Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Planning around Eruptions

Around 4 months before we were due to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (NP) on the big island of Hawaii, I received a text from my sister asking if I had seen the news that a volcano was erupting there. I pulled up the National Park webpage and started to scroll through their updates on the volcanic activity, trail closures, etc. When it seemed clear that they hadn’t closed the park entirely and park authorities still deemed visiting relatively safe, I decided we would continue to plan our trip as normal.

Maybe some people, or even most, would have shut the trip down at that point, but the possibility of seeing lava (from a safe distance) made the visit even more exciting for us. One of us (we’ll let you guess who 😉) has the outrageous bucket list goal to throw something into molten lava one day, so we thought we were on our way to achieving a difficult, if not near impossible, objective. Of course, if the strength of the eruption had made visiting the park dangerous, we would have abandoned the trip entirely.

Since the volcanic activity seemed to be milder, we went ahead and booked our lodging (see details below), but by the time we were a month out from our visit, I had stopped checking on the park altogether. We thought that the eruption was continuing at a stable rate, so we were all surprised and a bit disappointed when we arrived to find that there was no active lava flowing whatsoever, just some tendrils of smoke wafting up from Kilauea’s crater. The eruption had stopped two months before we arrived!

Lessons Learned

It was entirely our own fault that we hadn’t stayed up to date on the state of the eruption, and we still had an amazing experience driving around the park and hiking the trails. However, our biggest disappointment hit us a week and a half after our visit, when we were back home: Kilauea was erupting yet again, and we had missed it by 11 days!

Clearly, the lesson to learn here for those who are planning a trip to this amazing national park is that nature is unpredictable. No amount of advanced forecasting can ensure the perfect conditions for seeing an eruption. In fact, your best bet for seeing one is probably to make spur-of-the-moment arrangements as soon as activity occurs, and even then, the eruption is certainly not guaranteed to continue. Last-minute travel is difficult with family trips, though, so it may be best to simply embrace whatever conditions you encounter and make the most of experiencing this extraordinary and beautiful natural wonder, which is worth the visit regardless of the eruption status.

How to Get to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

There are two major airports on the island of Hawaii. The closest one to Volcanoes NP is the Hilo International Airport (ITO), about 45 minutes away. The other major airport on the island is the Kona International Airport (KOA), a 2-hour drive from the park. If you want more flexibility while traveling with your family, the best way to get around the island is by renting a car. Both airports have a variety of rental companies to choose from. Bus tours are also offered from both Hilo and Kona to the park if you are not interested in renting a car or if you prefer to travel with a group or guide.

We looked into both airports in our initial searches for flights to and from the island. We ended up choosing Kona’s airport because the flight options and cost savings for our particular destination made the extra driving time worthwhile. Driving from Kona also gave us the opportunity to see more of the island because we purposefully chose to take one route to the park and a different route back, essentially making a large loop around the island. If you are willing to drive a little extra, we recommend that you look into both options and see which one offers the best price for you.

What to See and Do at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Driving Volcanoes NP

A drive down Crater Rim Drive and Chain of Craters Road will take you from the entrance and visitor center to the overlook of the active Kilauea crater to a few viewing sites of older volcanic activity and all the way to the coast. All of the sites detailed in the section below have designated parking areas and may involve short walks to the destination. For longer hikes, see the next section.

Kilauea Visitor Center

On our first visit to any national park, stopping at the visitor center is a must. At the very least, we can pick up a map, get our bearings, and learn about daily conditions and events. Like most national park visitor centers, Kilauea Visitor Center has an exhibit area and museum. We did not take a lot of time to walk through this particular area as this one was a little text heavy for our kids, and we were short on time, but it might be worth more time for older kids.

We asked the ranger on duty a few questions and got some stamps for our National Parks Passport and Junior Ranger Passport, and we also picked up a free Junior Ranger activity packet. It seemed more suited for older elementary-level students, but my oldest (4 at the time) took it home and asked me to read it over and over. Later, we returned to the visitor center to buy a few keepsakes from the gift shop as well.

Nahuku (Thurston Lava Tube)

A lava tube is formed when a river of molten lava flows underground, creating a cave when the lava moves elsewhere or stops flowing. The Thurston Lava Tube is a quick and easy walk from two nearby parking areas. This stop was the ideal site for the kids to get close to an old lava flow without much effort on our part, so I would recommend it for kids of all ages.

Kealakomo Overlook

Holei Sea Arch

The Holei Sea Arch is an arched formation on the lava-covered cliff of the shore. Seeing the arch is a limited-time experience since the erosion that created this arch will eventually destroy it entirely, though no one knows when this will occur. Parking was a struggle for us here. Cars were packed on both sides of the road, but after some circling, a spot eventually opened up. It is a short walk over the lava flow to the arch viewing point, so expect an uneven and unsteady course and not a level path or clear trail. Our eldest son was taking a nap by the time we reached this stop (we took turns sitting with him), but our youngest had a great time playing on the flow field.

Hiking Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Crater Rim Trail

The Crater Rim Trail is the main trail around the Kilauea crater. We took the path from the Volcano House to the Kilauea Overlook, which was about a mile and a half one way. The trail was mostly a crushed gravel and dirt path, but it was packed well enough that we managed it with our small stroller for our 2-year-old (although we needed to pick it up to maneuver around a couple of trickier spots). There were many viewpoints of the crater along the path, and it also passed through an area with steam vents that looked like an alien world and smelled strongly of sulfur. We would recommend making this trail a priority on your visit.

