Guidebook for Hakalau
Food Shopping
Our favorite places to foodshop, not just because they carry our chocolate, but as it happens they all do!
This is a comprehensive health food store, with a great deli and salad bar perfect for picking up a quick meal on your way to a picnic.
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Island Naturals Market & Deli - Hilo
1221 Kilauea AveThis is a comprehensive health food store, with a great deli and salad bar perfect for picking up a quick meal on your way to a picnic.
Great health food store, downtown right by the Hilo Farmer's Market.
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Abundant Life Natural Foods
292 Kamehameha AveGreat health food store, downtown right by the Hilo Farmer's Market.
The Locavore sells exclusively island-sourced products. The owners are young and impeccable in their selections. Find produce, meats, honey, coffee, chocolate, spices, desserts, and more.
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The Locavore Store
333 Kamehameha AveThe Locavore sells exclusively island-sourced products. The owners are young and impeccable in their selections. Find produce, meats, honey, coffee, chocolate, spices, desserts, and more.
Food Scene
The Booch Bar has locally sourced, organic, vegan options, home-brewed kombucha with island fruits, krauts and sprouts galore. (And our chocolate, but you can get that in the farmstand!)
Local organic farming iconic family Ginger John, Jackie and their five daughters bring all the best of their Korean Naturally Farmed foods to this lively eatery. Taro burgers, great smoothies, super foods.
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Sweet Cane Cafe
48 Kamana StLocal organic farming iconic family Ginger John, Jackie and their five daughters bring all the best of their Korean Naturally Farmed foods to this lively eatery. Taro burgers, great smoothies, super foods.
THE BEST THAI FOOD. Homemade by Tina! Some organic and local foods including local, organic chicken. Be sure to make a reservation - the cafe is small! Right on Bayfront, downtown Hilo.
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Tina's Garden Cafe
168 Kamehameha AveTHE BEST THAI FOOD. Homemade by Tina! Some organic and local foods including local, organic chicken. Be sure to make a reservation - the cafe is small! Right on Bayfront, downtown Hilo.
Local fish market, fresh off the boat; excellent and large selection of poke. Pick up a poke bowl (your choice of white or brown rice) and head out for a walk on Banyan Drive, out to Coconut Island, through the beautiful Liliuokalani Japanese gardens.
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Suisan Fish Market
93 Lihiwai StLocal fish market, fresh off the boat; excellent and large selection of poke. Pick up a poke bowl (your choice of white or brown rice) and head out for a walk on Banyan Drive, out to Coconut Island, through the beautiful Liliuokalani Japanese gardens.
This is a market as well as a restaurant. Very handy stop your way up the coast, lots of local products for sale, great take-out and bakery as well as a sit-down restaurant with pizza, local favorites, reasonably priced. Often has live music inside the store.
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Pāpaʻaloa Country Store and Cafe
35-2032 Papa Aloa AveThis is a market as well as a restaurant. Very handy stop your way up the coast, lots of local products for sale, great take-out and bakery as well as a sit-down restaurant with pizza, local favorites, reasonably priced. Often has live music inside the store.
The bustling Hilo Farmers Market has some vendors every day, but Saturdays and Wednesdays it is in full swing, with tropical fruits and veggies, coconuts to drink, and many other local specialties on one side of Mamo Street, and then cross the street for an extensive craft fair as well as food trucks with picnic tables. Shop for everything from local goat cheese and avocados to batik saris and kukui nut jewelry!
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Hilo Farmers Market
Mamo StreetThe bustling Hilo Farmers Market has some vendors every day, but Saturdays and Wednesdays it is in full swing, with tropical fruits and veggies, coconuts to drink, and many other local specialties on one side of Mamo Street, and then cross the street for an extensive craft fair as well as food trucks with picnic tables. Shop for everything from local goat cheese and avocados to batik saris and kukui nut jewelry!
The Booch Bar in downtown Hilo - Locally sourced, organic, vegan options, home-brewed kombucha with island fruits, krauts and sprouts galore.
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Conscious Culture Cafe
110 Keawe StThe Booch Bar in downtown Hilo - Locally sourced, organic, vegan options, home-brewed kombucha with island fruits, krauts and sprouts galore.
Parks & Nature
Beautiful place to stroll, fantastic banyan trees, many little bridges, ponds, temples, and Coconut Island jutting out into Hilo Bay. See Suisan or Hilo Bay Cafe for food ideas!
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Liliuokalani Park und Gärten
189 Lihiwai StBeautiful place to stroll, fantastic banyan trees, many little bridges, ponds, temples, and Coconut Island jutting out into Hilo Bay. See Suisan or Hilo Bay Cafe for food ideas!
Stunning waterfall. There is a parking fee if you use the parking lot, but if there is space you can park outside. A short hike takes you to the waterfall, can also do a longer loop, which takes you to a view of a second falls. Beautiful scenery!
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Akaka Falls State Park
875 Akaka Falls RdStunning waterfall. There is a parking fee if you use the parking lot, but if there is space you can park outside. A short hike takes you to the waterfall, can also do a longer loop, which takes you to a view of a second falls. Beautiful scenery!
Stunning views, a small ramp to swim off, can explore among the rocks at low tide, carefully please! Check out the big banyan tree in the back of the park, and read about the terrible toll the 1946 tsunami took. Great for sightseeing whales (Jan-March) and the spray of the ocean on the rocks. Very narrow road to get down to the park!
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Laupāhoehoe Beach Park
Hawaii 19Stunning views, a small ramp to swim off, can explore among the rocks at low tide, carefully please! Check out the big banyan tree in the back of the park, and read about the terrible toll the 1946 tsunami took. Great for sightseeing whales (Jan-March) and the spray of the ocean on the rocks. Very narrow road to get down to the park!
