Hilo is the largest settlement in the state outside of O’ahu, with about 45,000 residents. On the east side of the Big Island, this town gets fewer tourists than the west coast, but hospitality is still the main industry. “It’s much smaller than the Kohala side, more of a hometown feel and not as commercialized. We get tourist traffic from Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, but it’s quieter,” says Lisa Heaviside with Hawaii Life, a Hilo resident and a Realtor since 2003. “We don’t have huge resorts, but we have some bayfront hotels. We don’t have the white, big, beautiful beaches, but we have a bunch of historic 1920s buildings downtown.” Hilo Bay and the Pacific Ocean line the town’s north side, closest to downtown; rainforests and volcanoes rise into the western hills.
Richardson Ocean Park is popular for picnics and snorkeling.
Visitors to Downtown Hilo will see many colorful murals adorning the walls of businesses.
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East coast rain leads to greenery: Japanese gardens, lush rainforests
Hilo’s climate has something not typically associated with Hawaii: gray skies. Trade winds blow in from the northeast and carry up to Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, forming clouds that typically release in the afternoon. Because of this phenomenon, Hilo is the wettest city in the United States with roughly 125 inches of annual rain. March, April and May are the rainiest and cloudiest months. “Most people here love the rain because it’s nice and green and makes everything much less expensive,” Heaviside says.
Rain is also the reason for the area’s lush forests, gardens and waterfalls. The ultra-green bayfront has the Lili’nokalaui Gardens, a 25-acre Japanese garden dedicated in 1917, and Hilo Bayfront Beach Park. On the city’s north side, Wailuku River State Park is popular with tourists for its Rainbow Falls; mist from this 80-foot cascade forms a rainbow most mornings. Panaewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens is on the city’s south side, and it’s the only natural tropical rainforest zoo in the country. It’s home to 80-plus species, including Bengal tigers and free-roam peacocks. Hilo Forest Reserve, Waiakea Forest Reserve and other remote areas are west of the zoo, leading up to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and the summit of Mauna Loa. This “Long Mountain” is the largest active volcano on the planet and covers about half of the island’s land mass.
This tranquil oasis offers a peaceful escape into the beauty of Hawaii's natural landscape.
Visitors enjoy lush tropical scenery at Wailuku River State Park.
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Regional staples, shopping and dining in Downtown Hilo
Hilo cuisine is a melting pot, similar to other parts of the Big Island and Hawaii overall. What’s different here, though, is the regional specialties. Spam musubi is one example, a sushi alteration with grilled spam, sticky rice and seaweed. Butter mochi is another staple, a sweet rice-based cake with a custard texture. Papayas also find their way into the Hilenian diet, as this eastern side of the island produces about 95% of the state’s supply. Strawberry papayas, an orange variation only found in Hawaii, are especially desirable in summer, but they’re available year-round.
Downtown Hilo is on the city’s north side, but it’s the center of the city’s food scene. Restaurants range from Thai to Mexican, and the Hilo Farmers Market has locally grown papayas, coffee and other items every day. This district also has boutiques, art galleries, bookstores and museums, and tourists often roam its walkable streets. The Palace Theater is a 1925-built theater here with French ceilings and a neon sign out front; it plays art house movies and hosts concerts, plays and dances.
The Farmers Market Kitchen opens at 10 a.m. and serves shave ice and poke.
Quaint bakeries and dessert spots offer delightful sweet treats.
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Longstanding events: Merrie Monarch Festival, Hilo Orchid Show
The Merrie Monarch Festival started in 1964, and it celebrates Hawaiian culture and art for an entire week. While it includes a parade and craft show, it’s most known for its hula competition — the largest one in the world with thousands of attendees. Edith Kanaka’ole Stadium, about a half mile from Hilo Bay, hosts these dancers in March or April. Then it fills with orchids in July. The Hilo Orchid Society Annual Show and Sale is the largest orchid show in the state, and it also includes lectures, demonstrations and food.
Artisans showcase handmade jewelry, wood carvings, and tie-dye clothing unique to Hawaii.
The Hilo Farmers Market is located on the corner of Mamo Street and Kamehameha Ave., in historic Downtown Hilo.
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Tsunamis in Hilo Bay and crime levels in Hawai’i
Hilo Bay can worsen the effects of tsunamis, as its funnel shape causes large waves and inland surges. The last major tsunamis happened in 1946, 1960 and 1975, and they were all caused by earthquakes above a 7 magnitude. They caused over 200 deaths combined, and entire towns were washed away. The Pacific Tsunami Museum, filled with century-old banyan trees, serves as a monument to those who died. The community has instituted buffer zones and a new warning system as a result of these incidents, and no one was injured in the most recent tsunami in 2010.
While no crime data is available for Hilo specifically, the Hawaii Police Department reports numbers for the entire island. It had a monthly average of 125 violent offenses per 100,000 residents in 2021. That’s higher than state and national rates. It also had a monthly average of 169 property offenses per 100,000 residents in the same year. That’s lower than state levels and higher than national ones.
Lanais and hipped roofs, some bayfront views
After the tsunamis, few developers wanted to build in Hilo. That’s why much of its architecture comes from the pre-World War II era and why the plantation-style home — a single-story structure with a wide-hipped roof and covered lanai — is still around today. Older homes cluster near Downtown Hilo, and they typically need renovations. Developers resumed building in the 1980s and onward, though, so newer homes are scattered throughout town. Westernmost, elevated homes have lots that slope, whereas easternmost ones might have views of the bayfront. This shoreline also has some multistory condos, but they’re fewer and stockier than Honolulu’s iconic high-rises. The median sale price for Hilo is around $500,000, aligning with neighboring Kea’au and Papaikou. That’s about half the price of some places on the west coast, though.
Ranch homes are common in outer Hilo.
Expansive ranch homes can be found throughout outer Hilo.
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Top marks: Waiakea High and St. Joseph School
Hawaii Department of Education serves about 170,000 students across the islands, and roughly 7,500 of them are in Hilo. Waiakea High is the standout here. Niche gives it an A and ranks it the fourth-best public high school in the state, ahead of about 60 others. St. Joseph School is another highly rated option, and it’s the only Catholic school on the island. Though it serves prekindergarten through 12th grade, Niche ranks it the best Catholic school for high schoolers statewide, and it gets an A-plus overall. The University of Hawai’i at Hilo is a couple of miles south of downtown, and it has nearly 100 degree programs.
Waiakea High School is a highly rated public institution, and lies next to the University of Hawaii campus.
St. Joseph School is a private institution located in the heart of Downtown Hilo.
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Less traffic and a slower pace in Hilo
More rural than urban centers like Kailua-Kona and Honolulu, Hilo has a lack of sidewalks and bike lanes. However, this area has much less traffic. Major thoroughfares — Hawaii Route 200 through downtown, Kamehameha Avenue along the coast — are mostly free flowing, and drivers are known to especially courteous. Hele-On Bus offers an alternative to driving and operates on major thoroughfares. Hilo International Airport, though named an international airport, typically runs interisland flights to Maui and O’ahu. Residents might take the flight to Honolulu to see health specialists, as Hilo Benioff Medical Center is a small hospital with limited availability.
Enjoy a warm and captivating sunset off the shores of Hilo.
Hilo enjoys a slower pace of life, with less traffic and quieter neighborhoods.
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Written By
Matt Medl
Photography Contributed By
Paul Peck
Video By
Jonathan Bradley
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