Hilo
Tours

Our most recommended things to do in Hilo

Hawaii’s GOAT Experience: Mauna Kea Summit, Sunset & Stars

Hawaii’s GOAT Experience: Mauna Kea Summit, Sunset & Stars

Get your photos taken by the stars during this sunset and stargazing adventure on the summit of Mauna Kea. Learn about the area from your guide as you sip on hot chocolate and eat snacks. Choose from pickup and drop-off options at several locations.  Delight in the awe-inspiring sunset at the top of Mauna Kea, the highest point in the Pacific. Get cozy with a parka, gloves, and hot drink as you learn historic accounts of Hawaii, the Big Island, from your guide. Stand amidst the world’s largest collection of research telescopes and see two of the eight telescopes which took the first photo of a black hole. Enjoy your very own private star show with our professional telescope (Weather Permitting). Capture your experience forever with photos taken by your guide on our camera. Get emailed these photos after your experience. After your unforgettable evening with the stars, depart back to your pickup location for drop-off.

Big Island: Volcanoes, Waterfalls, & Coffee Farm Day-Trip

Big Island: Volcanoes, Waterfalls, & Coffee Farm Day-Trip

The morning is filled with guided visits to some of the most majestic waterfalls on the Big Island. The views stop you in your tracks at the Waipio Valley lookout, where a dramatic backdrop of lush cliffs drops into the sparkling blue ocean. Continue riding along the Hamakua coast as more postcard-worthy views pass by your window before visiting Akaka Falls and the famous Rainbow Falls. Take a short walk through the rainforest for an up-close view and plenty of photo opportunities. In the afternoon, explore the wonders of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, including steam vents, the Halema’uma’u, and Kilauea Iki crater lookouts, and take a short hike along the crater rim trail.  From here, relax and take it all in at Punalu’u Beach, a great place to spot marine life from the black-sand shore. On the leisurely drive back around sunset, you’ll see views of South Point, the southernmost point of the United States, and Kealakekua Bay.  Finally, enjoy a visit to Kona Coffee Farm. Stroll through the orchards with your guide and learn about the harvesting and milling process while sampling a warm cup of Kona-grown coffee.

Hilo: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Flight

Hilo: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Flight

Take a helicopter ride over ever-changing scenery at Volcano National Park with this tour from Hilo. Journey over black sand beaches where lava once flowed into the sea. Take off from Hilo and fly directly to Volcano National Park. See the caldera of the Kilauea volcano. Admire the Pu'uo'o' volcanic cone. Snap pictures of the massive volcanos Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa in the distance. Discover new lava fields that are forming and go over old lava fields. View how waterfalls create a deep blue pools amid jungle greenery. All site specific areas are weather dependent

Big Island: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Hilo Tour

Big Island: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Hilo Tour

Join a half-day adventure tour exploring the Big Island from summit to sea. Take a captivating journey through Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, home to the world's most active volcano, Kilauea. Travel from the visitor center to Kilauea crater for panoramic views of the smoking caldera and steaming volcanic vents. Walk inside ancient Nahuku (Thurston Lava Tube) and enjoy an island-infused lunch on us at a local restaurant. Afterward, visit Punaluʻu Beach—a beautiful black sand beach frequently visited by green sea turtles On the final leg of your journey, drive through Liliuokalani Gardens (the largest authentic Edo-style ornamental garden outside of Japan) and Downtown Hilo before seeing the picture-perfect scenery of Rainbow Falls.

From Hilo: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Tour

From Hilo: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Tour

Drive through Banyan Dive, Hilo’s own celebrity walk of fame. The majority of the banyan trees planted in the early 1900s by celebrities including, Amelia Earhart, Princess Abigail Kawananakoa, President Rosevelt and even Babe Ruth. Stop at Liliuokalani Gardens and take in the Beautiful 25 acre parcel of Japanese Décor. Named after the last reigning Monarch, Queen Liliuokalani, this park was dedicated towards the relations between Hilo and several different Japanese cities. Today Hilo still consider Nago City, Hatsukaichi, and Ikaho, Japanese sister cities to Hilo. Drive by the Kamehameha Statue, A physical showing of the King himself. A story that starts right here on Hawaii Island of becoming royal to bringing the island chain under one rule, of King Kamehameha. Visit the prestigious Rainbow Falls. Home to the Hawaiian Moon goddess “Hina”. Better known as the mother to popular Demi god “Maui”. Rainbow falls is known for the illuminating mist of the majestic falls portraying the vibrant colors of the rainbow. At Hawai’i’s Volcanoes National Park, we make three stops, including the Crater Rim Lookout, the Steam Vents, and walking through the lava tube (Thurston Lava Tube). As one of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea has been putting on a show intermittently and drawing a lot of attention to Hawai’i. Whether it is a show of volcanic gases or the dancing glow of the Hawaiian sky, it will sure take a breath away. Finally visit Big Island Candies. As a taste of Hawaii, this generational candy factory is known for Japanese “omiyagi” (gift giving). The evolving style is popular for the shortbread cookies hand half-dipped in chocolate. A must for sweet lovers.

