HILO, Hawai`i (December 21, 2011)— The special exhibit “Hawaii’s Volcanoes: 1880s to Present” offers the chance to view rarely exhibited paintings, photographs, film, curiosities and oddities from the Lyman Museum collections in celebration of Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s 100th Anniversary. Paintings by Nāwahī, Bailey, and two major Volcano School painters, Hitchcock and Furneaux, will be on display.  Photographs […]

Pele and Hi’iaka, A Tale of Two Sisters With Special Guests Leilehua Yuen and Manu Josiah Friday, November 4th 5:00–7:30pm Black and White Night is a downtown Hilo tradition, and the biggest street party of the year! For Black and White Night 2011, on November 4th, stop by Basically Books for an evening of sharing […]

HILO, Hawai`i (October 18, 2011)—Did you know that, in 1868, Hilo Union School offered both a free Hawaiian-language curriculum and an English-language one for which they charged?  Or that the royal summer home Niolopa, complete with Hawaiian-style thatched roof, stood where the Hilo Hotel is now?  Do you know the legends of Haili Street? Hear […]

HILO, Hawai`i (September 12, 2011)—Do you know that Hilo once had a Portuguese distillery and a “Chinatown”?  Where are stones with mana located?  Enjoy the stories behind Hilo’s historically significant and culturally rich places when you join Dr. Judith Kirkendall on an architectural tour of East Hawaii’s “Early Stone Structures” on Saturday, October 1 from […]

Aloha kakou…Come, meet us in Hilo! Destination Hilo’s Annual Meeting and Luncheon will be held on Thursday, September 22, 2011, from 11:30 to 1:00 at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel – Moku`ola Room, at 71 Banyan Drive, Hilo.  Members and guests welcome. We will introduce our new web-based Hawai`i Big Island Discount Museum Pass.  Guest speaker will be Hawaii […]

Where: Basically Books 160 Kamehameha Avenue Hilo When: 2:00 pm Saturday, July 16 Details: This novel about “ice” on the Big Island is written in classic noir style with colorful, believable characters, and a hard hitting storyline that tells it like it is. Talk story with the author as he shares a glimpse into our […]

You’re invited to Holo ka Wa`a, ā Pae i Kula, “The Canoe Sails On, Until Land Is Reached,” a very special exhibit of canoe models from the Pacific region on display now through September 3. Canoes representing Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia, as well as Alaska, are supplemented by vintage photographs, maps, and informational panels that place canoes in their historical and cultural contexts.  Monday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

CELEBRATING King Kamehameha’s Birthday in Hilo with Lei Draping on June 10 and the day-long Festival on June 11. Kamehameha Day (June 11) is a State holiday honoring the memory of the great king, Kamehameha I, who united the Hawaiian Islands and became Hawai`i’s first king in 1810. The annual LEI draping of Hilo’s King […]

If you’re going to be in Hilo in early August 2011, you wont want to miss the 59th Annual Hilo Orchid Society Show, Sale and Mini Classes being held August 5, 6 and 7. Thousands of orchids in displays created by top notch growers and amateurs entice audiences in this three day spectacle at Edith Kanaka’ole […]

Note:  In 2011, Destination Hilo continues to operate the Aloha Room and to provide music and dance to welcome our cruise line passengers arriving at the Hilo Pier.  With support from our members and the County of Hawaii, we will continue serving our visitors with Aloha.  With the pending renovation work at the Pier, our […]