Help for Hilo....our tour got cancelled

[CRUSINGFAMILY]

Hi there

 

Our cruise leaves next week and the tour we had booked just cancelled on us.  I am finding that many things are closed on Saturdays and Sundays, the days we are in Hilo.  Anyone have good things to share that we could do?  We have a rental car so we can get around.  Thanks.  

[Silver Sweethearts]

Google "101 Things To Do On The Big Island Of Hawaii" for ideas.

[Firepath]

We also will have a rental car. We have downloaded the Shaka Guide and will use it to travel north of Hilo and to the Botanical Garden. Since the volcano isn't doing much at the moment, we aren't going to explore that. Was it the ship's or a private tour that got cancelled?

Edited September 13, 2019 by Firepath

[oceanswimmer]

There is a very nice farmer's market in Hilo on Saturday -- lots of very exotic fruits and flowers.    Also, there is a really nice botanical garden north of Hilo - Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden.   

[Beachiekeen]

Can you just drive to the places you would have seen on the tour? We have not been on the cruise yet but if I had an overnight in Hilo, I would drive the coast as far as the Waipio Valley lookout. If time permitted on Sunday I would drive to Volcanoes National Park or tour the botanical gardens mentioned above (supposedly one of the best in all of Hawaii) and drive to maybe Akaka falls, have lunch, etc. 

[snow1]

If you still want to do a tour, check out:  Ricky's Tours   Maybe he has room on one of your days.

His Combination Hilo and Volcano Nat'l Park tour is great.   He operates a clean 12 passenger van and picks you up right at the pier.  We took it last time we were in Hilo and plan to take the tour again in November.  

www.rickystourshawaii.com  

1-808-938-5658

[sfaaa]

No need to rent a car. Hoopa-On Hoopa-Off.  Tour at your own leisure and reasonably priced. 

Edited September 15, 2019 by sfaaa

[KeepCalmBearOn]

Lunch at the Kuhio Grill, Home of the 1 pound Lau Lau 🙂

 

Actually I'd rent a car and drive to Volcano National Park.

[GeocachingNut]

We are going to take a tour at the Hilo Coffee Mill on Hwy. 11 towards Mountain View.  You can book a tour which takes about 1 hr. (haven't done it yet so don't know cost -- isn't mentioned anywhere.  You get a tour of the coffee & tea fields behind the building, then go back and see the process of roasting etc. as well as getting 3 samples of coffee.  You can also have mini tour which is much shorter. There's a gift store as well as a cafe, and there's a farmer's market there on Saturdays as well.  We are also going to check out the Tsunami Museum right in Hilo as that sounds interesting.  They said to allow 40 minutes to visit. Wish the Hawaiian Crown Plantation & Chocolate Factory was open on Sat. as the farm tour was $15 each.  Its only open on Mondays, Wed & Fr.  However you can go to their cafe on 160 Kilauea Ave. for chocolate.  Think we are going there to get a chocolate dipped banana for $4!

[Firepath]

Now that is really tempting. We may have to go for the chocolate dipped banana too.

[cat shepard]

Not sure what your interests are, but I have a Tour by Local booked for next month. The guide is working with our “to do” list to customize a tour. And do not count Volcano National Park out. You can still feel the heat from the lava in spots.  And our guide is taking us to another lava tube so we can hike through it - in the event that Thurston lava tube has not reopened.

 

Our guide also said the farmer’s market is amazing.

[back to the islands]

When we did POA several years ago we rented a car at each port and saw what we wanted. On Hilo we went to Volcano National Park, stopped at a beautiful "beach" that was devastated by a tsunami, drove up to the North and saw a beautiful black sand beach, visited waterfalls. We did at least 2 ship tours that day and saw a lot of what we chose to see for a LOT less money. It was POA's maiden voyage from San Francisco so long enough ago that it's hard to remember specific names, but I loved having the car. Hubby thought he drove most of the island!

[Muscovites]

On 9/14/2019 at 2:51 AM, oceanswimmer said:

There is a very nice farmer's market in Hilo on Saturday -- lots of very exotic fruits and flowers.    Also, there is a really nice botanical garden north of Hilo - Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden.   

We plan to visit the farmers market when we dock.    Is it easy to find, or do you need to take a taxi ride?    

[cccole]

The farmers market is not near the port.  You will need a taxi or uber.  And, check the website for the farmers market to see what is available on Saturday.  Not everything is re-opened.  I was just there in April.  I think there used to be a shuttle from the cruise ships to downtown, but I don't know if that is still available.  Cherie

[Firepath]

The only tour I would do a second time was at Hilo; the botanical gardens. It was gorgeous and I’ve never seen gardens that go down to a beach!