If you're staying/operating/visiting the Hilo area and are looking for a beach, this one is…read moreprobably as good as it gets. A few things to keep in mind: No such thing as big sandy beaches. They don't exist here. You've got a few patches of sand mixed with a lot of volcanic lava rocks (some smooth but most are different degrees of sharp). We visited twice on weekdays arriving in the late morning time frame. There is a good bit of parking here between along Kalanianaole Street and the main lot on Keauhaha Road. Each time when we arrived overall things weren't that busy but a few hours later, it was quite busy. I can't imagine what a weekend would look like? Trash, toilets and a lifeguard are here. We never saw any turtles but there were plenty of fish hanging out. IME, if you come during high tide and if you're in a deeper part of the water, you can get knocked around a little bit which with all of the jagged rocks... The scene itself is beautiful. The water is crystal clear, you can find some ok shade under one of the trees and overall it's very peaceful and serene. www.lovebigisland.com/big-island-beaches/carlsmith-four-miles/

This Beach park happened by accident when my niece was looking for a place for us to eat lunch in…read moreKona. This happened to be the closest picnic area that we could come to, thanks to a little tik- tok video she watched. If you're looking for a traditional beach with sand, this isn't the place. But what you'll get instead are the famous black lava rock formations Kona is known for that spill into several lagoons full of crystal clear water. As for eating, there are plenty of places to lay down a blanket in the grass, picnic and relax. The park has several trash cans for you to use as well and I did happily notice that the park was clean. I did not have to use the bathroom here so I can't comment on that. What impressed me the most was that they had built in stairs for you to walk into the ocean. In my entire life of traveling, I've never seen a beach park with built in stairwells to walk into the lagoons. This was a treat for me. If I have one big tip, it's to remember to have your water shoes because the rocks are sharp to walk on and can easily cut you if you're not careful. I also did read that they do have outdoor showers but I didn't see them when we were here. Lots of folks brought their own snorkeling gear because there were a lot of fish, not to mention at least 3 turtles that I saw swimming around. As I'm writing this review, I'm already missing Kona and the uniqueness of this island. If you plan on going to Kona, you must come and enjoy this place. It's truly special and I would recommend it to anyone.

Of the three parks we went to, we dubbed this one as "The pirate beach." I imagine it might be a…read moreplace where Captain Jack Sparrow could get some R&R when he's not pillaging and plundering. Tharr be lots o' driftwood, not much sand, but more rocks. There also be a cool lookin' mangrove(?) forest before the beach area. Views arrr still breathtakingly beautiful though!

Lava rocks, locals, ocean, sand, and almost no tourists. Its pretty difficult to get to, but its…read moreworth the drive. Watch the sharp lava rocks, wahine. It'll shred your slippahs. Mahalo.

Great spot. I Found a clothing made by a small surf brand that I grew up in southern CA that I had…read morenot seen for many years. The person (Casio Watch) that helped me with my shopping was great. Some of the Best customer service I have experienced Post-Covid. I honestly thought she was the owner by how great the service was. The shop was very clean, everything was displayed nicely, and the prices were fair for the quality of the product. Just Get more Kanvas by Katin shorts.

Check for access before planning to visit Coconut Island. The pedestrian bridge connecting it to…read more land collapsed earlier this month under the weight of a small excavator. The bridge was closed pending repairs.

This was the perfect stop to get our baby's wiggles out on the way to the volcano! Infants and…read moreadults are free (you can leave a tip if you feel inclined). Parking was free and easy, and staff were friendly. Good baby area separated from the big kids. Looks really cool for the bigger kids. No AC but lots of fans blowing.

3 year old daughter had a blast. Clean and friendly environment for children to play on rainy days.read more

For more advance swimmers and more open waters this is your spot. Perfect for snorkeling and…read moreexploring the sea life swim past you. The vibrant colors shimmer at you while you take in the magic of the island as you soak up the sunshine and cold waters. During low time the waters are calmer and great for splashing around. Against the lava rocks are some crawling crabs that camouflage with the rocks so you will see them scurrying around. Parking along the road fills up quick and is rare to get the open waters without running into human feet and bodies as you are snorkel around. Added bonus the public restrooms. Remember to take care of the land and leave it better than you saw it and enjoy!

We came at sunset the first time. It was magical! We came back later to snorkel…read more It does get crowded during the day but it was such a great experience both times. Parking can be hard to find! And the waters can get rough. So be patient and a spot will open.

How about a coastline that stretch closer to 3,000 feet? Consider as one of the longest beaches in…read moreBig Island surprisingly this ain't crowded. The culprit? Its water is murky due to the heavy industrial boom in the mid-1990's. We always pass this every time we drive to Volcano Park. This is mainly located on Kamehameha Avenue into downtown Hilo. You'll see people picnicking or simply walk your dog in here. But I am not sure if this is a good spot for fishing as the water impose threat on its physical texture and condition. One time we decided to check this place and there were homeless putting up their tent and there's a stench that you can't explain where it came from. Other than that I guess this ain't bad at all to chill for a while or rest from your morning jog routine. Mahalo for reading and happy juandering fellow yeeps!

Perfect spot to stop for lunch (which we picked up at H&K Lunch Shop down the street!), and there…read moreare bathrooms with soap here. Yea! We walked down to the water to take a look. It was our first time on the Big Island, so our kids were excited about the black sand. Minus one star because we saw a little one toddle off to go potty in the grass - with a bathroom not a hundred yards away. Parents were still in the car, and she had TP, so it was an intentional potty stop, definitely not an accident or an "oops, my kid peed in the park situation." We tend to like to trust that liquid on the ground at a beach is water, but this definitely made me second-guess.

Playground for kids in Hilo. Nice place to let kids run around. Playground area is artificial…read moreturf with some porous rubber that doesn't hold water - so the ground is dry even right after the rain. Although "seriously" is this the only playground for kids in all of Hilo?!?

I will finish this later but wanted to lock in first to review…read more Large open field to run around in Restrooms Drinking fountain Close proximity to some fast food options 10 benches 2 pavilions with 2 tables each, no BBQ pits 5 picnic tables uncovered Large play structure with: - 2 large slides, 3 small - 2 swings, 2 baby swings - pull-up bar - various climbing things - rubberized base Street parking on bordering roads 3 stars because: Homeless all round Restrooms nasty Limited shade over play area, all around the park border Rubberized base has many holes only partially fixed-safety hazard 2 of my kids gave it a 2.5 and 3 star rating No climbing trees

According to the internet: "Contrary to urban legend, the Hilo breakwater was built to dissipate…read moregeneral wave energy and reduce wave action in the protected bay, providing calm water within the bay and protection for mooring and operating in the bay; it was not built as a tsunami protection barrier for Hilo." With many parks and trails closed due to pandemic, I decided to check this spot out since it is one of the places open. It's pretty cool local flavor. Black crabs and fishies can be spotted - many come here for fishing. Wear non-slippery shoes and watch out for the waves!