subject: What To Do In Hilo, Hawaii [print this page] What To Do In Hilo, Hawaii What To Do In Hilo, Hawaii
Driving down Banyan Drive, you'll pass grand Hilo Hawaii hotels and towering historic monuments. You may not immediately think of old banyan trees as a tourist attraction, but these behemoths were planted in the 1930s by many famous arborists filmmaker Cecil B. De Mille, baseball star Babe Ruth, King George V, and pilot Amelia Earhart, to name a few.
On your journey, it's worth stopping in front of the Naniloa Volcanoes Hawaii hotel to walk across the concrete-arch bridge to Coconut Island to give you a tremendous panoramic view of your surroundings. Another worthy stopping point is Liliuokalani Gardens, a 30-acre park named for Hawaii's last monarch and offers free admission to see the bonsai, carp ponds and pagodas.
Another excellent attraction for nature lovers staying in a hotel in Hilo Hawaii is the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo, a 12-acre preserve containing 50 species of rainforest animals, including endangered Hawaiian birds, Sumatran tigers, Brazilian tapirs and rare West African pygmy hippos displayed in natural settings.
Looking for some place to cool off? The "Ice Pond" at Reeds Bay Beach Park (at Banyan Dr. and Kalanianaole Ave) is a great swimming hole with some of the coolest fresh and seawater blends. While there's no beach here, the location is convenient after a day of shopping downtown and is a favorite spot for local kids.
If you'd like to leave your hotel in Hawaii to do some Hilo snorkeling, then be sure to visit Richardson Beach Park, where you'll find black sandy beaches, calm waters, lava rock tidal pools, and a protected cove that invites green sea turtles. Wrap up your day with a picnic at the adjacent Leleiwi Beach Park, which is outfitted with picnic tables, palm trees and pavilions.
Surfers dig Honoli'i Beach Park off Highway 19 on Nahala Street. This rocky coast location isn't the greatest for swimming, but it's loads of fun for sun-bathing, body-boarding, surfing. The Stand Up World Tour for surfing was just held at Leleiwi, in fact. The area is not only magnificently beautiful, but it's also outfitted with showers and restrooms. If you want to find a place to surf (or even just surfer-watch), this is the only place you'll find near Hilo.
Mokupapapa: Discovery Center for Hawaii's Remote Coral Reefs is the best place for kids in Hilo. The 4,000-squar-foot center lets kids explore the island's coral reef habitat, explore interactive displays, examine 3-D models, and watch educational films at the immersion theater. There is also a 2,500 gallon saltwater aquarium of Northwest Hawaii's finest fish. Best of all, admission is free!
The Lyman House was built by a missionary couple from New England in 1839 and remains the oldest wood-fram home on the island. This prestigious home built out of hand-hewn koa planks and native trees hosted distinguished guests like Hawaiian monarchs and Mark Twain. Visitors will learn all about missionary life and be able to see artifacts like furniture, clothing and personal items.
Of course, a stay in a Hilo Hawaii hotel wouldn't be complete without stopping in historic downtown Hilo. On Kamehameha Avenue, many of the storefronts are on the National Register of Historic Places and you'll find unique restaurants, boutiques and attractions. The Hilo Farmers Market showcases the best of local cuisine, while the art galleries show off Hawaiian's talents. This is just a brief rundown of what Hilo, Hawaii on Big Island has to offer guests.
