Shipman House Bed & Breakfast Inn
Where is Hilo?
Why should anyone go to Hilo?
Barbara Blackshear Andersen
The Shipman House Bed & Breakfast Inn 
Picturesque Hilo (pronounced hee-low) sits at the water's edge where Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa meet on the lush, green, breathtakingly photographic side of Hawai`i Island. Here one finds the anticipated Hawai`i -- wild orchids blooming along the roadsides, waterfalls plunging through hillside jungles ...and rainbows. Hilo is blessed with more rain than any other city in the U.S. (averaging about 120" annually), and the gulches and hillsides around the Hilo area have more shades of green than there are names. The rain-washed air is sweetened by flowers, and wonderful to breathe. Deep blue waves shatter into white spray against and over a jagged jet-black shoreline edged in vibrant greens. Colorfully dressed children splash in the calmer pools and sheltered beach areas edging Hilo Bay.
Located on the eastern coast of Hawai`i Island, the big island at the southeastern end of the Hawaiian Islands, Hilo is perfect for daytrips to Volcano, Puna, Waipio Valley, Mauna Kea observatories, and Kona. Often just driven past, a closer look reveals the Real Hawaii, not a fabricated tourist resort.
Hilo is the town time forgot, with its false-front stores, covered sidewalks, and small town charm. Life moves at a slow, friendly pace. Shopping downtown is an international adventure, free of "tourist traps". Pick up a walking tour map and just stroll around Old Hilo Town. Refresh yourself with a paper cone of shaved ice in some exotic flavor (be real "local", order the li hing mui shaved ice), or sample the preserved seed so loved by locals. See how many old hitching rings you can spot, and figure out why Hilo's sidewalks are black instead of gray.
Be sure to visit the farmers' market on Wednesday and Saturday mornings for locally-grown fruits and vegetables. Vendors offer taste samples of the more unusual produce, and sprays of orchids or bouquets of exotic flowers can be bought for just a few dollars.
This county seat wears a wide greenbelt of parks and soccer fields along its half-mile-long black sand beach. Several local canoe clubs house their outrigger canoes along the water's edge, hold practices after work, and, during the summer, compete in day-long regattas with other canoe clubs from around the island and the state. Paddling clubs set up food booths to help pay expenses, and this is real local food. A canoe meet is a "must" experience for visitors.
If you are lucky enough to be in Hilo when it rains, grab an umbrella and go for a walk. The rain is blissfully warm, and brightly-colored umbrellas pop up everywhere. These are not your ordinary umbrellas, as Hilo people favor the large size usually found in golf bags. Few sports events are cancelled by rain, and the sidelines may be a cheery line-up of umbrellas topping shorts, bare legs, and rubber slippers.
Local folks love to be outdoors. Walkers and runners favor the beautiful oceanfront. Others fish along the waterfront and at Wailoa State Park. Golfers abound, and surfers dot the ocean just off downtown, and 2 miles up the coast at Honoli`i Beach. Hilo has public tennis courts and an Olympic-size pool. A favorite picnic spot is the beautiful Lili`uokalani Gardens, 30 acres of Japanese gardens with fishponds, gazebos, bridges, and a spectacular view across Hilo Bay of Hilo town, as it hugs the crescent ("hilo") beach, and edges up Mauna Kea's gentle slopes. Nearby, and across a footbridge, is Coconut Island, just big enough for picnics and open-air concerts. It is from here the fireworks are launched to delight Hiloans on the Fourth of July, as they gather, Norman Rockwell-like, in the park surrounding Mo`oheau Bandstand, across from the farmer's market.
Hilo has a number of restaurants serving delicious and varied fare, and the appropriate dress ranges from quite casual to more dressy (slacks with aloha shirt tucked in), yet none requires a coat and tie. The selection is such that day visitors to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (27 miles away) are encouraged to return to Hilo for dinner and the night.
With all our lush vegetation, it always surprises visitors to learn that Hawaii is snake-free.
There are so many interesting sites to visit in the Hilo area, side roads to explore, legends to ponder, smiles to return, birds to spot, flowers to smell, food to try, waves to jump in.... Hele mai...Come.
What's Happening in Hilo...Events, Parades, Festivals
A lot is always happening in Hilo. Check out the DIA, Palace Theater, and Big Island Visitors Bureau sites for details. On Saturdays, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald publishes a detailed calendar for the following week.
