Hilo

Hilo is a town on the Big Island of Hawaii. The county seat and largest city in Hawaii County, Hilo is the one of the best starting points to explore the eastern half of the island, including Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Understand
Although the largest city on the Big Island, Hilo has a small population (44,186 in the 2020 Census) and a relaxed pace of life. It is on the rainier, less touristy east side of the island, and the city itself is not a huge draw for tourists, although there is an excellent farmers' and craftsmen's market on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. In addition to the attractions within city limits, there is good snorkeling nearby, extremely lush botanic gardens in the area and Volcanoes National Park is a splendid day trip.

Climate
Hilo has a warm, somewhat muggy tropical climate with over 100 inches of rain a year, making it the rainiest town in the United States outside of Alaska. January and February are the only months with fewer than 20 rainy days on average.

Get in
Most of the visitors bound for Hilo will arrive via one of the inter island airlines (Hawaiian), or as a day stop from one of the frequent cruise ship visits. Unless you're sailing your own craft, this is only way of getting in by sea, as inter-island boat services were suspended in 2009.

By car
From elsewhere on the Big Island: for visitors, this would mean taking the Mamalahoa Highway (HI-190), the Daniel K. Inouye Highway (via a right turn) and the Saddle Road (HI-200, but without signposted route numbers on the road) across the interior of the island from Kailua-Kona at the western end, where the other commercial airport is located. Allow at least 2 hours for that trip, which goes through some curvy, hilly terrain.

Alternatively, you can take the Hawaii Belt Road (HI-19) around much of the northern shore of the island, going inland through Waimea. You may find this an easier drive, and possibly a more pleasant one if you'd like to go through more villages and see fewer starkly beautiful views of Mauna Kea and other hilly inland scenery. To be on the safe side, you should allow at least 2.5 hours for the northern route, though you may want to stop in one or more towns along the way.

Direction signs are fairly good on the Big Island, though not always with much advance notice for the driver. Traffic drives slowly (usually 25-35 miles per hour), and it's ordinary for unobstructed traffic to go slower than posted speed limits.

If you don't have a car, hitching a ride is very easy on the Big Island.

Get around
Many of Hilo's points of interest are concentrated in quite a small area in the western end of Kamehameha Avenue. There you can get around by foot easily. However, some natural attractions, beaches and shops are a mile or more away from there.

The county's Hele-On Bus system ($2 fare) serve Hilo International Airport eight times per day (except on Sunday). However, virtually all visitors rent a vehicle from one of the many rental agencies upon arriving at Hilo International Airport. It's a good idea to make car reservations in advance, as special events or active conditions at the Volcanoes National Park can quickly deplete the supply of available vehicles. If you do plan on taking the buses, look up the schedules ahead of time and keep in mind that they will leave on time from the beginning of their routes (usually the Mo'oheau Bus Terminal in downtown Hilo) but will possibly be delayed for subsequent stops depending on traffic, weather and stops.

As an alternative, taxis are also available at the airport though renting a car is almost always more practical.

There are also a few bicycle shops on and around Kamehameha Avenue, if you would like to rent or buy a bicycle.

Do
Many of the activities that are available are strictly daytime, and focus on the ocean. Surf culture is big, and boards may be rented from, located in the Bayfront district. Stan, the owner, will be happy to fill you in on where to go as well as the current conditions.



Buy
Hilo has two main shopping areas, each about a mile away from most of the hotels on the Banyan Drive loop. Follow Kamehameha Avenue west from Banyan Drive, and you will arrive at Downtown Hilo, which is home to many quaint shops and restaurants. Follow Highway 11 (also Mamalahoa Highway or Kanoelehua Avenue) south from Banyan Drive, and you will arrive at the Prince Kuhio Plaza. There are larger retail stores in and around the Prince Kuhio Plaza area. KTA Superstores, Long's Drugs, and a Wal-Mart are all present on the island.

Downtown Hilo
Most Downtown Hilo stores are located along the "Bayfront", or Kamehameha Avenue, though the side streets are also packed with excellent finds and shops to explore. The Hilo Farmer's Market is also located downtown. You can easily spend a day walking around Downtown Hilo, browsing and shopping.

