hilo hawaii walking tour

Images of Old Hawaiʻi

January 9, 2014 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Historic Downtown Hilo Walking Tour

Where the Wailuku River meets Hilo Bay on the eastern side of Hawaiʻi’s Big Island is the town of Hilo, Hawaiʻi.  Hilo was a major center of trade in ancient Hawaiʻi, where native Hawaiians came to trade with others across the Wailuku River.

Westerners were attracted by the bay which provided a safe harbor; missionaries settled in the town in 1824 bringing Christian influences.

As the sugar industry grew in the late-1800s, so did Hilo. It became the major center for shipping, shopping and weekend diversions.

The Hilo Downtown Improvement Association (DIA) is a non-profit organization established in 1962 to preserve and revitalize Hilo’s historic district.

The DIA serves as a collaborative, community voice that works to promote, support, and sustain the history, culture, environment, and economy of the area.

One program is the Historic Downtown Hilo Walking Tour.  This self-guided walking tour of historic Downtown Hilo will take about one hour if walked continuously.

The twenty-one stops along the way provide information about the town from 1870 to the present. The history of Hilo begins much earlier, however, with the arrival of the Polynesians in 1100 AD.

They eventually inhabited the shores of Hilo Bay, farmed their crops, fished, and traded their goods with each other along the Wailuku River. Changes came to this lifestyle upon the arrival of missionaries who brought with them new ideas, education and Christianity.

Hilo became a stopping place for explorers curious about the active volcanoes, whaling ships, and traders. By the 1900s a number of wharves had been constructed, the breakwater was begun, and a new railroad system designated Hilo as the center of commerce.

Two destructive tsunamis in 1946 and 1960 caused a shift in the location of Hilo’s government and commercial life.

Today, new and old businesses alike are meeting the challenges of revitalizing our city center while preserving its historic cultural character.  (Lots of information here from Hilo Downtown Improvement Association (DIA.))

Here are the list of stops on the walking tour:

1 Moʻoheau Park Mass Transit Bus Terminal – Visitor Information Center The Moʻoheau Bus Terminal, central station for the Hele-On bus system, is home to the Visitor Information Center. Here the helpful staff can provide you with information on accommodations, activities and dining in East Hawai’i as well as maps, brochures and bus schedules. It’s also Headquarters for the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association.

2 Farmers Market Conceived and developed in 1988 by Richard “Mike” Rankin, the Hilo Farmers Market had a humble beginning with only four farmers who sold their goods from their parked cars and trucks. Today, the market has grown to over 200 vendors selling everything from fresh island fruits and vegetables to locally grown tropical flowers, special Big Island food products, handmade craft items and beautiful gifts made with Aloha.

3 S Hata Building Built by the Hata family in 1912, this is another example of renaissance revival architecture in Hilo.  It has now been remodeled to house restaurants, shops, and professional office space. In the building, The National Oceanographic Institute has constructed the Mokupāpapa to interpret the natural science, culture, and history of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and surrounding marine environment.

4 AOF Building – Ancient Order of Foresters This building is still used by the Ancient Order of Foresters, a group whose European origins were chartered to assist members during times of need. King Kalākaua was a member of this fraternal order. The building was constructed in 1925 in the renaissance revival style with arched entryways, balconies and col-umns used for decorative purposes.

5 Taishoji Soto Mission Archbishop Mokusen Hioki, from Eiheiji monastery in Japan, visited Hawaii after the completion of the World Buddhist Conference in San Francisco, California in 1915. He found many immigrants eager to establish a Soto Zen Temple. He gathered the followers together at a meeting in Hilo and promised to send a Zen priest from Japan.  Money was raised from the newly formed membership and property was purchased for $5,500. The first half was paid on Jan 8th, 1917. A contractor was hired and the cornerstone with the inscription of the Hannyashingyo Sutra was laid in April 1918.

6 Central Christian Church Haili Street at one time was called Church Street because there were five churches along its route. Today three re-main, one of which is Central Christian Church. It was built for the Portuguese speaking community in the early 1900’s. The two buildings on the property look much the way they did when they were built.

7 Haili Church The first church building, a large grass canoe shed provided by the local chiefs, was completed and dedicated on May 19, 1824 near the site of the present Hilo Iron Works. The present structure, started in 1854, was completed and dedicated on April 8, 1859. On July 15, 1979, fire destroyed the tower, ceiling and some of the interior of this building. The restored church was rededicated on June 1, 1980.

8 St Joseph Church The first chapel located on bayfront was made from pili grass and was called Saint Martin de Tours. Father Charles Pouzot, SCC became the first pastor of the parish in 1845. By 1848 the small grass chapel was replaced by a new wooden structure. In 1862 the parish of St. Martin de Tours had once again outgrown its place of worship. A new larger church was built in the area of Kalākaua Park on Keawe and Waiānuenue Avenue. On July 9, 1862 Bishop Louis Maigret, Bishop of Honolulu dedicated the new church to Saint Joseph. Later, Father Beissell purchased the property on the corner of Kapiʻolani and Haili Streets in 1915. The large community of active faithful including, among others, Hawaiian and Portuguese families worked together to build their new church. The cornerstone was laid in 1917 and the church was dedicated at its present location in February 1919.

9 Lyman Museum & Mission House The Lyman Museum began as the Lyman Mission House, originally built for New England missionaries David and Sarah Lyman in 1839. The original Lyman House was a “Cape Cod” type with a high, steep pitched thatched roof with dormers making up the second floor. The second floor was divided into sleeping quarters for some of the Lyman’s eight children. The Rev. and Mrs. Lyman were also founding members of the First Foreign Church, a church established in 1868 for the foreign residents of Hilo. The Lyman Mission House is the oldest standing wood structure on the Island of Hawai`i and one of the oldest in the State.

10 Library/Naha Stone Traditions tell us that the Naha Stone, the larger stone, was brought by canoe from the chiefly valley of Wailua on Kauai to Hilo many centuries ago. The stone resided at one of several heiau (temples) in the Hilo area and was said to have been associated with traditions of affirming chiefly status. Young aliʻi (royalty) infants were placed alone on the stone. If they did not cry they were said to be of high royal status. The physical ability to move the massive stone was also seen as a sign of high chiefly capacity. The young aliʻi Kamehameha was known to have confirmed the prophecy that he would become a great warrior king by moving the stone while he was in his early 20s. The Pinao Stone, the upright stone, has less certain origins but is associated with the former Pinao Heiau that once stood on or near the site of this State Library. These two great stones are associated with sacred Hawaiian traditions and are held in high cultural esteem by Hawaii’s people. Please do not sit or climb on the stones.

11 Federal Building/Post Office The Federal Building located across the street from the north end of the park. Designed by architect Henry Whitfield, it is typical of the early 20th Century government buildings. Today, it houses government offices, including the downtown branch of the United States Post Office. The original structure was built in 1919, and the two wings were added in 1936.

12 Kalākaua Square Hilo became a visiting place of the king who designed the first county complex at this site in the late 19th Century. The park contains a sundial bearing the inscription. “This sundial was erected in the Fourth Year of the reign of King Kalākaua, A.D. 1877, Hilo, Hawaiʻi.” The trees in the park were planted during King Kalākaua’s time, making them over one hundred years old.

13 East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center Originally the old Police Station, it was vacated by the Hilo County Police Department in 1975. Today, it is the home of the East Hawaii Cultural Center. The building resembles a Hawaiian hale (house) of the 1800s with its hipped roof. It is operated by the East Hawai’i Cultural Council, a coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to preserving cultural, creative and traditional arts in Hawai’i, to foster community involvement with culture and the arts; and to coordinate activities and resources among East Hawai’i arts and cultural community. The Council was founded in 1967 with six charter organizations reflecting Hilo’s multi-ethnic heritage.

14 Hawaiian Telephone Building CW Dickey is credited with developing Hawaiian Regional Architecture in the early 20th Century. Note the high-hipped, green tile roof and the brightly colored terra cotta tiles set in the building.

15 Burns and the Pacific Buildings These wooden buildings are typical of many in Hilo constructed in the early part of the 20th Century. The simple style that emerged is now very special to Hawai’i.

