Beautiful drive up here. It's the preeminent place on earth to see stars. The conditions are deemed perfect: elevation, lack of light pollution (they have laws about that on this island specifically to protect the viewing) and some thing to do with the wind and air or such in this part of the tropics. There are 12 telescopes set up by volunteer astronomers and park rangers that you can use. All you need are your eyes. You can see satellites buzzing by with the naked eye. They use a laser to point out constellations. There is a short film in the center which is worth while. Dress warm. It is COLD up here. 40 degrees. There are 11 countries with major observatories up here at the summit. There is a visitors center that sells gifts, hot cocoa and hot tea. There are restrooms. Oh, and did I say all of this is FREE?!?! (Except the hot drinks.). read more

Onizuka Center - 12 telescopes set up by volunteer astronomers and park rangers. All you need are your eyes. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Oh no what could you improve? How about some signage for the different trails. You sent unknowing tourists on a journey through hell and caused us to miss a sunset we drove an hour to see. Who creates trails for visitors without any signs? Let's get our heads out of the dirt people. read more

I totally 100% agree with another fellow Yelper that I'd give this place 1M stars if I could!!! This is such an amazing life experience and a MUST when you visit the island. Please go.... You will be in love with what you see. I am still in awe over the experience!! The sky was absolutely beautiful with all the stars and seeing the Milky Way. Just wow!! Helps to put into perspective just how amazing God is with his creation! My only regret is I wish I had a better camera to have taken better pictures to remember what we saw and share with others. Gets really cold so bring your jacket!! read more

Onizuka Center - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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A must-go when coming to the big island. However, to get to the summit you must have a 4x4. We had a crappy Dodge van so we weren't going to even try to go up. They wont let you go unless you do have a 4x4. However, the visitor center is a good enough area to be able to see the sunset as well as the night sky. It was about an hour 20 minute drive from our hotel in Kona and about the same drive back. The road is paved all the way up to the visitor center, but once you start making your way to the summit after acclimating to the 9,000 ft. altitude, there is a stretch of dirt trail on the way up, which is why you'll need a 4WD or 4x4. Also, I had read online that the center is open certain days of the week: this is a lie, the center is open every day. The visitor center has awesome workers and a cool little gift shop. If you decide to make the trip definitely bring layers and even blankets as well. It gets cold up there. I would also recommend arriving there about an hour before sunset, otherwise it can be pretty packed. read more

Onizuka Center - Milky Way picture taken by iPhone 13 Pro Max. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Yelp Challenge 365 # 41/365 9000 foot level on Mauna Kea Mountain. Woo hoo! Thin air, blue skies, above the cloud lines. I decide to take the long road to visit my sister who lives in Kamuela, which is located at the 2500 foot level on Mauna Kea. What is the long road you ask? It is the Saddle Road, which runs between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa Mountains. Flew into Hilo, drove on this Saddle Road to get to Kamuela. I learned it cost 32 million dollars to build the new passage way on Saddle Road. It's like a freeway for Pete's Sake! Not like driving up to and through any mountain... Okay, enough of the road conditions. Detoured off the main Saddle Road and stopped at the 9000 foot level where the Mauna Kea Observatory Visitor Center is located. It's also known as the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Information Station. What's another 6 miles on this journey I decided to take? OMG! Last time I was at 9000 feet, I was playing in the snow! No snow this go around but the beauty of the majestic Mauna Kea did take my breath away. Silversword plants where not in complete bloom but lovely nonetheless. Hale Pohaku (House of "something") is where the scientists and workers reside. Looks like an expensive dormitory facility. It gets rather cool at night I am told and to combat that cold, they have huge fireplaces throughout the "Hale" or "House" The telescopes! AMAZING. I got to see sun spots and sun bursts. And I was not to the top but only at the Visitor Center. The Ranger (Scott) explained I will need a 4 wheel drive and they would escort me to the top of the mountain where the observatory is.... I also learned the best time to visit would be between 4 pm to 9 pm; in your 4 wheel drive of course. Drive (escorted) to the top of Mauna Kea and watch the sun set with the telescopes around for your use; then, learn about the stars.... This will be my next journey. By the way, it seems I posted my review to a site and location listed but the real location is known as the Onizuka Visitor Center... Sorry Yeeps! read more

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The Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Visitor Information Station on Mauna Kea also known as the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station is the only place to stop on Mauna Kea that has 24 hour restrooms. Unfortunately, if you are going to the summit to watch the sunrise sometime before 7 am, you will return hours before the center opens at 9 am. Check this link for more information including hours & directions: http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis/visiting-mauna-kea/visitor-information-station.html read more

