Best playground equipment in all of Hilo and surrounding areas. This is a convenient playground to…read morevisit when I run errands in town because it's close to grocery and other shopping. Added bonus, I found $12 unclaimed dollars here

Pana'ewa is the go-to gym in Hilo if you want to get a game of pick-up basketball in. With three…read morefull-size covered courts, there's plenty of space for games to run. That said, not all of the courts are always open at the same time, as children's basketball and volleyball practices do take place in the gym later in the afternoon, depending on the time of year. Being that there's not really anywhere else that is open on a regular basis in town, however, you just deal with it and are happy to get a game in when you can. The majority of people who come to play here are really nice and easy to get along with. And as long as you don't act like a jerk, they're pretty accepting as well.

Lucky me we had the entire beach park to ourself. Not meant for adult swimming or diving deep to…read moresnorkeling but for a families with young kids or those who can't swim this is the best to cool off. Known for the sandy shallow ocean pools and a bountiful tide pools to explore. The natural lava rocks surround the area making protected lava pools blocking the crashing waves. The parking itself was plentiful, but when school is out and the island is at its peak tourist season you never get the seclusion I got today. The park has tables, restrooms and even horseshoe courts. Anytime I can get out and dip in the water is a win!

Fun place for kids. I would never come here without kids. The place was nice but they seriously…read moreneed to clean the bathrooms. I'm literally traumatized at how disgusting it was, floor was flooded, stepped in god knows what, then in the toilet there were 3 HUGE roaches walking around, horrible.

It's a small but awesome zoo. My grandson enjoyed himself. It's not too crowded and he was able to…read moresee the animals. They were up and moving in their cages. The tiger exhibit was the highlight for us, as the tiger was out and walking in its big enclosure. Before we left we got us some braddah pops. Haven't had them in so long, it hit the spot after walking the zoo.

We're all for paying a fee to help keep the zoo going. Today was our 1st time since they began…read morecharging. The lady at the window asked me if I was kama'aina, I said yes. She asked for ID, and saw my original Maui address. She said she had to charge me full price because my address on my license (not expired) is not a Hawai'i island address. Then, my husband presented his ID which has our Hawai'i island address and he got a discount! If you ask me, that was wrong. We were charged $17 for 2 adults. Kama'aina should be state wide! When you go to O'ahu zoo, they don't ask for your address, they see the pink license and know kama'aina. Same thing when you go Maui, they see the pink ID and they know kama'aina.

Very cool experience to walk through 2 caves…read more Bring a flashlight / headlamp. Your phone flashlight won't be as strong but can work if you have no options. Ideal shoes would be hiking boots but gym shoes will work. There are steep steps going down and then uneven rocks until the cave. The cave is uneven as well. Parking: maybe room for 10 cars, so parking could be difficult. When we went around 1pm on a Saturday, we didn't have a problem. Park and walk across the street to enter. Bathrooms: I did see some. Didn't use them though.

When we went it was on and off raining. The stairs are quite steep- down to the two caves. One on…read morethe right and one on the left. If you have trouble with balance etc. you should consider waiting in the car as the caves were wet and slippery. Was just accross the street from the parking lot. We were there for about 1/2 an hour. And it's FREE! I enjoyed seeing what the lava had created. We went to the volcano after this. Recommend flashlights and at least one head lamp. Phone lights are just too little!

This was a peaceful stroll around a beautiful Japanese…read more Garden. A gift from Japan as a sister city in 1987. Overcast, very empty today Right on the Harbor.

This beautiful Japanese park and garden is tucked along the shores of Hilo Bay, offering a peaceful…read moreescape filled with towering banyan trees, colorful flowers, and singing birds. Stroll along scenic walking paths lined with decorative pagodas, stone lanterns, charming bridges, and tranquil ponds. Best of all, it's completely free to visit -- a must-see when you're in Hilo!

A great park for filling your lungs with fresh air and sight with fresh colors. And, your canine…read morebuddy will think the same. Say Aloha to the Kolea birds from September to April and meet a stranger everyday with a nod and smile. No bathrooms, so prepare yourself before visiting.

Review #9 for 2021…read more Machado Park is a great park to walk your dog and to get some fresh air and exercise, especially during the pandemic. I don't know what my family would've done this last year without this park! There's lots of space in the park for people to stay spread apart, and the paved trail is great too. Some nice park goers tie plastic bags on the bordering fence so that in case others forget to bring bags to pick up after their dogs, there are bags available. The grass is well maintained, and the surrounding neighbors are all really nice too. Parking is only allowed on the park side of the street.

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.

A favorite spot when visiting Hilo! Perfect snorkeling and swimming spot with beautiful blue…read morewaters and landscape. I mostly love that it's a spot for locals and love the island vibe music playing.

A quiet neighborhood park...surprisingly large for the area it's tucked into...a side street off a…read moremain road. Perfect for letting the kids run around on the grass or for setting up a volleyball net and getting a picnic game on. Small public restroom area and a small covered picnic table area is available. Simple and no frills, this park is a good spot for a neighborhood walk or meet up.