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Fun Activities for Kids in the Hilo Area
Hilo and surrounding areas are wonderful for kids and the child in all of us. Lili`uokalani Gardens offers endless entertainment with its lawns, bridges, paths and ponds. Grab a little fishing pole and see what bites the hook. 30 acres. Japanese gardens and tea house. Free.
Coconut Island sits in Hilo Bay, just offshore of Lili`uokalani Gardens. There is a footbridge across to it. See who can spot turtles and fish under the bridge. There are some tiny beaches on the island, but stay near shore. Heed all warning signs. Before the bridge, people would be rowed out in a boat for a nickel. The caretaker and his family lived on Coconut Island until the 1946 tsunami washed away the house. Can you find parts of the house's foundation?
In old Hawai`i, there were places to find safety, like "base" or "safe" when you play tag. People would try to get there if they had committed a crime, or in times of war. Coconut Island was the safe refuge for the Hilo area.
Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots are in the Wailuku River, about 2 miles apart, on the Hamakua (north) end of Hilo. Each is a short walk from the parking lot to the viewing area. Rainbow Falls: Morning sun creates a rainbow in the spray. Boiling Pots: not hot, just roily. *Do NOT climb down or swim there. The hidden lava tubes that make it appear to "boil" can suck you under, permanently, even when the water appears calm and inviting. We live by the Wailuku River, and 1 to 3 people drown in it every year, almost always sucked into lava tubes.
Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii is a must for children and adults. A world-class venue combining Hawaiians' cultural practices and navigational prowess with modern astronomy, it follows the Hawaiian creation chant and ancient navigation by stars to the current high technology observatories. Hands-on displays, planetarium shows, 3-D shows, a huge hanging sphere, exhibits, restaurant and more...this is a must! Excellent gift shop. Restaurant. The grounds are landscaped with native Hawaiian plants, grouped according to natural elevation. Open Sundays, closed Mondays.
Kalakaua Park is a good starting point for the Historic Downtown Hilo. The great banyan tree is fun for hide-and-seek, and the statue of King David Kalakaua has an informational sign. Across the street and up a block, in front of the library on Wai`anuenue Avenue, lies the Naha Stone --whoever could lift it would unite and rule the islands. King Kamehameha did both.
The Pacific Tsunami Museum documenting Hilo's devastating 1946 and 1960 tidal waves with photos and verbal accounts. They had their cameras, and some incredible shots. The museum started with schoolchildren interviewing the elders who had survived the tsunami, and is now quite impressive. 130 Kamehameha Avenue.
Mokupapapa explores the reefs and shoals of the North West Hawaiian Islands. Includes a reef aquarium. A hit with kids! Free. Tuesday - Saturday 308 Kamehameha Avenue
Wilson's By The Bay sells shave ice, a friendly, happy local favorite of kids, with lots of different flavors. Old timey store with friendly, patient staff. 224 Kamehameha Avenue
Hilo Seeds and Snacks Every local kid loves Chinese preserved seed, a great snack. Go in and buy some, ask what would be good for 'beginners'. Wet li hing mui is easy to start with. Dry li hing mui is not for beginners. Loads of choices here, also candied ginger. 15 Waianuenue Avenue
Lyman House and Museum Missionary house from 1830's has several tours. One of the finest mineral collections in the U.S.; clothing and furnishings from Hawai'i's waves of plantation immigrants document our early history. A Smithsonian affiliate. Haili Street.
The Bayfront parks on either side of Kamehameha Avenue offer wide-open spaces for kids to run around, maybe fly kites, throw the ball, run off some steam. Feed the ducks at Wailoa Park's Waiakea Fish Pond, or go up and down the moon bridges there.
Stop at Hilo Lunch Shop for local-style picnic foods. Get there before noon! Tuesday-Saturday. Take out.
Panaewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens has tropical and rainforest animals (Listen to the parrot imitate its owl neighbor). The local plant societies have landscaped it beautifully. Good place to see nene, the endangered Hawaiian goose. Be there when they feed Namaste, the cross-eyed Siberian tiger. Picnic tables. Heading south from Hilo, 2nd road on right after the 4-mile marker on Highway 11. Free.
Drive down to Keaukaha Follow Highway 19 south around Hilo Bay to swimming and snorkeling areas, beautiful scenery. Sometimes whales or dolphins. Great views of Mauna Kea beyond Hilo Bay. Onekahakaha Beach Park has a protected swim lagoon, not too deep, ideal for children. Never turn your back on the ocean--always watch for sudden large waves. Nearby is Hilo Homemade Ice Cream, with local flavors. Try ginger or poha berry.