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I absolutely loved my time on the Big Island. From the food, to the people I met, down to the very culture of the Islands. But our trip to the Onizuka Center, and the ensuing convoy up the summit, was the highlight of it all. So here's the deal. There's a half dozen companies that offer tours to the summit of Mauna Kea. But having spoken to some locals, and the visitor center themselves, they whole HEARTEDLY recommended doing it yourself. The Visitor Center offers guided tours to the summit at 2:00pm on Saturdays and Sundays. You MUST be there an hour beforehand to see how you feel at higher elevation, kids under 16 are not allowed up, and if you've dived within the past 24 hours, it's a no go too. You MUST have a four wheel drive, and at LEAST a half tank of gas. But this tour does something the organized ones don't - once at the summit, we got to pop in to a few of the observatories, and had a full tour of the NASA IR Telescope. The views are just amazing, above the vog and the crud, and there's a strong sense of history and spirituality up there, especially on seeing the altar at the summit cinder cone. At the end of said tour, you have the option of staying on the summit for the sunset, or trucking down with the convoy. Well, the gravel road, as hairy as it was (not so much the drive, but the whole "veer off the road and you're screwed" thing) we came down with the masses. The sunset from atop a cinder cone we hiked up was breathtaking, even if it was some 5,000 feet lower. And then came the stargazing. Y'see, the volunteers at the visitor's center sets up telescopes in the parking lot, where guided tours of the night sky are given as soon as that sun's down. And, oh. My. God. In one square inch of sky, I saw more stars than you can in an entire night back home. The volunteers were amazingly patient and helpful with beginners, and excited to share with more knowledgeable folks. Hot chocolate is available and welcome inside the visitor center at a buck a cup. (Or bring your own packets from down the mountain, if you want to be cheap!) All in all, an amazing experience that brings home your place in the universe and in history. GREAT people make one of the world's most amazing natural areas even better. And all of this was FREE, compared to the $200 per person the organized tours charged. Just make sure you stuff a couple of twenties in their donation box inside - they sure as hell deserved it! read more

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"It's full of STARS!" - Dave Bowman, 2001: A Space Odyssey This is as far up Mauna Kea as you're going to get with a regular 2 wheel drive car on the paved road. In order to get to the summit where the observatory is, you better have 4 wheel drive because it becomes a gravel road on up from 9400 to 13,000 ft. If your vehicle is a rental, some companies don't want you making this drive because it's a grueling toll on the car's engine & transmission. The Visitor's Center at 9,400 ft is accessible and on a good night, it can get pretty crowded, where you'll have to park on the side of the road. It gets nippy at night, down into the mid 40's, so bring an extra sweatshirt or fleece jacket. Pack a picnic dinner and wait for sunset. Don't be discouraged if the skies are overcast and you drive into the fog. As the evening comes, the air below gets cooler, the inversion layer pushes the clouds down to the lower elevations and you'll have a clear night to look up into sky and contemplate just how small we are in the universe. Being from New York, we never see more than a handful of stars and most of the time it turns out to be a 737 flying into LaGuardia airport. The Center shows a movie about Mauna Kea and the Observatory at the summit mixed with some local history. It's a little drawn out at 1.5 hours and people lost interest real fast. But as the skies darkened and cleared, thousands of stars & celestial objects came out to play. Volunteers at the Center set up a bunch of telescopes and sighted on various objects in the sky. We saw the rings of Saturn and the fiery red surface of Mars. Even the International Space Station made a cameo appearance blinking it's way across the sky! read more

I would give this place 100 stars, if I could!!! OMG! I couldn't believe what I have seen. SO SO SO SO SO amazing sky full of stars. And meteors were non-stop. I could see one every five minute. Please!!! I am begging you. Come to this place when you visiting the big island. If you don't visit, don't tell others you have been to big island. Advise: It's really cold up there, don't forget to bring your coat with you! read more

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HOLY SHIT WE FINALLY GOT TO THE Visitor Center !!! After a long drive on the saddle road which was foggy and barely any visibility while driving we finally got to the visitor center !!!! When we got there take the first step out of the car OMG ! It is so dam cold at that time i was wearing my surf short and a thin shirt / slippers and walked around the center while everyone is wearing extra jacket. I look pretty dam expert hahhahah ! It is recommend for everyone to visit this place than going straight up to the summit/observatory(14,000 Feet with 40% less oxygen) . The visitor center is 9,300 foot and some people may already experience some altitude sickness. Over here you can ask any question, look at the ccTV camera up top and use a better equipment restroom other than that if you want to go up here and the top please use 4 wheel drive cars !!!! the road eventually become unpaved half way ~~~ Loved this place !!! Now a little bit more up !!! for Sunset at the summit !!! read more

Onizuka Center - Finally we made it ! Now Picture time in front of there Sign : ) It is super cooold ! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

