From Puna direction: driving on Hawai`i Belt Road/Kanoelehua continue past the entrance to the Hilo Airport to the traffic light intersection (landmarks: Ken's Pancake House on the near left corner and Verna's on the far right corner). Continue straight ahead onto Banyan Drive. Follow Banyan Drive as it curves to the left. Go past all the hotels. Slightly beyond Banyan Gallery, there is an intersection. Banyan Drive continues curving to the left. Lihiwai Street is to the right. You may park along the street on Banyan Drive. You also may park in the Mokuola parking lot just off Lihiwai Street to the right or along Lihiwai Street in marked stalls. Handicap parking is available on Lihiwai Street near the west torii gate and an additional space is set aside in the Mokuola parking lot near a bridge.

The Japanese-style landscape of Liliʻuokalani Gardens in Hilo is encircled by Banyan Drive and Lihiwai Street.

From Hāmākua direction: driving on Kamehameha Highway/Hawaiʻi Belt Road along the Hilo Bayfront, turn left onto Lihiwai Street at Suisan Fish Market. In a short distance, at an intersection of Lihiwai Street and Banyan Drive, you may continue straight on Lihiwai to a small free parking lot at Isles park on the left next to Hilo Bay Cafe where there are handicap parking stalls or turn right onto Banyan Drive and park along the street or in a small parking lot bounded by Shoroan (Urasenke tea house), a pavilion with one picnic table, and the Okinawa haari boat enclosure.

The Japanese-style landscape of Liliʻuokalani Gardens in Hilo is encircled by Banyan Drive and Lihiwai Street.