Akaka Falls 11 miles north of Hilo, a half-mile path through tropical jungle loops past two spectacular waterfalls, Kahuna Falls and Akaka Falls. The trail itself passes over rushing streams and small falls in the rainforest. Turn off Highway 19 at the town of Honomu (13-mile marker), follow signs. Poke around in Honomu, a quaint plantation town revived with gift shops and galleries.
Onizuka Visitors' Center on Mauna Kea--astronomy exhibits, free telescope viewing every night with astronomer guides; very cold; 9,000-ft. elevation. Dress very warmly. Free. *Note: Children under 16 years old are not allowed to go on up to the summit (for health reasons).
Hilo is also the gateway to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, about 30 miles away, at the 4,000' elevation. It has hikes and sights for all ages, and is an easy day trip from Hilo.
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Volcano and Puna
Volcano is in the district of Puna, the newest part of the Hawaiian Islands, and the Adventure is Everywhere!
Hilo is the gateway to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, an easy 30 mile drive from Hilo on Highway 11, at the 4,000' elevation. It can get chilly, so take jeans and a sweat shirt, too. Be sure to take your walking shoes and camera, as it is absolutely incredible! Throughout the Volcano area, there are two major rules to follow:
1. If the sign says 'Don't do it'... DON'T DO IT! People have died or been severely injured for ignoring warnings up here.
2. Stay on the trail!
1st stop in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park--Visitors Center. Watch a short movie about our volcanoes and the current eruption. Small natural history museum and gift shop. Posted are lists of ranger- or volunteer-led hikes. Be sure to ask the rangers on duty what the current viewing of the lava is. If you are pregnant, or have any heart or respiratory diseases, ask a ranger where it is [un]safe for you to go. This is important!
Volcano Art Center--at the far end of the Visitor Center parking lot, it was once the Volcano House Hotel. Volcano has a large artist community, and this is possibly the best gallery on Hawai`i Island.
Volcano House Hotel Go in the front door, through the lobby and out the back door to a viewing area on the edge of Kilauea Crater. Fantastic view. (Hotel is currently closed for renovation.)
11-mile Crater Rim Drive
Sulphur Banks -- Steam Vents
Jagger Museum--Wonderful little museum. Dr. Thomas Jagger was a Shipman family friend, and the first vulcanologist 'stationed' up there. The seismographs are authentic, recording tremors from around the island as you watch. How high can you register on the seismograph by the wall to your right?
Halema`uma`u Crater--A smaller crater within Kilauea Crater, this is currently erupting gas and steam, but no visible lava. After dark you may see a red glow.
Kilauea Iki--A smaller crater near Thurston Lava Tube. I saw Kilauea Iki erupt in 1959, watching from the crater's edge that night, and for several nights afterward. It was so high and so bright, you could read by its light at 3 AM. Our fronts cooked and our backs froze. Fountains topped 1900'.
Hiking the Kilauea Iki trail takes about 2 hours, crossing the crater floor, then up around the top of the crater through the forest. You need water, hats, tennis or hiking shoes, and sunscreen. Watch your kids! Some places have no fence or railing, and the drop is several hundred feet.
Thurston Lava Tube-- Once upon a time on Shipman property, the old property marker is still there. This is a beautiful walk through the rainforest, then about 100 yards through an old lava tube, (lit and paved when Hawaii became a state in 1959), then back up to sunshine and forest. Takes about 20 minutes, one of the most beautiful parts of the Park.
Chain of Craters Road
This 2-lane, 20-mile-long road takes you from 4000' elevation down to sea level. Allow about 40 minutes each way. As you drive downhill, notice the varying shades of black, gray, and reddish brown of past lava flows. It will be quite warm and windy down by the ocean. Take water, hats.
The Bird Park South of the park entrance, on Mauna Loa Road. Ancient lava flowed around a forest, leaving it intact. There is a 1-mile dirt trail looping through this grove of trees and endangered native Hawaiian birds. Bring binoculars. Free.
FOOD ...Restaurants in Volcano close early -- by 8-9:00 PM. Consider having dinner at noon up there. Most restaurants also close from 2-5 PM.
Picnic areas include:
Between the Visitors Center and the Art Center.
