FREE THINGS TO DO IN HILO, HAWAII

  • 1. Rainbow Falls – Rainbow Falls is a waterfall located in Hilo, Hawaii. It is 80 ft tall and almost 100 ft in diameter. The falls are part of the Hawai’i State Parks. There is no fee to see the falls. At Rainbow Falls, the Wailuku River rushes into a large pool below.
  • 2. Hilo Farmers Market – MARKET HOURS: Big Market Days * RECOMMENDED DAY TO VISIT AND SHOP WEDNESDAY and SATURDAY 6:00 am – 4:00 pm. Over 200 Vendors of Local Farmers, Retailers, Food Trucks, Restaurants, Artisans and Crafters. Small Market Days Monday, Tuesday, Thursday Friday and Sunday 7:00 am – 4:00 pm. 20 to 30 Vendors. Local Farmers, Retailers, Food Trucks, Restaurants, Artisans and Crafters. *The Hilo Farmers Market is a Must-See Experience on the Big Island. A Local Favorite Food Hub, Selling Tropical Flowers, Orchids and Plants. Specialty Hawaiian Items from Honey Producers, Coffee Growers, and other Food Product Developers. Local Favorite Dishes such as Poke Bowls, Ice Shave, Loco Mocos and More! The Islands Largest Weekly Collection of Artisans, Crafters and Retailers in a Festive Outdoor Atmosphere that Recalls Back to the “Plantation” Days of Early Hilo. Located at the Corner of Mamo Street and Kamehameha Avenue in Historic Downtown Hilo. Open All Year Round. From Dawn til It’s Gone!
  • 3. Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station – The Onizuka Center for International Astronomy, also known as Hale Pōhaku, is a complex of support facilities for the telescopes and other instruments that comprise the Mauna Kea Observatory atop Mauna Kea, on Hawaiʻi island.
  • 4. Carlsmith Beach Park – Local park & picnic area featuring lagoons for swimming, snorkeling & sea turtle-watching.
  • 5. Kaumana Caves Park – This park offers a quick diversion into a lava tube. You can descend on a metal ladder into a skylight in a lava tube that was created by an 1881 flow from Mauna Loa. Unfortunately, you cannot explore this long tube because it immediately travels underneath private property. There are no admission fees, and the park features restrooms and picnic tables.
  • 6. Liliʻuokalani Gardens – Liliʻuokalani Park and Gardens is a 24.14-acre park with Japanese gardens, located on Banyan Drive in Hilo on the island of Hawaiʻi. The park’s site was donated by Queen Liliʻuokalani, and lies southeast of downtown Hilo, on the Waiakea Peninsula in Hilo Bay.
  • 7. Richardson Ocean Park – The black sand beach closest to Hilo, Richardson is a good place to go snorkeling and swimming with tide pools, calm water and picnic area.
  • 8. Panaewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens – Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo is located in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, United States. This small 12-acre zoo is the only one in the United States located in a rainforest. It is operated by Hawaii County and receives its funding from the county and from private donations.
  • 9. Pepeekeo Scenic Drive – This is a lovely 4 mile scenic ride through verdant green tunnels over one lane bridges and with a chance to go down to the ocean or visit a botanical garden.
  • 10. Coconut Island – Coconut Island, or Moku Ola is a small island in Hilo Bay, just offshore from Lili’uokalani Park and Gardens, in Hilo, off the island of Hawaii. It is a small park, and is connected to the main island via a footbridge.

RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS NEAR THE CRUISE PORT