Things to see:

'Imiloa Astronomy Center: Well-designed museum of the stars and planets and of Hawaiian cosmology and navigation offers films, exhibits, gift shop, cafe. A Friday night music-and-outer space show is on through December and so popular that it's recommended you purchase advance tickets. On the campus of UH-Hilo just uphill from town. www.imiloahawaii.org.

Rainbow Falls: Wailuku River State Park off Waianuenue Avenue right in Hilo town is a lovely place to enjoy a bento lunch and these gentle falls; upriver, check out Boiling Pots, where water churns over a series of lava stairs. (You're not supposed to go, in but people do.)

Hilo Farmers Market: Wednesdays and Saturdays "from dawn 'till it's gone" more than 200 vendors gather under tents at Mamo and Kamehameha avenues at the edge of downtown Hilo. Bouquets of flowers and piles of tropical fruit and fresh vegetables create dramatic splashes of color and you never know what interesting new foods or gifts you'll find. Go early. The second Sunday of each month is Second Hand Sunday, an open-to-all flea market. Free parking at Mo'oheau Park.

Onomea Bay: Just minutes Hamakua-side of Hilo is a lovely drive on a bypass road, Onomea Scenic Drive (Old Mamalahoa Highway) that skirts the coast and dips into the valleys and back up to the pasturelands. Wander down the Onomea Trail, maintained by the state system, to tiny bays where you'll cross paths with fishermen and see Onomea Arch and other postcard views.

Hawai'i Tropical Botanical Garden: Touristy, yes, but this "garden in a valley on the ocean" is irresistible to gardeners and photographers with its more than 2,000 species of plants. Take a wander-at-your-own-pace walk, camera in hand. Admission $15 adults, $5 children, golf carts available for those who need them. www.htbg.com.

Merrie Monarch Festival: Held at Easter time, this week-long festival is known for its centerpiece event, the largest and best known of hula competitions, and for great craft fairs that dot the town. Free hula performances, a sweet small-town parade and a celebration of the life of hula benefactor King David Kalakaua complete the lineup. Dates for 2009 are April 12-18. Tickets are ridiculously inexpensive but extremely difficult to get and must be ordered by mail on (but not before) Dec. 26; hotel rooms, cars and air reservations sell out months in advance. Plan now. www.merriemonarchfestival.org.

Places to stay:

All these places offer kama'aina rates and/or seasonal discounts EXCEPT when the whole town is booked at Merrie Monarch time.

Shipman House Bed & Breakfast: Barbara Ann and Gary Anderson offers guests an opportunity luxuriate in a bygone way of life in this sprawling mansion and the breakfast spreads are wonderful, with fresh fruit from their garden and the nearby farmers market and Barbara's extraordinary baked goods and housemade granola. Unfortunately, the coqui have found this idyll, but they thoughtfully provide ear plugs. Deluxe. shipman house.com.

Hilo Hawaiian: The nicest of the standard-style hotels that ring Banyan Drive, Castle Resort's Hilo Hawaiian offers balcony'd rooms with bay and town views, well-equipped but not fancy rooms (wireless Internet access), a restaurant and bar and easy parking. Medium-priced. www.castleresorts.com.

Hilo Bay Hotel, aka Uncle Billy's: Tiki kitsch embraces local-style hospitality here and the restaurant is awash in pidgin, shorts and slippers when halau are in town for Merrie Monarch. The rooms are modest but comfy and there are some more spacious oceanview rooms at slightly higher rates. Budget. www.unclebilly.com.

Dolphin Bay Hotel: This apartment hotel is a great option for families or larger groups traveling together, with studios, one- and two-bedroom suites with full kitchens. The little spot is nestled in a pleasant, quiet (except for the coqui) neighborhood surrounded by gardens. In the morning, have some fresh coffee, a banana from the grounds and friendly conversation and directions in the lobby. Budget. www.dolphinbayhotel.com.