Hilo, Hawaii, Hawaii

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.