Great place to picnic, get down to the ocean; people swim in the river, which has a waterfall, and camp here. A great place for picnicking and surf-watching, upgraded in 2024 with all new facilities.
Kolekole Stream
Great place to picnic, get down to the ocean; people swim in the river, which has a waterfall, and camp here. A great place for picnicking and surf-watching, upgraded in 2024 with all new facilities.
Best beach for keiki (kids)! Very protected and sandy bottom. Lots of picnic shelters, showers, bathrooms. Explore this as well as a whole series of beach parks in this area south of Hilo.
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Onekahakaha Beach Park
74 Onekahakaha RdBest beach for keiki (kids)! Very protected and sandy bottom. Lots of picnic shelters, showers, bathrooms. Explore this as well as a whole series of beach parks in this area south of Hilo.
This is the closest sunset-viewing sandy beach from our home - wonderful for kids of all ages. Beautiful sand, shady trees on the side (watch out for kiave thorns), picnic tables, showers. Can walk from the parking lot on a winding paved trail to visit Shark's Cove and see an enormous stone heiau (temple) built by Kamehameha that is being restored (there are interpretive signs all along the path). Takes ~1 hour 15 minutes from here.
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Spencer Beach Park
62-3461 Kawaihae RoadThis is the closest sunset-viewing sandy beach from our home - wonderful for kids of all ages. Beautiful sand, shady trees on the side (watch out for kiave thorns), picnic tables, showers. Can walk from the parking lot on a winding paved trail to visit Shark's Cove and see an enormous stone heiau (temple) built by Kamehameha that is being restored (there are interpretive signs all along the path). Takes ~1 hour 15 minutes from here.
Great place to picnic, get down to the ocean, watch surfers navigate a tricky spot, generally surf-watch. People swim in the river, which has a small waterfall, and camp here. The picnic areas and all facilities were all redone and reopened in 2024.
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Kolekole Beach Park
Mamalahoa HighwayGreat place to picnic, get down to the ocean, watch surfers navigate a tricky spot, generally surf-watch. People swim in the river, which has a small waterfall, and camp here. The picnic areas and all facilities were all redone and reopened in 2024.
Arts & Culture
Free museum that is a gateway to the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument - the archipelago of islands continuing northwest from main Hawaiian islands - a rich reserve of wildlife. Huge aquarium, interactive displays, keiki area complete with puppet theater, puzzles, coloring sheets, books. Closed Monday; on Saturday upstairs is open, has a replica of a wa'a - sailing canoe - kids can explore.
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Mokupāpapa Discovery Center
76 Kamehameha AveFree museum that is a gateway to the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument - the archipelago of islands continuing northwest from main Hawaiian islands - a rich reserve of wildlife. Huge aquarium, interactive displays, keiki area complete with puppet theater, puzzles, coloring sheets, books. Closed Monday; on Saturday upstairs is open, has a replica of a wa'a - sailing canoe - kids can explore.
Laupahoehoe Train Museum
36-2377 Hawaiʻi Belt RdEntertainment & Activities
We may have cards with the discount on them, but if not, tell them you are staying up the hill at Kulike Farm for a discount on ziplining and other fun activities, or for free or reduced entry to the botanic gardens, children's maze, and waterfalls.
Get free tickets to the botanic gardens, children's maze, and waterfalls when you stay with us! They have a fun zipline with the longest double-zip on the island (over our river) and offer tours.
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Botanical World Adventures
31-240 Old Mamalahoa HwyGet free tickets to the botanic gardens, children's maze, and waterfalls when you stay with us! They have a fun zipline with the longest double-zip on the island (over our river) and offer tours.
This zipline is at the base of our hill (a little north - there are two right here) and also has a giftshop and deli counter. If you don't care to zip, for$6 you can hike up their road and at several overlooks see stunning views of the triple Umauma waterfall.
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Umauma Falls Zipline & Rappel Experience
31-313 Old Mamalahoa HwyThis zipline is at the base of our hill (a little north - there are two right here) and also has a giftshop and deli counter. If you don't care to zip, for$6 you can hike up their road and at several overlooks see stunning views of the triple Umauma waterfall.
Before sunset, head up to the Maunakea Visitor's Center at 9,2000 feet - weather permitting (wind and snow storms can close the mountain or make it hazardous to drive up - and down!) for amazing sunset and stargazing. Look up Maunakea stargazing to see if you can reserve a spot to meet up with astronomy students that will give you a fantastic tour of the night sky!
Mauna-Kea-Observatorium
Before sunset, head up to the Maunakea Visitor's Center at 9,2000 feet - weather permitting (wind and snow storms can close the mountain or make it hazardous to drive up - and down!) for amazing sunset and stargazing. Look up Maunakea stargazing to see if you can reserve a spot to meet up with astronomy students that will give you a fantastic tour of the night sky!
Drinks & Nightlife
Uncle Robert's at Kalapana on Wednesday nights is basically a sprawling outdoor anything goes market party! It has everything Puna in one place - live music and dancing (often Reggae), kava, drinks, every kind of local food, every kind of local craft. Crowded, crazy and hard to categorize - very fun and worth the experience!
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Kalapana
Uncle Robert's at Kalapana on Wednesday nights is basically a sprawling outdoor anything goes market party! It has everything Puna in one place - live music and dancing (often Reggae), kava, drinks, every kind of local food, every kind of local craft. Crowded, crazy and hard to categorize - very fun and worth the experience!