Hilo is the orchid capital of the world, and a showcase of this is located on the road between Hilo and Volcano: The Akatsuka Orchid Gardens. This is a good place to pull over on a rainy day for a stop to admire the many beautiful tropical orchids .
The orchid gardens are located on Highway 11 between mile markers 22 and 23 on the Ma Uka (ocean-side) of the road. They are open daily from 10 am to 4 pm, see the website of the Akatsuka Orchid Garden for more details.
Interior of the Akatsuka orchid garden. Photo credits: Mike Neenan