Hilo: Volcanoes Park, Rainbow Falls & Liliʻuokalani Gardens Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.67 (84 reviews) 77% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/11

Duration6h–7h

GroupUp to 24

LanguagesEN · CM

PickupAt your hotel

Steam vents, banyan trees, and chocolate in Hilo’s wild heart

You’ll stroll Hilo’s peaceful Japanese gardens, taste fresh island chocolate, climb past giant banyans to see Rainbow Falls up close, and walk through steaming volcanic landscapes at Kīlauea—all with pickup included and a local guide sharing stories along the way. Expect moments of quiet awe mixed with laughter (and maybe muddy shoes). This isn’t just sightseeing—it’s feeling Hawaii breathe beneath your feet.

6h–7h

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Hilo and Volcanoes National Park

Pass by Liliʻuokalani Gardens
Visit Hilo Bayfront Beach Park
See historic Downtown Hilo
View Rainbow Falls
Shop at Big Island Candies
Explore Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
Walk through Thurston Lava Tube
See geothermal steam vents
Drive Chain of Craters Road

The Experience

Someone hands me a piece of Big Island chocolate before we even leave downtown Hilo. I’m still tasting that sweet macadamia crunch as our guide—Keahi, who grew up just outside town—points out the old plantation buildings with their faded pastel paint. The windows are open everywhere, letting in the smell of rain and coffee from a nearby café. We pass Liliʻuokalani Gardens early on; red bridges curve over ponds dotted with koi, and there’s this quiet you don’t expect so close to the road. Keahi tells us how his grandma used to bring him here for picnics. I try to imagine being a kid running across those stones.

Rainbow Falls comes next—louder than I thought it’d be, with mist hanging in the air and banyan roots twisting down into the rocks. There’s this story about Hina, the moon goddess, living in a cave behind the falls. A couple of us climb up for a different angle (I nearly slip on some moss—watch your step), but it’s worth it for that view through tangled branches. Afterward we get back in the van and someone jokes about needing dry socks already.

By late morning we’re rolling into Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. The ground steams in places—literally—and you can feel warmth coming off the earth near the vents. Keahi hands out flashlights for Thurston Lava Tube; inside it smells like wet stone and something old, almost metallic. Chain of Craters Road is all black lava fields stretching forever. It’s weirdly silent except for wind and an occasional bird overhead. I keep thinking about how new this land is, like it just arrived yesterday.

We stop again for cookies at Big Island Candies (I buy too many), then head back toward Hilo with tired legs and volcanic dust on our shoes. Someone asks if Kīlauea will erupt today—Keahi just laughs and shrugs. “You never know.” That uncertainty sticks with me more than anything else from this day trip from Hilo to Volcanoes Park—I guess that’s what makes this place feel alive.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel or port pickup in Hilo (or even airport if you need), all entry fees for Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, a friendly local guide who knows every shortcut (and story), plus stops for fresh cookies and chocolates before heading back in time for dinner—or maybe just another coffee by those old plantation buildings downtown.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Green Travel & Tour