# Big Island Question



## gmarine (Jun 15, 2016)

I got some great tips here for a first trip to Hawaii this summer. Flying into Oahu for 4 nights at Ko Olina, then to Maui for 5 nights at the Hyatt Residence Club then on to the big island for a week at Kingsland. My family and I want to check out the Mauna Kea visitor center, but not go to the summit, as well as spend some time at Volcanoes NP.  

Because of the 2 hour plus drive I was thinking about leaving Kingsland and spending one night in the middle of the week at a hotel in that area, maybe Kilauea lodge and then back to Kingsland later the next day. I figure this gives us two days in that area without driving there twice. 

Besides the extra cost, does this make sense and is it worth it to avoid the drive twice to spend more time in that area ?  We were going to add 2 nights at Volcanoes NP at the beginning of the week but couldnt work the flights to fit so this my next thought.


----------



## Luanne (Jun 15, 2016)

If you want to see Volcano National Park it absolutely makes sense to spend the night.  Just realized that since you are spending only a week on the Big Island it will take two days out of your trip....but well worth it.


----------



## SmithOp (Jun 15, 2016)

We were just at Kings Land in May, three in our group took the late night lava viewing tour. They were picked up about 11am and returned about midnight, visited the Jagger overlook after dark.  It included picnic lunch and dinner at Volcano Lodge.  Might be something to consider as opposed to staying at the park.

After all the running around I think we enjoyed happy hour at the super pool then BBQ grilling at sunset the most.







Sent from my iPad Mini 4 using Tapatalk


----------



## Ron98GT (Jun 15, 2016)

A couple of years ago, we went to the Mauna Kea shop (needed a sweatshirt for  up on top), drove to the summit to see the observatories (very, very windy), drove into Hilo for a while, and then went down to VNP to see the lava, before heading back to Waikoloa. All due-able in one day, although you will get back late and will sleep-in late the next day.  My opinion, no need to spend the night, additional money, and time by staying in VNP.

If your worried about the drive, you might consider one of the many tours that are available:

http://www.viator.com/tours/Big-Isl...History-Small-Group-Tour/d669-6651BIOD/pickup

http://www.viator.com/tours/Big-Isl...ark-Small-Group-Twilight-Tour/d669-2804TWIVOL


We'll be back in Waikoloa for 3 weeks in December.  Planning to drive to VNP one of the days, hike down to the lava at dusk, and then drive back that night.


Current lava flow:

https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/lava2.htm


Lastly, I would't have any concern about traveling on Saddle Road, regardless what you have heard.  It was a nicely and recently paved road, with wide individual lanes and passing lanes.


----------



## Luanne (Jun 15, 2016)

I agree that the trip to Volcano National Park _can_ be done in one day. We did it the first time we went to the Big Island. But, after that we said "never again" and always spent at least one night in Volcano Village.

If you want to see the lava at night, unless you want to make that drive back to Kingsland late, and in the dark, you can't do it unless you stay over.


----------



## Deb from NC (Jun 15, 2016)

I would definitely spend a night there....we spent 2 nights and it was not enough to do all we wanted in the park.  We stayed at Volcano House in the park and had a wonderful view of the crater.  Not inexpensive, but we don't get to Hawaii often so it was worth the splurge!


----------



## "Roger" (Jun 15, 2016)

I would recommend a one day tour. There are a number of tour companies available. The one that my wife took was provided by Forest and Trail tours. Link to web site. They will pick you up very near Kingsland and shepherd you around all day. 

The advantages are they know the top places to stop. You do not. Furthermore, it would not at all be unusual to have rain showers in the area and the tour director can watch the sky and adjust the schedule to avoid the more local showers. (This is what happened to us.) The tour will last until after dark and you will be taken to one spot where you can currently see the glow from a caldera filled with lava. Finally, when you are dead tired, they will drive you back at night.

Admittedly this cost money, but so does renting a place away from Kingsland and losing part of your stay there.

As mentioned there are other tour companies that do similar things, but this is the one my wife and I took and we were highly satisfied.


----------



## ronandjoan (Jun 15, 2016)

Looks like you still have to make up your own mind, everyone has their own opinion!!!!

The first time we visited the volcano ( which was not our first visit to the BI but our second), we spent the night in the town of Volcano ( cheaper than the lodge in the park) so as to be able to visit the park better than 2 round trips.  And we have never taken a bus tour.. Do not want to spend the $$. Save your $ for an airplane tour later instead .. Then you see the waterfalls you can't see by road and the flowing lava.

If you need more specifics for the BI, read the May/June special Hawaii issue of Timesharing Today ( and I have an article in there too... "Big Wonders of the Big Island.")


----------



## HappyGoLucky (Jun 15, 2016)

[/QUOTE]Because of the 2 hour plus drive I was thinking about leaving Kingsland and spending one night in the middle of the week at a hotel in that area, maybe Kilauea lodge and then back to Kingsland later the next day. I figure this gives us two days in that area without driving there twice. 

