Where the Wailuku River meets Hilo Bay on the eastern side of Hawaiʻi’s Big Island is the town of Hilo, Hawaiʻi. Pacific Tsunami Museum Featuring exhibits to promote tsunami education and preserve history, and to share deep insights into Hilo’s past. Hilo Farmer’s Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Some suggestions are dragon fruit, Lychee, Rambutan, Surinam Cherry and Rollinia. Varying by altitude, some areas of Hilo receive more than 200 inches of rain per year and citizens experiencing more than 270 days of rainfall on an annual basis. “ Perfect location in Hilo downtown, close to the farmers market, all restaurants and gift shops in downtown, has a Japanese garden right next to it, and the Banyan drive it’s on is beautiful. The large community of active faithful including, among others, Hawaiian and Portuguese families worked together to build their new church. Get future posts straight to your inbox by subscribing below. Visiting Hilo during the annual Merrie Monarch Festival is a wonderful opportunity to explore and enjoy traditional Hawaiian hula, arts and crafts, music, and fun local events. Facebook Pinterest Twitter Instagram Subscribe to our Newsletter Read our Blog, We share our favorite pictures on Instagram. It is free and worth just a brief visit. On July 15, 1979, fire destroyed the tower, ceiling and some of the interior of this building. The DIA serves as a collaborative, community voice that works to promote, support, and sustain the history, culture, environment, and economy of the area. Today, it is the home of the East Hawaii Cultural Center. The Pinao Stone, the upright stone, has less certain origins but is associated with the former Pinao Heiau that once stood on or near the site of this State Library. He brought back the Hawaiian tradition of Hula previously banned by missionaries. We also have interactive maps of  Volcano Village, Kona, Ka’u and Waimea! Due to the funnel shape of Hilo Bay, the city and surrounding area are particularly vulnerable to tsunamis and tropical storms. A specialized tour company with an emphasis on customer service, a tour with Keikana Tours promises an action-packed adventure. This is a huge sea area north of Kauai to Midway. Print the full size map. Today it is an art gallery and hosts local events. http://www.destinationhilo.com/about/about-destination-hilo/, http://www.onlyinhawaii.org/kalakaua-park-hilo-hawaii/, http://www.papahanaumokuakea.gov/education/center.html, © 1962 - 2017 | DowntownHilo.com | Hilo Downtown Improvement Association, https://www.rpspharmacy.com/product/imdur/. Join DIA today! Start Downtown Hilo Walking Tour: Park your car anywhere you can find parking. It is one of the first building to use permanent materials/reinforced concrete. Richard Standke It was home to the district court and the police department. Destination Hilo strives to perpetuate authentic Hawaiian experiences for visitors through its Greetings and other programs. It is served by Hilo International Airport, inside the CDP. Helping to maintain the history and culture of the Big Island’s past residents, the Lyman Museum and Mission House holds an important role in preserving their contributions. By the 1900s a number of wharves had been constructed, the breakwater was begun, and a new railroad system designated Hilo as the center of commerce. Combining comfortable accommodations along with personalized tour packages, visitors to Arnott’s Lodge and Hiking Adventures can enjoy great stay and play options. http://hilofarmersmarket.com/, Kalākaua Square Hilo’s town square for over a century. See on map. One program is the Historic Downtown Hilo Walking Tour. Pick up a copy of the walking tour brochure at the first stop, the kiosk at the bus station in Mo’oheau Park. ” If you want to start at the statue of Kamehameha, turn on Pauahi Steet, toward statue, at the Chevron station. Simply walk through Kalakaua Park from Waianuenue Ave. to Kalakaua Ave. on the other side. Welcome to Downtown Hilo Hawaii. Somewhere around 1100 A.D., Hilo’s first permanent residents arrived and brought with them Polynesian traditions. The Koehnen’s bought the building in 1957 and today the family operates a store which sells fine furniture, gift items, silver and china. Simply turn to the opposite side of the street from the federal building for this park. Please do not sit or climb on the stones. 8 St Joseph ChurchThe first chapel located on bayfront was made from pili grass and was called Saint Martin de Tours. The twenty-one stops along the way provide information about the town from 1870 to the present. Head back to Waianuenue Ave. and head a couple blocks into town. On Wednesdays and Saturdays craft vendors fill the south side of the street. in historic downtown Hilo you will find the beautiful Lili’uokalani Gardens, the largest, authentic Edo-style ornamental garden outside of Japan. However, the courts moved out in 1969 and the police department moved out in 1975. 18 Kaipalaoa Landing WharfBetween 1863 and 1890 wharves were built at the foot of Waianuenue Avenue where passengers and freight were transported between the wharf and steamers anchored in the bay. It’s also Headquarters for the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association. Today this historic theater, restored after heavy damage suffered in the 1960 tsunami, is a popular venue for concerts, stage plays, musicals, film festivals, movies, gatherings, and celebrations; providing Hilo’s residents and visitors with a full artistic menu. and Mrs. Lyman were also founding members of the First Foreign Church, a church established in 1868 for the foreign residents of Hilo. Currently, solar panels and air conditioning are being funded to allow current standards of comfort for performances. Positioned on the tropical eastern side of the Big Island, Hilo is home to stunning waterfalls, beautiful gardens and lush rainforests. It gives one an appreciation for the huge marine diversity that exists and how little we know about many parts of our marine world. Pacific Tsunami museum in an old bank building. Despite the near-constant rainfall, life here moves a bit slower – even compared to other areas in Hawaii. In 2015, only 46,000 tourists arrived to Hilo by air compared to nearly 700,000 to Kona. Young aliʻi (royalty) infants were placed alone on the stone. The DIA serves as a collaborative, community voice that works to promote, support, and sustain the history, culture, environment, and economy of the area. Two devastating tsunamis occurred in 1946 and 1960, prompting the creation of the Pacific Tsunami Museum in 1994, but no major tsunami has occurred since 1975. The King’s prominence is due to his leadership ability in establishing governments, trade, fair laws and unifying Hawaii for the benefit of Hawaiians. