On the eastern shores of Hawaii’s Big Island, Hilo, with a population of 38,600, is one of the state’s largest settlements. It is the seat of Hawaii County, and falls under the county’s government. Despite a somewhat shabby appearance, Hilo is the most important commercial district on the island, has the principal seaport, and serves as a processing and shipping center for the surrounding sugarcane fields, fruit orchards, and macadamia nut fields (the Maunaloa Macadamia Nut Factory offers guided tours through its fields).

The United States’ wettest city, Hilo was settled by missionaries in the 1820s. It is the gateway to the popular Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and is serviced by an international airport.

Liliuokalani Gardens is a 30-acre formal Japanese garden, while Nani Mau Gardens offers 2,000 varieties of flowering plants, a Japanese garden, an orchid walkway, a botanical museum, and a butterfly house. Hilo Tropical Gardens and Gallery is also popular. Natural attractions near Hilo include the Rainbow Falls and the Boiling Pots in Wailuku River State Park. Legend has it that Hina, the mother of Maui, lives in the cave behind the 80-foot falls. North of Hilo, the 420-foot Akaka Falls are accessed by a 40-minute trail through a fern forest, while south of Hilo, Panaewa Rainforest Zoo is an outdoor zoo featuring a number of endangered Hawaiian birds.

Hilo has several interesting museums.

Volunteers at the Pacific Tsunami Museum recount personal experiences with devastating “walls of water.” The Lyman Museum and Mission House once hosted literary luminaries Mark Twain and Robert Louis Stevenson. It has an excellent exhibition of missionary life, an island heritage gallery, and an earth heritage gallery. At the Mauna Kea Observatory, advance reservations will gain you a look through the eight major astronomical telescopes there.

A number of performances and festivals are held throughout the year at the East Hawaii Culture Center. The Naha Stone located in front of the Hilo Public Library was involved in ancient rituals.

One story is that babies were placed on the stone to see if they were part of the Naha clan. If they remained silent, they were considered true members of the clan. If they cried, they were not. Another story asserts that whoever could move the stone could conquer and unite the islands. A 14-year-old boy who moved it later became King Kamehameha.

Beaches here are pockets of sand between lava flows. Coconut Island Park, reached by a footbridge, is a good place to swim.