Hilo: the vibe
Videos from people who went, played right here, with what viewers said underneath. Not part of the score.
The verdict
Mixed · 62Hilo draws warm nostalgia and love from former residents and locals, but the cost-of-living struggle and heavy rain temper the appeal for a remote worker.
- natural beauty
- waterfalls and greenery
- local culture and music
- calm small-city feel
- community ties
- high cost of living
- wages too low for costs
- rain
- locals pushed out
- housing affordability
- Locals love Hilo but struggle financially to stay
- Lush, rainy scenery is a major draw
- Strong Hawaiian culture and deep community roots
- Feels calm and quiet compared with busy tourist spots
- Expect real money pressure despite the paradise image
Read from 8 videos, 40 comments and 0 posts on 2026-11-08; the summary is written by a language model and can misread sarcasm.
Explore Hilo, Hawaii | Surf & Science with Cliff Kapono
Visit The USA · 7.5M views · 2019
What viewers said
“i live in hilo hawaiʻi and i love honoliʻi”
♥ 2 likes
“Thanks so much for this...my year in Hilo, enjoying Honoli'i almost daily, were some of the best times of my life.”
♥ 2 likes
“I love hawaii”
♥ 2 likes
“Aloha Cliff Kapono! Hilo, Hawaii, the coral reefs and the Earth are fortunate you've discovered man's true purpose. Keep up the good life.”
♥ 1 likes
“Awesome intro and video! I can’t wait to get out there and hit the waves!”
♥ 1 likes
“Wow”
♥ 6 likes
“i hope you have success. i came back to stop the boat ramp at mahukona and was happy with the results ant there is still no stop light on kohala(2015). i learned today about the north coast of molokai, like what could occur on teneriffe.”
♥ 1 likes
“Very nice video”
♥ 1 likes
“Awesome!!”
♥ 9 likes
“Beautiful.”
♥ 6 likes
Found with a YouTube search for the city and “digital nomad”, fetched 2026-11-08; titles, descriptions and comments belong to their authors and link to the originals.