Do you think I will enjoy Hilo? (home, living)

[Mainevent]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Well, all things are relative. Sounds like if Hilo is a bigger town for you, plus you are Asian as well, than it'll probably be a good fit.

I think it's when people come from large cities or even mid-size cities and expect Hilo to have city-like characteristics, that is when they are disappointed.

Essentially, it's all relative.

These are my thoughts exactly. I'm about an hour from Lewiston, which is the second biggest city in Maine, and still smaller than Hilo. To me, any city/town with a population above 20K is big

[Mainevent]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

Hilo is a comfortable town and the U of H is becoming a larger presence there these past few years. There are beginning to be more shops in town geared towards university students and younger folks are around town more now. There is the bay, but folks usually swim along the coast outside the bay because the water is better. There is surfing nearby at Honoli'i and loads of large park areas. Other than Hilo town, the island also has the observatories up on the mountain and Volcano National Park to visit. There are also loads of day trips to places like Kailua Kona or Pololu valley or the hot ponds, etc. There are lots of pretty girls, too, of all kinds of different nationalities. You just missed the Merrie Monarch festival which is a huge hula festival in Hilo. During Merrie Monarch you can hardly walk in Hilo without tripping over a hula dancer.

Thanks for the input. I want to live near campus, as I will be navigating town primarily by foot/skateboard. Maine police generally frown upon skating on the sidewalks, even if it's strictly for transportation and you avoid pedestrians. Will this be a problem in Hilo?

I am searching for apartments close to the school. I've come across the Waiakea apartments, which seem to either have extremely good or extremely bad reviews. Do you know anything about this complex?

[hotzcatz]

I've never tried skateboarding through Hilo so I can't tell you details, but there are several new skateboard shops in town so there should be more of them around now. I would suspect skateboarding for transportation isn't a problem, but when they skateboard on the railings and such and scrape down the edges of railings and things then folks aren't happy about it.

I haven't kept track of apartments in Hilo, either, sorry. How about several weeks in a hostel while you look for an apartment? You'll get a much better apartment if you are here in person to look for it and while you are at the hostel you can ask the folks there where they would recommend and you may end up with a room in someone's house for much less money than a separate apartment.

[ainakeeper]

As a Hilo resident for over 15 years, and a student for four of those years, I can assure you that the "student life" is alive and well here. Hilo (pop. 50,000, approx.), by most American town standards is really casual and "laid back." Not only are skateboards, as transports and recreational vehicles, tolerated and prevalent, I've even seen leashed dogs pulling their masters riding them.

Ocean sports such as kayaking, canoeing, surfing, and swimming are everywhere in places like Hilo Bayfront, Richardsons and Leleiwi Beaches in Keaukaha, and Honolii Beach Park two miles north of downtown. Like hiking? Sightseeing? Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is just 40 minutes south. Akaka Falls - 20 minutes north. Waipio Valley - one hour north.

As someone else has already mentioned, opportunities to eat out are plentiful and diverse: Thai, Italian, Chinese, Korean, Mexican, local-style, burgers, seafood, American, many within one mile of the UH-Hilo campus.

Residential rentals are plentiful right now. Here are a few (as of today) from the Hawaii Tribune Herald (Hilo) newspaper:
1) $350/ month. Hilo. Large, clean. Deposit. Utilities included. No smoking. Evenings 959-8986
2) $425, includes utilities, partly furnished. Near shopping center/ UHH/ bus stop, 969-6447
3) $832, 1/1, Near UH, utilities/ yard/ trash included. No pets/ Housing. 640-3313
4) BEAUTIFUL Hilo Oceanfront furnished studios. Kitchenette. Daily, Weekly, $700/ Monthly. (808)961-6276
896-0995
5) DOWNTOWN HILO Studio Apts., starting at $550/ mo., call 989-2450.
6) ELISA LEI Manor, 1 bedroom, near YWCA, no pets. $675+ deposit. 935-5069
7) HALE ANI, Hilo, Furnished 1 BR, $625. 2 BR, $700. References. No County/ pets. (808)961-4684.
8) HILO $410 furnished, private bath, utilities. References, deposit. No pets/ smoking. 935-6396.
9) HILO Hualani Street, Convenient near shopping/ airport/ downtown, $475/ mo. 935-6988
10) HILO- Own Room/ Bath, Utilities/ Roadrunner, Covered Parking, no smoking, $550. 960-0878.

[jdavis78]

I just moved back to Las Vegas from Hilo and I miss it. I think you will enjoy it if you are from a small town already. Hilo is like small town life. The weather is always the same rains then some sun then some rain LOL. I loved it, there was just no computer work for me so I had to move back to Vegas.....

[Haumana]

It's a friendly small town. When it rains, it rains hard, but the weather is generally sunny morning, partly cloudy afternoon, rain in the evenings. Lots of different types of cultures, local mix, asian, mainlanders. People talk to you in line at the grocery store.

[hotzcatz]

Don't people everywhere talk to each other in the grocery store line? Hmm, maybe we've been misbehaving when visiting other places?

[jahmalla]

Yeah everyone is right about the rain and it is boring. But being that you are from a small town, I think you will be okay there. Are you talking about Waikea Villas? Not so good. Maybe you can find something in Keaukaha, the beach area. It is further though then Waikea Villas. There are apartments next to UHH. Seem to be okay. I think there are a lot of Samoans living there My friend lives there ;shes in the back . Her place is small though. Its on Kawili Street. Do not know name of place. There are apartments across from UHH old gym and down street on Lanikaula.

[kadea36]

I dont want to to be ngative about big island , i do live here for the meantime till we move back to mainland (cali) which is next jan 2013, anyway, i have been living here for a little over a year now, and i have learned that this is definantly not the place for me to live for a long time. Theres several reasons why, it rains too much here almost everyday, gas price is crazy high its the highest of all the island, not much places to go and shop, things here closes early like around 9pm, ITS VERY EXPENSIVE , NO NITE LIFE ... so we are better off going back home , i have not found a job since we moved here , i see ppl working 3 jobs just to make ends meet .. sad ..

[HiloDiver]

Wow Kadea, you are going around resurrecting old threads tonight, what's up with that?

I wondering if your lack of spelling and grammar skills have anything to do with your poor luck here. Just sayin'.