This is my second time back at the center and I am a bit more disappointed with it. First, they amount of parking has reduced! We used to be able to park on the side of the road by the center but they put up a guard rail extension so that dropped out plenty of spots. Overall, it wasn't too big of an issue as both available lots always had at least 1 or 2 spots left but I imagine it could've been worse on a more busy day. Secondly, most of the center is closed off! They are barely selling anything and you can only go into the center for about 1/4 of the space they used to have. I guess they are doing some renovations? It's fine, you can still buy instant coffee and hot chocolate as well as some medications if you have altitude sickness. They also still provide free hot water and use of restrooms which is definitely a plus. However, they close earlier now because for the third thing: They aren't doing the stargazing sessions as of right now. The center used to close later to accommodate people after sunset who stayed for the stargazing sessions. That was half the fun of going up to the center! You can still stargaze on your own but don't expect experts to help point things out for you. I think overall it is still worth the visit. There are currently some protesters at the base of Mauna Kea Access road but they stopped blocking the pathway as of 12/29/19 till at least date of this written review. I feel for the protesters but I am a man of science and fully support educational, technological and scientific progress. I hope they can come to a resolution. read more

It's pretty far from anywhere on the island of Hawaii, but it's worth the drive down the Saddle Road to the best stargazing spot in the country. Why the best? You're on an island in the middle of an ocean. And you're on a mountain above the clouds (9200 ft) , so what few city lights there are typically get blocked. Only the full moon is your enemy, so check moonrise times before deciding to make a stargazing trip. We arrived 30 minutes before sunset, to large crowds, mostly from tourist buses. But in 10 minutes, the place cleared out, and the staff began setting up telescopes for night viewing. They played a video inside which described the history of the Mauna Kea observatories on the mountain top just above us. But these vids were not fact-dense enough for me, so I prepped a light picnic dinner for the family on the outside patio; The fading evening light was beautiful. When it finally got dark, it got REALLY dark, but the viewing area was set up with red lighting so we didn't trip over ourselves, but still preserved night vision. The Milky Way was so clear you could see all the offshoots and tendrils (I made sure to point it out to my kids - we don't see this a lot in the Bay area). Using the telescopes we saw Saturn and its rings, plus a few of its moons. One of the staff gave an interesting lecture about the Hawaiian constellations, as well as the standard Greek and Roman ones. By the time the moon came up, we were thoroughly entranced, but it was time to make the long trek back to the hotel. Tips and tricks: -- I don't care how warm it is at the beach; Bring a jacket, long pants, and even a hat. It gets chilly after sunset -- A microwave is provided for reheating food, and hot water is available for tea or cocoa, cup 'o noodles, whatever. -- If you arrive late or leave early, don't be an ass and turn on your headlights, or you kill everyone's night vision. Use parking lights only until you are down the road a hundred yards or so. read more

The Best Light Show on the Island - maybe the entire Planet....and it comes w/ its very own protest The Mauna Kea Visitor's Center sits up at 9200 feet, allowing access to the best Universe gazing around - I say Universe b/c we saw not only Stars, but other Planets, Galaxies & Nebulae Driving there has gotten much better over the years & if it's foggy / rainy where you are, still come on up - this is so high, it's often above whatever weather elements are at your resort. Drive up & up & up the hill......through the cloud layer & rain.....inching our way up the mountain, wondering if this is even worth it when BOOM, there are no clouds, the road is visible & you're looking at a sky filled w/ nothing but blue sky The volunteers at the Visitor Center are there every night until 10 PM & we could tell they really love their jobs - Telling stories about different points in space, getting excited by all of our excited reactions - it was a universal love fest! Except for the protesters who had setup across the street to protest the building of a new telescope on the summit.....whatever! We sat in the center, watching a video on the Observatory & how it came to be & how Mauna Kea was the perfect location, all about Space & some great definitions of the wondrous things we were about to see.....all this while the Star Guides were setting up their telescopes to show us: Saturn w/ its RINGS & MOONS - Clearly Visible!! Jupiter w/ its Moons Venus Fuzzy Nebula Southern Cross Leo / Virgo / Scorpio Big Dipper / North Star Little Dipper Many, many other things too! And all I can say is ........ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! Oh, and bring layers! It was around 53 degrees at the Visitor's Center & windy as all get out....nuff said read more

