Reeds Bay Beach Park is a small inlet at the east side of the Waiakea Peninsula and at the end of the popular thoroughfare Banyan Drive in Hilo, Hawaii. It was named after William H. Reed, a prominent businessman from Hilo and is known for its generally calm and shallow waters perfect for swimming.
The most popular attraction in the area is called the Ice Pond, a natural swimming hole with chilly waters. Cold spring water from the ocean bottom bubbles up and mixes with the salt water giving the water in the pond its chilly temperature.
The Banyan Drive itself is also a well-known tourist destination in the area. Fifty or so banyan trees line the drive that survived the numeorus tsunamis and tidal wave actions the hit the area over the years. Each tree is marked with wooden plaques bearing the name of its planter or the person it honors. Acclaimed film director Cecil B. DeMille was one of the first celebrities who planted the first banyan trees in the area in 1933.
Planting of trees by celebrities or in honor of famous individuals eventually became a tradition in the area. Apart from DeMille, other celebrities honored in Banyan Drive include Amelia Earhart, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong, George Herman "Babe" Ruth, and various religious leaders, politicians and notable Hawaiians.
Banyan Drive is less than a mile from the downtown area and is where most of the biggest hotels in Hilo are located. Other nearby attractions are the beautiful Japanese-style garden, Liliuokalani Park and Coconut Island.
Reeds Bay Beach Park - Hili, Hawaii Photos
Reeds Bay Beach Park
Banyan Drive
