Hilo Hawaii By John Parks At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

When most people think of going to Hawaii, they think of going to Honolulu, somewhere on the island of Maui or visiting the Kona side of the Big Island. It is rare that Hilo gets used as a tourist vacation spot. Yes, it is a major port of call for cruise lines, but as far as booking hotels and spending a week on the beach, Hilo is just not as popular as Kona.

Maybe this is because the Hilo side of the island is the rocky side of the island. Instead of the sandy beaches most people expect Hawaii to have, Hilo is famous for its black rocky beaches and coves. There are a few stretches of sand here, but most is jagged black lava rock. Hilo is also the rainy side of the island, so it is more likely that you will be treated to a warm sprinkle than days of endless sunshine (though there are quite a few of those as well).

The simple truth is, however, that Hilo also offers up a more authentic feel to Hawaiian life. Because the town is not known for being a tourist attraction (though there are a few touristy spots close to town), visitors to Hawaii are more likely to see what life is like for people who live and work in Hawaii year in and year out!

Close to Hilo you will find Rainbow Falls, Banyon Drive (banyon trees are amazing trees for those who have never seen one before) and a Macadamia Nut factory. All of these are worth visiting. You will also find Hilo Hatties—a chain tourist shop where visitors can find every kind of Hawaiian souvenir that exists, from simple shell leis to loud Hawaiian shirts to muumuus and toys for the kids. All of the products are made on the premises and you can see into the sewing and workshops if you head toward the back of the store.

Visiting the macadamia nut factory is also fun. It is here that they can the tasty macadamia nut and produce the variety of macadamia nut treats that you friends will beg you to bring home: differently spiced nuts, chocolate covered nuts and even cans of plain macadamia nuts to be used in cooking. The trees are farmed locally and a tour through the facility will show you how they produce those boxes of chocolate covered macadamia nuts that are so popular all over the world.

Hawaii is a great place to visit and makes a fantastic place to get away and play tourist. It has a rich cultural history—less than a century ago it was its own country—and Hawaiians take their heritage very seriously. Hilo is a great place to see this first hand. As you travel around you'll hear the local English/Hawaiian dialect known as pidgin and see how the rich cultural history weaves itself into every day life. Even places most of us take for granted like McDonalds and movie theaters have Hawaiian touches in Hilo.

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