Hilo Information
Hilo is the largest settlement on the Island of Hawaii, and the second largest settlement in the state. The population was 40,759 at the 2000 census. The town overlooks Hilo Bay, and is near two shield volcanoes, Mauna Loa, considered active, and Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano upon which some of the best ground-based astronomical observatories are placed.
Hilo has a large tourism sector, as is prevalent across the whole island, and includes shopping centers, movie theaters, hotels, restaurants and a developed downtown area. Hilo is home to the University of Hawaii at Hilo, as well as the Merrie Monarch Festival, a week-long celebration of ancient and modern hula, which takes place annually after Easter. It is served by Hilo International Airport.
Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corporation makes its home in Hilo as well and is a major tourist attraction in its only right. It features a self-guided tour of the processing plant (viewed from the outside on a second-floor walkway due to safety and sanitation concerns) and large gift shop with homemade macadamia nut ice cream for sale and free samples of every flavor variation sold by the company.
Hilo's location on the eastern side of the island of Hawaii (windward relative to the trade winds) makes it the wettest city in the United States and one of the wettest cities in the world. An average of 127.77 inches (3245 mm) of rain falls on Hilo (airport) annually(between 1949 and 2007). At some other weather stations in Hilo the annual rainfall is above 200 inches.