16 Kaikodo Building – Hilo Masonic Lodge Hilo Masonic Lodge Hall, also known as the Bishop Trust Building, is a historic structure in Hilo, Hawaii. Constructed between 1908 and 1910, it was designed to house commercial space on the ground floor and a meeting hall for a local Masonic lodge on the second floor. In 1985, the Masons moved to new premises, and since then the second floor has been rented to a variety of tenants.  Kaikodo Restaurant was here.

17 Koehnen’s Building It was originally built for the Hackfield Company in 1910, with interior walls of koa and floors of ʻōhiʻa woods. The Koehnen’s bought the building in 1957 and today the family operates a store which sells fine furniture, gift items, silver and china.

18 Kaipalaoa Landing Wharf Between 1863 and 1890 wharves were built at the foot of Waianuenue Avenue where passengers and freight were transported between the wharf and steamers anchored in the bay.

19 Pacific Tsunami Museum This sturdy concrete building with its parapet, fluted columns and wrought iron design was built in 1930. It survived both the 1946 and 1960 tsunami and is now a museum chronicling the history of Big Island tsunamis and the resulting reconstruction of the city. The Pacific Tsunami Museum embarked on a project with the County of Hawai’i Planning Department to assess and assist businesses with their tsunami preparation and planning.

20 SH Kress Co Building When it opened in 1932, floral designs, batwing shapes, and the terra cotta front contributed to introducing a new kind of architecture Art Deco. The interior of the store offered many shopping conveniences including wide aisles, good lighting, and a popular soda fountain.

21 Palace Theater The Palace was built and opened in 1925 at the peak of the heyday for American movie palaces. It was originally part of a small family of theaters owned and operated by Adam C Baker, a dashing Hawaiian gentleman who was the nephew of the last royal governors of the island of Hawai’i. Adam Baker had been involved in the theater business since the early 1900s and was a well-known showman in Hawai’i. The Palace was built on a scale that had never been seen outside of the capital city of Honolulu, and it was always the grandest theater on all the neighbor islands.

The image shows the overall map for the Historic Downtown Hilo Walking Tour.  I have added other images to a folder of like name in the Photos section on my Facebook and Google+ pages.

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Hilo Downtown Improvement Association and their Founding Partners–working together with the support of the County of Hawai’i to protect, preserve, and create a vibrant downtown for all to enjoy.

2019 black & white night.

First Friday, November 1st in Downtown Hilo

Brought to you by the Downtown Improvement Association and The Wave @ 92fm!

Mahalo to everyone who came out and participated in Black & White Night 2019!!

Our Founding Partners

Walking Tour

A one hour, self-guided walking tour. Go at your own pace and enjoy exploring Historic Downtown Hilo!

Shop + Eat + Experience

Shop, eat and experience the magic of Downtown Hilo. And join us on the First Friday of every month where businesses stay open late.

Check our iconic sites and picturesque community through beautiful photography.

Hilo is the largest city, census-designated place (CDP), and settlement in Hawaii County, which encompasses the Island of Hawaiʻi. The population was 40,759 at the 2000 census. The population increased by 6.1% to 43,263 at the 2010 census.

Hilo is the county seat of the County of Hawaiʻi and is located in the District of South Hilo. The town overlooks Hilo Bay and is situated upon two shield volcanoes; Mauna Loa, an active volcano, and Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano and the site of some of the world’s most important ground-based astronomical observatories. The majority of human settlement in Hilo stretches from Hilo Bay to Waiākea-Uka, on the flanks of Mauna Loa.

Hilo is home to the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, ʻImiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaiʻi, as well as the Merrie Monarch Festival, a week-long celebration of ancient and modern hula which takes place annually after Easter. Hilo is also home to the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corporation, one of the world’s leading producers of macadamia nuts. It is served by Hilo International Airport, located inside the CDP.

Circa 1100 AD, the first Hilo inhabitants arrived, bringing with them Polynesian knowledge and traditions. Although archaeological evidence is scant, oral history has many references to people living in Hilo, along the Wailuku and Wailoa Rivers during the time of ancient Hawaii.

Originally, the name Hilo applied to a district encompassing much of the east coast of the Island of Hawaiʻi, now divided into the District of South Hilo and the District of North Hilo. When William Ellis visited in 1823, the main settlement in the Hilo district was Waiākea on the south shore of Hilo Bay. Missionaries came to the district in the early-to-middle 19th century, founding Haili Church, in the area of modern Hilo.

Hilo expanded as sugar plantations in the surrounding area created new jobs and drew in many workers from Asia, making the town a trading center.

A breakwater across Hilo Bay was begun in the first decade of the 20th century and completed in 1929. On April 1, 1946, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake near the Aleutian Islands created a fourteen-meter high tsunami that hit Hilo 4.9 hours later, killing 160 people. In response an early warning system, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, was established in 1949 to track these killer waves and provide warning. This tsunami also caused the end of the Hawaii Consolidated Railway, and instead the Hawaii Belt Road was built north of Hilo using some of the old railbed.

On May 23, 1960, another tsunami, caused by a 9.5 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Chile the previous day, claimed 61 lives allegedly due to people’s failure to heed warning sirens. Low-lying bayfront areas of the city on Waiākea peninsula and along the previously populated Hilo Bay were rededicated as parks and memorials.

Hilo expanded inland beginning in the 1960s. The downtown found a new role in the 1980s as the city’s cultural center with several galleries and museums being opened; the Palace Theatre was reopened in 1998 as an arthouse cinema.

Closure of the sugar plantations (including those in Hāmākua) during the 1990s led to a downturn in the local economy, coinciding with a general statewide slump. Hilo in recent years has seen commercial and population growth as the neighboring District of Puna became the fastest-growing region in the state.

Geography & Climate

Hilo is classified by the United States Census Bureau as a census-designated place (CDP), and has a total area of 58.4 square miles (151.3 km2), 54.3 square miles (140.6 km2) of which is land and 4.1 square miles (10.6 km2) of which (7.10%) is water.

Hilo features a tropical rainforest climate, with substantial rainfall throughout the course of the year. Hilo’s location on the eastern side of the island of Hawaiʻi, (windward relative to the trade winds), makes it the third wettest designated city in the United States behind the southeast Alaskan cities of Ketchikan and Yakutat and one of the wettest in the world. An average of around 126.72 inches (3,220 mm) of rain fell at Hilo International Airport annually between 1981 and 2010, with 275 days of the year receiving some rain, which is the most rainy days for any place in the Northern Hemisphere and exceeded only in parts of Aisén and Magallanes in Chile. Rainfall in Hilo varies with altitude, with more rain at higher elevation. At some other weather stations in upper Hilo the annual rainfall is above 200 inches (5,100 mm).

Monthly mean temperatures range from 71.4 °F (21.9 °C) in January to 76.4 °F (24.7 °C) in August. The highest recorded temperature was 94 °F (34 °C) on May 20, 1996, and the lowest 53 °F (12 °C) on February 21, 1962. The wettest year was 1994 with 182.81 inches (4,643.4 mm) and the driest year was 1983 with 68.09 inches (1,729.5 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 50.82 inches (1,290.8 mm) in December 1954. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 27.24 inches (691.9 mm) on November 2, 2000./p>

Hilo’s location on the shore of the funnel-shaped Hilo Bay also makes it vulnerable to tsunamis.

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Hilo in 1, 2 or 3 Days

Hilo downtown activities, driving from hilo to and volcano national park, driving north of hilo, driving south of hilo – puna district, driving south of hilo – south point, driving to the mauna kea telescopes.

Downtown Hilo Walking Tour

MAP OF DOWNTOWN HILO HISTORIC SECTION

Start Downtown Hilo  Walking Tour:  Park your car anywhere you can find parking.  Since this is a loop it doesn’t matter where you start.  If you want to start at the statue of Kamehameha, turn on Pauahi Steet, toward statue, at the Chevron station.  Parking is down the road a bit.

