I came across this website called trip advisor that lists things to do in my favorite town in the world, Hilo. I think that I will go through their list as time permits and immodestly interject my take on what they think are the best things to do in Hilo.

Mauna Loa Observatory

First on their list is Mauna Loa Observatory. First off, this is not in Hilo. Second, people talk about seeing pretty stars. Hello! This is an atmospheric observatory, not an astronomical observatory. The real observatories that gaze into the heart of the universe are on Mauna Kea, not Mauna Loa. But in any case, no one is going to let the general public look through a telescope. At least on Mauna Kea, you can stop by the visitor center. It has a few exhibits and a small shop. On Mauna Loa, I don’t think that you will find the same amenities. There is a nice lake on Mauna Kea which is kind of nice to look at and I guess it is somewhat novel to go to the summit and see snow. But why come all this way to a warm, tropical island to see some snow? There are better things to see near Hilo, but I guess this might give people a cool story to tell.

So best thing to do in Hilo? I would have to say no. But if you are staying here for a while, I guess you could do worse.

But if you are a cyclist and if you brought your bike, if you want one of the toughest climbs I have ever seen, you might consider the ride from the hunter check in station to the visitor center on Mauna Kea. The gradient hits 17% in a few spots and makes for a fun ride if you like pain and lots of suffering. And the descent, well that’s scarier than the climb for me. Just make sure you watch out for the two cattle guards or you might end up flying off your bike or at least denting or shattering a rim (depending on whether you prefer aluminum or carbon fiber). Now this is something worth talking about, but it only applies to a small group of people so it doesn’t count in my highly scientific rating system.

Yes, this list of things to do in Hilo is kind of short right now. Don’t worry, I have a lot more to say once I get around to it.

Akaka Falls

Again another one that trip advisor gets wrong. They say it is 9.3 miles from the city center but it really isn’t. Akaka Falls is barely in the district of Hilo and it is actually located in Honomu. But they are right that this is definitely something that is worth seeing. It is a 422 foot waterfall that is the biggest on the island and it’s well worth seeing. From the parking lot a short path takes you to an area where you can view Akaka Falls and it is majestic. The path goes through a rain forest so the vegetation is also worth seeing, though you might get tired of hearing birds singing. But I guess it is better to hear birds than coqui frogs. The path gets slippery when it rains, so be careful out there.

So the verdict on Akaka Falls is that it is well worth seeing, but it is a bit far from Hilo, proper.

Hilo Merchant, Michael Tokunaga was named Hawaii’s SBA Business Person of the Year. Tokunaga is the third generation owner of S. Tokunaga Store which sells fishing, hunting and outdoor supplies. And I am proud to say that I am a patron of his store. Let’s just say that he has the widest selection of diving equipment in town and his gear helps me catch a few lobsters from time to time. Where exactly do I dive for them? Well that’s my little secret.

Anyway, Tokunaga will be representing Hawaii in Washington D.C. at a big SBA event in May. Tokunaga is the son of Ethel and Earl Tokunaga. Ethel, his mother, ran the store after his grandfather retired. I also remember seeing Earl at the store from time to time too. Back in the day, I remember hearing stories from Earl about his exploits in bowling. From what I recall, he was quite the bowler. In fact, I believe that he bowled 300 a number of times. To someone like me who struggles to break 80 in a round of bowling that is impressive indeed.

Photo is from the Pacific Business News website where I spotted the original article.

Here in Hilo we have some of the highest gas prices in the nation. Right now it costs $4.50 per gallon for us to fill up. It always bugs me when people from other places complain about high gas prices, but don’t realize how much worse prices are over here. For example, gas prices in Wyoming are only $3.05 per gallon right now. But I bet people there are complaining as we speak about high gas prices.

If Hilo’s high gas prices are getting you down. Here is where you can find the Best Gas Prices in Hilo.

