Lois

I will be visiting the Big Island for 6 nights. Originally, I was thinking about staying 4 nights at Four Seasons Hualalai and then 2 nights at the Kilauea Lodge so that we would be closer to Volcanoes National Park. I would appreciate opinions on whether this itinerary is a good one, or whether I should just stay the 6 nights at the FS and take a day trip to VNP.

It's a toss-up. The FS Resort is supposed to be so beautiful, and I might be able to get a discount for staying 6 nights. But, I would then be far away from VNP and would be paying a lot more money to stay at the FS than at Kilauea Lodge. The extra money would not be an issue except that we won't even be at the resort for a full day if we make our visit to VNP a day trip from Hualalai.

Those of you who have already made this trip, please tell me what you think.

Thanks to all!

cash

Lois,
We just did this trip in March. We enjoyed Kilauea Lodge (we stayed 3 nights and that was 1night too long. It is a long drive up/back from the FS. We did the helicopter trip from Hilo (much less expensive than from Kona side) and that was fun. If you stay at Kilauea Lodge and plan to eat dinner there, do make your dinner reservations at the same time as booking - they were always "sold out" if you wait until that day. There is a Thai restaurant in the village that was excellent, too (also need reservations). We saw and did all we needed to in the Park in less than a day. Hope that helps.

Dan

Lois, I would stay at the FS. What difference does it make how long you'll be away? If you used that criteria, then you would never leave the resort at all to do ANY sightseeing! Just leave early enough in the morning--and by early or late afternoon you will be grateful that you returned to that beautiful resort after that long drive! I don't know what your plns are, but for me personally, it didn't take that long to drive through the park because, unlike many people, I was NOT that fascinsted with it. The scenery is similar to looking at the surface of the moon, I suppose, and that is NOT the reason I go to a tropical island to begin with! Of course, if you want to view a volcanic eruption at night, that's a different story!!

tom

we stayed at the 4S in Feb. I cannot say enough great things about the place. It was the best hotel that we have ever stayed at. Not only is the place gorgeous, but the staff is impeccable. We had planned to go to VNP but once we arrived at 4S, we had no reason to leave. Do yourself a favor and stay all 6 nights, you'll love it.

Dawn Ct

I would definately include one night near VNP. When we go to the Big Island, we stay at the Kilauea Military Lodge and really enjoy the cool mountain air, the hiking, the stars and the glow of the lava entering the ocean at night. The park rangers offer excellent hikes and you have the opportunity to see things that you would miss from the car window.

Jenny

It just depends on your interests. Do you like hiking, do you love volcanos, or do you prefer snorkeling and swimming? We stayed two nights at VNP and thought it was one night too long. I expected to be more impressed with the volcano than I was, and we both wished we had more time at the beaches. It's just a question of your interests, but based on your questioning it, I would stay at the FS, then take a day trip to the volcano just to say you'd seen it, but that's just my beach-loving opinion. Have fun!

Lois

Thanks to all of you for your responses! I am just wondering, aside from VNP, is there anything else on that side of the island that would make me want to stay a night at Kilauea Lodge?

Also, can anyone offer a view and room preferance at the FS Hualalai?

And, does anyone know if the lava flow can still be seen at night? I think I read that the lava flow cannot be seen any longer, but I want to be sure that is true before I make a final lodging selection.

Thank you again. I will look foward to reading your continued responses.

tani

To do on the vcolcano side- Thurston lava tube, hiking over the fresh lava, VNP museum, and lots of little art galleries in the Volcanoes and Hilo areas. I'm really not sure how active the flow is for night viewing. There is also the lush rainforest up in Waipio Valley and Laupahoehoe(sp?) both north of Hilo. The two sides of the island of Hawaii are so different, it would be a shame not to explore a little.
I'd reserve one night at Kilauea Lodge.. You can drive over in the morning and work through your must-sees. If you finish up early, go back to the FS first thing the second morning, If you find lots of stuff to interest you, leave late in the afternoon.

