36 Hours in Hilo, Hawaii (2025)

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• Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a showstopper with lush rainforests, rare birds, cavernous lava tubes and a live volcano that can be safely viewed from a historic hotel.
• The Hilo Farmers Market offers a cornucopia of tropical fruit and specialty foods produced by local artisans.
• The East Hawaii Cultural Center, a dynamic venue for visual and performing arts, hosts this year’s Hawaii Triennial, a Pacific-wide contemporary art exhibit.

• Stone bridges arch over tranquil ponds at Liliuokalani Gardens, a seaside park favored by Hawaii’s last monarch, Queen Liliuokalani.
• The poignant displays at the Pacific Tsunami Museum commemorate those lost to the 1946 and 1960 tsunamis that decimated downtown Hilo — and offer guidance for surviving the storms of the future.
• At Imiloa Astronomy Center kids and adults can delve into the mystery of dinosaurs, deep space and traditional Hawaiian celestial navigation.
• Lychee, starfruit and cacao ripen on the trees at O.K. Farms; farm tours culminate in a tropical fruit tasting in a gazebo perched above Rainbow Falls.
• Honolii Beach Park is a prime spot to watch surfers indulge in the quintessential Hawaiian sport.
• Built in 1925, the ornate Palace Theater still raises its curtain and fires up its organ at the start of blockbuster and silent films, hula performances and live concerts.
• Two enormous stones—sacred relics significant to Hawaii’s history—stand at the entrance to Hilo Public Library.
• The accessible trails at Wailuku River State Park overlook picturesque Rainbow Falls, named for the colorful bow that forms in the cascade’s mist.

• At the Rim, inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, diners can watch the caldera glow while enjoying locally raised rib eye and fresh-caught fish.
• Mark Pomaski, the chef and owner of Moon and Turtle, earned national accolades for his menu spotlighting seasonal delicacies such as whole fried opelu (mackerel) and octopus dumplings.
• The Hidden Nene speakeasy is extra swanky, with a sophisticated cocktail menu that matches its Victorian-era décor.
• Paul’s Place Cafe barely qualifies as a restaurant — just eight seats and a galley-size kitchen — but Paul Cubio serves the best brunch around.
• The Puna Chocolate Company shop sells Hawaii-grown chocolate to take home; the bar serves chocolate-laced beverages, with and without alcohol.
• The line out the door at Two Ladies Kitchen testifies to the quality of the mochi made inside — stuffed with fresh strawberry, Oreo or poha berry (gooseberry).
• Suisan Fish Market, a wholesale seafood supplier, serves the island’s freshest poke (seasoned raw fish) at the mouth of the Wailoa River.
• Alii Ice meets Hilo’s essential needs: ice blocks for fishermen and fruit paletas for passersby in Liliuokalani Park.
• Miyo’s Restaurant and Izakaya Bar was a local favorite before the chef Louis Pauole took over; now diners can enjoy beautiful omakase (chef’s choice) dinners in addition to delicious Japanese bentos.
• The Temple, a small, stylish craft cocktail and wine bar, serves locally sourced bites to Hilo’s late-night crowd.

• The Volcano Art Center inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park showcases many of Hawaii’s finest painters, sculptors, weavers and wood carvers.
• Sig Zane Designs is the place to find the local designer’s bold aloha print dresses, shirts and accessories.
• Paliku Surf sells Sig Zane’s athletic line: pro water wear that stands out in the swells.
• The collection of vintage muumuu, woven hats and locally made housewares at Hana Hou Hilo rank among the best in the Hawaiian Islands.
• Dragon Mama, a made-to-order futon shop, sells superior quality Japanese linens and housewares.
• Hawaiian Ukulele & Guitar has an instrument for every level of player, from toy ukes to treasured heirlooms.

• It’s worth driving 45 minutes out of town to the Volcano House in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Designed by C.W. Dickey in 1941, the gracious hotel has 33 rooms, a fine restaurant, bar and a fireplace in the lobby — all perched on the edge of the caldera. Book a crater view room to watch Kilauea’s fireworks from your window. Bring a sweater; at 4,000 feet in elevation, it’s chilly. Rooms start at $336 a night.
• The Hilo Hawaiian Hotel has been a mainstay for inter-island travelers for decades. Splurge on an oceanfront room ($289) for sweeping views of Hilo Bay and Mauna Kea. Banyan view rooms start at $189 a night.
• SCP Hilo is essentially a boutique motel: spartan rooms with cozy social areas conducive to making friends. Guests can enjoy live music and lei-making events, particularly during the Merrie Monarch festival. Rooms with balconies overlooking the koi pond have the most privacy. Rooms start at $148 a night.
• Short-term rentals are available and range from gated estates overlooking Honolii Beach Park to hobbit-like cottages deep in the rainforest. Bear in mind that many structures are open-air; mosquitoes, ants and geckos are common visitors.

