We're spending 5 days on Kauai and 5 on Big Island. We fly from Kauai to Hilo and stay the first night in Volcano. The other 4 at Kolea condos in Waikoloa.

I need some insight from those of you familiar with volcano sightseeing and the drive to Waikoloa. Is the following do-able or is just too much for one day: The morning we wake up in Volcano I want to see all the Volcano sights and then drive to Waikoloa, check-in, clean-up and get to the luau at Waikoloa Marriot by 5:00. I guess we could do the luau another night but it's my daughters 7th birthday and I thought it could be a special thing for her. But not if it means racing through the Volcano sights and a stressfull drive. Is it possible to see the main Volcano sights in say 4 hours? How long is the drive from Volcano to Waikoloa resort?

I'm thinking:

8:00 complimentary breakfast at Kilauea lodge
9:00 - 1:00 sight seeing
1:00 - 3:30 driving
3:30 - 5:00 settle-in/cleanup
5:00 - walk to Luau

Any input is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

we made this same trip last week. we made it from vnp to waikoloa in about 3hrs. traffic stall in Waimea when school was out and again 5 mi after we turned onto Queen K hwy. it was backed up. on open road we ave
70mph and people were still passing us.

i'd resched the luau to be on the safe side.

If you want to stop at many of the turnouts (fissures, small calderas), do the Thurston lava tube (kids love this), drive around the caldera perimeter, and the road to the ocean flows (and back again), you probably do not have enough time. I'd not schedule the check-in/rush to luau for that night. Relax and enjoy the park without stress and do the luau the next day; how much more special can a birthday be than a day in Volcano National Park? The drive time will depend on whether you go south, through Kona (scenic, bit longer, and nightmare traffic through Kailua-Kona), or back through Hilo, north on 19, through Waimea to Waikoloa Resort (plenty scenic, too; it's Hawaii!).

One thought for you: DEFINITELY too much for one day! You won't get the most out of each activity ...

The drive to Waikloa will take way more than your alloted 90 minutes - either way. And honestly, 4 hours to really see the volcanos is cutting it short too. If you want to drive the Chain of Craters road to the end and back - it is a long, slow, winding road with a pretty low speed limit and places to stop along the way. That doesn't even count for time at the Visitors Center to learn about the volcanoes.

Your seven year old will be asleep before you finish dinner - you may too.

Save the luau for another night. Take more time at VNP and figure a little more realistically about drive time. This is supposed to be a vacation, not the Indy 500. Relax, slow down and enjoy the sights, not just rush through them.

IMHO, of course.

Deb

I guess it's unanimous . . we'll reschedule the luau! Thanks for the advice.