Getting to the Big Island's Merrie Monarch Festival takes some planning, but for the lucky few who obtain tickets, the experience is well worth it. Here's how to get to the world's premier hula competition, as well as where to stay and eat in Hilo.

The area code for Hawaii is 808. Prices quoted are for November 2007.

Where to See Hula
Merrie Monarch takes place every year the week after Easter and includes musical performances, parades, and daily free entertainment at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. The real focus, of course, is the hula competition, held on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night at the Edith Kanaka'ole Tennis Stadium. Tickets are cheap—they range from $5 (for general admission to the Miss Aloha Hula competition) to $25 (for the best seats for all three nights)—but the trick is getting them. The festival accepts only money orders and cashier's checks, and ticket requests must be postmarked on December 26: Anything earlier will not be accepted, and anything later will be too late (merriemonarchfestival.org). Hotel rooms for that week can book up to a year in advance, so if you're even thinking about attending, arrange your lodging way ahead of time.

If you can't make it Merrie Monarch, don't despair—there are other places to see hula. Oahu's annual Prince Lot Hula Festival, an intimate daylong affair preceded by two days of cultural events, is held every July in Honolulu's Moanalua Gardens. There, you can snap up feather leis and woven lauhala baskets at the attendant crafts fair (mgf-hawaii.org).

Lodging
Hilo does not have the luxury resorts or hotels you'll find in so many other Hawaiian destinations. The city's three largest hotels are clustered on Banyan Drive, on Hilo Bay, and are pretty much interchangeable: The Castle Hilo Hawaiian (808-935-9361; hilohawaiian.com; doubles, $145–$195), the Naniloa Volcanoes Hotel (808-969-3333; naniloaresort.com; doubles, $95–$160), and the Hilo Seaside Hotel (800-560-5557; sand-seaside.com; doubles, $118–$145) all have basic amenities (restaurants, gift shops, room service) and not much more. Most adventurous travelers might prefer the Dolphin Bay Hotel, close to downtown. Owner (and volcano nut) John Alexander is a delightful host, and the rooms—really efficiencies with small kitchens and balconies—have a charm not found in Hilo's larger hotels. A path behind the property leads to a garden with orchids and birds-of-paradise. Be warned, though, that the grounds are home to a breed of birds that chirp throughout the night (877-935-1466; dolphinbayhotel.com; doubles, $99–$119).

Dining
Hilo's culinary options, while limited, are decadent for a city of its size. Restaurant Kaikodo is run by James Beard–trained Michael Fennelly, and almost everything is wonderful, from the lunchtime sandwiches to the dinnertime fish dishes (60 Keawe St.; 961-2588; entrées, $14–$32). You'll find decent Italian at Café Pesto (S. Hata Bldg.; 969-6640; entrées, $9–$19) and Pescatore (235 Keawe St.; 969-9090; entrées, $11–$23). Late-night (or early-morning) diners end up at Ken's House of Pancakes, Hilo's only all-night eating establishment. If you can overlook the roving bands of highschool students the food is surprisingly good. Try the loco moco, a Hawaiian fast-food dish that consists of a scoop of rice topped with a hamburger and a sunny-side-up egg (1730 Kamehameha Ave.; 935-8711; entrées, $8–$17).