Sitting at 9000 feet above sea level, it's highly recommended that you stop by here on your way up to the summit of Mauna Kea. They say you should stop here for about an hour or so to get a little acclimated to the altitude. This is also your last stop for a bathroom break other than a couple porta-potties at the summit. This is also going to be just about as far as you can go if you don't have 4 wheel drive. The paved road ends just a little past the visitor's center. In the visitor's center there are a few displays of the type of computers they used to use up at the observatories, and a video of some astronomy related topic, or another. There is also a gift shop in here that sells random logo merchandise, other astronomy related items, and snacks. The bathrooms are around back, and there are also a few picnic tables, and a short walking path where you can find some indigenous flora further back. After you watch the sun set from the summit of Mauna Kea you can stop off again at the visitors center for some stargazing. I must admit that it is pretty spectacular up there. You can see so many stars with the naked eye that you can't see from the city, or even lower down the mountain. There were also astronomers on hand that were giving star tours, and pointing out and explaining the constellations and other celestial bodies in the night sky. They also brought their telescopes for the tourists to look through. There were also some members of the UH Hilo Astronomy club with their telescopes joining the crowd. The astronomy guides said that they are out there every night of the year! It is definitely worth the slightly less than one hour drive up from Hilo to catch a beautiful sunset as well as a star gazing session afterwards. Just remember to bring warm clothes because it gets cold up there, especially while stargazing at night. If you're in Hilo during the warmer months and don't have any warm clothes I highly recommend Hilo Surplus Store for your Mauna Kea clothing needs! http://www.yelp.com/biz/hilo-surplus-store-inc-hilo#hrid:i58Bx3ruOSGutIgGbBrFpw Also, as you get higher on the mountain and you start feeling woozy from the lack of oxygen take big, long, deep breaths to help get as much oxygen to the brain as you can, so you don't pass out. Also, don't run around up there, unless you want to black out. read more

I came here for stargazing and it was amazing. From the visitor center, you already have crystal clear views of the night sky - more stars that you've ever seen. In addition, they have a bunch of telescopes set up already aimed at certain galaxies and stars. There is a video you can watch and people there to answer questions and guide your mini-telescope use. There is also a gift shop where you can purchase hot chocolate for consumption. If you're lucky, you won't have a giant tour group there. But if there are, you can still get to see everything. I recommend coming here about an hour after sunset so it's completely dark. Be sure to wear winter gear. It's freezing! I didn't get a chance to go to the very top, but you need an ATV. read more

WATCH OUT FOR INVISIBLE COWS!! no seriously, watch out for the cows up there. Apparently they are a traffic hazzard. If your like any normal person you will probably feel the effects of high elevation while driving up Mauna Kea. It is recommended that around 10,000 you stop and you get used to the altitude. Well luckily for you there is the Visitor's Center. At the visitors center they have bathrooms that you can use, a movie that you can watch and food that you can buy. They even have hot drinks there that you can purchase. I do recommend bringing food up the mountain though. The food they had there was not the greatest and it was super expensive. If you are waiting there to see the sunset and the stars make sure you come early to beat the paid tours. f Atter your done hanging and getting used to the altitude make sure your careful when you drive up there!!! read more

The Big Island is one of the islands best places for stargazing. Paired with a nighttime picnic to an adventurous visit to Hawaii's world-class telescopes on the summit of MaunaKea. I'd call that the highlight of my trip! It is no coincidence that some of the worlds most advanced telescopes are built on the Big Island. Few places on earth are better for watching the heavens above than atop MaunaKea. On top of the mountain above the clouds, observing conditions are close to perfect, with almost no light pollution and little air above. The drive to Mauna Kea takes you over the saddle road, connecting Kona and Hilo. On your first visit, I'd suggest a day tour, familiarize yourself with where you are going. Because the most spectacular option is to visit the summit during sunset. You will see the sun dip below the clouds in a spectacular explosion of color, framed by peaks, old volcanoes and futuristic telescopes. If you've ever been swimming at night, you'll know what I mean, its best to go during the daylight where you can identify your surroundings before jumping into the darkness. Halfway up you will come across The Onizuka Center for International Astronomy. This is the support station and visitor center for the telescopes on MaunaKea, and is named after the Hawaii-born astronaut Ellison Onizuka, who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986. The center shows a video of interest about astronomy and the various telescopes that reside on the summit. The small souvenir shop is quirky with many star gazing, planet loving souvenirs. The most important thing to remember when you see the cost of these items (which are expensive) is to remember that you are supporting a great cause. (2 tee shirts, $50.00) Global education of Astronomy. It is the same as attending a fundraiser, you know the item cannot possibly cost this amount but you make these purchases anyway to support the cause. It's good all around, you also receive a remembrance of your day on the summit. Just in case this visit was on your bucket list. On your way up you can rest here for a while and get your body used to the low oxygen content of the air. If you stop here on your way down at dark, you can watch the stars through the telescopes under the supervision of local volunteer astronomers. read more

