Hilo Become a Travel Agent Near Me

Hilo, the largest city on the island of Hawaii and the second largest in the state, is a must-see, daylong visit for garden enthusiasts and probably a half-day trip for everyone else.

Hilo is also a perfect base for visiting what residents simply refer to as The Volcano. Only 30 mi/48 km south of Hilo along Highway 11, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is the home of the active Kilauea Volcano.

Keep in mind that Hilo gets 280 days of rain a year (129 in/328 cm annually), but the rains don't last long. Moreover, while Hilo definitely has a large amount of rain, much of it is at night. Even when it does precipitate, they are usually just passing showers, and the abundant tropical rainfall is what makes the Hilo side of the Big Island so lush and green.

Must See or Do

Sights—Smoking Halemaumau Crater and spectacular scenery in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; beautiful plants and a view of Onomea Bay at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden; the breathtaking beauty of Rainbow Falls in Wailuku River State Park; a drive along the spectacular Hamakua Coast.

Museums—Hawaii's diverse multicultural heritage on display at Lyman Museum and Mission House; the impact of nature at the Pacific Tsunami Museum; the Big Island's legendary astronomy program at the Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii.

Memorable Meals—Fresh fish and seafood at the Seaside Restaurant; Pacific Island seafood risotto at Cafe Pesto Hilo Bay; antelope filet at Kilauea Lodge Restaurant; chocolate-dipped shortbread from Big Island Candies for dessert; a local, grass-fed Parker Ranch-beef burger at Hilo Bay Cafe; a fresh tropical fruit bowl or local grab-and-go grub from Hilo Farmers Market.

Late Night—Live local Hawaiian and contemporary music in the Wai'oli Lounge at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel; lava flows near Kalapana.

Walks—A walk through the rain forest to plunging waterfalls in Akaka Falls State Park; a stroll past the graceful pagoda bridge and beautiful plantings at Liliuokalani Gardens; a walk along Bayfront Park, admiring the boats and activity on the bay; enjoying ancient strangler figs on Banyan Drive.

Especially for Kids—Mokupapapa: Discovery Center for Hawaii's Remote Coral Reefs to learn about various aquatic environments; Pana'ewa Rain Forest Zoo; swimming and exploring the tidal pools at Onekahakaha Beach Park; selfies at local geological anomaly, Boiling Pots, on the Wailuku River west of town.

Geography

Hilo is located on the east, or windward, side of the Big Island. The city faces a large crescent bay, with the towering mountains of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa as a backdrop.

Hilo's port is protected by a long rock seawall about 3 mi/5 km east of downtown. The old downtown area is clustered near the mouth of the Wailuku River at Hilo Bay. Other commercial and residential areas extend east and south of town and in the western slopes above downtown.

The rocky Hamakua Coast to the northwest of Hilo is considered one of the island's most enjoyable drives, but the shoreline has few areas safe for swimmers. The Puna district, south and east of Hilo town, is an area of open rolling lava lands, rugged coasts and rain-forest slopes stretching up to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

History

Polynesians were the first to arrive in the Hilo area around 1100. They inhabited Hilo Bay and established farms and fishing communities.

What later become known as the town of Hilo was established along the banks of the Wailuku River as a missionary outpost in the 1840s. It became an important port town for trading ships. Over the years, the town expanded and spread to the area behind the sweeping bayfront and the black-sand beach of Hilo Bay. As the sugar industry grew and developed, Hilo became the commercial and governmental center for the Big Island of Hawaii.

The Hamakua Coast between Hilo and Honokaa to the northwest was the heart of the Big Island's sugar industry until it collapsed in the 1990s. During the industry's heyday (the late 1800s-1970s), sugar was the Big Island's economic mainstay. Now fields once green with sugarcane have been transformed by a diversified agricultural economy based on macadamia nuts, ginger, papaya, bananas, tropical flowers and other crops.

Hilo is the center for the island's tropical-flower industry, with anthuriums (heart-shaped, multicolored blooms) and orchids shipped to worldwide markets.

Potpourri

The Hilo Rain Forest Zoo is the only U.S. zoo that is located in a natural rain-forest environment.

There are two kinds of lava: smooth lava (pahoehoe) and rough, porous lava ('a'a).

Local celebrity Hilo Hattie kissed Elvis Presley in the film Blue Hawaii. She also earned a cameo appearance in the 1942 film Song of the Islands with Betty Grable.

You can taste chocolate-covered ika (dried squid) at Big Island Candies.

Hawaii's first arrivals came ashore on Hilo Bay 1,000 years ago. They were originally from Marquesas Islands.

Hershey, the famous chocolate company, operates the world's largest Macadamia processing facility in the world in Hilo. (Macadamia nuts originate from Australia, not Hawaii.)

Don't take home any lava rocks, because legend has it that Pele, goddess of the volcano, doesn't like that, and that she will bring you bad, bad luck. Whether or not it's true, it's interesting to note that thousands of pounds/kilograms of lava rocks are mailed back to the islands every year.

The University of Hawaii at Hilo is the only school in the world to offer a degree in Hawaiian Studies, where students learn island culture and the ancient language of Hawaii.

One of the oldest golf courses in the U.S. is the 18-hole Volcano Golf Course, which opened in 1921 on the rim of the Kilauea Crater in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Robert Kiyosaki, bestselling author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, was born in Hilo.

Location

Hilo's harbor is east of downtown in an industrial area near the airport. You'll need transportation to get to town. Taxis and tour buses are usually available when ships dock.

For information on things to see and do in the Hilo and East Hawaii areas, check with the Big Island Visitors Bureau downtown office at 250 Keawe St. (at the corner of Haili Street), which is open Monday-Friday 8 am-4:30 pm. Phone 808-961-5797. Toll-free 800-648-2441. https://www.gohawaii.com/islands/hawaii-big-island.

The Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce at 117 Keawe St. also has maps and information. Phone 808-935-7178. https://www.hicc.biz.

Shore Excursions

Shore excursions—and their prices—vary from cruise line to cruise line. Typical excursions include tours of Hilo and the Hamakua Coast's historic and cultural sites, including botanical gardens, orchid and anthurium farms, a macadamia-nut factory and waterfalls. Popular adventure activities in Hawaii include zipline tours and tower climbing. There is also a guided walking tour of historic sites downtown.

Coach tours take in the highlights of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, with optional naturalist-guided hikes. Guided snorkeling excursions, helicopter flightseeing tours and golf packages are available, as well.

Check with your travel agent or your ship's shore-excursion staff for additional information.