It is an easy walk for kids. Our 4-year-old walked a good portion of the way from the Volcano House to the overlook, though he also got a few breaks when the adults alternated carrying him. If making the entire 3-mile trek round trip is not an option for your family, it is possible to drive to the biggest scenic overlooks that have parking areas, or just walk part of the trail, turn around at the steam vents, and drive the rest of the way. If you have multiple adults in your party, you could do what we did and have one adult drive to the overlook to pick up the rest of the family.

Pu’uloa Petroglyphs

Kilauea Iki Trail

This 3.3-mile loop passes from the top of the Kilauea Iki crater rim through a thick rainforest down a 400-foot descent into a massive lava bed, the site of a 1959 eruption, and ascends back to the top of the overlook. We took our 4-year-old on this trail while our 2-year-old stayed with Nana for a rest.

He was not a seasoned hiker, so we were expecting lots of complaints, requests to be carried, and “are we almost there?” on repeat. And we were not completely wrong about that. 😉 However, he did surprise us and exceed our expectations. Best of all, he got the experience of a lifetime, walking around on a giant lake of solidified lava. How many 4-year-olds or even adults get to do that? Although this trail might not be the perfect fit for every family’s abilities or interests, if both parents and kids are up for a bit of a challenge, it will be worth it for the reward of a unique experience for all.

Where to Stay near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

I will be the first to admit that as much as I love planning a trip, I am often guilty of procrastinating on making certain decisions, especially when it comes to the finer details of choosing lodging, booking tours, and researching restaurants. This was one of those trips where my procrastination messed things up, so let this be a cautionary tale for you!

Namakanipaio Campground

We initially planned to book two cabins at the Namakanipaio Campgrounds near the Volcano House, located inside the park. The cabins are very simple, four-person accommodations (with just a bunk bed and double bed) and shared bathrooms on the campground. We liked the idea of staying in the park and having a more rustic experience without having to bring camping gear, especially since we were only staying for one night. The cabins were also very reasonably priced (they were just $85 a night at the time of our visit!). However, we waited too long to book them, and they were sold out four or five months in advance. So, if staying at the Volcano House cabins is something your family may be interested in, we would recommend booking as far in advance as possible due to their popularity and limited availability.

Volcano House

The Volcano House is the main national park lodge here. Rooms for 1-4 guests run around $285 a night or more. Most national parks lodges are generally more expensive than average lodging in the area since there is limited space and high demand. That price point was higher than we were hoping to pay for our stay in the area, so we kept looking, but if you are willing to spend more, this would be a unique place to stay. A steaming volcano is right out the back door!

Vacation Rental

We eventually chose to stay at an Airbnb in Mountain View, located just a few minutes from the park. There were a fair number of home rental options in the area when I researched both Airbnb and VRBO, but again, the options dwindled quickly the longer we waited (I booked about two months before our trip). Our final choice worked out fine since it was just a one-night stay, but if staying close to the park is a priority, booking 3-6 months in advance is a good idea, and even earlier may be wise for high season travel.

Where to Stay on the Big Island

Kona

On our second night on the big island, we wanted to drive from the park back towards Kona to be closer for our flight the following day. I spent hours researching resorts in Kona. Most of the Kona area resorts and hotels cost $200-400 per room per night. As we got closer to the trip, one of our family members with IHG hotel rewards booked a night at a Holiday Inn that would have cost around $400.

Knowing that it would be another single-night stay, where we might arrive just in time for dinner and bed only to leave first thing in the morning for our flight, I could not justify paying that much for some beds and a bathroom. We canceled the first hotel and decided to keep searching. However, if you are staying longer or are willing to spend more, Kona seems like a nice option.

Captain Cook

This unassuming hotel boasts the oldest restaurant on the island and offers some simple guest rooms as well. When I say “simple” I mean nearly the most humble and basic you can envision. There was no TV and no air conditioning. However, they did have Wi-Fi, and each room had a balcony with an ocean view down the hillside. We turned on the fan and opened up the screen door, which helped to cut the humidity a bit, but it was still warmer than we were accustomed to (J’s preferred sleeping temperature is arctic). The courtyard had a beautiful Japanese-style garden. The restaurant offered massive portions of Hawaiian classics.

At the time of our visit, the rooms cost $100 a night. It was definitely a “you get what you pay for” situation, but if all you need are beds and a bathroom, this is an economical choice for sure, and it will give you a sense of what visiting Hawaii would have been like in a simpler time–before massive resorts became the norm.

Where to Eat in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Since we did not spend a lot of time in this park or area, we limited ourselves to eating in the park, which basically gave us two options.

Volcano House

We ate two meals at the Volcano House: one sit down meal and pizza to go for another one. Our family thought the variety and quality were good overall, and the atmosphere of eating a meal while looking out on a smoking Kilauea was unparalleled.

Crater Rim Cafe

Crater Rim Cafe at Kilauea Military Camp on the park grounds offers breakfast and lunch daily and dinner on weekends. We stopped there for the breakfast buffet and, at the time, they were serving basic mess hall fare: pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, home fries, and fruit. The food was not rave-worthy by any means, but if you are looking for a slightly quicker breakfast option than dine-in service at the Volcano House, this is a decent option. There was plenty of seating, and we were able to walk right in on the morning we went. They do sometimes offer a set menu with a few more options, so check out their website for more current information.

Tips for Visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Preparation: Although the weather is fairly mild here year-round, we recommend layering clothes for both upper and lower elevations, and don’t forget rain gear, hats, and sunscreen.

Safety: Visiting an active volcanic site presents obvious risks that are worth emphasizing here. The park rangers and managers of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park website do a thorough job of keeping visitors updated on the status of the activity and any potential dangers, so we recommend following the website or the park’s social media handles to decide whether visiting the park is a good idea for your family.