Hilo: Sea Turtle Lagoon and Black Sand Beach Snorkel

Hilo: Sea Turtle Lagoon and Black Sand Beach Snorkel

This is your opportunity to swim in a lagoon full of abundant sea life. Join your hosts on a fully guided and narrated beach snorkel tour along the pristine Hilo coastline. Make 2 snorkeling stops and also enjoy island snacks and juices. The volcanic beaches are renowned for their abundant sea turtle population, and the brackish water bays and lagoons are home to a wealth of sea life including octopus, turtles, eagle rays, eels, corals, and tropical reef fish. Your experienced snorkel guide will teach you about the beautiful and lush surroundings, how the beaches and volcanic islands are made, and about the abundant marine world which lies below. Newcomers to snorkeling and children are welcome. Your trained guide will teach you the basics and be with you every step of the way to make sure you feel safe and comfortable. Children will be introduced to nature in a spectacular way.

Big Island: Coffee, Black Sand, Volcano and Waterfall Tour

Big Island: Coffee, Black Sand, Volcano and Waterfall Tour

Immerse yourself in the best of the Big Island’s sights, microclimates, and traditions as well as gourmet food and beverages on this full-day all-inclusive tour. Allow us to take care of all your needs from hotel pickup and drop-off and catered meals to a carefully planned route with thoughtfully curated stops. This is the Big Island you’ve been dreaming of — a destination where breathtaking landscapes and millennia of culture combine to create a day of connection with land and people. Welcome to paradise.

Hilo: Discover Hilo Helicopter Tour

Hilo: Discover Hilo Helicopter Tour

Embark on an unforgettable helicopter tour over Hawaii's most volcanically active island. Departing from Hilo Heliport, you'll board an ECO-Star helicopter, offering expansive viewing windows and expert commentary via noise-canceling headphones. The massive eruptions of the world’s most active and unpredictable volcano have changed the face of the Big Island in spectacular ways. On the Discover Hilo tour, you’ll embark on a breathtaking adventure, seeking out the island’s newly formed volcanic landscapes, black-sand beaches, lush rainforest, and waterfalls. As you soar, marvel at the cascading waterfalls, the ever-changing volcanic landscapes, and the rugged Hamakua Coast. The pilot's insightful commentary will enrich your understanding of these natural wonders. The tour concludes back at the Hilo Heliport, leaving you with the rest of the day to explore the Aloha State.

Mauna Kea: Stellar Explorer Tour from Hilo

Mauna Kea: Stellar Explorer Tour from Hilo

Visit Rainbow Falls and the Kaumana Caves before heading to your stargazing location. Travel across Saddle Road between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, 2 of the tallest and biggest volcanoes on Earth. To complete your tour, your guide will take you to one of the preferred locations on Mauna Kea for nighttime stargazing. Observe the deep sky and planetary objects through a large aperture telescope, under one of the darkest and most pristine skies on planet Earth. Enjoy narration from expert astronomers, who have written articles for well-known magazines and worked at world-class observatories for decades. The telescopes are a true purist way to view the night sky. Their fast focal ratio enables you to see sprawling wide-field views of objects that are simply not possible with other telescopes.  Weather permitting and depending on what is visible in the current sky, you can observe galaxies, nebula, star clusters, planets, double star systems, the moon, and much more.

Big Island: Volcano, Black Sand Beach, Waterfall, with Lunch

Big Island: Volcano, Black Sand Beach, Waterfall, with Lunch

Join a half-day adventure tour exploring the Big Island of Hawaii from summit to sea. Our tour is a unique experience presenting old artifacts to touch and feel, insights into Hawaiian history, and an understanding of the cultural significance of the places we visit. We'll take you through Downtown Hilo to picture-perfect Rainbow Falls on the Wailuku River in Hilo. Next we'll embark on an unforgettable adventure through Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, home to the world's most active volcano, Kilauea. You'll travel from the visitor center to Kilauea crater for panoramic views of the smoking caldera and steaming volcanic vents, walk inside ancient Nahuku (Thurston Lava Tube), and enjoy an island-infused lunch on us at a local restaurant. Afterward, visit Punaluʻu Beach—a beautiful black sand beach frequently visited by green sea turtles.

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What people are saying about Hilo

Overall rating

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6
4.6 out of 5 stars
(389 reviews)
5 out of 5 stars

Both Robert and Jess were wonderful! The knowledge that these two possess about the land, the stars and great places to have breakfast. Just you weren’t kidding about the pancakes they were monsters! Thank you for the tour it was monumental especially when Robert spotted the volcano glow in the sky. We did go down that night to see the volcano fortunately for us because the next morning it ceased interrupting.

5 out of 5 stars

The tour was very well organized and a truly unique experience. Our guide Mitch was a real plus point on this tour. For us it was worth every cent and we can only warmly recommend the tour! We also received the photos that were taken during the tour very quickly and they are a great souvenir of this trip.

5 out of 5 stars

Great experience! Loved the two snorkel spots even though we didn’t see turtles. There was beautiful coral and plenty of colorful fish!

5 out of 5 stars

Best tour on the island hands down! Mia was AMAZING and very knowledgeable, we loved every second of it!

5 out of 5 stars

Great stops, fantastic driver/guide (Brett) -- an overall wonderful day!!