Hilo, Hawaii

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Roseanne Barr

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Roseanne Barr
Roseanne Barr
Roseanne Barr wasn’t born in Hilo, Hawaii, but she lives in Hawaii now. Roseanne lives on a macadamia nut farm outside of Hilo, in Honoka’a, and is quoted as saying that she always knew that she would end of living on a nut farm. She even starred in a short lived reality show called “Roseanne’s Nuts” which was set on her farm, which is located on the Hamakua region outside of Hilo.

Roseanne Barr’s Macadamia Farm: Honokaa, Hawaii

Rosanne bought the Hidden Hamakua Farm back in 2007 for a grand total of $1.8 million, sight unseen. (I guess $1.8 million is pocket change to her.) The farm consists of 46 acres of macadamia nut trees and a 2,200 square foot house.

Roseanne’s Nuts Reality Show

Roseanne’s show consisted of episodes depicting life on her Hamakua macnut farm. As you can imagine having Roseanne as a farmer, instead of a comedienne can lead to funny situations.  Especially when she let’s her friend Greg live on her farm in a tent.

Safari Helicopter Tours Hilo

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Safari Helicopters offers two helicopter tours out of Hilo Airport. Both of their tours will take you to see the Kilauea Volcano and their Deluxe Tour also offers majestic views of Hawaii’s coastline. Their Regular Tour costs $169, while their Deluxe Tour costs only $20 more, so it is probably worth it to splurge a little.

About Safari Helicopters

  • Safari Aviation, Inc. was incorporated in June 1987
  • Preston Myers is the founder, owner and primary pilot
  • They started on Kauai and expanded to Hilo, Hawaii
  • They fly A-Start 350 Helicopters
  • They have been awarded 10 stars by the Hawaii Helicopter Operator’s Association

Volcano Safari Tour Price $169.00

Time: 40 to 45 minutes

Fly directly towards the Hawaii Volcano National Park and see volcanic activity on this tour. You’ll see the Lava Tree forest and may even get to see lava gushing into the ocean and perhaps a fiery, hot lava lake.

Deluxe Volcano and Coastline Safari Tour Price: $189.00

Time: 50 to 55 minutes

View the volcano and towering waterfalls. You’ll get to see everything listed in the Safari tour, plus amazing waterfalls on Wailuku River such as Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots and you’ll get to see  Hilo Bay too.

Aerial View of Hilo Bay
Aerial View of Hilo Bay

Contact Safari Helicopters

 

William Herbert Shipman

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William Herbert or W. H. Shipman was a wealthy businessman who once owned the W. H. Shipman House in Hilo, Hawaii. In addition to the Shipman house on Reed’s Island, Shipman also owned almost the entire town of Keaau and the Ainahou Ranch in Volcano.

Shipman was born to missionary parents on December 17, 1854 at Lahaina, Maui. But later his parents were invited to Hilo by Titus Coan, a well known minister of the Historic Haili Church. Shipman lived in Hilo for a time and then attended Punahou on Oahu and later Knox College in Illinois.

The Shipman Family
The Shipman Family

How W. H. Shipman Built His Fortune

  • He came from humble beginnings, a child of missionaries
  • His father died and his mother remarried a wealthy businessman
  • When his stepfather died, Shipman inherited his landholdings
  • With two partners he bought the entire 70,000 acre region of Keaau
  • He leased much of the of the land to the Ola’a Sugar Company

 

 

Paradise Helicopters Hilo

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A sight you might see on a Hilo Helicopter Tour.
A sight you might see on a Hilo Helicopter Tour.

Paradise Helicopters offers two different tours out of Hilo International Airport and I believe that they are the only helicopter company in Hilo that offers a doors off tour. This means you can experience the sensation of wind blowing through your hair as you get an unobstructed view of Hawaii’s majestic scenery.

Paradise Helicopters Prices

  • Doors Off with Waterfalls $241.11
  • Hilo’s Fire and Falls Adventure $205.20

About Paradise Helicopters

  • Been in business since 1997
  • Flies 6 passenger Bell 407 and 4 passenger Hughes 500
  • They offer two way communication headsets between you and the pilot and the other passengers
  • They have a Japanese speaking pilot on staff
  • You can design a custom tour with them
  • They are the only company with Bell 407s on the Big Island

Hilo Helicopter Tours

Here is a link in case you want to book a tour with Paradise Helicopters: http://paradisecopters.com/hilo.php

 

Robert Kiyosaki

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Robert Kiyosaki: Born in Hilo, Hawaii
Robert Kiyosaki: Born in Hilo, Hawaii

Robert Kiyosaki was born in Hilo, Hawaii in 1947. He is most famous for writing Rich Dad, Poor Dad, which is one of the best selling financial books of all time. What many people don’t know is that he made his first fortune by introducing the first nylon, velcro surfer wallets.

Biography

  • Born on April 8, 1947 in Hilo, Hawaii
  • Raised in Hilo and graduated from Hilo High
  • Attended U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
  • Sold copy machines for Xerox
  • Started a company that introduced surfer wallets
  • Went bankrupt and was homeless for a while
  • Wrote best seller Rich Dad, Poor Dad
  • Made a fortune on real estate and by starting Rich Dad Company and Cashflow Technologies, Inc.