Hilo District, Hawaii facts for kids

Hilo is a special area, or moku, on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi in the State of Hawaii, U.S.A. Think of it like a county or a large district.

Today, Hilo is split into two main parts: North Hilo District (called Hilo ‘Akau in Hawaiian) and South Hilo District (called Hilo Hema).

Hilo is on the eastern side of the Big Island. This side gets lots of rain, which makes it very green! The biggest town on the island, also called Hilo, is found here.

The map shows the districts of the Big Island. North Hilo (3) and South Hilo (2) are on the east coast. They are next to Hamakua District (4) in the north, and Kau District (9) and Puna District (1) in the south. The areas further inland are mostly empty forest reserves on the sides of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa volcanoes.

Exploring North Hilo District

North Hilo District is a beautiful area. You can find several small towns here. Many of them are along Hawaii State Highway 19.

Some of the towns you might see include:

• ʻŌʻōkala
• Laupāhoehoe, which has a fun Train Museum
• Ninole

If you travel inland on Hawaii State Highway 200, you'll find areas near the big Mauna Kea mountain. This road also leads to Puu Huluhulu, a special hill.

Discovering South Hilo District

South Hilo District is home to the main town of Hilo. It also has many interesting places to visit.

Along State Highway 19, you can find:

• Honomu, close to the amazing Akaka Falls
• Pepeekeo
• Wainaku
• Hilo Bay, where the Wailuku River flows into the ocean. You can also see the beautiful Rainbow Falls here.
• Downtown Hilo, which has the Pacific Tsunami Museum where you can learn about ocean waves.

If you take Hawaii State Highway 11, you'll find:

• Hilo International Airport, where planes land and take off
• King Kuhio Shopping Center, a great place to shop
• Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo, a special zoo in a rainforest

Along State Highway 200 and its connecting roads, you can explore:

• Kaumana
• The University of Hawaii at Hilo, a college campus
• Puainako Shopping Center

Images for kids

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  Rainbow Falls, Hawaii

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  A statue of King Kamehameha in Hilo

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  Hilo International Airport, with Mauna Kea in the background

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  Puu Huluhulu seen from the Mauna Kea road