Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was not what we expected. It was so much more than just a volcano.

Our stay at the Kilauea Military Camp was quiet, cozy, and clean – perfect for the chill and misty spring day we arrived on. Lodging is available for military members at KMC and the village is open for anyone to explore, which we would recommend. Our first day, we drove Crater Rim Drive. We opted to drive to the end of the road and work our way back making stops. The road ends in a bright blue expanse of ocean. As we worked our way back, we hiked to petroglyphs, marveled at lava beds, stopped at ocean and crater overlooks, and took in the lush rainforest. We opted to skip the lava tube at first and come back early in the morning in hopes it would be less busy – we got our wish! Instead, we checked out the art museum which ended up being such a treat. We snagged some beautiful handmade ornaments to remember the trip and to take back to family members.

While we said the at park was more than just a volcano, for us seeing Kilauea (the most active volcano in the world) would’ve made the trip worth it in itself. We missed an actual eruption by a couple of days, but seeing the orange glow at night was a thrill. Maybe even more special, when walking to the overlook across from KMC early in the morning, we were met with a rainbow ending in the crater. It was the sight of a lifetime for us. After spending some morning time with Kilauea, we checked out the steam vents, the lava tube, and Kilauea Iki Overlook.

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