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!

We made a pit stop here on our way back from the national park…read more You pull into a driveway and you have immediate access to the falls. Parking lot is tiny but people usually view, take a few pics and leave so just wait. There's only one attraction here - the falls so it's a quick stop to admire and move on. You can also climb up an access way to get a view of the full waterfall. Overall we enjoyed it but our viewing was muddy due to recent rainfalls

Amazing and beautiful area to have a picnic and take family out for an hour or two…read more Cute trail small hike for the kids to enjoy. Lots of landscape to take advantage if you are looking for a nice photo opportunity. $10 for parking and $5 for each person. Very reasonable. The scan code was easy to use and fast for payment. There was nice ambassadors helping not just one person so it made it a fast experience and they were informative of where we could walk and viewpoints. Great customer service. Restrooms were cleaned. The informational boards had graffiti on it.

This was a mike above Rainbow Falls. Another special…read moreexperience. We were alone on the lookout. Surreal .

Worth a quick visit if it's on your way from Kona into Hilo, and you want to see a waterfall…read morewithout a hike into it. Located in the middle of a residential neighborhood, just 5-10 minutes from Downtown Hilo, this is a lush park with a small, free parking lot and a bathroom facility. You walk right up to a lookout point and look left and right (there's no hiking access to the waterfalls or the pools). Look left to see the Pe'epe'e waterfalls upriver in the distance. Look down and to the right to see the Boiling Pots - the river carved tiered pools into lava rock, and when the river is high from heavy rains, the water flows through the pools and swirls, looking like boiling pots. The water was low and not swirling when we visited last month, but we still appreciated seeing this as we didn't do the coastal drive to see the bigger waterfalls. I hear that Rainbow Falls, just about 1.5 miles away has pretty falls that you can get closer too, so add that to your list.

Loved this 5 miles round trip hike to the beach. Huge variety of vegetation and most of the trail…read moretramps through a tree forest. The tree forest is interesting with some abandoned and vegetation encrusted old jeeps and cars, historic rock walls and towards the end, spur trails to the sea cliffs, and a collapsed lava tube. At the end is a gorgeous bay favored by sea turtles. We saw at least 23 turtles on our visit. Please note that this trail is muddy and very muddy in spots even when it has not been raining, and the footing is very uneven so it is not for the casual walker, for flip flops or any shoes that you don't mind getting very muddy. I found that having hiking poles was helpful in order to gage how thick the mud was at various places on the pathway. Go early as it is very humid by late morning or mid day.

The Puna Trail that leads from the dirt parking lot to the secluded Shipman Beach (Ha'ena Beach) is…read more2-1/2 miles in each direction and consists of a jungle, lava rocks, and muddy conditions. It can be challenging especially during the rainy periods and at times it may seem forever until you reach the very end. Nevertheless, I was finally able to make it to the beach and it was worth it in the very end, though it's not one of these points of interest that I would want to do again. As for Shipman Beach, it's a nice place to relax at if it wasn't for the strong waves and currents particularly during the winter months. On better days, you might even see some sea turtles hanging out on the rocks nearby (do not approach them!). Best to apply bug repellant prior to hiking and make sure to scrub your shoes before and after at the trailhead brush.

I don't know if I would call this a hike, so much as a paved loop walk. Try to come early as the…read moreparking lot can get really filled, spilling into "paid" parking on the side of the roadway. You probably won't spend longer than an hour hear, unless you really get obsessive about capturing those perfect photo shots to post on Instagram. The pictures people have posted pretty much speak for themselves. But nothing beats seeing this live waterfalls, flowing in-person. With the wind in your hair, the scent of all the lush plants and such. This is on the Hilo side of the Big Island that is Hawai'i, so check the weather plan around the tropical rains that may or may not happen around the weeks you visit. You may pass some roadside stalls along the way here, where they're selling freshly cut pineapple of incomparable sweetness and flavor. Overall, definitely a space to get your dose of shinrin-yoku/forest bathing to cleanse your etheric body and be present in the moment.

This is more than just a waterfall, it's an experience where you immerse yourself in a rainforest…read moreand appreciate the beauty, sounds, smells, and little creatures around you. Although the entire hike is about half an hour, I would recommend you take your time and see everything around you. The hike itself is not strenuous. Some of the reviews indicate the steps were arduous, but our little 3-year-old had no problem. The paths are paved with railings. It didn't take long before we reached where Akaka falls was visible. It is beautiful against the mossy green backdrop. Then we climb the stairs to see the other waterfall, but when we got there, it was pretty anti-climatic. It's a small little fall, but still worth seeing. Overall, this is a beautiful spot to discover new plants, see a couple of waterfalls, and take a ton of pictures.

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.

After coming across social media post, Carlsmith Beach Park was a must visit for me! I added it to…read morethe list of places for my uber driver/hubby to take me. We missed it the very first time, the hubby took me to the wrong beach & had to re-route. I remember it is hard to find via GPS if you miss the turn. We found parking after the beach and walked down. When I walked to Carlsmith Beach to finally check it out for the very first time, my heart just melted and just had that Wow, grateful, OMG moments and also feels like DeJaVu. I also asked my husband to pinch me, that I am not dreaming. It was so nice to just experience this live in real life, such tranquil atmosphere, crystal clear waters. I just love the color of the water, the ocean, so beautiful! Carlsmith Beach Park in Hilo is a hidden gem for sure! After we took our tons of photos, enjoyed the scenery which I really wanted to stay longer but we had a busy day ahead. For next time I visit, I would love to picnic & enjoy lunch under the coconut, palm trees and go swimming. Although I didn't sea turtles during my visits, hopefully next time.