While Downtown Hilo itself is walkable, parking spaces can be hard to find midday. It is possible to walk from your Banyan Drive area hotel to Downtown, though it is approximately one mile.



Prince Kuhio Plaza Area
The Prince Kuhio Plaza is the main retail center in Hilo. It is surrounded by many larger retailers and shops. It is best to have a car, as Highway 11 from Banyan Drive to the Plaza is not the most pedestrian-friendly boulevard.



Eat
Hilo is known for its locally-made ice cream. It's some of the best on earth and can be found several places, including Hilo Homemade Ice Cream downtown at 41 Waianuenue Avenue.

The Hilo Farmer's Market, on the corner of Kamehameha Avenue and Mamo Street, has lots of cheap eats. If you love tropical fruit, this is the place to go. There's a great tamale stand in the west corner of the market serving very tasty $2 tamales. Market open daily 7AM to 5PM, with extended hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The small town of Pahoa offers The Pahoa Market, which is a flea market open on Sundays and has more prepared food. Take Highway 130 on the way to Pahoa.

Bars
Hilo is a small town, and as such, there is not a lot of public drinking to be done. Despite a very lackluster nightlife, almost every bar has a cover charge. Still, there are a few places to wet your whistle, and maybe catch a live act.



Stay safe
Hilo is generally quite safe. There are usually homeless people loitering around public parks and sometimes they can be a little eccentric, so keep your distance.

If an earthquake were to strike and a tsunami warning were issued, if you are at the beach, there would be tsunami evacuation signs to guide you to a safe distance.

Respect

 * Haole = White person: Though many think that "haole" just means white person, it refers more to an attitude than anything else. Hilo is a workaday town that sees few tourists. Locals aren't as accustomed to tourists as they are in the resort areas, so respecting the local people and culture is very important.  Treat the locals with respect, and the same respect will be returned to you. There are a few Native Hawaiians who have a generally negative attitude to Haoles, and may express this attitude through looks or comments. You are best to simply ignore comments to avoid provocation. You may also find that other Native Hawaiians are quite friendly and warm if you take the time to speak with them and be friendly, yourself.

Locals refrain from wearing aloha outfits, either full body attire or partial outfits. Clothes are very casual to resort casual at best.

Go next

 * Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - The entrance to the park is in Volcano Village, roughly 40 minutes' drive from downtown Hilo. Many people can spend several days exploring all that the park has to offer. There are a number of excellent hikes, showcasing most of the flavors of Hawaiian geological activity. Of course, the thing that most people come to see is the active flow zone of Kilauea. Entrance fees are consistent with other U.S. National Parks.
 * Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - The entrance to the park is in Volcano Village, roughly 40 minutes' drive from downtown Hilo. Many people can spend several days exploring all that the park has to offer. There are a number of excellent hikes, showcasing most of the flavors of Hawaiian geological activity. Of course, the thing that most people come to see is the active flow zone of Kilauea. Entrance fees are consistent with other U.S. National Parks.
 * Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - The entrance to the park is in Volcano Village, roughly 40 minutes' drive from downtown Hilo. Many people can spend several days exploring all that the park has to offer. There are a number of excellent hikes, showcasing most of the flavors of Hawaiian geological activity. Of course, the thing that most people come to see is the active flow zone of Kilauea. Entrance fees are consistent with other U.S. National Parks.
 * Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - The entrance to the park is in Volcano Village, roughly 40 minutes' drive from downtown Hilo. Many people can spend several days exploring all that the park has to offer. There are a number of excellent hikes, showcasing most of the flavors of Hawaiian geological activity. Of course, the thing that most people come to see is the active flow zone of Kilauea. Entrance fees are consistent with other U.S. National Parks.
 * Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - The entrance to the park is in Volcano Village, roughly 40 minutes' drive from downtown Hilo. Many people can spend several days exploring all that the park has to offer. There are a number of excellent hikes, showcasing most of the flavors of Hawaiian geological activity. Of course, the thing that most people come to see is the active flow zone of Kilauea. Entrance fees are consistent with other U.S. National Parks.