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Free stargazing. With about half a dozen telescopes. This was the first thing we did in Kona... okay, we checked in to the hotel, went to Kmart for water and stuff we had forgotten (sunglasses and swim trunks, if you can believe it), blah blah. But this was the first touristy thing we did in Kona. We started driving around 5 PM and got close just as the sun was setting. This was quite awesome since the full moon was rising as well -- and I've rarely seen a more beautiful sight than being 9000 feet up, with clouds below me, and a huge moon. Of course, the moon ruined the stargazing a little bit, as the helpful volunteers at the visitor center told us. But we still saw Jupiter and four of its moons, the Orion nebula and the Andromeda galaxy. It made me want a telescope very very badly. The visitor center is pretty small, but they had lots of cool little astronomical and space-based curios. I bought a 3D image of the whirlpool galaxy for $6 and would've bought a $9 poster of a nebula if it wasn't so large I would have a hard time carrying it on the plane etc. Prices were very fair, I thought. They had food there, and $1 hot chocolate or tea, which was really nice since it gets freaking cold at 9000 feet up. They also had some very talented young musicians playing when we were there -- they have something different going on every Saturday night. We were also told that if we had a 4WD (which we didn't) and arrived there at 1PM on Saturday or Sunday, they would take us on a guided tour of the summit and the actual observatory. Definitely planning on doing that when we come back. Plus the bathroom was lit red and made the pink trim on my sneakers look yellow. How cool is that? =) Actually, that was mostly my reaction. Everything was way cool. Do it. Go there. read more

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be an astronaut. Nothing was going to stop me...except..oh...you have to be good at math to be an astronaut?! Well, screw that. I will just admire the stars from the ground. In my research of all things space loving as a kid, I would always come across photos taken from the observatories on Mauna Kea. I have literally been dreaming of this place for almost 20 years. Finally, I got my chance to go. Instead of doing the rdiculously overpriced summit tours, my boyfriend and I rented a 4 wheel drive (required to go to the summit) and decided to go with the saturday "caravan", where everyone drives up with a park ranger. (Check it out on their website). Then, we were going to watch the sunset and stargaze at the visitor's center that night. First, you have to stop at the visitor's center to acclimatize to the high altitude. Give yourself AT LEAST an hour. Trust me on this...I will explain further later. It's at about 9,000 feet, so you may already feel a bit woozy. Bring a coat, gloves, and a hat. It was about 45 degrees during the day, and maybe 30 degrees with intense wind at night. At the summit, it was 19 degrees with 53 mph winds. This was in May, and it was almost 90 degrees at sea level. They have an hour long informational documentary to watch at the visitor's center as well as snacks, coffee, tea, and small meals. It wasn't much of a "museum" if that's what you were hoping for. After this, we drove up to the summit. It's about a 30 minute drive up on a gravel, steep grade road. I would suggest that you have good driving skills and you don't get nervous very easily before tackling this drive. Luckily, my boyfriend drove, because when we got to the top, after about 10 minutes, I passed out from lack of oxygen. The oxygen is about 40% less at the top. It's no joke. I didn't get to finish the tour and I had to go back down the mountain. It was heartbreaking. I suppose the 10 minutes I did spend up there were worth it. The view was literally mind-numbing. We drove back down to the visitor's center, much to my dismay, and watched sunset from a small summit down there. Then, we got to stargaze. Despite the freezing temps, this made the whole day and long wait worth it. I saw things that I never thought I'd get to see outside of a picture. Simply amazing. Inside the visitors center, there was also a band playing, which was awesome! They set up the telescopes around 7:30, and the stargazing begins as soon as it's dark enough..a bit after 8:00. If you are on the big island, you simply MUST visit Mauna Kea. Its absolutely incredible. Like you are on another world. read more

If you're visiting the Big Island, go out of your way to go to the Mauna Kea Visitor's Center. Actually, you have to go out of your way -- it's a 45 minute drive from Hilo, longer from the Kona side, and there isn't much else to do along the way. But it's totally worth it. As a bonus, you get spectacular scenery on drive. I strongly recommend that you be there when it gets dark. At that altitude (9,300 feet), and away from city lights, the stars are absolutely spectacular. The Visitor's Center bring out telescopes (small and large amateur sizes) and does a star party every night of the year, as long as it's clear. This is the main reason for the 5 stars. You will see pretty much the darkest and best skies you can see without driving four hours into some desert. Bring dinner up with you and eat while night falls. You can buy hot chocolate and cup o' noodles there -- things like that. The hot water and cups are free, though, so you can bring you own stuff to add hot water to. Be prepared for cold, since the temperature drops below 50°F on warm nights, and can get down to freezing. If you get there earlier, there are a couple of short hikes in the area. Just head for the tops of the nearby hills. There is also a small silversword enclosure that is right next to the visitor center. It's usually a lot warmer in the day, into the 60°s F if it's sunny. The inside of the Visitor's Center is nothing spectacular, but you can learn about the history of Mauna Kea and the tensions over whether the summit should have telescopes or be left pristine. There are videos to watch and pretty pictures, as well as a gift shop. If you're heading up to the summit of Mauna Kea (only in a four wheel drive!), you really should stop here for an hour or two to adjust to the altitude. But you should go the Visitor's Center just for the star party. (And you'll see the stars better there than at the summit. Your eyes don't get enough oxygen at the summit to see properly in the dark.) Possible side trip: At the point where you turn off from Saddle Road to go up to the visitor center, there is a parking lot across the road. You can park there and hike up the hill right behind the lot. It's worth doing -- you get a really nice view of the whole saddle between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. read more