The Puu Oo Trail is part of the Na Ala Hele trail system, and not to be confused with the Puu Oo…read moreVolcanic site in the Volcano National Park. The trail was, at one time, a cattle trail for moving cattle between two different grazing areas. The trail runs alternately through recent and less-recent lava flows, and areas of forest untouched by the most recent lava flows. These islands of green and old-growth forest, or "kipukas," host a variety of birds and provide shade and respite throughout your hike. There is a parking lot on south side of the highway between miles 22 and 23 of the Saddle Road. We did an out-and-back hike on the trail, although I understand there is a loop available that comes back to the highway on an old telephone pole road that runs back to the highway about a mile toward Hilo from the parking lot - you can hike back to the parking lot along the highway from there. The intersection to that trail (according to the park's website) is 3.7 miles out on the trail. We must have hiked out about 3.5 miles before turning around - never saw the trail. Sections of the trail are lifeless like the moon, through the most recent lava flows. Other sections are sparsely wooded, and even look like an African savannah in places. Still other "Kipukas" are lush and green, full of tall, large trees, brush, ferns - and (I understand) pigs and sheep. We met a bow-and-arrow sheep hunter on his way out for a hunt. We saw signs of pigs rooting around in the dirt. But we didn't see either one. There is a lot of up and down, but the trail doesn't head uphill or downhill - mostly across the saddle area between the two big volcanoes. Bring sturdy shoes for the lava rocks. Throughout most of the trail, the otherwise indistinct way is marked by cairns (locally called "ahu") of stacked rocks. In most places, the next ahu is visible from the last ahu. We were only briefly confused a couple times - but always found the next ahu before losing sight of the last. In other places, the trail is obvious and well trampled. Interesting and rewarding hike for anyone who likes geology, birds, hiking, spectacular and distinctive vistas or just a fun walk in the woods/lava flows.

A fairly easy stroll takes you past lots of tropical vegetation. Although, there are inclines and…read moresteps to be navigated. The falls are worth the walk, the only issue being is getting to see the very bottom, where the water hits the lagoon. It takes a bit of stretching to see that bit. It certainly helps if you're tall-ish. I highly recommend making the effort to see the falls.

BIG HAWAII ISLAND 2023 VACATION #5: FREE ADMITTANCE…read more On Thursday leading up to Memorial Day Weekend I visited Akaka Falls State Park earlier in the afternoon. I had four hours prior to my dinner reservation. I was thinking about going to a volcano sight however I would be rushing my time getting there and coming back for my dinner. I also thought about going Downtown Hilo to walk around. Then I searched for something to do around Hilo in order to kill time before my dinner reservation. Through Google and Yelp I found Wai'ale Falls. I arrived at Wai'ale Falls about three hours before my dinner. The best thing of going to Wai'ale Falls is there is no entrance fee. You cross a bridge and park on the shoulder of the road. Since you don't have to pay you can stay as long as you want. That is what I did as I lingered around the Wai'ala Falls. I stayed at the bridge to gaze the waterfall, which isn't as crowded Akaka Falls State Park. If you're on a vacation as I was that's a good thing. I wouldn't say you have to visit this Wai'ale Falls, but if you finished visiting Akaka Falls and you're not pressed for time this place isn't that far away. For scenery as this you can't beat free.

The overlook is gorgeous and I'm sure the trail is wonderful. However, the road into the valley is…read moreclosed to pedestrians or non resident/native Hawaiian drivers because of poor quality road conditions and 'safety for residents of the valley' which simply put is suspect for discrimination. We watched no less than 10 trucks descend the road in a 30 minute time frame. A shocking anoint of traffic for a road in such poor condition that pedestrians might cause collapse. Not buying the 'sacred land' either as a local threw a cigarette right out of the window into the jungle shortly after starting the descent. Shame.

Ok, for this trail you need to take the good with the bad…read more First thought: Would I do this one again? ? Not a chance! Life is too short and this trail can be nasty. This is a jungle trail that doesn't have the traffic it needs to be well maintained. Roots from trees snake across the trail. Wild pigs have also contributed to the trail's detriment. They have dug up sections of the trail(truffles?). That being said, I thought this trail was a good challenge for me. The trip in sucked the life out of my out of shape legs. Upon arriving at the Waimanu Valley campsite, I found to my dismay that the campsite was composed of round volcanic rocks of different shapes and sizes. So good footing was not to be had. Especially for a late night restroom visit. No campfire allowed so I had to pack fuel and my jetboil. No swimming off the beach due to a strong current and LARGE sharks sighted just off shore. Now the reason for making this trip...

DO NOT BOOK! I booked a tour online and showed up at 5am and no one was there!! They did not answer…read moremy calls, texts, or emails. So I was stuck at the park in the dark at 5am by myself and very upset to not see lava. Still awaiting my refund ...

News of the recent Kilauea volcanic activity on the island of Hawaii reminded me that I still…read morehadn't reviewed EpicLava, and my phenomenal experience with John and his wonderful team this past Christmas. The word epic may not even do justice to the ethereal experience of watching these rivers of liquid fire up close; the flowing lava is 2,400 degrees hot! The 5-mile hike over pahoehoe lava fields starts at 4AM, so that by the time the blazing sun is in the sky, you're well-nigh finished with much of the exposed hike. These folks have an unwavering focus on the safety of the group; they pace the hike according to the capabilities of all the individuals in the group. John's passion about this geological marvel is contagious. John and Jessica advise visitors to wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, long socks, and sturdy, closed-toed shoes for the hike; they provide gloves (along with water and snacks) for the hike. This is because the sand particles covering the lava flow crust have the sharpness of broken glass, and can cause serious cuts if they come in contact with the human skin. By the time I had finished the hike, I had already planned my next trip with this team of lava explorers.