Adjacent to the Bird Park.Volcano Golf Course--First road on the right, south of the Park entrance on Highway 11, the clubhouse is a comfy place for breakfast or lunch. Good food, service, prices, fireplace and an excellent view. The kitchen closes at 2 PM sharp. No dinners. (You may see nene, the endangered Hawaiian goose, on the golf course, which my grandfather, Roy C. Blackshear, started in W.H. Shipman's cow pasture.)
Kiawe Kitchen -- very good wood-fired pizzas, entrees. Excellent lamb. Lunch & dinner. Old Volcano Road & Haunani Road, in the village.
Puna
Lower Puna is Hawaii's 'wild west'... very rural, sparsely populated, and non-conformist. It has the newest land, newest and blackest beaches, and some very traditional country living. It is naturally, starkly beautiful, needing little man-made adornment. Take Highway 130 from Highway 11, just Hilo-side of Kea`au village.
"Puna" means 'spring', and the coastline is full of freshwater springs, often warmed by the hot lava underground. Ahalanui Park has a large, spring-fed swimming pool-like pond that is warm and popular, but does not get enough fresh salt water to kill the bacteria in it. (Think Petri dish!) Heed the warning sign, and do not go in with any sores or cuts. Nearby, Wai `Opae Tidepools are in the ocean, and one of our dentist guests said it was like swimming in his waiting room's aquarium! Please do not step on the coral...it is alive.
You can drive along the coast on the "Red Road" (no longer red cinder), ending at the lava field that was once Kaimu Bay, at the famous Kalapana Black Sand beach. The bay filled with hot lava in 1990, and you can walk across it to the new black sand beach. People have planted the area with hundreds of sprouted coconuts, and a load of red cinder has made a smoother trail to the ocean. Do not swim here, just admire and photograph it. Next to the cul-de-sac where you parked is the small Kalapana Village Cafe that has the best milk shakes and french fries. No-frills tables outdoors, and the food is good! Open 8 AM until 9PM.
Lava viewing... from the end of Highway 130. Entry gate opens 2 PM, closes 8 PM. You must be out by 10 PM. Drive the little road to the parking area, and then walk about 1/2 mile to the viewing area. Right now the lava is in lava tubes, not visible.
Cape Kumukahi Lighthouse...After lava covered the town of Kapoho in early 1960, it threatened the lighthouse, which was evacuated and left on 'auto'. Hawaiians were certain it would be spared, as fire goddess Pele favors ocean travelers whom lighthouses warn. The lava flowed around the lighthouse's sidewalk then continued on. You can drive out to the site (the road is poor), walk over to the present lighthouse and see for yourself. Easternmost point in Hawaii.
Lava Tree molds...State park just beyond Pahoa.
Pahoa...small town on Highway 130 with an eclectic population. Looks like a cowboy town with covered wood sidewalks. Some really good restaurants, including Paolo's Bistro.
Maku`u Market, a farmers market, is along Highway 130 on Sundays, near Pahoa. Big, varied, fun!
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Distance from Shipman House to Nearby Attractions
5 to 10 minutes' drive:
Lyman Mission House and Museum (3 blocks)
Historic Hilo town (5 blocks)
Pacific Ocean
Hilo Farmers Market
Rainbow Falls & Boiling Pots
Imiloa Astronomy and Cultural Center
Hilo International Airport
Lili`uokalani Garden
15 to 30 minutes' drive:
Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden
Beaches(snorkeling)
Akaka Falls & Kahuna Falls
45 minutes' drive:
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park ("the Volcano")
Kalapana to see hot lava enter ocean
Wai `Opae Tidepools
Onizuka Visitor Center, 9,000' on Maunakea
1 hour's drive:
Waipi`o Valley
Punalu`u Black Sand Beach
1.5 hours to Waimea/Kamuela
2 to 2.5 hours to Kona Airport
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HOME / ROOMS / AVAILABILITY AND RESERVATIONS / YOUR INN
THINGS TO DO ON HAWAII / HISTORY / GIFTS
Send e-mail to innkeeper(at)hilo-hawaii.com--replace (at) with @ |
© copyright 2009 Shipman House Bed & Breakfast Inn
FAQs Frequently asked Questions
Q:Why do you write your email address that way?
A: To prevent spammers from collecting our email address.
Q: Can I drink the Hilo water?
A: Yes, Hilo's tap water is very good, coming from an aquifer off Mauna Kea.
