Waipio Valley Lookout

What a sight! The coastline and cliffs from this lookout are a treat.

You can take a 4WD car down a hair-raising edge-of-cliff drive into the valley. There you can see a waterfall falling directly onto a black sand beach.
There's something dark and mosquitoey about the valley, and after risking my life to descend into it twice, I think that is enough for me! But the lookout is a great place to come to relax and take in nature's wonders.
Kamehameha I, as a baby, was hidden in this valley from the jealous king who sought to kill him. A magical children's book with stunning illustrations and award-winning writing has been written about his childhood in Waipio Valley. It's called Kamehameha: The Boy Who Became a Warrior King, and is great for kids around 7 or 8 years old. My son loves to read it with me because it's so exciting!
Afterwards, continue west on Highway 19 to check out the cute town of Waimea with its rolling green hills, where it's always raining a fine mist. Then drive an extra twenty minutes for a wonderful sunny swim at Mauna Kea Hotel Beach.
Or head the other way, south, on Highway 19 and see the amazing sights along the Hamakua Coast.

Directions

Take Hwy 19 and then turn north on Hwy 240. Continue until the end of the road.
From Hilo, Waipio Valley Lookout is a one hour drive north, with some incredible stops along the way, on the Hamakua Coast.
From Kona, Waipio Valley Lookout is a 1.5 hours drive north and east, past the gorgeous beaches of the Kohala Coast, and the rolling green hills of Waimea town.

Click on map for interactive view