Lava Flow Viewing and Volcano Park: Only a few minutes drive to view the lava flow (as Pele permits). Drive the scenic Red Road to Kalapana, where the town was covered with lava and the local church was moved a few miles inland. See the newly forming black sand beach. Visit Volcano National Park, about 40 miles drive and walk through the Thurston Lava tube, see rain forests and hike the Kilauea caldera. View the present volcanic eruption. See the ever burning fireplace in the Volcano House in the Park. If you've never done it, golf on top of a volcano - at the Volcano Golf Coarse, then visit the local Volcano Winery and taste the local flavors - macadamia nut wine, guava wine and others. Take a helicopter ride over the top of the volcano!
About 3 hours drive from Kona Airport and 35 minutes drive from Hilo Airport.
Other sights to see: Kehena is a small eclectic community at the edge of the sea and the beautiful black sand beach (clothing optional). Many artists and 'free spirits' reside and vacation here. Only 12 miles to Pahoa, an historic old western type town with clapboard sidewalks, offering several very good restaurants, banks, ATM machines, small grocery stores, a health food store, boutiques, hardware store, real estate office, medical clinic and post office.
Drive or bicycle the 'Red Road' north to Pohoiki Bay and Isaac Hale Park where the local surfers and boogie boarders congregate and fisherman launch their boats. You can also take a boat from here to view the lava flow from the ocean!
Further north you can stop and soak in the hot ponds, thermally heated fresh and seawater pools, then snorkel at the Waiopae tidepools, which offers some of the best snorkeling on the island. See beautiful colored corals and tropical fish.
Drive through the 'tunnel of trees' and see the Lava Tree Park.
Hilo and Hamakua Coast: About 40 miles north of the house is Hilo, sitting right on Hilo Bay, still charming like it was 50 years ago. Stroll Liliokalani Park, Coconut Island and see King Kamehameha statue. Visit the Tsunami Museum, Imiloa Astronomy Center, the old downtown Theatre and shop the many bayfront and downtown stores.
Then take a short drive to beautiful Rainbow Falls and Pee'Pee Falls right in town. Travel north along the wild and beautiful Hamakua Coast. Drive the 4 miles scenic Old Mamalahoa Hiway. Stop and hike to Akaka Falls, visit the World Botanical Gardens. If you love flowers, this side of the island is home to many orchid farms, anthurium growers and has many tropical plants from all over the world.
See the Waipio Valley from the top, or ride horses in the valley.
There is so much to do - make sure you plan a long vacation so you can see it all.
We have a visitor's guide in the house along with maps.