Q: Do you have Restaurant Recommendations?
A: Yes, we do. Sombat's has the best Thai food in Hilo. Fresh! Very mild to "Thai hot".
Seaside has the best fish selection, big portions, beautifully presented, good prices. Get there before dark and see the egrets roost in trees edging the old Hawaiian fishpond.
Hilo Bay Cafe is a small, sophisticated yet casual bistro that will surprise you! The best.
Cafe Pesto is a short walk from Shipman House. Popular and reliably good.
Q: Is there a place to do laundry?
A: There are a couple places within 10 minutes of Shipman House that will take your dirty laundry and wash, dry, hang or fold it for about $1.25/pound of dry clothing.
Q: What clothes should I take to Hawaii?
A: Cool, lightweight cotton clothing. Shorts, cool shirts or tank tops, bathing suit, jeans and sweatshirt or jacket for volcano area, and something to wear to a restaurant--slacks, skirt, nothing fancy usually. Plan to buy souvenir T-shirts or tank tops, aloha shirt, sundress, sarongs, rubber slippers, even a cheap beach towel in Hawaii. You will need hiking boots or closed-toe shoes (tennies?) for walking out on the lava trails. A heavy jacket is necessary for going up on Mauna Kea, unless you're going on a tour. **During January to March it can be too chilly for shorts, especially if Mauna Kea has snow on it. Sweaters, socks and long pants can feel awfully good in our wintertime, or up at the Volcano area at night, all year long.
Q: Do you have air conditioning?
A: No, we have lots of windows to catch the gentle tradewind breezes that cool the Hilo area. All rooms have either floor, table or ceiling fans, just in case. Our typical temperatures (Fahrenheit) range from the high 50's (nighttime) to low 70's during the winter, and high 60's to mid-80's in the summer. For Hilo, a temperature of 88 degrees is considered 'a scorcher', and we do not have the high humidity found in the South or on the East Coast.
Q: Is it safe to swim in rivers or sit under a waterfall?
A: No. Most of the freshwater streams and waterfalls in Hawai`i state carry leptospirosis, an organism or disease you do not want to get. Spread by rat urine, you get it through cuts, sores, or mucous membranes when you enter water contaminated with it. Lepto is very bad, and can be deadly. Some streams even have signs warning about touching the mud!
Q: My guidebook says we can swim at Boiling Pots...
A: Absolutely do Not! ...And don't climb down below the viewing area. Besides the chances of leptospirosis, the Boiling Pots area is laced with lava tubes, some horizontal, some vertical like hourglasses. The water appears to boil as it goes into, then shoots back out of these tubes. Most are underwater, out of sight, and it is too easy to be sucked into these tubes, even when the water appears low. There is no way out alive. It has happened for so long, Hawaiians had legends about a great mo`o, or lizard, that lived in the river. Occasionally it would pull someone under, and release the body several days later. "Wailuku" means River of Destruction...It is an "ai kanaka"...it "eats men".
Q: How about swimming in the ocean?
A: There are two rules Island children learn--Always swim with a buddy, and Never turn your back on the ocean. Waves are sometimes larger than you expect, and can pull you under or out. Pay attention to signs about strong currents. Don't swim too far out--sharks can swim faster than you, and dolphins escape them faster than you can.
Q: Can we take plants back to the mainland?
A: Look for the little bagged plants for sale in many of the visitor locations, including Walmart and Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut's visitor area. These plants have been inspected and certified, and can go to the continental U.S. Up near Volcano, Akatsuka Orchid Gardens will be happy to ship any plants you purchase from them, and they do a very nice job. Plants and the areas they cannot go are noted on signs and/or packaging.
Q: What about fruits?
A: Not unless they have been treated for fruitfly, and have been inspected & stamped by the Dept. of Agriculture. Pineapples from the grocery store can go, as long as the green top is still attached to the fruit...far cheaper than buying them at the airport.
Q: Do we need a 4 Wheel Drive vehicle?
A: Not unless you plan to drive to Mauna Kea's summit, down into Waipi`o Valley, or possibly to the Green Sand Beach. As a tourist, you are unlikely to visit other places that require 4WD vehicles. The Island of Hawaii (the "big island") has excellent public roads.
Some simple pronunciations:
Hilo (Hee lo)
Waipi`o Valley (Y P O valley)
Puna (Pooh nuh)
Mauna Kea (Mow [rhymes with now] nuh Kay uh)