About Hilo Ocean Adventures

The Hilo Ocean Adventures dive shop and beach boutique on Kamehameha Avenue in Hilo — Our shop on Kamehameha Avenue, hard to miss as you drive by.

Hilo Ocean Adventures is a family-owned ocean outfitter on the lush, rain-fed east side of Hawaiʻi Island. From our shop in Hilo, we share the water the way we know it: scuba diving and certifications, fishing charters, snorkel and boat tours, kayak and stand-up paddle trips, swim lessons, and a full lineup of gear rentals and service.

Everything we do is run by people who love this coastline. Our captains, dive and swim instructors, ocean guides, lifeguards, and gear technicians are certified in their fields and trained in first aid and CPR, and most of them live and play in these waters year round. When you book with us, you’re getting locals who genuinely love showing this side of the island off.

Where to Find Us

The Hilo Ocean Adventures van at the corner of Kamehameha Avenue and Banyan Drive in Hilo — Looking out from the shop toward the corner of Kamehameha and Banyan Drive.

You’ll find us right on Kamehameha Avenue, the road that hugs Hilo Bay. If you know Hilo, we’re on the corner by Ken’s House of Pancakes and Verna’s, a couple of local institutions right next door. For visitors, we’re just a few minutes along the bayfront from the Banyan Drive hotels, the Grand Naniloa and the Hilo Hawaiian, so if you’re staying in Hilo we’re a short drive from your room and easy to reach on your way in or out for the day.

The neighborhood is one of the best parts. We’re minutes from Liliʻuokalani Gardens and Coconut Island (Mokuʻola), Reeds Bay, and the shops and farmers market of downtown Hilo, with the waterfalls and rainforest of the Hamakua Coast just up the road and clear views of Mauna Kea across the bay.

There’s a reason we love this side of the island. Hilo lets you skip the crowds and vacation like a local, in one of the few places that still feels like the real Hawaiʻi. The town has weathered its share over the years, and the aloha and resilience you feel just talking with people here is a big part of what makes a day on this coast feel different from anywhere else.

Our Story

Ryan and his aunt Natalie at the Hilo Ocean Adventures shop — Ryan and his aunt Natalie at the shop.

Hilo Ocean Adventures was started in 2012 by our founder, Jenna, who grew up in a family of divers. Her parents and brother all dive, and after studying business on Maui she set out to bring an all-in-one dive shop to the east side of the Big Island. That first scuba operation became the foundation for everything that came after.

From there it grew one adventure at a time. We added snorkel tours, then kayak and stand-up paddle trips, and we became the first operation to bring whale watching to the east side of the island, a December-through-April season that no one over here had tapped into. Today we run some incredible fishing charters too, and through all of it we’ve never stopped teaching swim lessons for local keiki. Jenna got it all started, and Ryan runs the shop today with the continued support of his aunt and uncle.

The lineup has grown a lot over the years, but the heart of it hasn’t changed. Ohana runs through everything we do: how we welcome our guests, how we look after our crew, and how we care for the water we’re lucky enough to call our office. Whether it’s your first time putting your face in the water or your hundredth dive, we want you to leave feeling like part of the family.

Meet Our Crew

The captains, guides, instructors, and technicians you’ll actually see at the front desk, on the boat, and in the water. Give them a wave when you’re in.

What We Stand For

We’re guests on this island too, and we take that seriously. Our tours and services are held to environmental standards that keep wildlife and their habitats protected, and we lead every trip with respect for Hawaiian culture, the land, and the local community. You can enjoy your adventure knowing we’re looking after the place that makes it all possible. Read more about our conservation efforts here.

Teaching local keiki to swim is close to our heart. It began with Natalie’s passion for preventing childhood drownings, and in an ocean town it has grown into something bigger: helping kids build their very first relationship with the water. It’s all part of how we try to mālama ka ʻāina, to care for the land, the water, and the community that lets us do what we love.

About Us