Drive to Waipiʻo Valley from Hilo
Waipiʻo Valley, is perhaps one of the most stunningly beautiful locations in the Unites States. Dramatic cliffs with waterfalls give way to the blue ocean, below is a lush valley with access to a remote beach. Unfortunately, for visitors, access to the bottom of the valley is prohibited after a geotechnical assessment was done deeming the narrow road unsafe. Just because access to the valley is off limits, does not mean visitors should skip out on visiting this natural beauty. There is a lookout that is free to the public that offers incredible views of Waipi’o Valley. If staying in Hilo, it is highly recommended to take a day trip and drive to Waipi’o Valley and take time to explore other sites and attractions along the route.
The drive to Waipiʻo Valley is an easy one from Hilo. It’s just under 50 miles and takes about an hour to reach by vehicle. Hawai’i Belt Road (Hwy 19) is the main road between the two destinations. Hwy 19 follows the coast the majority of the way, there were so many overlooks, waterfalls, hidden valleys along the road.
I wish we stopped alongside the road to grab photos of the waterfalls and valleys along Hwy 19, but there was never really any good place to park so we managed to push forward and stop at other designated attractions, beach access locations, and food stalls along the route to Waipi’o Valley.
Places Worth Stopping Along the Way
You could spend days visiting all the attractions, hiking trails, and exploring the east side of Hawai’i. But in reality, we only had a day to explore the sites between Hilo and Waipi’o Valley. Other then a stop at Akaka Falls and Donna’s Cookies, we didn’t have a set itinerary.
Our goal was to drive to Waipi’o Valley and make random stops along the way. Below is an itinerary of our drive to Waipi’o Valley and the stops we made along the route. These attractions are in order departing from Hilo. After a visit to Waipi’o Valley, we drove west toward Waimea before making our way back to Hilo. I say we because I was with my parents along with Jill and her parents. We rented a minivan, big enough for six and made multiple day trips throughout the week we were on the Big Island.
Onomea Bay
Cruising along Hwy 19 just outside Hilo we spotted a sign that said Scenic Drive. We decided to veer off the major highway and take the scenic bypass. The road name for the scenic road is Old Mamalahoa Hwy. Yes, the scenery from the road was beautiful but the road itself was in poor condition. The scenic road was 4 miles long, full of potholes, tree branches touching the roads, and tight corners. But we came across a trailhead that looked intriguing.
The trailhead was for the Onomea Trails. The trail was only 0.6 miles, so we decided to hike to the bottom. It was worth it, the views of the coastline were incredible. The black rocks, jagged cliffs, palm trees, and black sand beaches were all well worth the hike. For the most part the Onomea Trail was easy, the beginning was a bit steep and there were slushy spots, but nothing to difficult.
*Both photos I took of Onomea Bay were taken using a Long Exposure shot with a Neutral Density Filter.
Akaka Falls State Park
If you only had one attraction to visit on the Hilo side, then I’d recommend visiting Akaka Falls State Park. Akaka Falls is the second tallest waterfall on the Big Island at 442 ft. If you are curious Hi’ilawe Waterfall is the tallest waterfall at 1,450 ft. Unfortunately, Hi’ilawe is difficult to access. Akaka Falls on the other hand is easily accessible.
There is a fee to access Akaka Falls State Park, but it’s worth it. The fee is $5.00 per person and the park is open daily from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm.
To fully appreciate the beauty of Akaka Falls, visitors need to hike a short 0.4 mile loop trail through rainforest. No need to worry, you won’t need a machete to clear a path. There is a well maintained concrete path. There are stairs along the trail, unfortunately it is not wheel chair friendly. Those that are able to walk, it’s a beautiful hike. Along the hike there are small waterfalls, glimpses of other tall waterfalls in the distance, bamboo forests, and lush green rainforest. The first half of our hike was wet as we walked through the cloud forest. But it only makes sense that it was raining in the rainforest.
When arriving at Akaka Waterfall, there is a platform with an overlook and a roof covered rest area. Once we reached the overlook, the views of the waterfall were blocked by thick clouds, this just added to the experience. About ten minutes of waiting, the clouds cleared and we were rewarded with incredibly clear views of the waterfall and the lush greenery surrounding the falls.
