Why You Shouldn't Miss Hilo When Visiting Hawaii

I had no idea what to expect when traveling to Hilo, Hawaii. I had been to Hawaii over a decade ago but to the island of Oahu. Hilo is on what is called the Big Island, which is much different than the high-traffic tourist island of Oahu. The Big Island has two main sides of the island, Hilo, and Kona. Hilo is on the east side of the island and although it’s the highest populated area of the island, parts of it feel as if you’re in a quaint town. The Big Island has a history of frequent tsunamis and is home to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

When we first got off the plane in Hilo, we were greeted with the warmth of the island and the smell of tropical flowers. Looking back, I’m so glad my luggage was delayed and arriving on the next flight because it gave us the opportunity to eat at Puka Puka Kitchen. It’s hands down one of the best meals we ate while in Hawaii and felt like we were home right when we sat down. We ordered the local lamb plate and fresh fish. Both were divine; I could have eaten here every day. Puka Puka Kitchen alone would be worth going to Hilo for!

On our way to our Airbnb in the quieter part of Hilo, we stopped at the Hilo Farmer’s Market. The market runs every day of the week, with the two largest market days being Wednesday and Saturday. The market is filled with fresh local fruit, vegetables, flowers, trinkets, and poke! After our first stop, we became regulars of the market buying our groceries and daily intake of small apple bananas. Plus, how could we not come back to visit our new gecko friends.

Near the Hilo Farmer’s Market is Liliʻuokalani Park and Gardens, a 24-acre park with Japanese gardens. The park is beautifully green with bamboo and stunning trees. This was the perfect place to walk around with a cup of coffee and plan out how we were going to spend the rest of our time in Hilo. Even though the Big Island can be driven around in 3 hours, there’s so much to do and see! Waterfalls, beaches, sea turtles, volcanoes, Hawaiian culture, and island food were all on our list.

Being us, hiking was high on the list. So we decided to pick hiking trails that lead to some of the most stunning waterfalls near Hilo. Although not much of a hike, Rainbow Falls was high on our list and it naturally should be while visiting Hilo. We could feel the power of the water from the 80-feet falls as we quietly stood to stare upon it. Island legends tell that the goddess of the moon, Hina, lives in the lava cave behind Rainbow Falls. Although we didn’t see the goddess, it sure felt magical as we enjoyed the falls all to ourselves.

Akaka Falls State Park was next on our hiking waterfall must-see. To get to the falls is a very short trek that takes you through stunning rainforest of ferns, trees, and orchids. The main waterfall at Akaka Falls State Park is 442-feet tall and quite the show-stopper. The waterfall is quite the contrast of color among the lush green rainforest. This was a more crowded trail, but well worth it. The short drive to get to the state park was also beautiful, with goat farms and grand estates among miles upon miles of green.

Next high on the list was exploring lava fields and Hawaii Volcano National Park. Although we only drove through the National Park due to the volcano erupting, it was still powerful to be among it all. This was a piece of nature I never expected to experience in my life. The air smelled of sulfur and ash covered the ground as we drove through the park. At night, we could see the erupting volcano from our Airbnb. It’s glow lit up the sky with yellow and orange. Looks like we’ll have to go back one day to actually explore the National Park.

What we were able to explore was Mauna Kea and the lava fields at its base. Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano as well as the highest point on the Big Island. Most of Mauna Kea is underwater and when measured from the base of the ocean, it’s actually the largest mountain in the world at over 32,000 feet. It was quite windy on Mauna Kea at the observatory, but the views were stunning. At one point it felt as if we were above the clouds. Below lies miles upon miles of black lava fields. The hardened lava is from thousands of years ago with evidence of life growing between the cracks. We wandered around the fields and enjoyed the beauty of where we were.

When most people think of Hawaii, they think of hours on the beach. We didn’t do this in Hilo, it’s not exactly our style. But we did make sure to visit Punalu’u Black Sand Beach. Although called a black beach, I was surprised how deep black the sand was. Large hardened lava met the ocean, towering over in some places. Along the sand basked gentle sea turtles. It’s common to see sea turtles here, sometimes even the endangered Hawksbill turtles. The beach is a safe sanctuary for them with a distance restriction. We enjoyed sharing the beach and watching them in the waves. I could have spent hours upon hours here.

Hilo is a magical slice of Hawaii. The fish was some of the freshest I’ve had, the local ingredients made making dinner taste delicious easy, and the people we so kind and welcoming. On many occasions, we were welcomed by locals and instantly referred to as family, as ohana. It’s part of what makes Hilo so special, feeling at home with your ohana.