Don't believe the map on yelp, the Mauna Kea Visitor center is in the North center of the island just off of saddle road (200). Before you drive further north to the Mauna Kea summit, I'd recommend you stop by the visitor center for at least 20 minutes to acclimate to the altitude. At night, the visitor center sets up star gazing telescopes so that you can view distant galaxies/planets. Saturn is absolutely mesmorizing! Also, the visitor center provides free HOT water when it gets dark. Trust me, if you don't have a thick jacket, the hot water is a godsend #35DegreesF. read more

I came here during night time to watch the meteor shower. This place is about an hour away from hilo, but the sight is just incredible. You look up at the night sky, and you actually get to see all the stars that you didn't even know existed, and they pack the sky like God had just spilled glitter into the night. The shooting stars we saw were bright, and their tails burned for several seconds before disappearing into nothing. Being from the city, this place is absolutely incredible. The visitor center itself provided free hot water, hot chocolate was $1. It is high up and extremely cold, bring a jacket and maybe another layer, which is very rare to hear in hawaii. The ground is lined with glow in the dark pegs so you can just barely navigate your way around. There's also a few tables and benches on the side if you prefer to sit. Also be on the look out for invisible cows haha. I thought that sign was a joke, but apparently its for your own safety. read more

Best value in all Hawaii. Stargazing at the Visitor's Center is free with either a volunteer or paid staff member pointing out interesting sites in the sky. They have hot water available and sell tea and hot chocolate packets in the gift store to help subsidize the operation and gladly accept any donations. Need to dress warm, short pants and slippa's not recommended, especially after the sun goes down. Access via Saddle Road much better than before, but four wheel drive is need to get to the summit. No real need to go to summit as the sunset can be observed from points accessible from the Visitor's Center. read more

I can't emphasize enough how great a job the dedicated volunteers do running this attraction. They really love astronomy and thoroughly enjoy sharing that passion with visitors. It made for a very special evening. Don't miss it when you're on the big island. If you're a geek like me it's a no brainer: You get a spectacular view of the night sky, the opportunity to interact with fellow geeks, and a bunch of frickin' lasers! The lasers are used by the volunteers to help point out features in the sky, but they are more powerful than any laser pointer I've ever seen. It was fun listening to the banter as the volunteers have apparently been one-upping each other trying to find more powerful handheld laser devices. Once the sun goes down the volunteers take out some fairly high-end telescopes and take visitors on a tour of the galactic neighborhood. On the night we visited Jupiter was front and center. We were able to see four moons and some of the banding of clouds on our large celestial neighbor. They also take requests, so come ready with a list of your favorite galaxies or planets. Even better was what can be seen with just your eyes. The lack of light pollution means the milky way is fully visible arcing across the sky along with more stars than you've ever seen before. Satellites and even space junk were plainly visible without the need for special optics. We even saw a spectacular shooting star. It's a little chilly up there so bring some warm clothes. They have very tasty hot chocolate available for a buck or two. The gift shop also has a full inventory of snacks, including space ice cream in a number of flavors. Surprisingly my iPhone worked up there, but as my wife pointed out you can't have a bunch of geeks living in a place without 3G coverage. Point taken. There's so much more I can say but you definitely should plan to end one of your evenings on this beautiful island gazing at the stars. There's simply no better place on earth to do it! read more

Great visitor center. Our crappy rental car barely made it up here, but it was worth the uphill drive. Up here you are above the clouds and the stars are bright after 8pm. Bring shoes you can hike in to do a short hike from the visitor center to a ridge where you can watch the sunset. They bring out telescopes for visitors to use, which is very cool. We were there on a Saturday in June and it was a bit crowded, resulting in folks lines up for each telescope. read more

Truly out the world experience watching millions of stars when u lift ur head. So lucky to see a fast moving satellite orbiting the Earth. Saw Venus, Jupiter and 4 of its moons bigger and brighter via the telescope. The whole sky was like a painting with glitter gel pen. The video prior to star gaze was informational but couldn't watch it till the end as the stars started showing off. Also the sun set viewing from the hill top near the visitor center was another fabulous experience. Saddle Road - was little rough for the initial 10 miles or so from Waimea side, and well paved afterwards. Watch out for cops as u might be tempted to speed. read more

