Set on the Big Island’s rain-nourished eastern side, Hilo rewards those who follow its pace—gentle, grounded, and unexpectedly powerful. The town is visually striking; look one way to see rainforest and waterfalls, the other to spy the snow-dusted peak of Mauna Kea, Hawaiʻi’s sacred mountain. Begin the day with a stroll along the bayfront into downtown, browsing family-run shops and artist studios that carry on living traditions such as carving wood and beating kapa. Perhaps you’ll pick up warm laulau wrapped in ti leaves or freshly sliced pineapple at the market—both astonishingly flavorful. Then, follow the rainforest road north to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, an International Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to some of the world’s most unique geological, biological, and cultural landscapes.