KING KEMEHAMEHA STATUE AT WAILOA RIVER STATE PARK

Front sign of Hilo Farmer’s Market on King Kamehameha Street.

King Kamehameha was born about 1736 (estimated as Hawaiians had no written language) and took over the Island of Hawaii in 1790.  In 1795 he ventured north with 900 boats and took over the lightly defended island of Maui and Molokai.  The battles for Oahu were more difficult and but now entertaining to read.  The final and most northern island of Kaua’I was always friendly to Kamehameha and voluntarily agreed to his kingship.  The King’s prominence is due to his leadership ability in establishing governments, trade, fair laws and unifying Hawaii for the benefit of Hawaiians.

The statue was built in 1963 in Italy and was paid for and intended for a resort in Kaua’i.  The locals protested and it stayed in storage until 1997 when it was donated to the Island of Hawaii.  It is considered a poor representation of what he probably looked like.

Big island, Hilo Vietnam War memorial

VIETNAM WAR MEMORIAL AND ETERNAL FLAME

After the King Kamehameha statue walk back to Pauahi Street and across the creek away from the ocean.  You should see the flame from the King Kamehameha statue.  There are 50 palm trees planted around the memorial for the 50 Big Island lives lost in Vietnam.  The names of the fallen soldiers and shown on the plaques.  I find it interesting that the flame must be from propane tank as Hawaii has no gas except trucked in propane.

Wa Front of Hilo Farmer’s Market on King Kamehameha Street.

Hilo Farmer’s market on a busy Wednesday or Saturday.

HILO FARMERS MARKET

Walk back to King Kamehameha Ave. and go North toward the main downtown buildings.  On the corner of King Kamahemahe Ave. and Mamo Street.  You can’t miss it as you will see the plastic sheeting.  Don’t expect more than a farmer’s market, but it is cute and a great way to buy all your fruit and vegetables from locals.  On Wednesdays and Saturdays craft vendors fill the south side of the street.  Buy fruits and vegetables that you have never had before.  Some suggestions are dragon fruit, Lychee, Rambutan, Surinam Cherry and Rollinia.

Hilo Farmer’s Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Other days just fruit and vegetables.

Live entertainment and movies in Downtown Hilo, Hawaii at the Palace theater. Check website for calendar.

PALACE THEATER

Between the Farmers Market on Mamo Street and the Palace Theatre on Haili Street and many eclectic local stores in historic buildings.  Enjoy the walk along these classic buildings and stores on your way to Haili Street and the Palace Theatre.

The Palace theater was built in 1925, during the roaring 20s when movie palaces were just becoming popular.  It was built by Adam Baker, a nephew of one of the last Royal Governors.  In 1930 it was sold to Consolidated Amusements Ltd., which showed first rate movies.  Keep in mind that “Talkies” only started with the Jazz Singer in 1927. The pipe organ at this theater was for live performances during silent films.

The Palace was the largest theater outside of Honolulu.  Nothing like it outside of the capital city.  It is built using 14 redwood pillars, imported from the Pacific Northwest.  The theater closed in 1984 and was used for movie storage until ownership was transferred in 1990 to a group of citizens.  It was re-opened in 1999 and is currently operated by a non profit group that has made tremendous progress in upgrading the building.  Currently, solar panels and air conditioning are being funded to allow current standards of comfort for performances.

Please visit their website at www.hilopalace.com for the schedule of movies, performances and special events.  It is a beautiful building and great fun.

Pacific Tsunami museum in an old bank building

PACIFIC TSUNAMI MUSEUM

Continue down King Kamehameha going North, going past more eclectic shops.  Only one block north is Kalakaua Street.  On the corner is the Pacific Tsunami Museum.

The building was built in 1930 by C.W. Dickey, the most prominent architect in Hawaii.  It was a First Hawaiian Bank branch until the bank donated the property for purposes of this museum in 1997.

Hilo has had two devastating tsunamis.  One in 1946 and another in 1960.  The purpose of this museum is to show the pictures and tell the stories about these tsunamis.  They have changed to landscape of the city as many bay areas were not rebuilt and are now parks as they are too vulnerable to a future event.  The building is nice, but unless you have a great interest in the tsunami history, the museum isn’t more than a collection of pictures and short clips.

Continue one short block north to Waianuenue Ave.  On the corner is the new location for this center.  It is free and worth just a brief visit.  The center is dedicated to the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.  This is a huge sea area north of Kauai to Midway.  It has a nice 3,500 gallon aquarium, pictured here, and other facts about the sea area.  It gives one an appreciation for the huge marine diversity that exists and how little we know about many parts of our marine world.

Wailuku River into the Pacific

Since you are just 50 yards away from the end of downtown Hilo and the beautiful Wailuku River, just continue north and across Kamehameha Avenue to the mouth of the river.  This is the same river that gives us two Wailuku state parks, Boiling Pots and Rainbow falls, just a few miles up the street.  If you haven’t checked out these parks, do that after this walking tour.  Many of the best places to see and to are free!

Head back to Waianuenue Ave. and head a couple blocks into town.  After passing Keawe Street you will come to the Hilo Federal Building.

After the annexation of the “Territory of Hawaii” in 1898, the United States decided it needed a federal building and post office for Hawaii’s second largest city (it is STILL Hawaii’s second largest city).  The original building was built during 1915 to 1917 by Henry Whitfield, Andrew Carnegie’s brother in law.  The style is Mediterranian neoclassical with certain modern touches.  Unheard of at the time, it has a full basement with raised first floor.  To let in more natural light, it has a band of windows above the courtroom.  It is one of the first building to use permanent materials/reinforced concrete.  The large columns support the walkways, which allow for open windows and air circulation to the offices behind.

From 1936 to 1938 the side buildings were built. In 1977 the Post Office moved out and in 1978 so did the courts.

Kalakaua Park and War Memorial

Simply turn to the opposite side of the street from the federal building for this park.  It is named after King David Kalakaua, who ruled the Island of Hawaii from 1874 to 1891.  This king is known as the Merrie Monarch king as he brought song and dance (hula) back to popularity.  Each year in March/April is the world famous Merrie Monarch hula contest, located in Hilo.

The centerpiece of the memorial is the white marbled monument shown on the right hand side of this picture.  On the top are 157 names of Hawaii county residents that gave their lives in World War 2.  It was conceived in 1943 and finished in 1948.  Later, a plaque was added commemorating the Korean was veterans and later still a second plaque was added commemorating Vietnam war veterans.

Simply walk through Kalakaua Park from Waianuenue Ave. to Kalakaua Ave. on the other side.  Across the street is this historic building.  The building was built in 1932 using reinforced concrete with wood interior elements.  It was home to the district court and the police department.  However, the courts moved out in 1969 and the police department moved out in 1975.

It was scheduled for demolition when the East Hawaii Cultural Council started leasing it for local events.  The building was entered into the National and State Register for Historic Places in 1979.

Today it is an art gallery and hosts local events.  Art rotates so take a look and see if it is open.  It is free with a suggested $5 donation.

Lyman House Memorial Museum

At this point you can decide to walk and get your car or walk back south to Haili Street and up two blocks.  This museum consists of two parts.  One is the Lyman mission house (left building) and the right is an exhibit building that is well knows for its rocks and gems.

This is one of my most recommended destinations.  The house was built by missionaries David and Sarah Lyman after they traveled from New England in 1832.  Here they raised their 7 children.  They never went back and lived out their lives here.  Close by they founded a boarding school.  They hosted Hawaiian royalty and other well knows guests such as Mark Twain.  The house is the oldest standing wood structure on this Island and one of the oldest in the state.  Here you can see how one lived so far back in time – without electricity or water.

The cost is $10 and you get a guided tour.  Hours are from 10:00 to 4:30, but tours are only from 11:00 to 2:00.

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Hilo in Hawaii (The Big Island)

Pick up the map to a self-guided walking tour of Hilo , which focuses on 21 historic sites dating from the 1870s to the present, at the information kiosk of the Downtown Hilo Improvement Association ( www.downtownhilo.org ; 202-709-6720 ) in the Mooheau Park Bus Depot, 329 Kamehameha Ave.—the first stop on the tour.

