48 Hours in Hilo
Hilo is a wonderful town! Arthur and I have lived here collective for 8 years. We understand the Big Island is well, BIG, and you want to make the most of your time around the island. SO, we highly recommend spending at least 48 hours in Hilo. Try to be on this side (the east side) for either a Wednesday or Saturday for the markets.
Paul's Place
This is by far my favorite restaurant, EVER. You can't come to Hilo and not go to Paul's Place. They only serve breakfast and lunch. I recommend breakfast. Reservations are a must! There are only 3 tables that can fit 3 people max. Paul cooks right in front of you and every now and then sings a little song. Reservations aren't difficult to get a day or two in advance, but don't expect to walk in and be seated. It's intimate, the food is fantastic, and you will leave so happy. Tips are only accepted in cash. Don't miss this spot!
Hilo Farmer's Market
Open 7 days/week, but the most vendors set up on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Conveniently right around the corner form Paul's Place, the Hilo Farmer's Market has a ton of amazing produce! After breakfast, take a walk through the vendors and pick out the strangest fruit you can find. Unlike many Farmer's Markets we've been to, this one actually has produce more affordable than the grocery store. The market is broken up into sections. If you're walking from Paul's Place you'll hit gifts/crafts first. To the left will be a couple of food trucks, and across the street is produce and some pre-made food. I recommend doing a lap before purchasing anything. Produce vendors are cash only. Most gift/craft vendors will accept cards. Our favorite items: avocados, mangos, rambutan, and lychee. Favorite food truck: Papaya Salad from Ou’s Tahi Food (it's a little green trailer that says Papaya Salad on the side). Favorite gift vendor: Filthy Farm Girl Soap (no nasty ingredients with HILARIOUS soap names).
Uncle Robert's Awa Bar
If you're around on a Wednesday and don't mind a bit of a drive, head down to Uncle Robert's for an AWESOME night market. Music, food, gifts, hippies. It's something you want to experience. It's about a 45 minute drive from Hilo and starts around 5pm. They have some of the BEST food on the island. Must try the Ahi Nachos and Coconut Milk Ice Cream. There's a cash bar that is probably the most reasonably priced bar on the island. Parking can be a little tight on the side of the road, but if you drive all the way to the market there is a lot on the left hand side you can pay a few bucks and park all night.
Richardson's Beach Park
Grab your snorkel gear (or not, if thats not your thing) and head to Richardson's Beach Park! It's less than 15 minutes from the Downtown area and you'll have a pretty good chance of seeing green sea turtles. When the water is calm, it's relatively easy to get in and out of the ocean. There isn't a ton of coral here but the fish variety is pretty good. If you don't see any sea turtles while snorkeling, you might be able to see them snoozing in a near by tide pool. Walk past the lifeguard shack, to your right you will see a tide pool that connects to a deeper section where the turtles like to hang. To get to this deeper section you'll have to crawl across the rocks, over a small stream (at high tide you might have to get a little wet), then up and over more rocks. There's a sign that has been cemented into the rocks telling you to keep your distance from the turtles. Please respect the turtles and their habitat by not getting too close. They are still on the endangered list, so it's not only disrespectful to disturb them but it can also result in a hefty fine.
Rainbow Falls
Located in Hilo, this waterfall is quit the sight to see. This is one of those waterfalls where you drive up and it's practically right in front of you. There are some stairs if you want to climb a little higher that will also lead to an awesome Banyan tree. If you’re lucky you might be able to catch the rainbow the waterfall gets it's name from.
kaumana caves
Less than 10 minutes up the mountain from Rainbow Falls are Kaumana Caves. I’m not a cave person AT ALL, but I still find them very impressive. They were made from lava flowing under ground many many years ago. Parking is across the street from the caves. There are stairs that are a little steep but pretty well maintained that will get you into the caves. You can explore both directions (left or right from the stairs) for hours and not get to the end. Wear covered toe shoes and take a flashlight if you plan to explore. The caves to the right of the stairs get a little tight in a few places and you’ll have to crawl (3rd photo above). If you walk to the left of the stairs, this section of the cave have VERY high ceilings. Even if you don’t want to explore, it’s worth going to take a look.
Honoli'i Beach Park
If you like to surf or want to get a glimpse of the surf scene in Hilo head over to Honoli'i. A couple surf shops in town rent boards if you're up for that. If not, there is a nice park you can have a scenic picnic. Parking is on the road and looks down into the park and surf spot. If you aren't into stairs there is still a great view from the road/parking. Swimming is not always accessible. A sandbar will pop up every now and then that makes it easier to get in and out of the water, but when the sandbar isn't there, it's all rocks. Take the old highway to leave and snap a pic of the lush forest and waterfall. *This spot is VERY popular on the weekends. If you prefer easier parking, go during the week.
Akaka Falls
North of Hilo is the Hamakua coast, which is insanely BEAUTIFUL! Akaka Falls is about 25 minutes outside of Hilo on this coast. If you're headed to the other side of the island after your 2nd day in Hilo, this is a great stop along the way. It's a couple bucks per person but totally worth it. It's a short hike on a paved path to this massive 442 ft waterfall.
Helpful Tip: Not too long ago the Kapoho area and tide pools would have been on this list. Unfortunately, the most recent lava flow covered this entire area. It was a beautiful place with some of the best snorkeling on the island. I’m sure new snorkel spots have formed but it’s still almost impossible to access at this time. If you have an older guidebook, I’m sure it suggests checking out this area. Save yourself the trip and frustration of road closures and get your snorkel on at Richardson’s or the West side of the island.
12/19/2018 Update: Pohoiki Beach Park has opened back up! If you have at least half a day to drive out here and check out the brand new beach formed by the most recent lava flow, definitely do it!
Looking for food in Hilo? Check out Ono Grinds in Hilo.
Have you been to the Hilo side? Comment your favorite activities below!