Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Volcano

The views are absolutely breathtaking! My favorite part was walking on the dried up lava rock and sitting down and seeing the lava flow into the ocean. I loved it! I also liked the caves and tunnels to walk through, and the craters and steam cavets were really cool too. The only problem I had was the long drives down the volcano and the long, long, long walks, however that is part of the park, and overall it was a whole lot of fun!

We really enjoyed this trip. We drove around the Crater Rim trail- a bunch of craters, steam rising from the ground. The best part was the drive downward along what I think is called Crater Road. Amazing change in scenery and once you reach about 75% down to the end of the road there is a place where you can view the old road that was covered with lava and now undrivable, look up at the mountain and you can see where the lava flowed down, then drive to the very end and peer off the edge to see where the lava meets the ocean. We did this along with the short 10-15 min Devistation Trail in 4.5hrs

Absolutely wonderful, however it is a long and sweaty walk to see the lava. You should bring plenty of water, wear hiking boots and a flashlight or two. It takes so long that you will probably get back when the sun has set.

The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the big island is the most awesome experience I have ever had on many trips to Hawaii. The power of nature takes my breath away. On an extended visit to the islands, my entire family agreed that the visit to the volcano was the highlight of the trip. I recommend starting the tour at the visitor's center (great gift shops there and not too expensive!), watching the film about the eruptions there, then taking the driving tour. Be sure to walk through the Thurston Lava Tube to see lava from the inside out. Stop and walk to the steam vents to feel the heat of the lava. Drive down the mountain for a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean, then walk (carefully) over the cold lava fields to see the red hot lava flowing into the ocean. Take a helicopter tour to really see the extent of the volcano and lava. If you can, take a night tour of the area to see the red lava at night. Awesome experience. Right up there with the Grand Canyon.