VNP - how much time to spend there?

Plan on picking up rental car in Hilo at 9:00 AM and traveling to VNP - how many hours should we plan on visiting there? I have two teenage girls and I'm sure they will be interested, it just a matter of for how long. I also want to try to have some time to see the various falls a little north of the port. We leave Hilo at 7:00 PM, planning on returning the rental no later than 5:00.

Any input would be greatly appreciated. :)

Also interested to hear this and where did you find where the falls are??

How much time to spend at VNP - we have visited many times and usually spend the day there. You can see the park (excluding driving down to the coast to the ocean site) in about three to four hours. it will depend upon how much hiking you want to do. When you enter the park, drive first to Volcano House. Across the stree is a vistors center that will give you a better idea of how the park is laid out and then you can deicde what stops you want to make.

We like to hike across the crater floor and down into Kilauea-iki, then back to VH - that's two hour hike in itself, but if you stop at Thurston Lava Tube, Halemaumau and some of the craters, three or four hours will give you plenty of time. Make sure you bring lots of water because the sun can be brutal.

The falls north of town - Rainbow? Pe'epe'e Falls? Both are nice, especially if there is a good flow of water. You will enjoy them. Take mosquito repellent though, you will need it.

Charlie

Also interested to hear this and where did you find where the falls are??

You will find Akaka Falls north of Hilo, and Rainbow Falls just to the west.

Thanks SO much for everyone's advice. I think this will work out just fine for us. We'll spend about 4 hours at VNP and then head back for the falls before returning the rental.

Julia - One of the closest waterfall to the city is Rainbow Falls, Akaka Falls State Park is about 11-12 miles from Hilo -- here is a link to a great map website - once there scroll down and you'll see the map: http://www.driveguidemagazines.com/big_island_hamakua_hilo.html

Aloha! :D

Close to Rainbow Falls, just a little up the road you will find Boiling Pots, also very beautiful.

We rented a car in Hilo, drove to HVP, around the rim drive, had a late lunch outside the park, drove to both Boilingpots and Rainbow Falls.

Plenty of time to do this.

Akaka Falls may be to far out for those few hours.

We rented a car and drove to VNP and spent a couple hours around the rim and the lava tube. Then we went to Punalu'u black sand beach and Akaka falls. We picked up the rental car at 9:30 and we were back at 4:30.

Plan on picking up rental car in Hilo at 9:00 AM and traveling to VNP - how many hours should we plan on visiting there? I have two teenage girls and I'm sure they will be interested, it just a matter of for how long. I also want to try to have some time to see the various falls a little north of the port. We leave Hilo at 7:00 PM, planning on returning the rental no later than 5:00.

 

Any input would be greatly appreciated. :)

We got a late start to the VNP because the ship docked about an hour late due to a late departure from Honolulu and some pretty good headwinds. The only rain we had on the whole cruise (10 Feb sailing on the POAm) fell as we drove up the road to the VNP. If you like flowers you'll want to stop at the Akatsuka Orchid Gardens on the road to the VNP. The rain quit as we reached the VNP entrance. We stopped at the visitors' center, and got some maps, and then walked across the road to the Volcano House to get our first glimpse of the Kilauea Caldera. We had lunch there and then started around the Crater Rim Drive. I think the distance around the crater rim is about 11 miles, with several turnouts and overlooks. You'll also want to stop at the Jagger Museum and the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Very interesting displays, seismometers, and other instruments used to measure and observe volcanic activity.

Walking on the lava fields is an amazing experience, seeing the steam vents, and feeling the heat in the ground. I would have loved to take some of the several hiking trails around the crater, but we didn't have time. We did stop at the Thurston Lava Tube near the end of the crater rim drive. That is a 10-15 minute round trip walk from the parking lot. We spent about 4 hours in the park, but would have stayed longer, had we the time.

To see some photos of our visit to the VNP, click on the "Pictures" link at the bottom of my signature, then click on the "Day 2-Hilo and the Big Island" gallery.

Don't forget to take the Chain of Craters road all the way down to the ocean to see the documented lava flows.

Don't forget to take the Chain of Craters road all the way down to the ocean to see the documented lava flows.

I hope someone can answer a couple of questions regarding the chain of craters road. Am I correct that it is near the end of the chain of craters road that you can park and walk to where the lava has previously flowed over the road? Is it very far to where the lava starts from where you have to park? How far can you walk out on the lava? Thanks for any information

I hope someone can answer a couple of questions regarding the chain of craters road. Am I correct that it is near the end of the chain of craters road that you can park and walk to where the lava has previously flowed over the road? Is it very far to where the lava starts from where you have to park? How far can you walk out on the lava? Thanks for any information

At the end of Chain of Craters Road is the Ranger Station, also parking available along the road. You will have to hike about 1/2 mile to see this. There are shorter trails also, just ask the Park Ranger.

Click to Enlarge

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http://www.nps.gov/archive/havo/images/lava_20060620_view.pdf

RSWBADGER,

Thanks for the info, pictures, and website. I just wanted to make sure I was headed in the right direction after we did the rim and the Thurston Lava Tube. Thanks again.

WB

2 questions: 1) We will be there on 18 March :) Just wondering how cool it will be in VNP; and 2) are there restrooms at the ranger station at the end of Chain of Craters Road? Thanks.

2 questions: 1) We will be there on 18 March :) Just wondering how cool it will be in VNP; and 2) are there restrooms at the ranger station at the end of Chain of Craters Road? Thanks.

You will experience light rain entering the park from Hilo and by the Visitor center, temps will be 70's. As you drive down the Chain of Craters Road towards the ocean it will get warm/hot. Bring a light jacket or sweatshirt for the crater area just in case.

Yeas there are Mens and Womens Port-A-Potties.

http://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/lava.htm

http://www.hawaiianstyletravel.com/BigIslandGuide/information/ChainOfCraters.php

RSWBadger:

Did you go on a tour to get that close to the molten lava, or was that along the trail at the end of the chain of craters road? Were you really that close or do you have a biga$$ lens? :)

RSWBadger:

 

Did you go on a tour to get that close to the molten lava, or was that along the trail at the end of the chain of craters road? Were you really that close or do you have a biga$$ lens? :)

This was with the NCL Tour in 2005, I am going on the same tour in 2 weeks, about 2.5 miles from the end of Chain of Craters Road. Canon Powershot, 50m. If you stood near the lava too long your shoes started to melt.

Click to Enlarge

what an amazing picture!! thanks for sharing