.Lyman MuseumA museum on Haili Street in Hilo.Richardson Ocean ParkA County park in Hilo on a rocky shoreline with a seawall, lifeguards and a large pond.Carlsmith Beach ParkA County beach park in Hilo with a protected white sand lagoon, lifeguards and showers.Pe'epe'e FallsA waterfall on the Wailuku River above Boiling Pots in Wailuku River State Park, Hilo.
About Hilo
The Pacific Tsunami Museum tells how tsunamis in the last century forced Hilo to rebuild farther inland, with parkland as a buffer. Hilo's museums include the Lyman Mission House and Museum and the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center, and ʻImiloa Astronomy Center is at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. Liliʻuokalani Gardens has Japanese-style fishponds, pagodas and rock gardens. A short drive west on Waiānuenue Avenue leads to Wailuku River State Park, home of Waiānuenue (Rainbow Falls) and Peʻepeʻe Falls.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is southwest of Hilo, under an hour's drive away.
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