Hilo is located on the East side of the Big Island in Hawaii. It's known to be quiet, full of hippies and the rain. Hilo is the place to go if you want to avoid tourists, spend time outdoors, and eat some good food.
When we arrived we went to a cafe called "Vibe" and I really did enjoy the vibe of this place. It definitely brings in the health guru's, the vegans and the Instagram influencers but it does have a really tasty menu and is the perfect place for a quick lunch.
We then did some exploring where we stumbled upon "coconut island" which would be the perfect place for a picnic or just to spend the day relaxing.
Some other things to do while in Hilo is:
- Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden
- Hilo Farmers Market
- Explore some caves
- Carlsmith Beach Park
- Liliʻuokalani Park and Gardens
- Wander around "old district"
- Find waterfalls
We ended up at Hula Hula's which is in the Hilton for a quick drink during their happy hour that they have between 3-5 every day!
For dinner we went into town and went to Pineapple's which was definitely the spot to be! Extremely busy but amazing menu and super fun, photo worthy drinks to enjoy.
To end off the evening we stopped into a "Kava Bar" and got the full-hippie experience. Kava is a Polynesian plant that when taken is a muscle relaxant and makes you extremely sleepy. They make drinks, chocolate and more to consume it. It's definitely not something to indulge in often however I had to try it once.
We stayed the night at a little hotel called "Reeds Bay" right on the water but super simple and nothing fancy by any means but gave us a roof and a place to wash up.
For breakfast we stopped at Makani’s Magic Pineapple Shack and got giant acai bowls which tasted absolutely delicious and they give you a good portion for the price.
On our way out we stopped by rainbow falls just to get a quick glimpse of a waterfall. Unfortunately there's not many waterfalls that you can swim in in Hilo since flash floods are so so common.
I loved Hilo and would definitely go back to do some hiking and more exploring!