Old banyan trees shade Banyan Drive , the lane that curves along the waterfront from Kamehameha Avenue (Hwy. 19) to the Hilo Bay hotels. Most of the trees were planted in the mid-1930s by visitors like Cecil B. DeMille (here in 1933 filming Four Frightened People ), Babe Ruth (his tree is in front of the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel), King George V, Amelia Earhart, and celebs whose fleeting fame didn’t last as long as the trees themselves.

It’s worth a stop along Banyan Drive—especially if the coast is clear and the summit of Mauna Kea is free of clouds—to make the short walk across the concrete-arch bridge to Moku Ola (Coconut Island ), if only to gain a panoramic sense of Hilo Bay and its surroundings.

Continuing on Banyan Drive, just south of Coconut Island, are Liliuokalani Gardens , the largest formal Japanese garden this side of Tokyo. The 30-acre park, named for the last monarch of Hawaii, Queen Liliuokalani, and dedicated in 1917 to the islands’ first Japanese immigrants, is as pretty as a postcard (if occasionally a little unkempt), with stone lanterns, koi ponds, pagodas, rock gardens, bonsai, and a moon-gate bridge. Admission is free; it’s open 24 hours.

Imiloa: Exploring the Unknown

The star attraction, literally and figuratively, of Hilo is Imiloa: Astronomy Center of Hawaii . The 300 exhibits in the 12,000-square-foot gallery make the connection between the Hawaiian culture and its explorers, who “discovered” the Hawaiian Islands, and the astronomers who explore the heavens from the observatories atop Mauna Kea. ‘Imiloa means “explorer” or “seeker of profound truth,” the perfect name for this architecturally stunning center overlooking Hilo Bay on the University of Hawaii at Hilo Science and Technology Park campus, 600 Imiloa Place ( www.imiloahawaii.org ; 808/969-9700 ). Plan to spend at least a couple of hours here to allow time to browse the excellent, family-friendly interactive exhibits on astronomy and Hawaiian culture, and to take in a planetarium show, which boasts a state-of-the-art digital projection system. You’ll also want to stroll through the native plant garden, and grab a power breakfast or lunch in the Sky Garden Restaurant ( 808/969-9753 ), open 7am to 4pm Tuesday through Sunday; the restaurant is also open for dinner Thursday through Sunday from 5 to 8:30pm. The center itself is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9am to 5pm; admission is $19 for adults, $17 for seniors, $12 for children 5 to 12, and free for kids 4 and under, and includes one planetarium show.

Note : This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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Dolphin Quest Hawaii - Dolphin Swim & Encounter at Hilton Waikoloa Village

From usd 240.84.

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

From usd 260.00.

Island Breeze Big Island Kona Luau at King Kamehameha Hotel with Open Bar

From usd 183.25.

Hawaii Manta Ray Sunset & Night Time Snorkel Experience from Kona - Iruka

Deluxe Big Island ATV Tour & Waterfall Swim at Umauma Falls

From usd 227.23.

Deluxe Captain Cook Snorkeling Tour at Kealakekua Bay - Fair Wind Cruises

From usd 128.32.

Oceanfront Royal Kona Luau with Open Bar - Voyagers of the Pacific Show

Kona Sunset Dinner Cruise to Kealakekua Bay with Live Entertainment | Body Glove

Kailua-Kona Sunset Cocktail with Free Drinks - Honi Olani Catamaran

Hawaii Zipline Tours - Big Island Waterfall & Rainforest Zip Adventure

Hawaii ATV Ride Tour at Kohala Coast - Sea to Mountain Off-Road Adventure

From usd 344.40.

Mauna Loa Helicopter Private Big Island Tour - Doors On & Off Flights from Kona

From usd 639.00.

Spirit of Aloha Waikoloa Sunset Cruise with FREE Cocktails - Hawaii Nautical

Kohala Coast Private Catamaran Charter & Snorkel Tour - Big Island Shaka

From usd 1,101.58.

Big Island Spectacular Circle Island Helicopter Flight with Landing Option

From usd 699.00.

Big Island ATV Tour & Ranch Off-Road Adventure from Hamakua - All About The View

Hawaii Glass Bottom Boat Scenic Cruise from Waikoloa | Kids 0-5 Ride for Free

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Traveler's photos.

Latest reviews of Walking & Segway Tours

This was a great tour. We enjoyed historic areas as well as a honey farm, and coffee plantation. The painted church, St. Benedict's, was awesome and our guide, V.... was knowledgeable about all we visited as well as th ... more e culture of the island.

Drew was fantastic!!

Wow! We had the pleasure of taking the historic Kona tour with Drew. It was an amazing day! Drew has an energy and enthusiasm about the island that is infectious! He took us to beautiful spots that were advertised and ev ... more en a few of his favorites that were off the beaten path a bit. The thing that stood out was the intricate knowledge of the historical significance of all the places that we went that Drew was able to share with us. I’ve been to a few of these spots before but never understood them as I do now and that’s all from our great guide. Drew, I hope you know that you shared with us a memory that we will all hold dear for life!

Wonderful tour around the Big Island

We had a wonderful day touring historic and sacred sites as well as Greenwell Farms and Big Island Bees. Our guide, Kawika, was highly knowledgeable about the areas visited and wove together an interesting narrative of t ... more he traditions, the myths, and the historical facts of Hawai’i. His personality fit very well with the people in our group, so it was enjoyable and personable as well. Greenwell Farms and Big Island Bees were beautiful and I bought coffee and honey to take home with me. I recommend this tour. We did a half day, but a full day with Kawika would be just as informative and entertaining.

Not much to this tour

There isn't much to this tour that you couldn't do on your own. Both of the national parks were interesting, but my family and I would have loved to have more time to take them in. The bee farm was also cool - their empl ... more oyees were really enthusiastic and we enjoyed tasting all of the honey. However, the coffee tour was given by a coffee farm employee who seemed to not know much of what she was talking about. Our tour guide from the tour company was honestly the highlight of the tour - he was really knowledgeable and funny, and he definitely made the tour as fun as it could possibly be. However, it felt like he didn't have that much to work with.

I truly enjoyed the birdwatching trip.

I truly enjoyed the birdwatching trip. Our guide, Mark, was fantastic -- he educated us on the birds we would hopefully see and was helpful with questions about other wildlife in the area. I also enjoyed meeting the re ... more st of the group on the tour -- wish I would have thought to exchange contact information to get some of the photos one couple was taking during the trip.

Went above my expectations

This trip was worth every penny and more. The guide, Garry, was knowledgeable and went beyond to find all the birds on our list and spent extra time helping all see them. Guide, John, knew every native plant I asked abou ... more t growing among the beautiful lava path. The tour was like being part of a scene from an Indiana Jones movie. Will be back to do the other NWR ecotour since I loved it so much.

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• Big Island Active Volcano Adventure Tour

A once-in-a-lifetime, comprehensive Volcano Adventure tour experience on Hawaii Island, known as the "Big Island." This tour focuses on the northeastern, Hilo side of the... Read More

• Private Hike To Secret Jungle Tide Pool, Medium Distance

This tide pool is my secret. It's off the beaten path. A miracle of nature. We'll use a jungle/lava rock coastal trail. Each way takes... Read More

• Private Shore Excursion - Volcanoes National Park

This is PRIVATE tour. Just Me, and your Small Group! After I pick you up, we head straight to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to explore... Read More

• Shared Walking Tour in Liliʻuokalani Gardens and Coconut Island

Take a moment for Yourself. . . at the beautiful Liliuokalani gardens, pause, reflect and gain personal insight; in this small group immersive experience. Connect... Read More

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given to customers' questions.

Q: What are the best options for Hilo Walking Tours?

A: According to verified reviews on Cool Hawaii and TripAdvisor, the best Hilo Walking Tours are:

Q: What are the best kid-friendly options for Hilo Walking Tours Activities?

A: According to verified reviews on Cool Hawaii and TripAdvisor, the best kid-friendly Hilo Walking Tours are:

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Q: Which Hilo Walking Tours have Instant Confirmation?