• Downtown Hilo is walkable, but you’ll want to rent a car to explore the vast terrain of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The distance between Hilo and sites within the park are too great for rideshare. Hawaii Island’s public transit, the Hele-On bus, offers free but limited service across the island. Route 101 stops at Hilo International Airport and route 11 passes through the national park, where passengers pay $15 for a walk-in pass before disembarking.

2 p.m. Visit a live volcano

Drive 45 minutes southeast from Hilo to immerse yourself in primordial forest and steaming lava tubes at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (vehicle pass, $35). Learn about Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess, at the welcome center, then browse the Volcano Art Center, where local artists sell museum-quality koa wood bowls and photos of molten rock meeting the sea. Cross the street for your first jaw-dropping view of the crater. If Kilauea is erupting, you can witness the fiery spectacle from the comfort of the Volcano House lobby. Wander along the caldera’s rim while listening to the wild songs of the Hawaiian honeycreepers, some of Earth’s rarest birds.

7:30 p.m. Watch an active volcano as you dine, or head back into town

If Kilauea is active, you’ll want to eat dinner at the Rim, where you can watch the caldera glow while sampling seared Kona kanpachi and locally raised rib eye. Otherwise, head back into town for dinner at Moon and Turtle (reserve ahead). The chef Mark Pomaski worked at Roy’s in Waikiki and Nobu 57 in New York City before returning home to open this humble yet elegant restaurant in downtown Hilo. The ever-changing menu — which earned Mr. Pomaski a 2022 James Beard nomination — might include whole fried opelu (mackerel) with green olive tapenade ($35), Okinawan sweet potato gnocchi, or dumplings stuffed with local ahi and octopus mousseline. You won’t find a better lychee martini, featuring fresh-pressed Hilo lychee juice ($14).

10 p.m. Visit a speakeasy, Hawaiian style

For an adventurous nightcap just around the corner, follow the “Silly Goose” sign down the stairs to the Hidden Nene. Hilo’s coolness quotient quietly spiked when Charlene Moe opened this speakeasy in 2023. The Nene’s Victorian-era décor has a distinctly Hawaiian accent: forest green walls, a mounted boar’s head and paintings by Charles Furneaux — one of the 19th-century Volcano School artists. The menu follows suit with libations such as Shoyu a Good Time — Tenjaku gin garnished with wasabi oil and a flaming skewer of raw tuna ($16). Delectable coconut meringue foam floats atop an alcohol-fueled riff on key lime pie ($16). After snacking on caviar canapes and deviled eggs with smoked ahi yolk ($26), you might adopt the bar’s motto, “Upstairs Can Wait.”

Kilauea erupts sporadically, and has been in a particularly active phase since December, when this photo was taken.

8:30 a.m. Breakfast with Paul

At Paul’s Place Cafe, it’s as if your favorite uncle is cooking brunch just for you. Reservations are necessary to snag one of eight seats tucked into the staircase landing at the Pakalana Inn. Paul Cubio’s kitchen is tighter than a ship’s galley: a 3-by-4-foot counter equipped with a single burner, cutting board and sink. But the chef’s limitation is his inspiration; Mr. Cubio chats with diners as he cooks each dish to order using ingredients collected from neighboring markets. The fish sandwich features ripe Kamuela tomatoes, crunchy coleslaw and a juicy filet of ono (wahoo) reeled in that morning ($25). His waffles ($16) have a cult following.

10 a.m. Shop local

Downtown Hilo’s shops may have weathered facades, but you’ll find top-quality goods inside. Sig Zane, a local fashion designer, revolutionized aloha wear when he opened his flagship boutique on Kamehameha Avenue in 1985. His bold fabrics showcase native Hawaiian plants and his work appears in collaborations with Hawaiian Airlines and Louis Vuitton. For stylish surf trunks, visit his athletic-wear spin-off Paliku Surf on Kalakaua Street. Scour the antique shops on Keawe Street for timeless souvenirs, stock up on Japanese linens and housewares at Dragon Mama, and strum a chord or two at Hawaiian Ukulele & Guitar. Score a vintage muumuu or finely woven lauhala (palm leaf) hat at Hana Hou Hilo. The owner, Michele Zane-Faridi (master weaver and Mr. Zane’s sister), curates an impeccable collection of locally made clothing, cosmetics and gifts.

12 p.m. Eat the rainbow

For lunch, enjoy a picnic at Liliuokalani Gardens, an oceanfront spot favored by Hawaii’s last queen. Start packing your basket at the colorful Hilo Farmers Market on Mamo Street. Vendors offer everything from shucked coconuts to tamales and pad thai. Satisfy your sweet tooth at Puna Chocolate Company or Two Ladies Kitchen, a beloved mochi shop. Continue across the Wailoa River bridge to Suisan Fish Market, a family-owned seafood supplier that has served this community since 1907. Locals line up at Suisan’s riverfront counter for fresh poke (seasoned raw fish), sold by the pound or paired with rice and seaweed salad. Try the Hawaiian-style ahi ($25 per pound) tossed with inamona (roasted kukui nuts). After lunch, stroll through Liliuokalani Gardens to Alii Ice. Beneath the “We Cool” sign, you’ll find a 50s-style ice cream parlor selling paletas ($3) made with local mango and li hing mui (pickled plum).

