I enjoy the walk outside on their grounds when the weather is nice. The view of Hilo is amazing. I…read morelove seeing the vegetation they planted and growing every visit. It's a nice outdoor experience.

Such a cool experience for me and my children. I can't believe I've never heard of this place. My…read morekids are 7 and 9 and they really enjoyed themselves. There were fun interactive games, lots of hands on activities and cool tech to play with. We really enjoyed the planetarium and the showing of Spark, as well as all the Hawaiiana info. The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable. The gift shop was cute and offered lots of neat souvenirs. Highly recommend visiting if you can.

The 100 year old Palace Theater is truly a gem in downtown Hilo. Friendly and welcoming, it is the…read morehome of live theater, concerts, movies and community events, and is open several nights a week in a town that usually rolls up the sidewalks early. Itʻs a must see if youʻre visiting Hilo. Learn more at https://hilopalace.com/

terrible venue with terrible air flow suffocating their patrons. terrible architecture and set up…read moreof the building t

Totally awesome experience we were in Hilo for a short stay & sightseeing, The Lyman museum of…read moreHawaiian cultural, history and ocean biology was just the ticket. Great help by Cindy. She was the museum curator. Very funny & just a Lovely person, had a great time with the kids . Had a great time , clean and family, friendly highly recommend.

The museum is spectacular, and the house is so exciting and interesting to see. But the tour of the…read morehouse, Bruce, was unbearably over-enthusiastic. He would rant and use voices imitating other previous guests (presumably?) and bounced from topic to topic, rushing us through the house so fast that you hardly get any time to look at anything. He opened our conversation by saying how, "contrary to popular belief, the natives are not heathens." What a great start... Though he was contradicting hateful sentiments, I felt the tour didn't need to be embellished with such commentary, and the history of the missionary relationship to the Kanaka Māoli as a colonial project of theft and religious pressure was glazed over..

I'm smiling just thinking about this place because if I could ever imagine a tropical paradise,…read morethis would be it. Best money spent on the Big lsland. At $35 for adults, $25 for kids aged 6-12, and free for kids 5 and under-- it's money well spent. Some might call this place pricey but after coming here, I disagree. Places like this are so rare and unique that they can just take my money. I've never been to a garden so full of exotic plants, flowers that I'd never seen before, mini waterfalls, a pond, and to top it all off-- getting to see the ocean waves crashing onto the lava rocks at the end of the garden. Prior to this I had never seen orchids growing in the wild off of tree trunks. These guys were everywhere here. And how do I know this place is cool even for Gen Z?-- I caught my 20 year old nephew taking videos of a beautiful flower that he was admiring. Of course I didn't make a huge deal out of it because he would have blown me off. Once you walk the paths and over the bridges, you can see how meticulously this garden is maintained. When you find out the history of how Mr. Dan Lutkenhouse Sr. and his wife Pauline who bought this parcel of land back in 1977 and decided to turn it into a garden, you'll be even more amazed. There was no machinery used to turn this place into the garden it is today. It was 40 years of Dan and his assistant Terry Takiue who worked with *just* cane knives, sickles, picks, shovels and a chainsaw to clear paths through the jungle. Another fun fact: He had no formal training in botanical gardening... Insert mind blown emoji here... Can you imagine that?? I can only respect that these guys did this just so that we could enjoy this garden paradise for us and future generations to see. Bravo to this place coming from our fam that came and loved it.

The variety of plant life here is huge. The walkways for the most part are very steep and paved…read more but there are also handrails and benches. The grounds are spectacular with so many varieties of flowers and flowering plants. The waterways and waterfalls have a calming effect splashing over rocks and between ferns. There is a small gift shop, but as far as refreshments go, they only sell popsicles or small boxes of water.

