Beautiful protected waters, free parking, amazing sunsets…read more While exploring al the beaches in Hilo, I stumbled across this gem. So peaceful. A series of sea walls make up several calm, clear pools of water with the open sea beyond. I found this area enchanting! Easy parking perfect for keikis and older people, or persons with mobility issues.

Wow how things have changed from when I grew up. This place was once tje bomb to be. At one point…read moreit was cleaned up real nice. Now it is dirty and overcrowded as well as broken and wore out.

We found this place on our way back from the "End of the Road" and really enjoyed our time. The…read moreview from the cliffs are truly amazing and I took some really great photos. The parking lot is indeed small, but a great place to sit for a minute, use the bathroom, or have a picnic lunch. Highly recommended.

We took the red road and stopped here for some amazing views of the ocean waves crashing into the…read morerocks and cliffs. Nature at its best! You can also walk along the coast for a bit. Bathrooms are available and free parking. Quite private and little to no people. Highly recommend this place.

With so many beach parks on the north shore, it is quite difficult to tell where one park starts…read moreand the next door one ends. Such is the relationship between Kealoha and the neighboring Carlsmith parks. I think a fair number of reviews of Carlsmith include the coves that are north of Kealoha property, so you may want to read about that park to for more info. Kealoha is a stretch of public beach near the Hilo Yacht Club and Mahikea Island (to the north). It is long and narrow with a large parking strip off the road between the road and ocean. There is a stretch of green lawn with shade, restrooms, and picnic tables. During our visit, we did see scuba divers training in the nice sized cove that reportedly is an area frequented by sea turtles. It appeared to be about chest deep on the divers, so the bottom is clearly visible. Although we didn't see any turtles on the stormy day of our visit, we did see lots of small fish. Because of the light rain and storm, we really got our attention was the waves smashing into the lava reef that protected the coves. So much power in each wave as it hits that immovable reef, creating an explosive blast of spray as rhythmic as breathing. Very cool for someone who lives in a landlocked state to see. I wonder if the locals ever become bored with it. Anyway, we enjoyed the visit even without climbing down to swim. Maybe I can get back before I'm too old to enjoy it. I think I'd like to. Review #2409

They were so awesome. We were just visiting Hilo for the day and had an hour left before our flight…read moreback to Oahu. We walked in and they were closed for a private event. We started just talking story and they let my nephew climb for an hour while the party set up. I wish I got her name but she was so kind. Gave him pointers on how to climb and still went out of her way to make us feel welcome even though they were supposed to be closed. If ever we visit Hilo again we will definitely stop by. And if you are visiting they are worth going to! So much Aloha found there.

Discovered this place in Hilo. As you know not many family activities can be found in Hilo. This…read morewas like finding a diamond in the rough! If you want to find some place fun for the family or get the kids out to do some fun activities this is the place! My kids loved it! Great to see them learn to climb and challenge themselves. Very safe! Sign waivers and follow the rules everyone will be fine! They also have virtual reality games too! This was a lot more fun than fun factory and cheaper! Support this business not many like this in Hilo!

Small beach park near the port. We stopped by after getting some late takeout for lunch since the…read morerestaurant had no dine-in option. There are a few picnic tables and a few people around but overall not many people there. The place wasn't dirty, but it also didn't seem well upkept. There are a bunch of street parking directly adjacent to the park. There are a few homeless people wandering around, sleeping on benches and digging through trash, though none seemed dangerous. Also some sleeping pads (homeless) near the washroom.

Always a lovely site…read more Early mornings are the best. Listening to the ocean push little ripples ashore are awesome. the soft white sand birds whistling leaves rustling As wind blows through the Banyan trees sun shimmering upon Ice Pond two little canoes floating the little white sailboat too

To address the parking situation:…read more You can park across the street from Pinky's Convenience store at the abandoned bakery, next to the propane tanks. Be careful not to block off the parking lot. There are houses behind that lot and people do go in and out. I also wanted to mention after several outings to this beach that it's decent for surfing, but make sure you're a strong swimmer. The bottom is rocky and the current is strong.

