Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
14m
Distance
7.8 mi
13 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hilo, HI
Isi Parente
Pepeekeo, HI
William Chen
Hilo to Pepeekeo is 7.8 miles and takes about 14m via Mamalahoa Highway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Hawaii region, offering a quick hop between two points on the Big Island. It's primarily a surface road experience, making it a straightforward drive. Consider this route for its simplicity and minimal time commitment, perfect for adding to a day of exploration on the island.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Mamalahoa Highway | 6.8 mi | 10m |
| Wainaku Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Kaakepa Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Wainaku Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Bayfront Highway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Lehua Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Hau Lane | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Hilo, HI and Pepeekeo, HI.
Start on Lehua Street
Turn right onto Wainaku Avenue
Continue on Wainaku Street
Turn right onto Hau Lane
Turn left
Turn straight onto Bayfront Highway
Continue on 19
Turn left onto Kaakepa Street
Arrive at destination
4 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 7.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Wainaku Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Hau Lane
Navigation decision point
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Kaakepa Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$1.73 one way
$3.46 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.95 | $1.83 | $3.66 |
| premium | $6.10 | $1.87 | $3.75 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $1.64 | $3.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.3 | 0 | $0.82 | $0.37 |
| Efficient EV | 2 | 0 | $0.68 | $0.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.09 | $0.50 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Hilo on Wednesday
Local time
9:45 AM
HST
Current temp
69°F
Occasional Rain Showers
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued May 31 at 2:55PM HST by NWS Honolulu HI
Destination
Morning in Pepeekeo on Wednesday
Local time
9:45 AM
HST
Current temp
68°F
Chance Rain Showers
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued May 31 at 2:55PM HST by NWS Honolulu HI
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This drive is almost entirely on surface roads, with 0% highway driving. You'll be on Mamalahoa Highway for the longest stretch, covering 6.8 miles. After that, you'll transition to surface streets like Wainaku Street and Kaakepa Street. Expect a consistent driving experience without interstate-style merging or high-speed cruising.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Wainaku Avenue.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 14m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Wainaku Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (Hau Lane): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
505 ft
Total Descent
30 ft
Highest Point
556 ft
~7.8 mi in
Elevation Range
475 ft
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Cafe
Near the start, right off the route
Hilo, HI
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Hours: Mo-Su 07:00-15:00; Fr 07:00-21:00
Visit websiteCafe
Near the start, right off the route
Hilo, HI
Cuisine: ice_cream;juice
Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-17:00; Su 10:00-16:00
Cafe
Near the start, right off the route
Hilo, HI
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Cafe
Near the start, right off the route
Cafe
Near the start, right off the route
Hilo, HI
Cuisine: bubble_tea;vietnamese
Cafe
Near the start, right off the route
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Restaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Hilo, HI
Cuisine: american
Hours: Mo-Su 11:30-20:30
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Hilo, HI
Cuisine: sandwich
Hours: 8:00-20:00
Visit websiteFast_food
Near the start, right off the route
Hilo, HI
Cuisine: lebanese
Hours: We-Fr 12:00-18:00
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Hilo, HI
Cuisine: asian;thai
Hours: Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Su 11:00-22:00
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Hilo
Cuisine: japanese
Hours: Mo-Th 17:00-24:00, Su 17:00-22:00, Fr-Sa...
Visit websiteFast_food
Near the start, right off the route
Hilo, HI
Cuisine: juice
Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-16:00
Visit websiteViewpoint
Near the start, right off the route
Viewpoint
Near the start, short detour
Viewpoint
Near the start, short detour
Attraction
Near the end, short detour
Attraction
Near the start, short detour
Museum
Near the start, right off the route
Hilo, HI
Hours: Tu-Fr 10:00-16:00; Sa 10:00-14:00
Visit websiteMuseum
Near the start, right off the route
Hours: Sa 10:00-14:00
Visit websiteRuins
Near the start, right off the route
Museum
Later in the drive, right off the route
Memorial
Near the start, short detour
Memorial
Near the start, short detour
Hotel
Near the start, right off the route
Guest_house
Near the start, right off the route
Hotel
Near the start, short detour
Hotel
Near the start, short detour
Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.
Hilo is a town on the Big Island of Hawaii. The county seat and largest city in Hawaii County, Hilo is one of the best starting points to explore the eastern half of the island, including Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 14m. Total distance: 7.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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