A: Hilo Walking Tours with Instant Confirmation include:

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Q: Which Hilo Walking Tours have Free Cancellation?

A: Hilo Walking Tours with Free Cancellation (in most cases up to 24 hours in advance of your activity date, check the specific activity page) include:

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Q: I need a ride! Which Hilo Walking Tours include Hotel Pickup?

A: No problem. These Hilo Walking Tours include Hotel Pickup:

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Q: Got any more Hilo trip ideas?

A: We sure do. Check out our curated lists of hand-picked Hilo Activities.

View all Hilo Trip Ideas →

Q: What are the most popular styles of Tours and Activities in Hilo?

A: Based on our sales data over the past year, the most popular styles of tours and activities in Hilo are:

• Hilo Day Trips & Excursions
• Hilo Walking & Biking Tours
• Hilo Outdoor Activities
• Hilo Tours & Sightseeing

View all tour styles in Hilo →

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Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy describes Our policies and procedures on the collection, use, and disclosure of Your information when You use the Service and tells You about Your privacy rights and how the law protects You.

We use Your Personal data to provide and improve the Service. By using the Service, You agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Interpretation and Definitions

Interpretation The words of which the initial letter is capitalized have meanings defined under the following conditions.

The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in singular or in plural.

Definitions For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

• You  means the individual accessing or using the Service, or the company, or other legal entity on behalf of which such individual is accessing or using the Service, as applicable. Under GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), You can be referred to as the Data Subject or as the User as you are the individual using the Service.
• Company  (referred to as either “the Company”, “We”, “Us” or “Our” in this Agreement) refers to Cool Hawaii, [ADDRESS]. For the purpose of the GDPR, the Company is the Data Controller.
• Affiliate  means an entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with a party, where “control” means ownership of 50% or more of the shares, equity interest, or other securities entitled to vote for the election of directors or other managing authority.
• Account  means a unique account created for You to access our Service or parts of our Service.
• Website  refers to Cool Hawaii, accessible from https://www.coolhawaii.com.
• Service  refers to the Website.
• Country  refers to: United States of America
• Service Provider  means any natural or legal person who processes the data on behalf of the Company. It refers to third-party companies or individuals employed by the Company to facilitate the Service, to provide the Service on behalf of the Company, to perform services related to the Service, or to assist the Company in analyzing how the Service is used. For the purpose of the GDPR, Service Providers are considered Data Processors.
• Third-party Social Media Service  refers to any website or any social network website through which a User can log in or create an account to use the Service.
• Facebook Fan Page  is a public profile named Cool Hawaii specifically created by the Company on the Facebook social network.
• Personal Data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual. For the purposes of GDPR, Personal Data means any information relating to You such as a name, an identification number, location data, online identifier, or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity. For the purposes of the CCPA, Personal Data means any information that identifies, relates to, describes, or is capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with You.
• Cookies  are small files that are placed on Your computer, mobile device, or any other device by a website, containing the details of Your browsing history on that website among its many uses.
• Device  means any device that can access the Service such as a computer, a cellphone, or a digital tablet.
• Usage Data  refers to data collected automatically, either generated by the use of the Service or from the Service infrastructure itself (for example, the duration of a page visit).
• Data Controller , for the purposes of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), refers to the Company as the legal person which alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of the processing of Personal Data.
• Do Not Track  (DNT) is a concept that has been promoted by US regulatory authorities, in particular the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), for the Internet industry to develop and implement a mechanism for allowing Internet users to control the tracking of their online activities across websites.
• Business , for the purpose of the CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act), refers to the Company as the legal entity that collects Consumers’ personal information and determines the purposes and means of the processing of Consumers’ personal information, or on behalf of which such information is collected and that alone, or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of consumers’ personal information, that does business in the State of California.
• Consumer , for the purpose of the CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act), means a natural person who is a California resident. A resident, as defined in the law, includes (1) every individual who is in the USA for other than a temporary or transitory purpose, and (2) every individual who is domiciled in the USA who is outside the USA for a temporary or transitory purpose.
• Sale , for the purpose of the CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act), means selling, renting, releasing, disclosing, disseminating, making available, transferring, or otherwise communicating orally, in writing, or by electronic or other means, a Consumer’s Personal Information to another business or a third party for monetary or other valuable consideration.

Collecting and Using Your Personal Data

Types of data collected.

Personal Data While using Our Service, We may ask You to provide Us with certain personally identifiable information that can be used to contact or identify You. Personally identifiable information may include, but is not limited to:

• Email address
• First name and last name
• Phone number
• City, State/Province, ZIP/Postal code, Country

Usage Data Usage Data is collected automatically when using the Service.

Usage Data may include information such as Your Device’s Internet Protocol address (e.g. IP address), browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service that You visit, the time and date of Your visit, the time spent on those pages, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

When You access the Service by or through a mobile device, We may collect certain information automatically, including, but not limited to, the type of mobile device You use, Your mobile device unique ID, the IP address of Your mobile device, Your mobile operating system, the type of mobile Internet browser You use, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

We may also collect information that Your browser sends whenever You visit our Service or when You access the Service by or through a mobile device.

Information from Third-Party Social Media Services The Company allows You to create an account and log in to use the Service through the following Third-party Social Media Services:

If You decide to register through or otherwise grant us access to a Third-Party Social Media Service, We may collect Personal data that is already associated with Your Third-Party Social Media Service’s account, such as Your name, Your email address, Your activities or Your contact list associated with that account.

You may also have the option of sharing additional information with the Company through Your Third-Party Social Media Service’s account. If You choose to provide such information and Personal Data, during registration or otherwise, You are giving the Company permission to use, share, and store it in a manner consistent with this Privacy Policy.

Tracking Technologies and Cookies

We use Cookies and similar tracking technologies to track the activity on Our Service and store certain information. Tracking technologies used are beacons, tags, and scripts to collect and track information and to improve and analyze Our Service.

You can instruct Your browser to refuse all Cookies or to indicate when a Cookie is being sent. However, if You do not accept Cookies, You may not be able to use some parts of our Service.

Cookies can be “Persistent” or “Session” Cookies. Persistent Cookies remain on your personal computer or mobile device when You go offline, while Session Cookies are deleted as soon as You close your web browser. Learn more about cookies in Wodu’s  “What Are Cookies”  article.

We use both session and persistent Cookies for the purposes set out below:

• Necessary / Essential Cookies Type: Session Cookies Administered by: Us Purpose: These Cookies are essential to provide You with services available through the Website and to enable You to use some of its features. They help to authenticate users and prevent fraudulent use of user accounts. Without these Cookies, the services that You have asked for cannot be provided, and We only use these Cookies to provide You with those services.
• Cookies Policy / Notice Acceptance Cookies Type: Persistent Cookies Administered by: Us Purpose: These Cookies identify if users have accepted the use of cookies on the Website.
• Functionality Cookies Type: Persistent Cookies Administered by: Us Purpose: These Cookies allow us to remember choices You make when You use the Website, such as remembering your login details or language preference. The purpose of these Cookies is to provide You with a more personal experience and to avoid You having to re-enter your preferences every time You use the Website.
• Tracking and Performance Cookies Type: Persistent Cookies Administered by: Third-Parties Purpose: These Cookies are used to track information about traffic to the Website and how users use the Website. The information gathered via these Cookies may directly or indirectly identify you as an individual visitor. This is because the information collected is typically linked to a pseudonymous identifier associated with the device you use to access the Website. We may also use these Cookies to test new advertisements, pages, features, or new functionality of the Website to see how our users react to them.

For more information about the cookies we use and your choices regarding cookies, please visit our Cookie Policy .

Use of Your Personal Data

The Company may use Personal Data for the following purposes:

• To provide and maintain our Service , including to monitor the usage of our Service.
• To manage Your Account:  to manage Your registration as a user of the Service. The Personal Data You provide can give You access to different functionalities of the Service that are available to You as a registered user.
• For the performance of a contract:  the development, compliance and undertaking of the purchase contract for the products, items or services You have purchased or of any other contract with Us through the Service.
• To contact You:  To contact You by email, telephone calls, SMS, or other equivalent forms of electronic communication, such as a mobile application’s push notifications regarding updates or informative communications related to the functionalities, products or contracted services, including the security updates, when necessary or reasonable for their implementation.
• To provide You  with news, special offers and general information about other goods, services and events which we offer that are similar to those that you have already purchased or enquired about unless You have opted not to receive such information.
• To manage Your requests:  To attend and manage Your requests to Us.