I live in the area, know some of the residents and would like to clear up any misguided information…read moreabout this property, it's access & the beach. First things first...and I really can't stress this enough. -NO PARKING OR DRIVING DOWN MILL ROAD... here's why. The ENTIRE paved road from Pinky's property on Mill, all the way to the end is a PRIVATE ROAD/DRIVEWAY and meant for the property owners to gain access to their house on the Mill. They paved Mill Road for easier access for themselves, Mill Road residents, resident guests, deliveries and utilities ONLY. It is not state maintained and it is not a public road, repeat; NOT A PUBLIC ROAD. There are signs at the top of the hill stating it's a private road. There are ZERO turnaround areas at the end of that road. It is apparent with all the chains and signs around, the residents do not want their driveways used as a turn around or parking of any kind on their property. SO, unless you want to make a 20 point turn and chance scrapping against big lava boulders, don't even bother driving down. Parking is across the highway, walk down from there. Pedestrian crosswalk provided. You can not be a lazy person to get to this beach, it's a nice long walk from the parking area. And even longer on the way back because it's all up hill. This beach has had quite the history and there are a few locals that are unhappy about this situation. But it is what it is... Most residents of Mill Road that I've spoken to are happier with the current set up of the beach access and feel the area is much safer since private ownership at the Mill. That said, this beach is NOT "public access" nor a "public beach". It was never public. It is called "permitted access". That land is completely privately owned. It's always been privately owned and wasn't accessed "publicly" until the Mill closed and was no longer being maintained. There was no safe access to that beach, it was illegally trespassed upon by entering through the old mill, luring down to the beach by ropes and chains and sketchy pathways. The new property owners made the current access to the beach and it's now a beautiful path down to the beach. Moving on and moving forward... The hours you are allowed access are from 6:30am to 6:30pm. The property owners run a tight ship but as long as you follow the rules, you're all good. It's a great place to body board and surf but only if you have skills. I've seen ppl fishing too. This area is a fresh water feeder to the ocean. The beach itself is black iki pebbles, cobbles and boulders with green sand. It's littered with debris from the old mill such as rusted metal and bricks and choke amounts of deposited drift wood. I would consider this beach kinda dangerous with all the rusted exposed Mill remnants and debris, so not really sure it's suitable for the little ones. Definitely watch your feet when walking around, lots of glass and metal. The Mill itself is completely off limits and super dangerous. It's condemned for good reason and looks on the verge of collapse. No dogs(they have guard dogs and the beach is dangerous for their feet), No wheels of any kind, No alcohol, No fires, No fruit picking. Absolutely NO PARKING on Mill road...EVER...you will be towed. I love it there but I'm also really close by and can walk down. I go often but hear lots of fake news about this place. Trying to get the truth out so everyone is on the same page and has a good time instead of a bad one. Take out what you take in and don't be asshat, walk down from the highway.

This place is super exciting! The downfall is that it's far from Kona, so my family and I were…read morereally tired when we got back to our hotel room. It's best to come here at night to really see the lava flow, but be up for the long drive back to Kona if that's where you're staying.

A difficulty arises in writing a review for a natural phenomenon - these things can be so…read moresubjective and even temperamental based on the time of year, weather, personal opinion, et cetera - but Kalapana Lava Flow is undoubtedly one of the most awe-inspiring natural wonders I've ever experienced. And it's definitely something you experience rather than just see - you see the juicy yellow and orange glow of the molten lava, you feel the heat radiating on your face from several yards away, and you hear the cracks and pops as it slowly settles and oozes onto the land beneath it. You feel as though you are witnessing the last remnants of Creation, the sixth day has yet to finish, and the primordial energy of eons past is still in the throes of its final breaths. You and your fellow observers will likely feel the need to whisper and speak in hushed tones, as if it is holy ground or the embodiment of some celestial force. Anyway, if you can see the flow at night, this'll undoubtedly be one of the most profoundly majestic experiences you can imagine. The lava ebbs and flows even within the spans of minutes and hours, so don't be discouraged if you see only a bit of oozing rather than a true flow once you arrive. It's dynamic and moves slowly but stealthily, and a new eruption site can arise on the periphery that wasn't there just ten minutes prior. As a reference, we arrived at the bike rental area (from Hilo, drive the 130 through Pahoa and completely to the south end of the 130, at which point it will force you onto a smaller road in a southwestern direction that will eventually dead end in a parking area), around 5pm, paid $20 a person for a high quality mountain bike, biked the first mile or two in, and then started our journey north over the rocks around 5:20. This leg took at least an hour or so, and we loitered around the different lava sites for at least an hour before making the trek back in the dark. All in all, allow for at least four hours of time from start to finish - we were driving away back to our condo at nearly 9pm exactly. Tips: - bring STRONG flashlights or headlamps for the trek back over the lava. The cheaper and dimmer the light, the more difficult. Also bring the basics such as cash, snacks, water, your [charged] camera and phone, and sunscreen for the trek in. - wear hiking boots; any sturdy tennis shoe will do but the igneous ground, often simultaneously rough, grainy, and hot, will do a number on any flimsy sneakers. Don't wear any stylish or fancy tennis shoes either, or even hardy sandals - I guarantee you will regret it. - if you wear contacts, bring back up glasses. - don't park at the first parking area or get your bike from the vendors; shop around smart. Many vendors are obnoxiously hawkish. - on a similar note, do indeed get a bike to go the first mile or so! The first leg of the walk is pretty but dry and dusty and pales in comparison to the actual destination. All the bike companies look like they throw in extra lights, water, and snack bars. You'll really appreciate the bike for the last leg back as well - best $20 spent so far. My husband and I both finished up the trip in complete agreement that seeing the lava up close in person was one of the most spectacular moments of our lives thus far!

This trail is not for the faint of heart! We joked on the way back that we were devastated by…read moredevastation trail. Lots of beautiful areas to hike and we went down this one trying to get to Ike the hard way I guess. Gravel trail. We found the stairs to Ike and they were treacherous so we didn't go down. We took the easier oath by the lace tubes a few days later. But this one will definitely give you some different viewing points.

This trail is easy, it's a paved road to probably the best lookout we've seen at Volcanoes national…read morepark. It is also the busiest. Parking is scarce so it's best to come early. We got here and watched the sunset then waited for it to get dark. It does get cold so I would recommend bringing warm clothes if you will be here once the temperatures start cooling. When we went they had rangers rotating visitors because like I said earlier it gets really busy so if you stay for a while they will ask you to move around to the back so others can get a good view as well. Once you park, there are signs directing you to the actual trail. Using your GPS will have you walking in the opposite direction.