But I guess that short of selling my car and buying a horse, there isn’t much that can be done. I mean it is a matter of supply and demand and of course taxes thrown into the mix. If you look at a chart of crude oil production, supply has not increased for the past few years. Now I suppose OPEC could be holding back, but at $100 per barrel they could be making a lot more money if they pumped more oil, so perhaps they are tapped out. So the only way to get lower prices is if demand falls or if taxes on gas are reduced. Did you know that 13% of the gas price is due to taxes?

But one way to find lower gas prices is to take a look at this website that lists the prices of gas at the various gas stations in Hilo. Right now the lowest price is at Tesoro which is $4.51 per gallon. But this changes every day. I guess one way to get lower prices is to always choose the gas station with the lowest prices to encourage the other stations to match the lower price, which they might be inclined to do if no one goes to their station. And since Hilo is a small town, you don’t have to drive very far out of your way for a lower price.

After all, what is the point of saving $0.05 per gallon if you burn a gallon of gas driving around to find the absolute lowest price?

Hilo Lodging is not that hard to find if you know exactly where to look. The great thing about staying here is Hilo is the costs. The costs for Hilo Lodging are dramatically lower than the costs for staying in Kona. But there’s a reason for this and the reason is the weather. Sure Hilo weather is warm, but it is also rainy. In fact, Hilo is the rainiest city in the United States and the rain is a factor in keeping lodging prices in Hilo down. But if you don’t mind a little warm rain, Hilo might be just the place for you.

Hilo Hostels and Campgrounds

If you’re looking for much more, shall we say, budget accommodations, there are numerous lower price locations to stay. Right in the heart of downtown Hilo, there’s Hilo Hostel. As you well know, hostels are generally frequented by a younger crowd that’s into traveling light and meeting new individuals. So if you’re into that sort of factor, Hilo Hostel is a great place. Arnott’s Lodge is an additional inexpensive location to remain. It has essentially hostel or dormitory style accommodations and it also features a campground exactly where you are able to pitch a tent also.

Hilo Hotels

But 1st there are several different kinds of Hilo Lodging. The very first and most obvious option are hotels. Hilo features a number of good hotels, but I would need to say that none of them are as luxurious as ones which you would find on the Kona side of the island. A few of the larger and better hotels include the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort, Hilo Hawaiian and the Hilo Seaside Hotel. All of these hotels are located on the Waiakea peninsula on Banyan Drive. The Waiakea Peninsula juts into Hilo Bay and so most of the hotels there have excellent view of Hilo Bay. All of these hotels are also inside walking distance from the Naniloa nine hole golf course. The greens fees you will find quite reasonable, so in the event you like golf, these hotels might be excellent for you.

Hilo Bed and Breakfasts

An additional type of Hilo Lodging is bed and breakfasts. Not only do you have a place to stay for the night but you also get breakfast within the morning also, so these locations can be great places to remain at. Usually the breakfasts are fairly simple but they do often consist of excellent local produce like Kona coffee, organic eggs, fresh local fruits like bananas and pineapples and pancakes with Lehua or Macadamia honey.

These bed and breakfasts are spread out through out the whole district of Hilo, in contrast to the hotels, so finding them are a bit more difficult, but it is nicely worth the work. There are a few nice ones overlooking Honoli’i which is a popular and essentially the only great Hilo surf spot, aside from Richardson’s that is usually more of a spot for physique boarders. There are also a number of nice bed and breakfasts which are much more mauka (or towards the mountains) also. Some of these can be truly remote, but very quiet and good locations to stay.

So if you’re looking for great hilo lodging, you’d do nicely to consider any of the locations mentioned right here. There’s a location to stay in Hilo for any budget.

Hilo Airport is one of my favorite airports. Not only is it close to my home, but also it has a number of beautiful potted anthurium plants growing along the covered walkway that leads out to the jet ways. Now that direct flights have resumed to the mainland from Hilo airport it is really convenient for me and my family to fly to the mainland again. Before the resumption of direct flights, going to the mainland meant a two hour drive to the Kona airport or flying in the opposite direction to Honolulu aiport and then flying from there to the mainland adding several hours to the five hour flight.

