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This US National Park is Hawaii's #1 tourist attraction and is best accessed from the Hilo side of the Big Island, AKA the Island of Hawaii.

To really experience and enjoy seeing one of the few active volcanoes in the world, you will need a few days. Volcanoes National Park is a perfect experience for a romantic vacation, or a family vacation.

We enjoyed our volcano activities in Hawaii! Do not miss this when you plan your Hawaii vacation.

You can tour it on your own or take an organized tour.

There are 3 active volcanoes in Hawaii and Volcanoes National Park houses Kilauea which has been erupting continuously since 1983 and is home to the Goddess of Fire, Madame Pele.

The drive will take about and hour to the town of Volcano from the Hilo airport. The drive is beautiful and lush. Make sure you take food and water as there isn't much opportunity to get it in the park. If you forget to bring it, you can stop in the town of Volcano and pick up your supplies at the local store.

Hours of Operation:

• Park is open 24 Hours every day of the year.
• The Visitor center is open from 7:45 am to 5:00 pm
• Jaggar Museum - 8:30 am to 8:00 pm

Check with the Park to find out what areas of the park may be closed for various reasons.

Fees:

• $10 per vehicle for a 7 day pass
• $5 per individual for a 7 day pass

Make sure you start at the Kilauea Visitor Center in Volcanoes National Park. It has been recently renovated and is a great start to your day. Watch the "Born of Fire...Born of Sea" movie as it is a great introduction to the park. The movie runs for 20 minutes and starts every hour on the hour from 9 am to 4 pm. It is worth the stop to orient yourself to the park and decide what you want to see during your time in the park.

The Park Rangers are there to help you plan your tour. They also have ranger-guided walks and hikes.

Across Crater Rim Drive from the Visitor Center (the road around the Kilauea Caldera - the main road you will tour around) is Volcano House. Volcano House is the only hotel in the park and has spectacular views. This is worth the stop!

Crater Rim Drive is the main road that circles the Kilauea Caldera in the Park. It takes you to all the major attractions in the park.

The circle is almost 11 miles and you will drive through tropical rain forest, dessert and to many well marked scenic stops and attractions. It really is an amazing drive! (We loved our drive around Crater Rim drive - the active volcano in Hawaii)

Some areas may be closed due to dangerous conditions like toxic gases or other hazards. Check with the Visitor Center or the website to see before you go.

Our advice is to go clockwise around the Crater Rim Drive as most tour buses go clockwise. This will hopefully relieve some of the crowds.

There are many things to see and experience along Crater Rim Drive including spectacular views of  Kilauea Caldera:

• Kilauea Iki Overlook
• Thurston Lava Tube (DO NOT MISS!)
• Pu 'u Pua'i Overlook
• Chain of Craters Road (40 mile round trip - only do if you have time)
• Devastation Trail
• Keanakako'i Crater
• Halema'uma'u Crater
• Southwest Rift Zone
• Jaggar Museum
• Kilauea Overlook
• Steam Vents, Steaming Bluff and Sulphur Banks
• Kilauea Iki Trail

Wow I saw this video on YouTube and had to share it! Kilauea Volcano Erupted over the July 4th, 2008 Weekend giving it's own fireworks presentation! Make sure you plan a trip to the volcano if you are planning a trip to Hawaii! The best way to see lava is via a helicopter tour like this video!

We were there in July 2007 and it had just started up again - only saw a little lava flow - this is SPECTACULAR! Shows you how incredible our planet really is!