"Hilo - the rainiest city in the United States?" Hilo by 4streegrrl

Hilo Travel Guide: 235 reviews and 453 photos

Hilo, Hawai'i - Hilo
Hilo, Hawai'i

Just because my husband and I are a little different, we decided to stay in Hilo rather than busy, touristy Kailua-Kona. Being from the "Wet Coast" of Canada, we didn't mind the possibility of rain. We aren't beach people, and we like to learn a little more about what the locals do, not what the locals THINK the tourists should do.

And the weather? Well, how does sun in the daytime and rain at night sound? It rained only once or twice during the night, so that we woke up to lovely, warm and sunny skies. Even if it was a bit overcast, the warm temperatures made us more than happy. But why the heck do the weather forecasters use the term "showers" when the rain comes down in buckets??

Hilo reminds me of some of the natural resource-based towns of British Columbia. Lots of pickup trucks, working class folks, a casual atmosphere and genuinely nice people. Hilo still does cater to tourists, like most of Hawai'i, but not in an obvious, garish kind of way.

We spent our first day wandering around the downtown area. Hilo has lots of nice, funky little bookshops, ice cream and shave-ice shops, rustic cafes and restaurants, historical buildings and sites to see. The farmer's market was a bonus - oodles of cheap, locally grown fresh fruit and veggies. We stocked up on mangoes, bananas, star apples, and papayas (which they were literally giving away), as well as interesting greens and veggies grown by local asian farmers.

Pros and Cons
  • In a nutshell:Genuine, down-to-earth Hilo
  • Last visit to Hilo: May 2004
  • Intro Updated May 17, 2004
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Reviews (3)

View from the lanai - Hilo Don't let the name scare you away Hotels (1)

Uncle Billy's. Yes, the name is a bit off-putting, not particularly grand, and implies cheesiness. Well, that pretty... more travel advice

Mucho Ono! Restaurants (2)

One of my regrets about leaving Hawai'i is that I had to leave behind Ken's House of Pancakes. Open 24 hours per day and... more travel advice

Yummy pizza and calzone Restaurants (2)

The only dinner that we had out was at Cafe Pesto in downtown Hilo. High ceilings, big windows, and friendly attentive... more travel advice

Map of Hilo

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Comments (2)

  • Reply
    triplehelix's Profile Photo
    Dec 20, 2005 at 2:01 PM

    everyone goes to kens (i did at 1am this morning)! glad you enjoyed hilo my friend.

  • Reply
    CandS's Profile Photo
    May 22, 2004 at 1:26 AM

    Nice page Kath! Hilo sounds great and Ken's sounds like my kind of place!!! ;)

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