Don't Let Madame Pele discourage you
 

We just returned from a week on the Big Island. This was a long-planned vacation with our five grown sons and their families. The house was rented and airline tickets purchased when the Volcano decided to come to life. I anxiously followed the news, read the thread here on the Forum and asked questions of our landlord. I swung back and forth dramatically - nothing to worry about to we're all going to die. I subscribed to the USVGS webpage and followed all their announcements. Every time I would relax there would be a new earthquake or explosion. I started looking into options on other islands. Finally we had a family skype conference two days pre-journey to decide. concerns ranged from tsunamis to ash to VOG to earthquakes. After much back and forth and research we decided it would be too difficult to reroute everyone so we would take our chances with Madame Pele.

AND WE ARE SO GLAD WE DID. We stayed in Kailua Kona - while there was VOG off and on it didn't stop us from exploring and enjoying the beach and the town. Two of the kids stayed on after and visited other parts of the island and had a great time.

So if you have a trip to Big Island planned, go by all means. Everything is normal except in Volcano National Park and the immediate area around it - and there are a whole lot less tourists than normal. Indeed that is the biggest worry of the folks who live there as they have already lost a great deal of business.

I'm not a Big Island expert having only visited once, but if you do have questions I'd be happy to try to answere.

Very glad you enjoyed your stay on the Big Island; many folks don't understand that a very small portion of the island is affected (terribly, for them), but the rest of the island is very affected by the drop in tourism.

Thanks so much for posting. The images are so horrific and most people don't grasp that it is such an isolated area that is being affected. I live on Kauai and many of my friends and family members remain frightened for my safety.

I work at an annual conference in Kailua-Kona in mid-July. The attendance numbers for this year's event are way down. People are frightened by the prospect of vog. How bad was that for you?

I'm glad you had a nice trip--and that you didn't cancel!

Thank you! We are headed there next month (so nice to say that) and are excited. MANY of our friends are asking, "What are your plans now?". My answer is no change and we are excited to go. I am actually MORE excited to go. Bummer to not get to the NP, but oh well, it is a big island with lots of things to do.
Again, thanks for your post.

The Volcanoes National Park Kahuku Unit is 116,000 acres and is still open - in fact, they expanded operation from two days a week to five. You can still learn from NPS rangers and explore how volcanoes created the islands. You won't (hopefully!) see lava here, but you'll still enjoy your visit.

The air quality here varies with the tradewinds, but, even on the worst days last month is was usually worse in Kona than here.

https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/kahuku-hikes.htm

From the NPS site:
Although two-thirds of the park has been closed since May 11, everyone is invited to visit the park’s Kahuku Unit, located an hour south of the main entrance on Highway 11 near mile marker 70.5. The Kahuku Unit is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., but can be impacted by poor air quality depending on wind direction. Park rangers are also serving visitors and the community at Mokupāpapa Discovery Center in downtown Hilo Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and starting Mon., June 4, will be on site at the Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rangers are also at the Hilo Airport most days, and at the Naniloa Hotel Sundays and Mondays to answer questions about the park and current eruption conditions.

If you haven't followed the news, there is a much welcome and mostly not understood pause in the Fissure 8 activity and seismic activity at the summit. Experts are saying a pause is not uncommon and it's possible for the eruptive activity to resume. Or not.

Good news is that with the diminishing earthquake activity at Kilauea crater / Volcano Village area, the newspaper reported that serious plans are moving forward to re-open Volcanoes National park in phases as safety and infrastructure repairs allow.

The county has requested over $600 million for government response and aid to victims.

Hoping for some new normal to emerge and that the people of Puna can get life going again. And, Civil Defense agency / first responders can get a breather.