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Hilo, United States

Stay in Hilo: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Hilo

Watch this spot We email you when Hilo is worth the trip.

About Hilo

Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces NE, so wind from the SW blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 27°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing NE. Wind from the NE blows onshore, wind from the SW blows out to sea, and wind from the SE or NW runs along the shore. It is exposed to the open sea. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 450 m out (1 in 46). The sea is about 24°C in March, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 27°C in August, its warmest (no wetsuit). For kitesurfing at expert level the best months are usually February and March, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Hilo. Within 5 km we also list 5 surf spots.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 13 h 30 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to KOA, direct.

    See flights ORD → KOA · Skyscanner from about £415 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 2 h 05 from the airport to Hilo.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in HiloAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Kitesurfing lessons in Hilo · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in Hilo · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Hilo on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Sun 18Oct012kncross-off–
Mon 19Oct011kncross-off–
Tue 20Oct014kncross-off–
Wed 21Oct013kncross-off–
Thu 22Oct013knoffnot safe–
Fri 23Oct09knoffnot safe–
Sat 24Oct07knoffnot safe–
Sun 25Oct07kncross-off–
Mon 26Oct010knoffnot safe–
Tue 27Oct011knoffnot safe–

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan0of 7
  2. Feb1of 7
  3. Mar1of 7
  4. Apr0of 7
  5. May0of 7
  6. Jun0of 7
  7. Jul0of 7
  8. Aug0of 7
  9. Sep0of 7
  10. Oct0of 7
  11. Nov0of 7
  12. Dec0of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight ORD to KOA, then 2h 05 by road. About 13h 30 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 7 kn gusting 14, cross-offshore.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 6 kn gusting 13, cross-offshore.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 5 kn gusting 13, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 3 kn gusting 9, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 2 kn gusting 7, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight ORD to KOA, then 2h 05 by road. About 13h 30 door to door

Rough cost

About £1,095–£2,055 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

  • Flights £415–£865
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Hire car £115–£190
  • Stay £270–£455
  • Food £260–£480

Places to eat near Hilo

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Kitesurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Kite and board hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.