We may share your personal information in the following situations:

• With Service Providers:  We may share Your personal information with Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Service, to advertise on third party websites to You after You visited our Service, for payment processing, to contact You.
• For Business transfers:  We may share or transfer Your personal information in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of Company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business to another company.
• With Affiliates:  We may share Your information with Our affiliates, in which case we will require those affiliates to honor this Privacy Policy. Affiliates include Our parent company and any other subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other companies that We control or that are under common control with Us.
• With Business partners:  We may share Your information with Our business partners to offer You certain products, services or promotions.
• With other users:  when You share personal information or otherwise interact in the public areas with other users, such information may be viewed by all users and may be publicly distributed outside. If You interact with other users or register through a Third-Party Social Media Service, Your contacts on the Third-Party Social Media Service may see Your name, profile, pictures and description of Your activity. Similarly, other users will be able to view descriptions of Your activity, communicate with You and view Your profile.

Retention of Your Personal Data

The Company will retain Your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use Your Personal Data to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.

The Company will also retain Usage Data for internal analysis purposes. Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of Our Service, or We are legally obligated to retain this data for longer time periods.

Transfer of Your Personal Data

Your information, including Personal Data, is processed at the Company’s operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are located. It means that this information may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of Your state, province, country or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ than those from Your jurisdiction.

Your consent to this Privacy Policy followed by Your submission of such information represents Your agreement to that transfer.

The Company will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that Your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of Your Personal Data will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of Your data and other personal information.

Disclosure of Your Personal Data

Business Transactions If the Company is involved in a merger, acquisition or asset sale, Your Personal Data may be transferred. We will provide notice before Your Personal Data is transferred and becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

Law enforcement Under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to disclose Your Personal Data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g. a court or a government agency).

Other legal requirements The Company may disclose Your Personal Data in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

• Comply with a legal obligation
• Protect and defend the rights or property of the Company
• Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Service
• Protect the personal safety of Users of the Service or the public
• Protect against legal liability

Security of Your Personal Data

The security of Your Personal Data is important to Us, but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While We strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect Your Personal Data, We cannot guarantee its absolute security.

Detailed Information on the Processing of Your Personal Data

Service Providers have access to Your Personal Data only to perform their tasks on Our behalf and are obligated not to disclose or use it for any other purpose.

Analytics We may use third-party Service providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Service.

• Google Analytics Google Analytics is a web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic. Google uses the data collected to track and monitor the use of our Service. This data is shared with other Google services. Google may use the collected data to contextualize and personalize the ads of its own advertising network. You can opt-out of having made your activity on the Service available to Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on. The add-on prevents the Google Analytics JavaScript (ga.js, analytics.js, and dc.js) from sharing information with Google Analytics about visits activity. For more information on the privacy practices of Google, please visit the Google Privacy & Terms web page:  https://policies. google .com/privacy?hl=en .

Email Marketing We may use Your Personal Data to contact You with newsletters, marketing or promotional materials, and other information that may be of interest to You. You may opt-out of receiving any, or all, of these communications from Us by following the unsubscribe link or instructions provided in any email We send or by contacting Us.

Behavioral Remarketing The Company uses remarketing services to advertise on third party websites to You after You visited our Service. We and Our third-party vendors use cookies to inform, optimize, and serve ads based on Your past visits to our Service.

• Google Ads (AdWords) Google Ads (AdWords) remarketing service is provided by Google Inc. You can opt-out of Google Analytics for Display Advertising and customize the Google Display Network ads by visiting the Google Ads Settings page:  http://www.google.com/settings/ads . Google also recommends installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on –  https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout  – for your web browser. Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on provides visitors with the ability to prevent their data from being collected and used by Google Analytics. For more information on the privacy practices of Google, please visit the Google Privacy & Terms web page:  https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en .
• Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads) Remarketing Bing Ads remarketing service is provided by Microsoft Inc. You can opt-out of Bing Ads interest-based ads by following their instructions:  https://advertise.bingads.microsoft.com/en-us/resources/policies/personalized-ads . You can learn more about the privacy practices and policies of Microsoft by visiting their Privacy Policy page:  https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/PrivacyStatement .
• Twitter Twitter remarketing service is provided by Twitter Inc. You can opt-out from Twitter’s interest-based ads by following their instructions:  https://support.twitter.com/articles/20170405 . You can learn more about the privacy practices and policies of Twitter by visiting their Privacy Policy page:  https://twitter.com/privacy .
• Facebook Facebook remarketing service is provided by Facebook Inc. You can learn more about interest-based advertising from Facebook by visiting this page:  https://www.facebook.com/help /1649686938 37950 . To opt-out from Facebook’s interest-based ads, follow these instructions from Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/help /5681374933 02217 . Facebook adheres to the Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioural Advertising established by the Digital Advertising Alliance. You can also opt-out from Facebook and other participating companies through the Digital Advertising Alliance in the USA  http://www.aboutads.info/choices/ , the Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada in Canada  http://youradchoices.ca/  or the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance in Europe  http://www.youronlinechoices.eu/ , or opt-out using your mobile device settings. For more information on the privacy practices of Facebook, please visit Facebook’s Data Policy:  https://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation .
• AdRoll AdRoll remarketing service is provided by Semantic Sugar, Inc. You can opt-out of AdRoll remarketing by visiting this AdRoll Advertising Preferences web page:  http://info.evidon.com/pub_info/573?v=1&nt=1&nw=false . For more information on the privacy practices of AdRoll, please visit the AdRoll Privacy Policy web page:  http://www.adroll.com/about/privacy
• Perfect Audience Perfect Audience remarketing service is provided by NowSpots Inc. You can opt-out of Perfect Audience remarketing by visiting these pages: Platform Opt-out (http://pixel.prfct.co/coo) and Partner Opt-out (http://ib.adnxs.com/optout). For more information on the privacy practices of Perfect Audience, please visit the Perfect Audience Privacy Policy & Opt-out web page:  https://www.perfectaudience.com/privacy/index.html .

We may provide paid products and/or services within the Service. In that case, we may use third-party services for payment processing (e.g. payment processors).

We will not store or collect Your payment card details. That information is provided directly to Our third-party payment processors whose use of Your personal information is governed by their Privacy Policy. These payment processors adhere to the standards set by PCI-DSS as managed by the PCI Security Standards Council, which is a joint effort of brands like Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. PCI-DSS requirements help ensure the secure handling of payment information.

• Stripe Their Privacy Policy can be viewed at  https://stripe.com/us/privacy .

When You use Our Service to pay for a product and/or service via bank transfer, We may ask You to provide information to facilitate this transaction and to verify Your identity.

GDPR Privacy

Legal Basis for Processing Personal Data under GDPR We may process Personal Data under the following conditions:

• Consent:  You have given Your consent for processing Personal Data for one or more specific purposes.
• Performance of a contract:  Provision of Personal Data is necessary for the performance of an agreement with You and/or for any pre-contractual obligations thereof.
• Legal obligations:  Processing Personal Data is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the Company is subject.
• Vital interests:  Processing Personal Data is necessary in order to protect Your vital interests or of another natural person.
• Public interests:  Processing Personal Data is related to a task that is carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Company.
• Legitimate interests:  Processing Personal Data is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the Company.

In any case, the Company will gladly help to clarify the specific legal basis that applies to the processing, and in particular whether the provision of Personal Data is a statutory or contractual requirement, or a requirement necessary to enter into a contract.

Your Rights under the GDPR The Company undertakes to respect the confidentiality of Your Personal Data and to guarantee You can exercise Your rights.

