How Do We Get There?

Kilauea Visitor Center

The Jaggar Museum and Observatory

The Steam Vents and Steaming Bluff

The Thurston Lava Tube

The Volcano House

Chain of Craters Road

So, why visit the Big Island of Hawaii? OK, it’s in Hawaii and a super place to vacation (that’s the obvious), but it also has an awesome active volcano that has been pushing out bright red lava for many years. You can’t find that in Chicago or Los Angeles (those of you from Portland or Seattle come pretty close) and it is truly amazing to witness and experience in person. The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is the biggest tourist destination in the islands and the most visited active volcano in the world. So, let’s see what is really there. [arve url="https://youtu.be/tMXsQxA556M"/]From Hilo: travel 30 miles southwest on Highway 11 (a 45 minute drive); from Kailua-Kona: 96 miles southeast on Highway 11 (2 to 2 1/2 hour drive), or 125 miles through Waimea and Hilo via highways 19 and 11 (2 1/2 to 3 hours). It is well worth the trip and there is much to see on the drive. [caption id="attachment_363" align="alignnone" width="640"]Kamokuna ocean entry lava flow on February 24, 2017 Photo coutesy of NPS/J. Wei[/caption]Kilauea Visitor Center, on the Crater Rim Drive is a great start for any trip to the National Park. The visitors center is open from 7:45 to 5:00 pm daily. There are some great videos being played hourly as well as a load of fascinating photos and information. The Rangers also lead hikes from the Center.This observatory, also located on the Rim Drive, is my favorite spot on the volcano. The museum is open from 8:30 till 5:00 and is loaded with scientific information as well as great history of the area. My favorite exhibit is the work suit from one scientist who fell through the crust into the lava. He lived, but there couldn’t be enough burn ointment on earth to fix that mistake. By the way, lava runs about 2000 degrees Fahrenheit (I’m sweating just thinking about that). There is a stunning overlook into the volcano caldera (that’s where the hot stuff is). The caldera lake lava level rises and falls with the various lava flows but at dusk or night you can see the lava glow. This is a must visit spot in the park.These steam vents show us what effects can come along with the volcano. Small amounts of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide are released at Steam Vents (why didn’t I pay attention in Chemistry). Heated water brings these to the surface as “stinky steam”, but it’s a great site to visit.Access to the lava tube is through a small pit crater. The trail descends along the wall of the crater then across its floor. The 20-minute walk at Thurston Lava Tube will give you a close-up look at a Hawaiian rainforest and the lava tube. Hawaiian’s actually lived in these tubes in the early days of the culture. This tube was formed about 500 years ago. A flashlight is helpful and this trail could be slippery.This is a great historic hotel located right in the National Park. This hotel was built in 1846 and has hosted many presidents as well as the famous of America and the world. Sit by the fire and enjoy the cozy environment. This hotel also has an amazing restaurant with a full view of the crater. They have the best view in town. They offer a great buffet breakfast, with a beautiful morning view of the crater. At dinner time the glow of the crater is such an amazing scene while enjoying a meal. Call early to reserve your table closest to the window.This scenic drive down from the Crater Rim Drive is about 19 miles in length and drops from the rim area down to the sea. This road once formed a circle but has been cut off due to multiple lava flows across the road. There are no services except toilets along the way so be sure to prepare with food and drinks in a cooler. Stop along the way at Pu’u Loa about 16 miles from the start of the road. PuÊ»u Loa is a very scared and religious place for many of the people of HawaiÊ»i and has been used ritually for over 500 years. It is the largest petroglyph field in the State of HawaiÊ»i so stop and take a look, but remember it is truly a sacred spot. Planning a vacation to the Big Island of Hawaii? plan your visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park today!Skyline Eco Adventures is the first zipline company in the USA. Skyline’s mission is to provide a safe and exciting means for seeing and experiencing the natural wonder of the Hawaiian Islands. Skyline has four zipline tour courses on three islands and additional tours such as the Lava N’ Zip Tour Zip N’ Dip Tour on the Big Island and the Haleakala Sunrise Bike N’ Zip Tour on Maui.