2 p.m. Art, history and the stars

Rich in history and culture, Hilo is a community of survivors. Visit the Pacific Tsunami Museum ($15 admission) to hear powerful first-hand accounts of the 1946 and 1960 tsunamis that surged through the town. The museum’s Art Deco building is itself a survivor, originally a bank designed by the celebrated architect Charles Dickey in 1930. Two blocks away, the equally grand former courthouse is now a dynamic art and theater space. The East Hawaii Cultural Center will host the Hawaii Triennial here through April 2025, with artists exploring themes of belonging, ecological threats and Native Hawaiian celestial navigation practices. Dive deeper into the science of those practices at the Imiloa Astronomy Center ($26 admission). The planetarium on the University of Hawaii-Hilo campus features kid-friendly, interactive exhibits.

5:30 p.m. Time for some Japanese fare

The chef Louis Pauole started as a dishwasher at Miyo’s Restaurant and Izakaya Bar before buying the longtime Hilo staple in 2019. He kept the business afloat during the pandemic by opening the adjoining izakaya and serving gorgeous omakase (chef’s choice) dinners to a dozen guests each night. His smoked sashimi with ponzo jelly cubes and egg toast topped with salmon roe and cured yolk shavings earned him a fanbase. Now Mr. Pauole and his sous chefs prepare thoughtful Japanese fare two ways—bento boxes ($25) in the restaurant and sophisticated small plates ($15 and up) in the izakaya. Both benefit from the bar’s large menu of craft cocktails and high-end sake, served in masu (wooden cups).

7 p.m. Catch a show

When the Native Hawaiian showman and entrepreneur Adam Baker opened the Palace Theater in 1925, Hilo residents flocked to watch silent films with soundtracks supplied by a mighty pipe organ. The opulent theater survived both tsunamis with its exceptional natural acoustics intact. Duck under the neon sign to buy tickets for an arthouse film or theatrical performance. Silent movies are still fun here, accompanied by the old organ. But concerts are even better. Check the calendar for local legends such as Brother Noland, Paula Fuga or the ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro, who often grace the Palace’s stage (tickets start at $10, depending on the performance).

9:30 p.m. Sample a pitch-perfect cocktail

Seats fill up quickly at the Temple, an intimate bar with wine and craft beer flowing from the taps. The bartender’s pitch-perfect cocktails include a stellar Sazerac ($18) and Through the Looking Glass, a mix of gin, elderflower liqueur and passionfruit juice topped with a cloudy froth of egg white and lavender buds ($16). Nearly every dish on the tapas menu spotlights local produce — commendable in a state that imports 90 percent of its food. The street tacos and flatbreads are satisfying but try the Maui venison tartare ($26) or the kalo (taro root) and cassava — a crispy, modern twist on a traditional Hawaiian staple spiced with chimichurri ($14).

A sunbather takes advantage of a rare partially sunny morning at Honolii Beach Park, where surfers have ridden waves for centuries.

9 a.m. Tour a tropical fruit farm

Drive a mile north of downtown Hilo to O.K. Farms. This large family-owned farm supplies most of Hawaii’s fresh lychee, in addition to rambutan, longan, heart of palm and cacao. A tour bus winds around macadamia nut and coffee orchards, pausing on Spice Road so you can pick fresh clove and nutmeg. The farm hugs the Wailuku River and the tour ($65 adult, $55 child) includes a unique view of a local landmark: Rainbow Falls. You’ll look down at the top of the waterfall from a gazebo while your guide prepares a picnic of tropical fruits. Practice cracking open macadamia nuts. Sample fresh cacao and the finished product: chocolate made on site.

11:30 a.m. Surf patrol at Honolii Beach Park

Unless you’re a veteran surfer, Honolii Beach Park is view-only. Parking is tight on Kahoa Street, but with patience you can squeeze into a spot. Steep stairs lead down to the shore, which is covered in driftwood, pebbles and black sand. The large lawn beside the lifeguard station is a lovely picnic spot. Honolii Stream empties into the ocean here, and while the water beneath the bridge appears idyllic, it’s roiled by strong currents. For centuries surfers have ridden waves here. Admire their skills, snap some photos and surrender your parking spot to the next in line.

12 p.m. Catch a rainbow

Cruise up to Wailuku River State Park to see the colorful arc for which Rainbow Falls is named. As the river thunders over the mouth of a cave, a rainbow forms in its mist. Stop at Hilo Public Library on the way to the park. The midcentury building features a lush courtyard, but it’s the two sacred and storied stones in front that deserve attention. The upright Pinao Stone once marked the entrance to an ancient heiau (temple). The celebrated Naha Stone predicted the rise of Kamehameha the Great in the 18th century. According to prophecy, whoever could lift this colossal slab — nearly 7,000 pounds — would gain the power to conquer Hawaii. Kamehameha reportedly heaved up the stone before waging war to unify the Islands under one rule.