Best Hilo shore excursions
The top-rated independent excursion in Hilo is "From Hilo: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Tour" (4.9★ from 117 reviews, from $189). The biggest saving against the ship is food & tasting: $77 per person less than NCL. Prices and ratings checked November 2026.
Ranked from real traveller ratings: each tour's star rating weighted by how many reviews it has, so a 4.9 with 3,000 reviews beats a 5.0 with 25. Only tours we matched to a tour type in Hilo are included.
Top-rated independent excursions
| # | Tour | From | Rating | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | From Hilo: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park TourNature / waterfall / park | $189 | 4.9★117 reviews | 5/5 |
| 2 | Hilo,Hawaii- Volcano, Waterfalls and Beach Tour With LunchNature / waterfall / park | $199 | 5.0★88 reviews | 5/5 |
| 3 | Hilo: Volcanoes National Park & Black Sand BeachNature / waterfall / park | $169 | 4.6★122 reviews | 5/5 |
| 4 | Hilo: Sea Turtle Lagoon and Black Sand Beach SnorkelSnorkel tour | $150 | 4.5★124 reviews | 5/5 |
| 5 | Hawaii: Big Island Hilo Zipline TourZipline | $245 | 4.8★55 reviews | 5/5 |
| 6 | Hilo: Akaka Falls, Volcanoes, and Rainbow Falls Guided TourNature / waterfall / park | $188 | 4.8★54 reviews | 5/5 |
Best value against the ship
| Tour type | Line | Ship | Independent | Saving for 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food & tasting | NCL | $256 | $179 | $308 |
| Nature / waterfall / park | NCL | $197 | $188 | $39 |
| Zipline | NCL | $286 | $277 | $36 |
Where the ship is cheaper
- Nature / waterfall / park on Carnival: $165 on the ship vs $188 independent.
Without a tour: near the pier
- Rainbow Falls: ~15 min by road (5.3 km).
Hilo is the port for Volcanoes National Park, about 45 minutes away.
Questions
What is the best excursion in Hilo?
On ratings, "From Hilo: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Tour" leads with 4.9 stars from 117 reviews. On value, food & tasting saves the most against the ship ($77 per person).
What is the cheapest well-rated excursion in Hilo?
"Hilo: Sea Turtle Lagoon and Black Sand Beach Snorkel" from $150 per person (4.5★, 124 reviews).
What can you do in Hilo without booking an excursion?
Within about 20 minutes of the pier: Rainbow Falls (~15 min by road).
All Hilo prices and pier guide · Carnival in Hilo · NCL in Hilo