dana

That drive to the volcano is no big deal.
I've done it three times for a day trip from Kona and way north from the Hapuna.
If you get on the road by 9 a.m. you'll
make it to the volcano by noon (and that
includes a stop for breakfast)
and then it doesn't take that long to tool around the top of the volcano, but
you'll be missing so much if you don't drive the extra 17 miles or so down chain of craters road. It only takes around 25 minutes to drive down and it will probably be the only sunny spot near the volcano.
The first time we went to VNP we missed the chain of craters road thing altogether, and on the second trip, we went down chain of craters, then the road dead-ended, so we parked the car,
then hiked in about a mile and saw
the lava flowing out of the earth./
It was SPECTACULAR!!
On the third trip a while back, we also
drove the extra miles down Chain of Craters road and also hiked in, but the path of the lava flow had changed, but we still saw it flowing into the ocean
It was also the only sunny area about the volcano.
Basically, if you do that itinerary, then you would expect to return to your
4S Hotel around 6 or 7 p.m. that same evening, because the driving time will be 5-6 hours and you'll probably stop in both directions for a meal.
I don't feel that the volcano trip even
warrants staying near the volcano unless you plan to do some pretty serious hiking and insist upon seeing a nighttime lava flow.

Lois

I am still wondering about lava flow viewing. Does anyone know how to find out information about the flow?

Dana, what else did you see on the island that you thought was not to be missed? Was there anything in the Hilo area aside from shopping?

Also, would driving home after dark be a problem? If the lava is flowing at night, I would really like to see it.

Thanks again everyone!

Tracey

Lois,
On my honeymoon this past September we stayed for 3 nights at the Kilauea Lodge. The lodge itself was really nice and dinner was great-book ahead, but if I had it to do again, I would have stayed in a B&B in Hilo. That's because of the activites we choose to do. Do a search with my name in the text and Hawaii in the subject. There you can find my trip report part1. I listed all the different places we went and what I would do again.
We didn't have time to go to Kona, but we made that decision based on what we wanted to see on the BI.
Here is a website for the lava-it's flowing again...
http://www.volcanogallery.com/volcano_eruption.htm

Al

Personally, I think one night at VNP is plenty. We decided to stay over just to be there at night but we could have really done this as a day trip as well. I would NOT stay more than 1 night if you decide to stay over.

Lois

Tracey, I will be sure to read your trip report. And, thanks for the website address. I am really happy to hear that the lava is flowing again! I have been planniong this trip for a long time and it was one of the experiences I was most looking forward to!

Al, it seems as if one night is the answer. I would do it in a day trip if I was not staying to see the lava flow at night. I am not sure that I want to take the long ride back to the other side of the island that late at night.

Should I stay at the Kilauea Lodge the first night of my trip and then go on to the Four Seasons? Or should I go to the Four Seasons first and end my trip with the Kilauea Lodge? Any suggestions?

Gail

It's been at least 15 years, but i remember a beautiful beach with black sand south of the lava flow and a beautiful hike to a waterfall just a bit north of Hilo. Also a hike to see the petroglyphs on the way to see the flow was pretty cool also.

We did 6 days on Hawaii with 2 nights at the Volcano and then the rest at a beautiful resort north of Hilo. It would have been hard to leave the resort if we had stayed there first, so I was glad that we did the volcano activities first.

Lois

Gail, thanks for the reply. I think that going to the volcano first does make more sense. First, because many people say the same thing that you did, it is hard to leave a beautiful resort once you get there and, second, it would be nicer to go home relaxed rather than feeling a little harried from sightseeing up until the last moment.

I am only concerned about the weather. I have heard and read that the volcano area can be very cool and damp. I don't get sick often but when I do it is usually in very changeable weather like winter to spring and summer to fall. I am just concerned about possible extreme changes in weather going first from Kauai, then to Volcano, and finally to the Kohala Coast. I don't want to end my last 5 or 6 days sick if I can help it.

How cool and rainy does it get in Volcano in August?

Thanks again!

Lois

ttt