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! It is operated by the East Hawai’i Cultural Council, a coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to preserving cultural, creative and traditional arts in Hawai’i, to foster community involvement with culture and the arts; and to coordinate activities and resources among East Hawai’i arts and cultural community. Get the latest articles, recommendations. The building resembles a Hawaiian hale (house) of the 1800s with its hipped roof. Clicking on any icon will show you more information and, if present, take you to the relevant page on this website. A Visit to Hilo May be the Best Bang for Your Buck, Enjoy the Art of Hula at the Merrie Monarch Festival, Visit The ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo, Hilo Makes Sense for Visitors on a Budget, 5 Reasons to Explore Both Sides of the Big Island, University of Hawaii at Hilo Botanical Gardens, Guide to Hilo Area State and National Parks, For College Students Hilo Hawaii is the Place to Stay, Silver Crest Farms – Horseback Riding Tours, Traveling to Hawaii During the Covid-19 Pandemic, Visit the Waipio Valley – What You Need to Know, Great Big Island Beaches to Spot Green Sea Turtles. Continue one short block north to Waianuenue Ave.  On the corner is the new location for this center. Hawaiian-owned and operated, this Lava Boat tour brings you to the incredible ocean entry of the lava flows for an impressive view. 5 Taishoji Soto MissionArchbishop Mokusen Hioki, from Eiheiji monastery in Japan, visited Hawaii after the completion of the World Buddhist Conference in San Francisco, California in 1915. Use our site to plan your own vacation in a sustainable way with minimum impact on the local environment. Hilo became a visiting place of King Kalākaua, who ruled from 1874 to 1891 and designed the first county complex at this. Across the street is this historic building. http://www.ehcc.org/. While the damage was substantial and remains the worst tsunami in the history of the Big Island, the resulting destruction and loss of life prompted an area-wide tsunami warning system that successfully alerted residents to subsequent tsunamis in 1952 and 1957. 15 Burns and the Pacific BuildingsThese wooden buildings are typical of many in Hilo constructed in the early part of the 20th Century. Hilo ( /hiːloʊ/) is the second-largest CDP in the State of Hawaiʻi and the largest settlement on the island of Hawaiʻi with a population of 43,263 during the 2010 census.Hilo is the county seat of Hawaiʻi County, Hawaiʻi, and is situated in the South Hilo District. Want to support the efforts of the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association? The Pacific Tsunami Museum embarked on a project with the County of Hawai’i Planning Department to assess and assist businesses with their tsunami preparation and planning. MAP OF DOWNTOWN HILO HISTORIC SECTION Start Downtown Hilo Walking Tour: Park your car anywhere you can find parking. Guaranteed 100% Original Content from the Big Island of Hawai'i, go. Start Downtown Hilo  Walking Tour:  Park your car anywhere you can find parking. While served by an international airport to the east, Hilo doesn’t receive the same level of tourist activity as the western side, which is more associated with sandy beaches and sun-soaked resorts. Recently, commercial developments and artisanal farming have restored some of the economic viability of the city, though the tourism money found elsewhere on the Big Island isn’t present on the same levels in and around Hilo. The locals protested and it stayed in storage until 1997 when it was donated to the Island of Hawaii. Explore downtown Hilo’s historic center while strolling to 21 significant landmarks in 6 square blocks.View the walking tour online, or pick up a copy of the walking tour brochure at the Destination Hilo kiosk. January 9, 2014 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment. Since this is a loop it doesn’t matter where you start. http://www.onlyinhawaii.org/kalakaua-park-hilo-hawaii/, The Historic Palace Theater The art deco-style Palace Theater was built and opened in 1925, originally part of a small chain of theaters owned and operated by Adam C. Baker. The town overlooks Hilo Bay, and is near two shield volcanoes, Mauna Loa, considered active, and Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano upon which some of the best ground-based astronomical observatories are placed.Hilo is home to the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, ʻImiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaiʻi, as well as the Merrie Monarch Festival, a week-long celebration of ancient and modern hula, which takes place annually after Easter. A unique gathering of local artists on the Big Island, the East Hawaii Cultural Center provides incredible insight and access to Big Island works of art, performances, and exhibitions. The house is the oldest standing wood structure on this Island and one of the oldest in the state. Since this is a loop it doesn’t matter where you start. The theater closed in 1984 and was used for movie storage until ownership was transferred in 1990 to a group of citizens. From 1936 to 1938 the side buildings were built. If you have ever seen Hilo's Merrie Monarch, that is dedicated to him.