You have the right under this Privacy Policy, and by law, if You are within the EU, to:

• Request access to Your Personal Data.   The right to access, update, or delete the information We have on You. Whenever made possible, you can access, update, or request the deletion of Your Personal Data directly within Your account settings section. If you are unable to perform these actions yourself, please contact Us to assist You. This also enables You to receive a copy of the Personal Data We hold about You.
• Request correction of the Personal Data that We hold about You.   You have the right to have any incomplete or inaccurate information We hold about You corrected.
• Object to processing of Your Personal Data.   This right exists where We are relying on legitimate interest as the legal basis for Our processing and there is something about Your particular situation, which makes You want to object to our processing of Your Personal Data on this ground. You also have the right to object where We are processing Your Personal Data for direct marketing purposes.
• Request erasure of Your Personal Data.   You have the right to ask Us to delete or remove Personal Data when there is no good reason for Us to continue processing it.
• Request the transfer of Your Personal Data.   We will provide to You, or to a third-party You have chosen, Your Personal Data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format. Please note that this right only applies to automated information which You initially provided consent for Us to use or where We used the information to perform a contract with You.
• Withdraw Your consent.   You have the right to withdraw Your consent on using your Personal Data. If You withdraw Your consent, We may not be able to provide You with access to certain specific functionalities of the Service.

Exercising of Your GDPR Data Protection Rights You may exercise Your rights of access, rectification, cancellation, and opposition by contacting Us. Please note that we may ask You to verify Your identity before responding to such requests. If You make a request, We will try our best to respond to You as soon as possible.

You have the right to complain to a Data Protection Authority about Our collection and use of Your Personal Data. For more information, if You are in the European Economic Area (EEA), please contact Your local data protection authority in the EEA.

Facebook Fan Page

Data Controller for the Facebook Fan Page The Company is the Data Controller of Your Personal Data collected while using the Service. As the operator of our Facebook Fan Page, the Company and the operator of the social network Facebook are Joint Controllers.

The Company has entered into agreements with Facebook that define the terms for use of the Facebook Fan Page, among other things. These terms are mostly based on the Facebook Terms of Service:  https://www.facebook.com/terms.php .

Visit the Facebook Privacy Policy  https://www.facebook.com/policy.php  for more information about how Facebook manages Personal data or contact Facebook online, or by mail: Facebook, Inc. ATTN, Privacy Operations, 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, United States.

Facebook Insights We use the Facebook Insights function in connection with the operation of the Facebook Fan Page and on the basis of the GDPR, in order to obtain anonymized statistical data about Our users.

For this purpose, Facebook places a Cookie on the device of the user visiting Our Facebook Fan Page. Each Cookie contains a unique identifier code and remains active for a period of two years, except when it is deleted before the end of this period.

Facebook receives, records and processes the information stored in the Cookie, especially when the user visits the Facebook services, services that are provided by other members of the Facebook Fan Page and services by other companies that use Facebook services.

For more information on the privacy practices of Facebook, please visit Facebook Privacy Policy here:  https://www.facebook.com/full_data_use_policy .

CCPA Privacy

Your Rights under the CCPA Under this Privacy Policy, and by law if You are a resident of California, You have the following rights:

• The right to notice.   You must be properly notified which categories of Personal Data are being collected and the purposes for which the Personal Data is being used.
• The right to access / the right to request.   The CCPA permits You to request and obtain from the Company information regarding the disclosure of Your Personal Data that has been collected in the past 12 months by the Company or its subsidiaries to a third-party for the third party’s direct marketing purposes.
• The right to say no to the sale of Personal Data.   You also have the right to ask the Company not to sell Your Personal Data to third parties. You can submit such a request by visiting our “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” section or web page.
• The categories of Personal Data collected
• The sources from which the Personal Data was collected
• The business or commercial purpose for collecting or selling the Personal Data
• Categories of third parties with whom We share Personal Data
• The specific pieces of Personal Data we collected about You
• The right to delete Personal Data.   You also have the right to request the deletion of Your Personal Data that has been collected in the past 12 months.
• Denying goods or services to You
• Charging different prices or rates for goods or services, including the use of discounts or other benefits or imposing penalties
• Providing a different level or quality of goods or services to You
• Suggesting that You will receive a different price or rate for goods or services or a different level or quality of goods or services.

Exercising Your CCPA Data Protection Rights In order to exercise any of Your rights under the CCPA, and if you are a California resident, You can email or call us or visit our “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” section or web page.

The Company will disclose and deliver the required information free of charge within 45 days of receiving Your verifiable request. The time period to provide the required information may be extended once by an additional 45 days when reasonably necessary and with prior notice.

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

We do not sell personal information. However, the Service Providers we partner with (for example, our advertising partners) may use technology on the Service that “sells” personal information as defined by the CCPA law.

If you wish to opt out of the use of your personal information for interest-based advertising purposes and these potential sales as defined under CCPA law, you may do so by following the instructions below.

Please note that any opt-out is specific to the browser You use. You may need to opt-out on every browser that you use.

Website You can opt-out of receiving ads that are personalized as served by our Service Providers by following our instructions presented on the Service:

• From their “Cookie Consent” notice banner
• Or from their “CCPA Opt-out” notice banner
• Or from their “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” notice banner
• Or from their “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” link

The opt out will place a cookie on Your computer that is unique to the browser You use to opt out. If you change browsers or delete the cookies saved by your browser, you will need to opt out again.

Mobile Devices Your mobile device may give you the ability to opt out of the use of information about the apps you use in order to serve you ads that are targeted to your interests:

• “Opt out of Interest-Based Ads” or “Opt out of Ads Personalization” on Android devices
• “Limit Ad Tracking” on iOS devices

You can also stop the collection of location information from Your mobile device by changing the preferences on your mobile device.

“Do Not Track” Policy as Required by California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA)

Our Service does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

However, some third party websites do keep track of Your browsing activities. If You are visiting such websites, You can set Your preferences in Your web browser to inform websites that You do not want to be tracked. You can enable or disable DNT by visiting the preferences or settings page of Your web browser.

Children’s Privacy

Our Service does not address anyone under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 13. If You are a parent or guardian and You are aware that Your child has provided Us with Personal Data, please contact Us. If We become aware that We have collected Personal Data from anyone under the age of 13 without verification of parental consent, We take steps to remove that information from Our servers.

Your California Privacy Rights (California’s Shine the Light law)

Under California Civil Code Section 1798 (California’s Shine the Light law), California residents with an established business relationship with us can request information once a year about sharing their Personal Data with third parties for the third parties’ direct marketing purposes.

If you’d like to request more information under the California Shine the Light law, You can contact Us using the contact information provided below.

California Privacy Rights for Minor Users (California Business and Professions Code Section 22581)

California Business and Professions Code section 22581 allows California residents under the age of 18 who are registered users of online sites, services, or applications to request and obtain removal of content or information they have publicly posted.

To request removal of such data, and if you are a California resident, You can contact Us using the contact information provided below, and include the email address associated with Your account.

Be aware that Your request does not guarantee complete or comprehensive removal of content or information posted online and that the law may not permit or require removal in certain circumstances.

Links to Other Websites

Our Service may contain links to other websites that are not operated by Us. If You click on a third party link, You will be directed to that third party’s site. We strongly advise You to review the Privacy Policy of every site You visit.

We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third party sites or services.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify You of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page.

You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

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Log in to add things to your wishlist and access your bookings from any device.

By creating an account, you agree to our Privacy Policy .

Sorting, ranking, and search results

Cool Hawaii wants to make your searches as relevant as possible. That's why we offer many ways to help you find the right experiences for you.

On some pages, you can select how to sort the results we display and also use filter options to see only those search results that meet your chosen preferences. You'll see explanations of what those sort options mean when you select them.

If you see a Badge of Excellence label, the award is based on average review ratings, share of bookings with a review, and number of bookings through Cool Hawaii over a 12-month period.

The importance of any one factor over any other in a sort order varies, and the balance is constantly being reviewed and adjusted. We're always updating our systems and testing new ways to refine and improve your results to make them as relevant as possible to meet your needs.

Accessibility

Accessibility modes, online dictionary, readable experience, visually pleasing experience, easy orientation.