On the way here is such a trip. You can't even see your destination. It is foggy for a while, then clears up, then gets foggy again. I kept thinking we were going to hit a cow. Takes about 1.5 hours there from Kona Kailua, depending on traffic and which way you get there (I would recommend taking the route that starts from Kona instead of the one all the way past the airport) Anyways, the Onizuka Center is as far as we went because my parents did not rent a 4WD. We took a short hike up this spot by the parking lot and still go great views of the sunset. Saw a group of people have a nice little picnic dinner all set up, what a great idea, if it weren't so cold. lol. Pretty cool spot, worth the drive I'd say. Had a lot of fun taking pics, it is breathtaking for sure. Also lots of fun looking through the awesome telescopes the volunteers brought out. To support those who volunteer at this visitors center, we bought some awesome sweaters to rep "Clearly the Best" as it says, and also to keep us warm. Hot chocolate was nice to have too. Seriously, bring a blanket. It's cold up there. read more

A must see on the Big Island. We went up to the Visitor Center but no further since we have two small child but it was well worth the drive. We bought the must have items from the tourist shop, stickers for the kids scrapbooks, an ice scraper and a sweatshirt to show off later. Oh and some freeze dried food for the kids on the drive down. They have a TON of information and really cool videos and photos! We will be back with a sitter for the kids next time so we can go to the top! read more

This is a waystation/gift shop more than a museum/visitor center. I guess I was expecting more after all the 5 star reviews. Maybe it's more a night time place? Bathrooms are nice though! The interior space is divided 2/3 into a cluttered waiting area and 1/3 into a gift shop selling some cool but random space stuff and convenience store type food. Not much in the way of exhibits, mostly some random poster boards from the observatories leaning against the walls...vacuums lying around ... tables with unused computers on them... some chairs and an a/v area used for .... what??? people kept sitting down in this "theater" expecting something to play but nothing ever did.... receptionist just sitting there on her computer, never greeted anyone or spoke to us. I guess this is basically a way station to acclimate to the higher elevation before going further up the mountain, or perhaps a good place to go at night for stargazing ? Or maybe with a guide or tour that can make it interesting? During the day by ourselves, it was kind of a bust ... although it is interesting to drive up the mountain. Once. Better have good brakes for the trip down! read more

Beautiful views at sunset, well-stocked gift shop with snacks, and a pretty drive make Mauna Kea pleasant. The telescopes brought out by friendly and informative docents guiding star gazing after dark really took this experience over the top. There were several telescopes so lines were not long, and some of the views were really great. It was, however, incredibly cold, much colder than I was prepared for. So bring a warm jacket or be prepared to come down the mountain with a new fleece reminder of your wonderful trip to Mauna Kea... and $85 poorer. read more

It's simple: Do *not* miss it. The sky, both sunset and night, looks so beautiful from there! They have a pretty cool documentary running while you wait for nightfall and give a really accessible sky tour. Bring your jeans and polar fleece! It was around 40 degrees up there...yes, in July. read more

Best part of the Onizuka Center or Visitor Center is that the people are soo helpful. I believe they are sharing their passion thus they are always willing to answer questions. The prices of items there are quite expensive, especially if you realize you need to buy a jacket because you never expected Hawaii to be cold. Well if you are reading this then I say bring extra layers of clothing. The Visitor center is 9,700 feet and it can get cold. The people will bring out their telescope at around 7:30PM (that was in April/May) I imagine later if its summer. Hot Chocolate is only $1 or $2, I believe and coffee is $1.00. They have hot water so that is good. Prepare to spend a good 2-3 hours here and make sure you bring extra snacks. If your car is not 4x4 then you can only stay here and not go up the Observatory. (Another 7 miles up) Try to arrive before 6PM as they show a video of stars and Mauna Kea summit. The room is very small good for 15 people. But the real show is when they start to bring out the telescopes and you observe the moon. I went up to the summit and here is a video I compiled of the whole big island trip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDE5Cr70XYo read more

Take the drive to the highest point in HI...it is breathtaking (ok, that is literally too...the air is 40% thinner at the top). We did as they advised and spent time acclimating at the visitor's center before heading up to watch the sunset from the summit. We had 4-wheel drive and recommend it for the road. It was a must see on the Big Island for us. read more

Incredibly educational and inspiring. Make sure to enter "Mauna Kean VISITOR INFORMATION STATION" into your GPS/GPS app and wear fleece all over, as it is very cold and windy night! Yes, go at night to look at the stars and moon through the telescopes outside and learn about the astronomical research inside the research station. read more

AMAZ-ING... just as everyone has said. We were debating on stopping here and I'm glad we did! Was a 30/40 min drive from Hilo up the Saddle Road (200). We started at the Farmer's Market (not worth the drive from Kohala Coast but one of those things you need to do. Went on to the Volcanos and then winged-it to Mauna Kea. Arrived a little before sunset and was able catch the breath-taking, albeit freezing, experience. Stars were unbelievable... try reaching out! We were unsure of the drive since we had a rental sedan but rest assured, you'll be fine driving up to the center. Didn't plan ahead but you'll definitely need something to keep warm! Can't miss this on the big island; especially if you don't get to see any flowing lava. read more

