Come For the Orchid Show
Stay To Explore the Orchid Isle

Things to See Beyond Hilo

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, 45 minutes from Hilo, is a must-see attraction. At night, fumes from Kilauea volcano are lit by a glowing pool of lava below.

Ohia lehua, with its red bottle-brush flowers, is everywhere. The park has great hiking trails. Or drive through the park and enjoy the views from scenic overlooks.

Hamakua Coast and Waimea

Akaka Falls, 20 minutes north of Hilo, is over 400 feet high.

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, just north of Hilo, is filled with exotic tropical plants like this Indonesian Wax Ginger.

The Waipio Valley overlook is at the end of a scenic drive up the Hamakua coast.

Is this Hawaii? Yes, the area around Waimea is ranch country.

Puna District

Lava Tree State Park, where trails wind past bizarre formations caused by molten lava sticking to trees.

Volcanically heated thermal pool in Alahanui Park on the south coast.

South Island

Punalu'u black sand beach.

Sea turtles love to bask on the warm black sand. Look, but don't disturb them.

Kona and Kohala

Pu'uhonua o Honaunau (City of Refuge), a reconstructed Hawaiian cultural site south of Kona, where kapu (taboo) breakers escaped the death penalty and were absolved.

Mauna Kea beach in Kohala. This was voted the best beach in the world by Conde Nast magazine.

Mauna Kea and Saddle Road

Mauna Kea, almost 14,000 feet high, is home to some of the world's great telescopes. You can't get to the top without 4-wheel drive, but there's a visitor center at the 9200 foot level.

The Saddle Road, a short cut between Hilo and Kona, traverses the otherworldly landscape of the 6600 foot high, saddle-shaped pass between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea.

This is just a sample of the things to see and do on our Orchid Isle.  Guidebooks and travel web sites have many more suggestions.

Click here for things to see right in Hilo.