Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo
Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo is located in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, United States. Look also at Kīlauea, 21 mi away. For mild weather, aim for January to December (78–83°F highs).
A zoo & aquarium inside Hilo
You can stay in Hilo
Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo is inside Hilo, which has 31 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December are the mild months, with highs of 78–83°. When to go ↓
An airport 5 miles away
Hilo (ITO) has airline service, about 5 miles from Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
Weather through the year
Here are the months at Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo, with their weather.
Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo
Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo is located in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, United States. This small 12-acre (4.9 ha) zoo is the only one in the United States located in a rainforest. It is operated by Hawaii County and receives its funding from the county and from private donations.
The zoo has more than 80 species of animals on display, and the grounds feature more than 40 different species of plants, flowers, and trees.
- Type
- Zoo & aquarium
- Animals
- 80 species
- Area
- 12 acres
- Wikipedia readers
- 1.1K a year
Where to sleep near Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo
Nearest for a night are Hilo (31) and Hawaiian Paradise Park (5).
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilo | in town | — | 31 11 hotels · 15 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 2 hostels | 50,404 | $483K |
| Hawaiian Paradise Park | 8 mi southeast | 10 min | 5 2 hotels · 3 inns & B&Bs | 13,203 | $457K |
| Volcano | 18 mi southwest | 25 min | 16 1 hotel · 7 inns & B&Bs · 7 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel | 746 | $575K |
| Mauna Loa Estates | 18 mi southwest | 30 min | 13 2 hotels · 7 inns & B&Bs · 4 lodges & cabins | 901 | $357K |
| Honomu | 15 mi north | 25 min | 6 2 hotels · 4 inns & B&Bs | 376 | $428K |
| Wainaku | 6 mi north | 10 min | 2 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B | 967 | $536K |
| Paukaa | 8 mi north | 10 min | 2 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins | 450 | $667K |
| Hawaiian Acres | 9 mi south | 15 min | 2 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B | 3,872 | $318K |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Places to add to Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo
You can reach each of these within 53 miles.
Big draw128 mi MountainMauna Kea
Big draw221 mi MountainKīlauea
Big draw36 mi MountainMauna Loa
318 mi National ParkHawai'i Volcanoes National Park1.9M visitors a year
52 mi MountainKama‘ehuakanaloa Seamount
45 mi WaterfallRainbow Falls
52 mi MountainHualālai
510 mi CaveKazumura CavePhoto credits
Mauna Kea: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kīlauea: Hawaii Land Cover Analysis project, NOAA Coastal Services Center, Public domain · Mauna Loa: Gordon Joly, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park: Jos-uit-boston at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kama‘ehuakanaloa Seamount: John Smith and Brooks Bays, Public domain · Rainbow Falls: Kyle Hawton, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hualālai: Photograph by J. Kauahikaua., Public domain · Kazumura Cave: Dave Bunnell / Under Earth Images, CC BY-SA 4.0
Asked about Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo
Is Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo in Hilo?
Yes. It’s inside Hilo, HI.
When is the best time to visit Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo?
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December, with highs of 78–83°.
What is the closest airport to Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo?
Hilo (ITO), about 5 miles away. The nearest big hub is Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA), about 63 miles.
Where should I stay near Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo?
Hilo (in town, 31 places to stay), Hawaiian Paradise Park (8 mi, 5 places to stay) and Volcano (18 mi, 16 places to stay).
Locals’ advice in Hilo
Start the conversation in Hilo’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.