For example, if you want to go to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, one of the best things to do near Hilo, you will need a car to get there.. The park is about 40 minutes away from Hilo, and no ...

Shannon Wianecki grew up in Hawaii and writes about the Islands regularly. March 20, 2025. Hilo sits between the sea, the often-snow-capped summit of Mauna Kea and the smoldering Kilauea volcano.