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they're known at all - along the coast north of Hilo.

Gardens

The Hilo area is known for its production of tropical flowers, many of which are flown to California by FedEx every workday! A variety of botanical gardens are located in the area, including the World Botanical Gardens at Umauma and Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden at Onomea Bay to the north, and Nani Mau gardens on the southeast side of town. Various nurseries are also found throughout the region, offering many varieties of orchids and other tropical plants.

Liliuokalani Gardens, located adjacent to the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel and Coconut Island, is a public park featuring the largest formal Japanese water garden outside Tokyo, with fish ponds, bridges and gates. Gardens are also found on the grounds of the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo, just south of town - the only zoo in the United States situated in a rainforest.

Volcanoes

Although Hilo is located on the world's most massive mountain, the active volcano Mauna Loa, red-hot lava can usually not be seen in town - thank goodness! However, Hilo is the closest city, and has the closest airport, to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Located about a half-hour south of town, this national park features both Mauna Loa and Kilauea, the world's most active volcano. The park includes numerous walking trails as well as the Jaggar Museum, which features exhibits on volcanic activity. For those in a hurry, helicopter and airplane tours are avaialble from Hilo's airport. If you have more time, driving to the park and hiking out to see the hot lava "up close and personal" is a memorable experience.

Astronomy

Hilo is also the primary gateway to Mauna Kea, the top astronomical site on Earth. Home to a dozen observatories, including the world's largest visible-light, infrared and submillimeter telescopes, as well as one antenna of the world's largest radio interferometer, the summit is also a sacred place to native Hawaiians. A visitor station with exhibits, telescopes, videos, presentations and a gift shop is located near the end of the paved road at the 9,200 foot level, and four wheel drive is strongly recommended for anyone wishing to continue on to the 13,796 foot summit. The support facilities and offices of several of the observatories are located in Hilo on the campus of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, along with the 'Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii, a museum and planetarium devoted to astronomy and Hawaiian culture. Public "AstroTalks" are frequently presented at the University,

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