Cool Hawaii Accessibility Statement

Accessibility Statement

• www.coolhawaii.com
• August 20, 2024

Compliance status

Screen-reader and keyboard navigation.

• Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website. In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels; descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups), and others. Additionally, the background process scans all of the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology. To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on as soon as they enter the website.These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
• Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside of it.Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

Disability profiles supported in our website

• Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
• Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
• Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
• ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
• Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
• Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments

• Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
• Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over 7 different coloring options.
• Animations – epileptic users can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
• Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
• Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
• Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
• Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.

Browser and assistive technology compatibility

Notes, comments, and feedback.

Explore Hilo's One Hour Self-Guided Walking Tour

Social Networks

Mailing address, phone number.

• Walking Tour
• Events & Marketing
• Economic & Sustainability
• Safety & Beautification
• Homeless Committee
• (202) 709-6720‬
• [email protected]

Visitor Information

Commercial Tours

Follow the COVID-19 guidelines while on Maunakea

Ride, don't drive! If you do not have the required Four-Wheel-Drive (4WD) or do not want to drive yourself, the following commercial tour operators are permitted to conduct passenger tours on Maunakea. Please make sure you ride with one of these listed companies.

Be sure to wear your mask for the entire journey.

Arnott’s Lodge & Hiking Adventures LLC 98 Apapane Road Hilo, Hawaiʻi 96720 Phone/Text/Whatsapp: (808) 339-0921 Landline: (808) 969-7097 Email: reservations@arnottslodge.com Website: https://www.arnottslodge.com

Hawaiʻi Forest & Trail 73-5593A Olowalu Street Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 Phone: (808) 331-8505 Fax: (808) 329-9628 E-mail: info@hawaii-forest.com Website: https://www.hawaii-forest.com/

Hawaiian Haoles, Inc. dba Hawaiian Eyes Tours 73-4187 Hulikoa Drive Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 Phone: (808) 937-5555 Email: natureschoolhawaii@gmail.com (English) masashi@minshuku.us (Japanese) Website: https://en.minshuku.us/ (English) Website: https://minshuku.us/ (Japanese)

Super Vacation Hawaiʻi PO Box 4371, Hilo HI 96720 Phone: (808) 896-3463 Email: op@svh808.com

Paradise Safaris, Inc. dba Mauna Kea Summit Adventures PO Box 9027 Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 Phone: (808) 322-2366 Fax: (808) 325-1023 E-Mail: pat@maunakea.com Website: http://www.maunakea.com

Robert’s Hawaiʻi Tours 73-4800 Kanalani St. #200 Kailua-Kona, 96740 Phone: (808) 329-1688 Fax: (808) 329-2631 E-mail: margo.bunnell@robertshawaii.com Website: https://www.robertshawaii.com/

Taikobo Hawaiʻi 73-5576 Kauhola Street, Suite 2 Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 Phone (Main): (808) 329-0599 Phone (English): (808) 300-8552 E-mail: hawaii@taikobo.com Website: https://maunakeasunset.com/ (English) https://www.taikobo.com/ (Japanese)

Rules for commercial tour operators

Commercial activities are regulated through the Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules, Chapter 20-26, and Maunakea Comprehensive Management Plan. Contact CMS for more information.

Online Tour Fee Payment for Commercial Tour Operators

Access the online payment portal restricted access

Winter is here! Check out the winter wonderlands at these 5 amazing winter destinations in Montana

• Travel Destinations

Volcano Ventures – Hawaii’s Big Island Lava Tours

Published: August 20, 2024

by Wynn Sweat

Have you ever wanted to see lava up close? Hawaii's Big Island offers an incredible chance to witness this natural wonder. The island's volcano tours provide a unique experience, letting you safely explore active volcanic sites. Imagine walking on hardened lava fields, feeling the heat from recent flows, and watching molten rock pour into the ocean. These tours often include knowledgeable guides who share fascinating facts about the island's geology and history. Whether you're an adventure seeker or a nature lover, a lava tour on Hawaii's Big Island promises unforgettable memories. Ready to feel the heat? Let's dive into what makes these tours so special.

Why Visit Hawaii's Big Island for Lava Tours?

Hawaii's Big Island offers a unique opportunity to witness the raw power of nature. The island's active volcanoes create a landscape unlike any other, making it a must-visit for adventure seekers and nature lovers. Here are some of the best lava tours you can experience on the Big Island.

1. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a must-see for anyone interested in volcanoes. This park is home to two of the world's most active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa.

• Kilauea Volcano : Known for its frequent eruptions, Kilauea offers a chance to see lava flows up close.
• Mauna Loa : The world's largest volcano, Mauna Loa provides stunning views and challenging hikes.

2. Kalapana Lava Viewing Area

Kalapana offers a unique experience where you can see fresh lava flows meeting the ocean. This creates spectacular steam plumes and new land formations.

• Lava Boat Tours : Get a close-up view of lava entering the ocean from a boat.
• Guided Hikes : Trek across old lava fields to reach active flow areas.

3. Chain of Craters Road

Chain of Craters Road takes you through a variety of volcanic landscapes. This scenic drive offers multiple stops where you can explore craters, lava tubes, and petroglyphs.

• Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs : Discover ancient Hawaiian carvings on lava rocks.
• Holei Sea Arch : A natural arch formed by lava, offering breathtaking ocean views.

4. Puna District

The Puna District is known for its geothermal activity and lush landscapes. It's a great place to explore off-the-beaten-path lava features.

• Lava Tree State Monument : See trees encased in lava from past eruptions.
• Kapoho Tide Pools : Snorkel in tide pools heated by geothermal activity.

5. Mauna Kea Summit

While Mauna Kea is not an active volcano, its summit offers unparalleled views of the island's volcanic landscape.

• Stargazing Tours : The summit is one of the best places in the world for stargazing.
• Sunset Tours : Watch the sunset from above the clouds, with views of Mauna Loa and Kilauea.

6. Hilo Town

Hilo is the gateway to many of the island's volcanic attractions. This charming town offers a mix of natural beauty and cultural experiences.

• Liliuokalani Gardens : Stroll through these beautiful Japanese gardens.
• Rainbow Falls : A stunning waterfall that often creates rainbows in its mist.

7. Kilauea Iki Crater

Kilauea Iki Crater offers a unique hiking experience. This trail takes you across a solidified lava lake from a 1959 eruption.

• Crater Rim Trail : Hike around the rim for panoramic views.
• Descent into the Crater : Walk across the crater floor, feeling the heat from below.

8. Thurston Lava Tube

Thurston Lava Tube is a fascinating underground tunnel formed by flowing lava. This easy walk takes you through a lush rainforest before entering the tube.

• Self-Guided Tour : Explore the lava tube at your own pace.
• Educational Displays : Learn about the formation of lava tubes and volcanic activity.

9. Pu'u Huluhulu Trail

Pu'u Huluhulu Trail offers a moderate hike with rewarding views. This trail takes you through a variety of volcanic terrains.

• Scenic Overlook : Enjoy panoramic views of Mauna Ulu and the surrounding lava fields.
• Wildlife Spotting : Keep an eye out for native birds and plants.

10. Lava Viewing by Helicopter

For a bird's-eye view of the island's volcanic activity, consider a helicopter tour. This offers a unique perspective on the island's dynamic landscape.

• Aerial Views : See active lava flows, craters, and the island's diverse terrain.
• Photography Opportunities : Capture stunning photos from above.

Experience the Thrill of Hawaii's Big Island Lava Tours

Hawaii's Big Island offers an unforgettable adventure with its lava tours . Walking on ancient lava fields , feeling the heat from active flows, and witnessing the raw power of nature is something you won't forget. These tours provide a unique way to connect with the island's volcanic landscape.

Safety is a priority, so always follow your guide's instructions and wear appropriate gear. Whether you're a thrill-seeker or a nature lover, these tours cater to all. They offer a rare chance to see the Earth's fiery heart up close.

Plan your trip, book a tour, and get ready for an incredible experience. Hawaii's Big Island lava tours are a must-do for anyone visiting the islands. Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to witness nature's power firsthand.

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