Top Things to Do in Hilo, Hilo, Hawaii

A year ago, I was on my way to the South Pacific via Hawaii. I spent a week on the Big Island, of which three days were on the Hilo side. Now that visitors with a COVID check may travel to Hawaii, and it is a popular winter destination, I thought I’d write about things to do in Hilo. Find the list below:

The Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Visitor Center is located nine miles southeast of Hilo. Since I absolutely LOVE macadamia nuts, I was in heaven. Most of the center is a gift shop filled with all sorts of flavored macadamia nuts. On its ice cream patio, however, visitors may watch a video on the macadamia nut processing and then go look through the windows at the adjacent factory to watch the sorting and packaging. Click here for more details.

A hike might be in order after gorging on fattening, yet mouthwatering nuts. Volcanoes National Park was established in 1916 and encompasses 323,000+ acres including two volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Kilauea. The park has additionally been designated an International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site.

It features a variety of trails from short and easy to long and hard as well as many scenic pullouts along Chain of Craters Road. For a 4.4 mile moderate loop, consider Kīlauea Iki Overlook. All the details of this hike along with many others in the park may be found here. To beat the heat, visit early and stay hydrated. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).