The UH-Hilo Performing Arts Center (also known as the UH-Hilo theater) is one of the primary…read morelocations for drama, concerts, and music on the east side of the Big Island. The theater brings in both local and international performers and is the site for many student performances from UH-Hilo and Hawaii Community College. An annual highlight is the UH-Hilo International Student Association's "International Nights" held every February. Student and community performances are featured from over a dozen countries from around the Pacific, Asia, North America, and Europe. That the event is student coordinated is especially impressive. Facilities are quite nice. Though the outside looks worn, the interior is comfortable, clean, and professional. I especially appreciate that the facility is wheelchair accessible since my mom loves to attend shows. When she is in a wheelchair, we are seated on the top row with a great view since no seat is too far from the stage. The box office is once again easily accessible at the entrance to the building. Previously it was hidden in the back of the building during the construction of a nearby building. Most tickets can be bought in person, over the phone, or online. There are often discounts for students, senior citizens, and alumni. Facilities are available for rent by non-university affiliated organizations if conducting "charitable, civic, community, cultural or educational activities which are operated on a not-for-profit basis and whose activities are appropriate for such facilities where the use does not infringe upon, delay or conflict with the normal operations of the University" (http://artscenter.uhh.hawaii.edu/FacilityUseInformation.php).

I've been both a performer on the stage here as well as a member of the audience. I think this is…read moreone of the best stages to perform on - as well as watch a production of any kind. Highly recommend this place. One of the best of the best in Hilo.

What a fun kitschy concept! My husband went to the card shop next door so my daughter and I came to…read morecheck this place out. With a variety of claw machines, my daughter had a blast playing. She ended up getting four stuffies and left super happy. It's pretty affordable, most machines take one coin and it's about $1 a coin. I saw a flyer where they also host parties, a fun alternative to a standard birthday party. In the back area there is a wall that sells a variety of snacks and tea counter where you can order boba teas. We didn't order anything but will the next time we come again to play the machines.

Tea Time Hilo is now Claw Hawaii. Newly expanded storefront with a various claw games. You can also…read moreorder your favorite Tea Time drinks.

To A Here is my go to place to dance when I am home for the summer or holidays. There is always…read moresomething new going on, from cardio days to show practice days. I love coming here, everyone is super friendly and you truly get your workout on and learn some true Tahitian moves. The hours are variable too; You will be sure to find a day or two that you can attend to class or practice. I also recommend them for your shows. They do send girls to competition and are well known around the islands.

OPEN REGISTRATION To'a Here Tahitian Revue…read more 1266 kamehameha ave (Hilo iron works building ) Tamari'i (girls ages 4-7 ) Monday 4:30-5:30pm Thursday 4-5pm Tamahine ( girls ages 8-14) Tuesday 5-6pm Thursday 5-6pm Vahine (teen / woman ages 15 and up ) Monday 6-7:15pm Thursday 6-7:15pm $20 a month + $5 registration fee (one time charge ) Tahitian cardio Wednesday 5:30-6:30pm $5 drop in NON halau Affiliated

I find myself needing to leave a review because of a negative review I read here today. I always…read moretell tourists this is an awesome spot if they want to get a feel of the real parts of the island, albeit not fancy, not expensive, not anything like you would expect. The first time I went here I was like, "wow, this is different." It really is and if you like jazz, you must try the Monday night jazz jam. There is no cover, although there should be. Bub the owner runs this jam every single Monday night no matter what the holiday or what's happening in town. Yes, he is different than maybe you and certainly me, but he is a loving, wonderful, caring individual even though he's against masking and has a different viewpoint on covid. So what, many people do. The sax player who was disrespectful was indeed kicked out of the joint and that guy hasn't been seen since. Its a shame too, cause he was at one time in his life a good sax player. Alas, the dude cannot handle his liquor. Anyway, I just wanted to say that despite what you read from a couple people about this place, it's a GEM and a real treat to experience a Monday night there. I don't partake in any other events that he throws in there but a lot of people do and it's a safe space. I'll support Bub always.

My friend and I got harassed by the older sax player that frequents jazz night. Many people stood…read moreby and watched this happen. After speaking out about it, other women of Hilo reported that he had also harassed and even unconsensually kissed them. None of the "regulars" confronted him or held him accountable. We also watched him call other fem presenting people "hot" and "sexy" from up on stage. Shared my story on fb and the owner, Bub, was tagged. He commented on the post sharing his sincere apologies for our experience. He stated this goes against kukuau studio values and shared that this man would be completely banned from the studio!