Have you ever tried to make an appointment with a volcano? It’s impossible. As much as we’d love for Madam Pele to wake up at a designated time (preferably when we’re visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park), she will never have a predictable schedule. And can you blame her? If you were a volcano goddess, you’d wake up whenever you felt like it too!
If you happen to be on vacation on the Big Island when Kilauea is erupting, consider yourself lucky! If you’re vacationing on the Big Island when Kilauea is NOT erupting, you should still consider yourself lucky, because there is SO much to do and see in the park, Volcano Village, and the surrounding area. It’s hard to narrow it down, but here are our top 8 experiences that you can plan on enjoying, even when Pele is asleep.
Photo credit: NPS Photo
- The Kīlauea Iki Crater
There are more than 150 miles of hiking trails in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, leading through rainforests, past steam vents, to scenic overlooks, and back. And the Kīlauea Iki Trail is one of our favorite hikes. The nearly 3.3 mile hike takes you from the Kīlauea Iki Overlook, and down into and across a solid lava lake, where you’ll be able to gaze into a vent that spewed fountains of molten lava 1,900 feet high in the air.
Tutu’s Tip: Always check the Alert’s page before you visit the park, as conditions can change quickly and trails can close.
- The Thurston Lava Tube
As you approach Nāhuku, or the Thurston Lava Tube, you’ll be greeted by lush scenery and serenaded by native forest birds before approaching the 0.3 mile-long underground lava tube. Created by the river of 2000 degree-Fahrenheit lava that once flowed here, the tunnel emerges on the other side, where you’ll follow signs through the rainforest on the other side.
Photo credit: NPS Photo
- The Sea Arch
A drive Chain of Craters Road is a must if you have the time. The road will take you past several volcanic craters and all the way out to the coast. At the end of the road, you’ll find an observation area for the Hōlei Sea Arch, a lava rock formation nearly 90 feet high that extends from the steep sea cliffs above into the ocean below. You’ll find the observation area just past the gate at the end of Chain of Craters Road, on the right-hand side. Since the cliffs here can be dangerously unstable, be sure to stay in the designated viewing area for your safety.
- Petroglyphs & Fossilized Footprints
Journey along a 1.4 miles (round-trip) coastal trail to Pu’u Loa, a nearly 550-year-old field of petroglyphs that happens to be the largest field of petroglyphs in the state of Hawai’i. With around 23,000 ki’i pohaku (stone carvings) etched into the field’s hardened lava, this hike is one unforgettable experience. You can also take the Ka’ū Desert trail to the Ka’ū Desert, a remote area along the Southwest rift zone with footprints fossilized in the hardened ash of the desert!
- Natural Beauty
ʻOhiʻa lehua are the flowers of Hawaii’s ʻohiʻa tree. Honored in many Hawaiian chants, the blossoms may be yellow, coral, fiery red, or even white. You can see the ʻohiʻa tree and its vivid flowers in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and even in the backyard at Tutu’s Place. You’ll also find the māmane, with its vibrant yellow flowers blooming in the forests along Mauna Loa Road in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Keep an eye out for ʻapapane, iʻiwi, and other native birds that are attracted to the māmane blossoms. And of course we have to mention the hapu’u, the largest tree fern in Hawai’i. Its giant fronds adorn the trails near Kīlauea’s summit.
Photo credit: NPS Photo
- Artistic Expressions
In the heart of the Niaulani Rain Forest is the Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus and educational facility, featuring a fine arts gallery that showcases 230 local artists’ handcrafted artwork and offers classes, should you want to explore your creative side while visiting Volcano. And just outside of the park sits Cafe Ono, a historical farmhouse-turned-gallery that boasts lush gardens and greenhouses without and an art studio that dazzles with ceramics, fiber arts, painting, sculpture, and other contemporary Hawaiian arts within. While you’re there, enjoy a delicious vegan or gluten-free lunch. And speaking of food…
- Wine & Dine
Start your day with the breakfast buffet at the Rim in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park’s Volcano House. Where else can you pair freshly-baked pastries and waffles, and savory breakfast meats and eggs with breathtaking views from the edge of the Kilauea caldera? For a hearty lunch or dinner, head to Volcano’s Lava Rock Cafe, a volcano-themed diner just minutes outside of the park. Be sure to check out their soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, beef stroganoff, and mouth-watering desserts. Before you head back to your charming cottage in Volcano Village, stop by the Volcano Winery, the southernmost winery in the United States, for volcanic fire-inspired local wine.
- Shop
You can’t leave Volcano without picking up some unique souvenirs, thoughtfully crafted and created by local artisans. Conveniently located next to Lava Rock Cafe, Kilauea Kreations has an array of crafting supplies, as well as handmade luggage tags, key chains, oven mitts, and more! And the Volcano Gallery features koa wood frames, jewelry, pens, and gifts and goods for the home and office, while the Kilauea Lodge Gift Shop is your source for island-inspired treasures, including jewelry, shirts, soaps, lotions, books, decals, and stuffed animals, to name a few of our favorites.
These are just a few of the amazing experiences you can enjoy when visiting Volcano, Hawai’i, whether Kilauea is sleeping or putting on a show! We’re always happy to share more ideas for things to do and see, so send us a message at volcanoheritagecottages@gmail.com
Our historic cottages are conveniently located just minutes away from all the magic of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, so book your stay at the Volcano Heritage Cottages today. And if Pele wakes up weeks or months after your visit, consider it a sign that you need to return to the Big Island – The volcano is waiting!