We didn’t really visit Hilo, other than Hilo Hattie’s which is “The Store of Hawaii.” At least that’s what their tagline says. I like Hilo Hattie’s. I like Hattie. She must have really had some entrepreneurial spunk. Our plan was to visit a botanical garden. And we did, not the one we visited 8 years ago, but one that catered more toward zip lining and segways (although it appeared to be off season and rather quiet.) The botanicals were a sideline. We got lost a couple of times. Ended up in a cow pasture. Having said that, we really enjoyed its funk. Here are the pics of the day, beginning with a map…We took the Hamakua Coastal route over and returned via Saddle Road, the road between the two mountains, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.
Cattle country along the coast…
Botanical wonders. Some plants were marked and named. Others were not, so I’m not going to try to tell you what you’re looking at, below. They’re just lovely is all…lush…
This was sealing wax palm. My favorite of the palms…I loved the red and the greens
We emerged from the jungles looked south and saw this view:
Looked north and saw this…fortunately, our car was parked north (down the road and around a corner about 3/4 of a mile away.)
Saddle Road route home–misty and mysterious…
A calm sunset…
Chronicles of Cammy, my Fool's Journey and Travelogue 
Some of those vistas remind me of Humboldt County pastures. Those plants are gorgeous!