9 Best Sights in Downtown, Big Island

The 200 vendors here—stretching a couple of blocks at the bayfront—sell a profusion of tropical flowers, locally grown produce, aromatic honey, tangy goat cheese, hot breakfast and lunch items, and fresh baked specialties at extraordinary prices. This colorful, open-air market—the largest and most popular on the island—opens for business Wednesday and Saturday from 7 am to 3 pm. A smaller version on the other days features more than 30 vendors. Free parking is available.

Built in 1839 by missionary couple Sarah and David Lyman from New England, the beautifully restored Lyman Mission House is the Island's oldest wood-frame building. On display are household utensils, artifacts, tools, and furniture used by the family, giving visitors a peek into the day-to-day lives of Hawaii's first missionaries. The Lymans hosted such literary dignitaries as Isabella Bird and Mark Twain here. The home is on the State and National Registers of Historic Places, and docent-guided tours are offered. An adjacent museum has wonderful exhibits on volcanoes, island formation, island habitats and wildlife, marine shells, and minerals and gemstones; it also showcases Native Hawaiian culture and the culture of immigrant ethnic groups. On permanent exhibit is a full-size replica of a traditional 1930s Korean home. The gift shop sells superb Hawaiian-made items.

Constructed in 1859 by New England missionaries, this church is known for its services in Hawaiian and for the choir, which sings hymns in Hawaiian. In 1902, Hawaiian musical legends Harry K. Naope Sr. and Albert Nahalea Sr. began the choral traditions still practiced by their descendants. The church, with its iconic yellow spire, has an interesting history that dates to 1824 when it was a thatched structure.

A bronze statue in this park, the central town square for more than a century, depicts King David Kalakaua (1836–1891), who revived the hula and is the inspiration for Hilo's Merrie Monarch Festival. Erected in 1988, the statue depicts the king with a taro leaf in his left hand to signify the Hawaiian people's bond with the land. The park is surrounded by civic buildings and a war memorial. There is a huge, spreading banyan tree and small fishponds but no picnic or recreation facilities. According to local tradition, families of military personnel often leave leftover floral displays and funeral wreaths along the fishpond walkway as a way of honoring their loved ones.

Buildings here have been restored to their original 1920s and '30s vintage plantation styles. Although most shopping is along Kamehameha Avenue two blocks below, the ambience on Keawe Street offers a nostalgic sampling of Hilo as it might have been decades ago.

This is a great place to learn about the stunning Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, which encompasses nearly 140,000 square miles in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands and is the only mixed UNESCO World Heritage site (meaning one that has both natural and cultural significance) in the United States. Giant murals, 3D maps, and hands-on interactive kiosks depict the monument's extensive wildlife, including millions of birds and more than 7,000 marine species, many of which are found only in the Hawaiian archipelago. Knowledgeable staff and volunteers are on hand to answer questions. A 3,500-gallon aquarium and short films give insight into the unique features of the monument, as well as threats to its survival. Located in the refurbished F. Koehnen Building, the center is worth a stop just to get an up-close look at its huge stuffed albatross with wings outstretched or the monk seal exhibit.

These two huge, oblong stones in front of the Hilo Public Library are legendary: the Pinao stone is purportedly an entrance pillar of an ancient temple built near the Wailuku River. King Kamehameha I is said to have moved the 5,000-pound Naha stone when he was still in his teens. Legend decreed that he who did so would become king of all the islands.

A small but informative museum in a vintage First Hawaiian Bank building designed by noted Hawaii-raised architect C. W. Dickey provides tsunami education and scientific information. It may seem odd that downtown Hilo businesses tend to be far from the scenic bayfront, but the 1946 tsunami alone killed 158 people in Hilo. Visitors can peruse the history of these devastating disasters, with accounts taken from tsunami survivors from Hawaii and worldwide. Exhibits include a wave machine and interactive tsunami warning center simulation as well as films and pictographs detailing tsunamis in Japan, Alaska, and Indonesia. A safety-wall exhibit demonstrates how to be prepared and what steps to take during an evacuation.

Built as a general store in 1912 by Japanese immigrant and businessman Sadanouke Hata and his family, this two-story building now houses galleries, a restaurant, and small shops, with offices upstairs. When first built, it was one of the only buildings in Hawaii constructed out of concrete. During World War II, when Hata family members were interned because of their heritage, the building was confiscated by the U.S. government. When the war ended, a daughter repurchased it for $100,000. A beautiful example of Renaissance Revival architecture, the building won a state award for the authenticity of its restoration.