Hilo is a special place. It is my hometown and I was born in Hilo Hospital countless years ago. Both my parents were born in Hilo Hospital too. They both went to Hilo High School and UH Hilo too. Me on the other hand, I went to Waiakea High which is still in Hilo and left the island for college. My great grandparents owned a Japanese bakery just outside of downtown Hilo. My other great grandparents lived with my grandfather in Shinmachi which was a small village in Hilo town before it was wiped out by a tsunami. One of my grandfather’s brothers was inside their family home when it was swept away by the massive tidal wave and he lived to tell the tale.
You’ll find writings by me and a few of my friends on this website. Since I’ve got a face for radio and a voice for silent films, I’ll have several of my friends post videos on their thoughts about Hilo. Since many of them have moved here (since Hilo is the best town in the world, after all), I think that they will bring a fresh take on my favorite town in the whole world.
These are just my notes on things that I am going to blog about. Don’t worry. I will turn this incoherent mess into something worth reading shortly. I will post more pictures and also videos too, so stay tuned.
Things to Do in Hilo Hawaii
These are some of my favorite places in Hilo. I will write more about them soon.
Rainbow Falls, Pacific Tsunami Museum, Beach Onekahakaha, Richardsons, Four Miles, Seaside Restaurant, Cafe Pesto, Palace Theater, Bayfront, Coconut Island, Liliokalani, Honolii, Breakwall, Ken’s House of Pancakes, BJ Penns Gym, Lyman Museum, Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Farm, Banyan Drive, Boiling Pots, Saddle Road, Richardson’s Beach
Hilo Hawaii Real Estate
Real estate in Hilo used to be very expensive during the housing bubble, but now prices have become a little more reasonable. Back in the bubble simple homes in Hilo were selling for astronomical numbers and the nice homes were selling for even more. Nowadays, Hilo Real estate is a little more reasonable but still pricey relative to the average income here in Hilo. You can still find million dollar homes on Reed’s Island, which is located in the heart of Hilo and features exceptionally nice homes like the Shipman Castle, but now you can also find homes in Hilo in the $200K range, but they are likely to be fixer uppers.
Hilo Hawaii Jobs
Jobs in Hilo Hawaii are dominated by county and state jobs because Hilo is the seat of the Hawaii County government. Tourism jobs are present but not in quite so large numbers as on the Kona side of our island. Agriculture is another big business in Hilo. We have one of the largest Macadamia Nut farms in the world in Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut, which has acres and acres of these amazing nut trees growing. Sugar used to be a massive industry in Hilo, but no longer. All of the sugar plantations have been shut down.
Hilo Hawaii Pictures
I’ve got lots of Hilo pictures, probably too many to count. I will upload more of them soon.
Hilo Hawaii Hotels
Hilo Hawaiian, Hilo Seaside, Naniloa are the main hotels here in Hilo. Of these the Naniloa is probably the nicest as it is undergoing renovation by local businessman Ken Fujiyama who also owns Nani Mau Gardens. From what I understand, Mr. Fujiyama is pouring millions of dollars into the renovation of the Naniloa. The Naniloa also has a driving range and nine hole golf course across the street. The golf course has several excellent views of the Hilo Bay. I have played it a few times and one of the water hazards there really seems to like eating my golf balls. Also look out for the trees and vines that border the holes there. They also like to consume golf balls.
Hilo Hawaii Tsunami
A number of Tsunamis have devastated Hilo in the past century. The topography of Hilo Bay is also a contributing factor as it acts like a funnel going from wide to narrow, which allows the Bernoulli principle to kick in an increase the force and velocity of the incoming tidal wave. As I mentioned early, my great grandparents and grand parents experienced this first hand. It is something that I hope to never experience, but know that the odds favor me living through one if I am around long enough.
