I am originally from Hilo but am living on Oahu right now.  Many times, friends will ask me what is good to bring back from Hilo as omiyage or what is good to do when in Hilo.  Well here is my list (in no particular order) of stuff to get from the Island of Hawaii and stuff to do from someone who has lived there most of his life.

OMIYAGE

1.  Big Island Candies - Everyone knows Big Island Candies.  Their chocolate dipped shortbread cookies are a staple of anyone's omiyage basket when travelling from Hilo to anywhere.  Don't just stop at that though.  They make really good chocolates, great cookies, and some interesting treats like their chocolate dipped ika or li hing mui.  www.bigislandcandies.com

2.  Big Island Delights - A very good alternative to Big Island Candies is Big Island Delights.  They have almost everything you would want to bring back as a gift from Hilo.  They have cookies, candies, snacks, and even some really good frozen pies. www.bigislanddelights.com

3.  Kelly Boy Bakery - A lesser known cookie company in Hawaii, but one of the best is Kelly Boy Cookies.  I like to bring these back whenever I visit home because they are just THAT good.  I think I've eaten every single one of their cookies and I have always enjoyed them. (808) 935-2463

4.  Mountain View Stone Cookies - Growing up, I used to love to eat Stone Cookies.  I would pop them in the microwave for 20 seconds, put some butter on it, and eat it with hot chocolate.  It is a good rainy day snack.  Not too sweet and it is something different that most people haven't tried before.  (808) 968-6353

5.  Noris Saimin and Snacks - Most people know the owner of Nori's, Beth Ann from her tv show with Chai.  She is an awesome personality and her food is awesome.  When I was living in Hilo, I would eat a chicken stick plate every week from her restaurant.  Don't just stop by for the food though. They have really good snacks here too.  The chocolate mochi is a favorite, but the thing I really love is the chocolate mochi cookies.  They are thin crispy chocolate mochi crackers.  It is hard to stop once you start eating them.  (808) 935-9133

6.  Atebara Potato Chips - I remember eating their potato chips and taro chips growing up.  These were good tv watching snacks and I would usually eat everything in the bag without realizing it.  http://hawaiichips.com/

7.  Star Bakery - Like homemade pork rinds?  Come to Star Bakery.  This is the ONLY place in Hawaii that I have been able to find homemade pork rinds easily. (808) 969-7983

8.  Two Ladies Kitchen - The place for everyone's favorite strawberry mochi.  Go check it out.  It is usually pretty busy here so get there early to get your mochi for friends and family back home.  (808) 961-4766

9.  Farmer's Market - Every Saturday on Bayfront, Hilo has a Farmer's Market.  You can get fruits, veggies, trinkets, charms, etc here.  It is a good place to start for anyone looking to get something different.

10.  Lows International Food - Home of the rainbow bread.  They have lots of other flavors too.  This is a restaurant that specializes in flavored breads.  If you see people with those long white boxes on the airport, they are usually carrying Lows bread.  (808) 969-6652

11.  Mrs Barry's Cookies - These are really really good cookies.  I hardly ever get to eat these because they are located on the Kona side of the island but if you are on that side, I would stop by and pick up their cookies.  They are really really good cookies. http://konacookies.com/

12.  Kitchen Kettle Chips - These are my favorite chips.  Try it and you will be hooked too.  Their potato chips and shrimp chips are probably some of the best I have ever had in my short life.  They are hard to stop eating and won't leave that oily residue on your hands. http://www.konachips.net/

13.  Volcano Winery - Need to get that drink fix on?  Need to do a wine tasting when on your travels? Volcano Winery is a must stop.  They have award winning wines made from local type ingredients.  I am not a wine drinker, but I like to go here.  The staff is fun and the wine is good.  www.volcanowinery.com/

14.  Franks Foods - Some of the best portuguese sausage around.  If you can take back cold foods, check out Franks Foods.  They used to sell pupu rockets too.  If they still have those, buy them because I have never seen those anywhere outside of Hilo. (808) 959-9121

15.  Lee's Chop Suey - Not many people know about it and they are hard to find for retail sale, but Lee's Chop Suey is some of the best manapua you will eat.  If you like dry manapua that is mostly breading and a small portion of shredded char sui go elsewhere.  Their manapua is smaller than they ones you will see in Honolulu, but the breading is not dry and the char sui is cut up instead of shredded.  (808) 961-6742

16.  Holy's Bakery - Want to eat an awesome coconut pie?  Holy's Pies are what you are looking for then.  They make frozen pies that you can take back and make in your oven.  Then you can tell everyone that you made it and take all the credit.  (808) 889-6865

17.  KTA - For everything that I have forgot, there is KTA.  They have a good selection of omiyage stuffs here.  You can also get some of the stuff listed above.  This is a good place to go if you need to pick up a few more things on your way to the airport to catch a flight.  www.ktasuperstores.com

18.  George's Meat Market - In the mood for jerky?  Beef jerky?  What about beef jerky that is like a chip?  George's meat market has really thin and crispy beef jerky.  Very hard to stop eating just one.  http://www.georgesmeatmarkethilo.com/

19.  Tex Drive-In - Rachel Ray came here a while back and you should visit too.  Tex is a plate lunch place in Honokaa that also serves fresh made malasadas.  If you are craving malasadas and need your fix while on the Island of Hawaii, this is your place.  (808) 775-0598

There are a lot more things to see and do in Hilo.  There is Akaka Falls, Rainbow Falls, Boiling Pots, etc.  There is some of the best mexican food you will have at Reubens, or some of the best sandwiches you will eat at Freddy's drive in.  You can have oyster sauce chicken from Lings (if you find something similar on Oahu, please let me know) or a gravy cheeseburger (from K's or Blane's).  Go ask some locals in the area and they will tell you what is good, fun, different on the island.