Awesome! As an amateur astronomer, this had to be a stop during our vacation to the big island. We were a little worried since the day we chose to go was overcast and raining. But, my aviation weather sources said the location had clear skies, so we drove up the mountain. We went into the clouds around 4000 feet and broke out around 8700. So the station did indeed have clear skies! And the experience was wonderful. The Good: - They set up telescopes for viewing. There are people who man the scopes for you and focus them in on different sights. Saturn was in a prime location that night and you had an excellent view. - Small store for buying souvenirs and hot chocolate. - Bathroom available. - The tour of the sky was very professional and interesting. They used a laser to help point out different stars for those who were unfamiliar. - Gorgeous sunset! - Go well before sunset so you can explore a couple of trails around the visitors center. The Not So Good: - Cold at times, so plan accordingly if you are vacationing and plan to go here. Bottom Line: I've lived where there is not much light and have had great views of the night sky, but this was beyond anything I'd ever seen. It was fantastic and the staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. I'd go back in a heartbeat. read more

amazing Star Action up there, and the night we were there, it was 'music night' and volunteers, including myself, were asked to play acoustic guitar and sing any songs we want. After peering thru a couple 6" refractors at some great clusters & nebulae, as well as some 10" Dobs and 2 16" scopes, I performed Ziggy Stardust (Bowie) and Cant You See (Marshall Tucker). If you visit Big Island, you MUST see the Stars up at Mauna Kea. No twinkling or blinking, every star is crisp and planets rounded. DO GO. - thebassguy read more

My partner and I rented a 4WD SUV for the day and drove up from Kona. This turned out much cheaper for us (2 adults) than taking a tour with one of the commercial operators. We were able to time it for a Saturday in order to join the various fabulous and FREE Saturday programs by the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station (MKVIS). Started off with a full tank of gas. Pleasant drive. Used Google Maps to navigate so no major dramas getting to the MKVIS. Of course we checked ahead of time to ensure the road to the summit was open. That ensures we can go beyond the MKVIS and that tour is still on. We were planning to stick around for all the programs from the morning till late. So we packed lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks to make sure we would not be restricted to the limited food/water on offer at the MKVIS. For the same reason we had packed warm clothes (layers), cover for ears and gloves...just in case. It had snowed and was freezing so good thing too. You will need more food and clothing/layers if you plan to stay out in the open for long periods. You can get free hot water and the use of a microwave oven just outside the MKVIS entrance. Nice touch! The guided tour to the summit was great. See separate Yelp entry for Mauna Kea Observatory http://www.yelp.com.au/biz/mauna-kea-observatory-hilo. Because of the potential dangers make sure you read the various sections in the MKVIS website about going to the summit. See my review there for more details. When we returned to the MKVIS after the tour it was time to join the Saturday lecture program. Asst. Prof. Christoph Baranec had been engaged to give visitors a talk on Laser Astronomy. He blew us all away! Very patient man. He answered all our fumbling questions so that his topic was easy to understand even for beginners. We didn't get to see Mauna Kea's legendary clear skies. There was a massive weather system that was passing through with clouds at almost all levels of the atmosphere. We were still not disappointed because it had been a packed day regardless. We had a great time. Very educational and surprisingly left feeling culturally enriched by what was shared about the Polynesian/Hawaiian heritage and significance of the site and ongoing work. My thanks to the University of Hawaii, MKVIS management and staff for running such a great program. Most of all thanks to the generosity of the Hawaiian elders and guardians of the land for allowing the scientific work to continue for the sake of the whole of humanity. read more

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What a wonderful experience. We set out from Hilo on the Saddle Road at about 4:00 pm and made it to the center a bit before 5:00pm. As we moved up the Saddle, and even after we turned to the Mauna Kea Access Road, we were socked in with fog. I wondered if it was ever going to clear, and then, miraculously, at about the 8,500 foot level it just cleared and there were clear, blue skies. We hiked up a nearby cinder cone, and enjoyed a beautiful sunset. We hiked back down to the stargazing area, and as the sky blackened, those stars came out...by the millions! I honestly don't think I ever saw so many stars since my boyhood spent living in a small village in Micronesia. We saw the Southern Cross, Scorpio, and several other constellations. We learned from some of the astronomers how to spot the north star. We looked at star clusters through telescopes, and we were able to see three distinct bands around Jupiter, as well as four of its moons. It was just so awe-inspiring. My only complaint was that some of the 20-something crowd appeared to be a bit inebriated. Knowing that alcohol consumption affects the auditory center, that was the only conclusion I could come to that made sense. Why else would these folks be talking so loud when they are in such a quiet, spiritual place? Still, it was a wonderful experience, and I would definitely do this again! read more

If you have any celestial interests at all, this is a must stop. The stars are breathtakingly clear from this high up. It's freezing cold up there so bring the proper clothes so you can enjoy it without chattering your teeth. read more