Besides the extra cost, does this make sense and is it worth it to avoid the drive twice to spend more time in that area ?  We were going to add 2 nights at Volcanoes NP at the beginning of the week but couldn't work the flights to fit so this my next thought.[/QUOTE]



I would suggest that you spend the night. Kilauea Lodge is terrific! You could enjoy breakfast there or at VNP. If you have a military ID, you could also look into renting a night at KMC, Kilauea Military Camp. Staying the night will give you a better opportunity to visit the East side of the island or drive through Ka'u to get back to Waikoloa. The extra night sure beats the full day of rushing.


----------



## DaveNV (Jun 15, 2016)

Any chance you have a connection to the military? (Your screen name makes me wonder.) If so, the Kilauea Military Camp has modest accommodations inside Volcano National Park for very reasonable prices.  You can see the lava and such at night, then get along with your plans the next day. I stayed there about this time last year, and it was fine, for a place to sleep in the right part of the island.

http://kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Dave


----------



## Rjbeach2003 (Jun 16, 2016)

I'll my voice to staying in Volcano, even Hilo.  I have done the Kohala Coast to VNP one day R/T twice, once driving.  I wouldn't again.  Had a much more enjoyable time when we stayed in Volacano for 2 nights.
You can leave early from Kingsland and go either over Saddle (quicker) or along the Hamakua Coast.  Then on return do the other, or possibly the southern route.
I see no need for a tour as then you are locked into their schedule, you will be visiting all sites with a large crowd of people, and you can't stay longer at places you find more interesting.


----------



## gmarine (Jun 16, 2016)

Thank you to all who have replied with the great information and advice which helped us to make a decision. 
 We are going to do one night at Volcano to avoid all the driving in one day and to allow more time to explore the area. Then we will return to Kingsland via a different route to allow us to explore other areas without doing the drive again . I'm also not a fan of organized tours because I like to do things at my own pace so I think this is the way for us to go. 
Again, much thanks to all for the comments and advice.


----------



## "Roger" (Jun 17, 2016)

Given the positive comments of those who have stayed overnight near the Volcano NP and the OP's comments, I think she is making a good decision to stay overnight. An overnight visit will definitely be more relaxing. The purpose of this posting is not to try to dissuade her, but, for the sake of others who might be interested in visiting the park, I want to comment more about the value of some of the tours.

First of all, while some of the tours are on large busses with large groups, not all the tours use them. My own tour was on a van limited to 12 passengers. While we did visit two sites with very large crowds, contrary to what was said in one post these were not our only stops. In fact, about 80% of the time we were at sites where we were the only hikers/visitors or there were no more than six or eight other people. The two sites with large numbers of people did include busses, other tour vans, but also tons of people who came in individual cars. These are the well advertised attractions, and, because of that,  where most individuals sight seeing on their own end up. The tour is what took us to sites lesser known.

The primary value of a tour (or, at least our tour) was the information we gained. From the moment we were picked up in Waikoloa and crossed the island, I learned that the barren landscape on the center of the island and west side was originally a forest so dense that a German naturalist found it almost impassible to move about. The deforestation was due to the value that Europeans put on sandlewood. In addition, we learned why Mauna Loa has the unexpected shape that it does, that it would actually be higher than Mauna Kea if it were not so heavy and pushing down on the earth's crust, what the original vegetation was on the east side of the island, where that vegetation was being reestablished, how those spots differ from areas dominated with canoe plants and more recent introduced species, how to tell the difference between sites with original vegetation versus introduced vegetation, the difference between the two kinds of lava deposits that one walked on and how they came about, etc. 

Put differently, the tour was an intense (not relaxing, but somewhat exhausting) nine hour, educational seminar on the local ecology. (The total tour time for those being picked up at Waikoloa was eleven hours, but the last two hours at night are spent sleeping in the van while being driven back to the pick up location.)

Again, I am not trying to convince the OP to do anything different from what she has already decided, but I think some of the comments in this thread misrepresent or fail to capture the value of at least some of the possible tours.


----------



## MuranoJo (Jun 18, 2016)

"Roger" said:


> Given the positive comments of those who have stayed overnight near the Volcano NP and the OP's comments, I think she is making a good decision to stay overnight. An overnight visit will definitely be more relaxing. The purpose of this posting is not to try to dissuade her, but, for the sake of others who might be interested in visiting the park, I want to comment more about the value of some of the tours.
> 
> First of all, while some of the tours are on large busses with large groups, not all the tours use them. My own tour was on a van limited to 12 passengers. While we did visit two sites with very large crowds, contrary to what was said in one post these were not our only stops. In fact, about 80% of the time we were at sites where we were the only hikers/visitors or there were no more than six or eight other people. The two sites with large numbers of people did include busses, other tour vans, but also tons of people who came in individual cars. These are the well advertised attractions, and, because of that,  where most individuals sight seeing on their own end up. The tour is what took us to sites lesser known.
> 
> ...



Roger, we're normally the type that like to strike out on our own and avoid the 'boatloads' of people who normally accompany a tour.  But I agree, we've also been on some smaller tours which have been fabulous and worth every cent.  Sounds like the one you describe may well be worth the $$, especially to newcomers.


----------



## HappyGoLucky (Jul 1, 2016)

If lava viewing is on your list, be sure to visit Kalapana. The county has opened a lava viewing area. If you would prefer to see it from the ocean, plan ahead. There were a limited amount of permits given to captains and they will ge in high demand once the lava reaches the ocean.


----------