Laupahoehoe Beach Park
One of the more unexpected stops along our drive to Waipiʻo Valley was Laupahoehoe Beach Park. As I was navigating Hwy 19 I saw this beach park pop up on Google Maps. It was a slight detour from the highway but well worth. Laupahoehoe Beach Park has several things going for it. It is a campground, has stunning coastal views, fascinating trees, and a very big dog!
We basically came to this beach for the views but stayed longer then expected because we met a friendly resident. This resident was a 220 lb. English Mastiff. At first, we saw him and thought he belonged to a nearby camper. But we got to talking with a local and he said no one owns the poor guy, he doesn’t even have a name. He’s been living on the beach for at least 4 years. He was well fed, I bet he gets a lot of grilled treats from campers. He was happy playing in the sand, swimming in the ocean, and begging for food. I mean does life get any better than that? Apparently, a vet came by at some point to check up on him, they weighed him at 220 lbs. found him to be healthy, he wasn’t hurting anyone so they released him back to his beach!
Other then petting the beautiful English Mastiff, we wandered the coastline a bit. The ocean views here were gorgeous. Waves crashing over the jagged rocks, made for great photos!
There was also a huge Banyan Tree at the park. The banyan trees in Hawaii are so much larger then the ones I’m used to seeing in Okinawa, they were fascinating.
Donna's Cookies
Continuing along out drive to Waipi’o Valley, we stopped at a small road side bakery called Donna’s Cookies, that specialized in homemade cookies.
Jill has been to the Big Island before and she raved about Donna’s Cookies. Needless to say we were all thrilled to try them as a mid day snack.
Because of Covid, Donna’s Cookies was only doing take out. They had a service window where you could order the cookies you want by bags, jars, and even containers. They sell your typical cookies: shortbread, chocolate chip, macadamia nut, almond, and the list goes on.
After sampling more cookies then I’d like to admit, I’d have to say the cookies were just alright, sorry Jill!
Waipi'o Fruit Shack
How can you visit a tropical island without sampling tropical fruit and drinking coconut water straight from a coconut?
On the way o Waipi’o Valley, there were several fruit snacks. One that really caught our attention was Waipi’o Fruit Snack. It was somewhat perched on a hill and consisted of a small fruit shack surrounded by hammocks, benches, and a duck that would walk around the grounds. The atmosphere definitely had a chill and relaxed vibe.
We shared a fruit platter with fresh mango and pineapple. For myself, I got a coconut. I find coconut water to be refreshing. After sipping down the water, the individual working the stand chopped it in half, gave me a leaf as a spoon, and showed me how to eat the meat of the coconut. All in all, it was a fun experience and the fresh fruit just fit perfectly with our day!
Waipiʻo Valley
As the saying goes, “It’s all about the journey and not the destination.” This was most definitely true in regards to our drive to Waipi’o Valley. The journey from Hilo to Waipi’o Valley was incredible. The waterfalls, driving the coastline, huge dogs, and amazing landscapes all made this day trip one to remember!
For visitors, Waipi’o Valley is just a lookout, but the views from here are out of this world. Standing at the lookout and seeing the valley with the steep cliffs, blue ocean, rugged terrain, lush vegetation, it was so picturesque.
Earlier this year, 2022, the Waipi’o Valley Road leading to the valley below has closed permanently to visitors due to safety, this includes both vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
One recommendation I have is that the weather on the East Coast of the Big Island changes rapidly. One minute, you are blessed with blue skies and sunny weather, the next minute a storm can roll through with heavy rain and thick clouds. When we first arrived at the lookout the skies were gorgeous with perfect temperatures. 15 minutes later, clouds rolled in, the temperatures dropped, and it poured rain. I was lucky enough to get a few decent photos of Waipi’o Valley before the low-lying clouds swept through. Below are two photos I took, probably within 10 minutes of each other. On the other hand, if the weather is not ideal, wait a few minutes and hope the weather clears.
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Plan Your Trip:
Booking Accommodations
For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com
Activities and Tours
Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator has a lot of great options.
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