Site 1
The Grand Naniloa Hotel
Departing at 11:30am
Learn about the history of the place where the Grand Naniloa Hotel stands.
Pre-Conference Tour
A Huakaʻi to Some of Hilo's Historic Places
Thursday, November 12, 2026
11:30am-5:30pm
11:30am-5:30pm
Before You Go
Key Details
Thursday, November 12, 2026
11:30am-5:30pm
Participants are encouraged to have lunch before the tour. Please meet in front of the Grand Naniloa Hotel at 11:20am.
Please arrive on time and remain with your group throughout the tour so that the itinerary can stay on schedule.
Space is limited to the first 24 registered attendees. If you'd like to attend, please indicate on the main conference registration form or by reaching out to Joy Oehlers at [email protected]. We will confirm via email within 48 hours after your registration.
About the Huakaʻi
Explore the places, histories, and stories participants will encounter throughout the afternoon.
Site 2
East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center
11:45am-12:20pm
Learn about the history of this building, what it was before, and how it became a vibrant regional arts center.
Site 3
Lyman Museum
12:30-2:30pm — Museum & Mission House Tour
2:30-2:45pm — Free Time at the Lyman Bookstore
Learn more about the history of the Lyman Mission House and what is being preserved in the museum next door.
Site 4
Naha Stone
2:50-3:00pm
Pass through and view the Naha Stone in front of Hilo Public Library. Learn more about the great pōhaku (stones) that stand prominently on this sacred site.
Site 5
Rainbow Falls or Waiānuenue
3:10-4:00pm
Learn more about the moʻolelo (story, myth, or legend) of Waiānuenue, also known as Rainbow Falls, along Hilo's Wailuku River.
Site 6
UH Hilo Edwin H. Mookini Library and/or Cycad & Bromeliad Gardens
4:20-5:15pm
At the library, learn more about the namesake of Mookini Library, its featured collections, and its significance to Hawaiian and local histories. A bathroom break is also possible here. If it is not raining, another site nearby the library is a hidden-in-plain sight garden where you can visit the Cycad and Bromeliad plant species.
