Swim at Carlsmith Beach

Hilo, Hawaii

5.0/5

based on 1 reviews

Save

View all 4 photos

All 4 photos

Save Review Directions Add Photo

Description

Added by Margo Schmiederer

A beautiful beach for swimming, chilling, and picnicking.

A beautiful beach for swimming less than 10 minutes from downtown Hilo! Because Hilo is more rocky and jungly than the western side of the island, this beach is more of a swimming hole than a traditional beach. Carlsmith is also frequented by big turtles (like the ones in Finding Nemo!), but please don't touch them as it is against tradition in Hawaii to disturb wildlife (it may also be against the law).

This beach is also a great spot to watch the sunset behind Mauna Kea. It can get pretty crowded and difficult to find easy parking on nice weekend days.

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Chillin

Swimming

Adult Beverages

Beach

Dog Friendly

Family Friendly

Swim at Carlsmith Beach Reviews

Emily Wiessel

Swim at Carlsmith Beach

05/05/23

we did this swim on our first day on the island and it was super fun! there were a decent amount of people there on a wednesday but the place was definitely big enough as we still had plenty of room to swim and not even be near other people. 10/10 highly recommend

5.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Run at Liliʻuokalani Park and Gardens

Within walking distance of downtown Hilo, jog around Liliʻuokalani Park and Gardens for beautiful views of Mauna Kea, the Pacific, and Eastern art! A loop around the park, including Coconut Island, is approximately 1 mile. On your jog, you will see lots of people walking and running in addition to small ponds with bridges crossing them. There is also a famous fish restaurant and popsicle stand ...

Surf at Honoli'i Beach

Honoli'i Beach Park is a favorite spot among locals for surfing, especially if you are a good surfer! Park along the street and walk down the stairs to the shower area. To the left leads to the black sand beach where surfers will leave from, but if you are just looking to hangout, you can also go to the right of the bathroom for a more spacious and grassy area. On the beach, you will find peopl...

Explore Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls is a gorgeous and easily accessible pull-off from Highway 11. This is not really a hike - just a short walk from the parking lot to a gorgeous 80 foot waterfall (making this fun for all ages!). Hit up Cafe Pesto in Hilo for a meal after. If you want to learn about the mythology surrounding this hike, look up the Hawaiian legend of the Goddess Hina, DemiGod Maui, and Kuna of the M...

Explore the Old Mamalahoa Hwy

Running or biking on Old Mamalahoa Hwy is a treasure! The path is marked as a 'Scenic Drive' but you can park your car along the way and run, or bike through. This area is north of Hilo's downtown so you'll follow Mamalahoa Hwy north (the only highway that goes around the north side of the island) until you see a blue sign pointing east for a scenic drive. This will bring you to the start of th...

Swim at Kehena Black Sand Beach

This beach lives up to Hawaii’s stunning fame. You can park in the curved area that is set away from the road, or along the street. Follow the little signs down the trail to the beach. It’s a bit of a scamper down some lava rocks to get there, so be careful. A highlight of this beach is that it is good even in the harsh rain, so if thats the case, you can tuck yourself back by the rock wall wh...

Drive Chain of Craters Road

Starting at the Kilauea Visitor Center, this 18.8 mile drive begins its 3,700 foot elevation change by meandering through the rainforest. Follow signs from the visitor center (near the entrance of the park) to Crater Rim Drive. Chain of Craters Road begins off of Crater Rim Drive, 3.3 miles south of Kilauea Visitor Center. If you want to take a side trip, turn onto Hilina Pali Road, 5.6 miles f...

Swim at Carlsmith Beach

Description

Download the Outbound mobile app

Features

Swim at Carlsmith Beach Reviews

Leave No Trace

Nearby

Run at Liliʻuokalani Park and Gardens

Surf at Honoli'i Beach

Explore Rainbow Falls

Explore the Old Mamalahoa Hwy

Swim at Kehena Black Sand Beach

Drive Chain of Craters Road

Discover

Community

Company

Follow Us

Mobile Apps