Is a trip to Volcano National Park still worthwhile if there is no lava flow? We will be in Hawaii for just 8 days in November and the lava flow is the main reason (or so it seems to us) to go to the Big Island. If no flow do we go??? Or concentrate on Oahu and Kauai?

It's all personal preference, but I'd go to the BI even if I had no plans to go to VNP.

There's a lot more to the Big Island than the lava flow. It's wonderful in it's diversity. If you have't been there before, I would certainly suggest that you check it out.

The Big Island is beautifully different - I would definitely go regardless of lava flow. The lava was flowing when we were at VNP - we were not able to hike out to it, and it was still totally worth it. We did drive down Chain of Craters at night, and we could see the red glow off in the distance which was pretty cool.

Though not a continuous lava flow, Kilauea has been erupting since 1983.

Absolutely, go!

BI is our favorite and we'd go even if they plugged the dang volcano! As mentioned, it is so diverse and interesting that it offers most anything you're looking for - and much more varied than the other islands IMO. In a few hours, you can go from semi-arid lava flows on the coast, up to cool mist-covered mountains, back down to rain forest. It's fascinating.

I think it's worth it - there are a lot of cool things to do even without the lava. You can go to the visitor center, see craters, hike through the lava tube, see trails of destruction; we really enjoyed it. We loved the BI overall - particularly Akaka Falls and Hapuna Beach.

The Big Island is well worth a visit any time, for all the reasons above. Also the lava flow can change at any time so you can't plan ahead too much in regard to that. BUT I would not try to do 3 islands in 8 days---to me that is too much airport/flying time and not enough time to soak in the atmosphere anywhere.

Yeah, I wouldn't try to see three islands in only 8 days.

Not only would I go to the Big Island if there were no active island flow, I would go to Volcano National Park, if there wasn't even a flicker of hot lava. The park is incredible. The old flows and the new flows are all explained. Where can you walk into a lava tube? Where can you see the history of the earth making more earth? I have been to VNP twice with only the glow of lava in the distance, yet we went anyway. We enjoyed the park sponsored hikes, the information center. There is no reason not to go. On the Hilo side, the Tsunami Museum is well worth a visit. Hawaii is so much more than the resorts and beached.