Banyan Tree Drive is a little peninsula that extends out into the bay. It used to be just rocks and old coral... but in 1933, the Hilo Parks Commission decided to have famous celebrities plant Banyan tree saplings along the road. There are wooden plaques on the trees showing the famous people that planted them. Dubbed the 'Hilo walk of fame', it includes actors from the old movie "Four Frightened People," filmed in Hilo back in 1933. Does the name of producer Cecil B. Demille ring a bell? Depends on your age. People like president Franklin Roosevelt, President Richard Nixon, our favorite adventurer, Amelia Earhart, and the baseball player, Babe Ruth, are all represented!
The Banyan trees have since grown to provide a beautiful shaded canopy along the road. Banyan trees are fascinating, because they grow aerial roots - when a branch gets too heavy for the tree to support, the roots will touch the ground and grow another trunk.
Want to drive on the Banyan Tree drive?
Check out our North Island Jungle Adventure Loop Tour!