Hilo Airport is located on the east coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. The Big Island of Hawaii has miles and miles of beaches, an active volcano, anthurium and macadamia nut farms, majestic mountains, rustic small towns and a jagged coastline with incredible views. And yes, it is the best town in the world, if I do say so, myself.

Hilo Airport Guide

Hilo International Aiport, or ITO for short, (how it got this abbreviation, I have no clue) is located about two miles from the center of Hilo. It is nestled along the Hilo coast and is right next to the center of a ocean front community called Keaukaha. Airplanes fly right over the community and keep people up at night so it would be nice if there were fewer late night flights, but in any case over a million passengers use Hilo Airport each year.

Hilo airport is great because you can’t get lost here. It has a simply layout with the passenger terminal at the southern end of the landing strip. The passenger terminal consists of a single long building in the shape of a horizontal line. The parking, taxis and car rental stations are located immediately adjacent to the front of the terminal and everything is really easy to find. I get lost just about everywhere I go. I even get lost in the inside of Walmart, but I’ve never gotten lost at the Hilo Aiport. So I don’t think that you can get lost here either.

Hilo Airport Parking

Hilo Airport Parking Rates
Parking at the Hilo airport can sometimes get crowded, but since you are probably just visiting you won’t have to deal with this when you rent a car, but for a locals it can be an issue, but compared to some of the other airports I’ve been to it has some of the best parking rates that I have ever seen.

Ground Transportation at Hilo Airport

Hilo in general has almost no public transportation save a small bus service. There is no public transportation at Hilo airport so you have only a few options. Call a friend to pick you up. Rent a car or catch a taxi. Walk or hitchhike. That is about it when it comes to transportation options.

Which Airlines Fly to Hilo Airport?

As I said before direct flights to the mainland are available again at the Hilo Airport so this makes it really convenient again.
With the demise of Aloha Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines is the only major local carrier left. Other carriers include Continental and Delta.

History of Hilo Airport

Land for the Hilo Airport was appropriated by Norman Lyman back in 1925 who introduced a resolution to ask for 100 acres of land from the governor for an airfield in Keaukaha, Hilo. And they initially budgeted $10,000 to clear and level the land. That seems like a tiny amount of money to start work on an airport, doesn’t it? Back then they built the runway out of crushed white coral dredged from Hilo Wharf.

By 1935 two runways were completed along with a small prison camp to house the prisoners that were employed to build and maintain the airport.

In 1943 the name of the Hilo Airport was officially changed to General Lyman Field in honor of Brigadier General Albert Kualii Brickwood Lyman who was the first person of Hawaii ancestry to ever become a Brigadier General in the U.S. Army.

By 1944 a total of $2.7 million had been spent building the Hilo Airport, which is probably a far cry from what it would cost to build today.

Hilo Airport Facilities

Hilo airport has two runways. One is 5,600 feet long and the other is 9,800 feet long. When President Obama stays on Oahu a spare airplane is kept at Hilo Airport for him just in case there are problems with Air Force One. The spare airplane and Air Force One are exactly identical. Did you know that if the president flies in the spare plane it automatically becomes Air Force One, because whatever plane the president happens to be flying in is officially called Air Force One?

Hilo Airport Issues

One of the biggest issues with Hilo Airport is the level of noise at night. Hilo airport is located in the center of a community called Keaukaha and of course it is difficult to sleep at night with noisy airplanes flying overhead. Late night flights are obviously a touchy subject in the community here.

Who Owns Hilo Airport?

Hilo airport is owned and operated by the State of Hawaii. In its early days it used to be owned and operated by and for the U.S. military but it was eventually handed over to the state once commercial flights were allowed to commence here.

Weather at Hilo Airport

Weather at Hilo Airport is warm, but rainy with a chance of more rainy. All joking aside, Hilo is the rainiest city in the United States, so rain is frequently on the agenda. But at least it is warm rain. The average temperature here is usually between 70 and 80 degrees.