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Insider Tips for Things to See and Do in Hilo, Hawaii | Nancy D Brown

Similar to Rodney Dangerfield, Hilo, on Hawaii’s Big Island , sometimes gets no respect. People pass up a visit to Hilo for a trip to Kona on the Big Island. I was recently in Hilo, Hawaii for a holiday weekend as United Airlines is offering non-stop flights from San Francisco International Airport  (SFO) to Hilo, Hawaii.  If this is your first time visiting Hilo, I’ll share my “Insider Tips” for things to see and do in Hilo.

When I have a visitor from out of town, I take them to Rainbow Falls. Everyone’s first look at Hilo should be this beautiful waterfall not far from downtown, up Waianuenue Avenue (Waianuenue means Rainbow in Hawaiian). Go at the right time in the morning and maybe you’ll see the rainbow that forms at the bottom of the falls.

If you are looking for Big Island, local cuisine, I recommend The Hilo Farmers Market . I like to graze my way through different types of food, starting off with coconut juice served “in the nut” with a straw, and finishing off with green papaya salad from Ratana’s Green Papaya Salad. The Spam musubi (only $1.25) is something else too. Not to mention the aisles & aisles of exotic tropical fruits like rambutan, jackfruit, strawberry papayas, apple bananas  and poha berries.

Looking for a quiet place to escape and unplug, check out Hawaii Volcanoes National Park . 333,000 acres of pure Hawaiian nature. One of the few places you can hear the joyous songs of native forest birds like apapane. Don’t forget to bring water and a jacket. When I visited it was windy!

When you come to Hilo get your picture taken at Jaggar Museum, at the Halemaumau Crater overlook. Halemaumau is the home of Pele the volcano goddess, and her home has been erupting since 2008. A beautiful mystical plume of gas and ash is wafting into the sky, making a dramatic backdrop. If you’re lucky, you can see the glow from the lava lake below the surface after dark.

The best item on the menu at Restaurant Hilo Bay Cafe , is the Blue Bay Burger. Local grass-fed beef fed topped with Gorgonzola. Or any of the fresh island fish specials. MMMM!

Seeing a lot of colorful tropical flowers? Hilo is best known for its rich volcanic soil, perfect for growing orchids, anthuriums, ginger and other gorgeous tropical flowers, And fruits. Visit Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden . Director James Cameron and the animators from the movie Avatar came here to be inspired!

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