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Visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park with children can appear intimidating. You could have some trepidation over whether or not such a go to is harmful and tips on how to make it fascinating for the entire household. If you do it proper, although, exploring volcanoes on Hawaii’s Big Island shouldn’t be solely secure but in addition tremendous enjoyable for households. Follow these 15 useful ideas for visiting volcanoes in Hawaii by helicopter and by land.
1. Choose the fitting helicopter tour.
A helicopter tour of Hawaii’s volcanoes has lengthy been a bucket record merchandise for me. I virtually did not go, although. Mostly as a result of it is costly. You could also be tempted to decide out as nicely, nevertheless it’s value each cent for such a tremendous, once-in-a-lifetime expertise!
Typically, there isn’t a age restrict to fly in a helicopter (with doorways on) so even infants and toddlers can take part. Children ages 2+ should be secured in their very own seats in a automotive seat or authorized security restraint.
Save cash whereas exploring volcanoes by air and land:
We, like most Big Island guests, spent nearly all of our trip on the drier and extra populous Kona facet of the island. Therefore, I used to be initially contemplating a helicopter flight from the Waikoloa Heliport to keep away from the 2-hour drive to Hilo.
After doing a little analysis, nonetheless, I discovered that I might save my household a whole bunch of {dollars} by reserving a helicopter tour from the Hilo International Airport. If you wish to lower your expenses and also you’re serious about exploring Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park by land as nicely, then I like to recommend reserving a helicopter tour from Hilo.
Save time and splurge on helicopter expertise:
If time is of the essence and also you’re prepared to splurge, then guide this wonderful tour with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. It departs from Waikoloa on the Kohala Coast. Although you will not get the chance to hike previous the Kilauea Caldera on foot, you will notice lots of the island from above. You’ll even step out of the helicopter on the fringe of a freshwater pool, beside a thundering waterfall! (Ages 2+.)
2. Overcome movement illness.
A snorkeling and boating tour the day previous to our helicopter flight left my teen daughter and me nervous about movement illness. After a lot encouragement from our Facebook followers (thanks!), we determined to go for it. I’m so very glad we did. We felt a tad woozy afterward, nevertheless it was manageable and we each agreed nicely value it.
This was my second helicopter flight. (The first was in Sevierville, Tennessee.) Both instances, I used to be happy to expertise how a lot smoother and fewer nauseating a helicopter trip is in comparison with a small airplane flight.
Still, it is sensible to take precautions, particularly if somebody in your loved ones typically suffers from movement illness. Bring alongside a nausea-reducing treatment like Dramamine and browse these movement illness ideas earlier than you go.
3. Check the lava movement.
During intervals of eruption, parts or the entire nationwide park could shut and helicopter flights could also be grounded for security’s sake. Additionally, when lava is flowing and the park is open, anticipate lengthy delays.
Hawaii’s Mauna Loa is taken into account one of many world’s most lively volcanoes. Chances are, you’ll get to see some molten lava at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Eruptions in 2021, 2022, and 2023 have created a lava lake in Halema’uma’u Crater.
There was no lava to be seen wherever on the Big Island throughout my household’s first go to to Volcano National Park. Once the biggest lava lake on the planet, Halemaumau Crater at Kilauea’s Caldera didn’t comprise any seen lava throughout our tour in 2018. That’s as a result of all of it poured out when an enormous magma chamber collapsed, inflicting a 3-month-long lava movement. This additionally brought about the crater to develop considerably in measurement. Halemaumau Crater at Kilauea’s Caldera is now about 3 times as massive because it was earlier than the collapse!
Check the National Park System web site to study volcanic exercise in Hawaii.
4. Appreciate present circumstances at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Even if you aren’t getting to see lively lava movement, the nationwide park nonetheless gives loads of pleasure for households.
Because lava was not flowing, our helicopter was capable of circle Pu’u ‘O’o. This volcanic cone is a part of Kilauea’s jap rift zone. Until April 2018, Pu’u ‘O’o had been erupting since January 1983. This makes it the longest-lived rift-zone eruption on Earth over the previous 200 years.
We have been capable of peer proper into Pu’u ‘O’o from our helicopter seats. This is actually one of the crucial thrilling issues I’ve ever performed and it is one thing my household will at all times keep in mind. View my YouTube video above to see what I imply!
During our helicopter tour, we additionally obtained an opportunity to see the latest actual property on Earth, created by the 2018 huge eruption and subsequent summit collapse. The decrease Puna eruption lasted 4 months. The lava cooled to type volcanic rock, creating 875 acres of latest land within the Pacific Ocean.
5. Respect the ability of Hawaii’s volcanoes.
Over 700 homes have been destroyed by the 2018 volcanic exercise on Hawaii. Our helicopter pilot, Darryl, advised us that many of the homes that have been destroyed are in a Zone 1 space, essentially the most harmful lively volcanic zone.
There are 9 lava-flow zones on the islands, with Zone 9 being the least prone to expertise volcanic injury. Darryl stated that homes within the first zone have a 90 % probability of volcanic devastation.
Although Zone 1 residents are unable to buy insurance coverage for his or her properties as a result of excessive threat of volcanic destruction, they will purchase Hawaiian actual property at a discount charge.
Some of the homes that survived the eruption are second-generation properties. That means the unique properties have been annihilated years in the past and have been rebuilt by the proprietor’s youngsters or grandchildren.
6. Stay secure whereas exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Is it secure to discover lively volcanoes in Hawaii with children?
Jim Bendt, CEO of Pique Travel Design, a journey company specializing in Hawaii, says in this CNBC article, “Big Island is over 4,000 square miles. The area of the latest eruption covers 10 square miles. Travelers should have no worries visiting.”
Additionally, volcanologists intently monitor exercise to offer warnings to residents and guests. The University of Hawaii Hilo’s web site explains, “scientists of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) have instruments that monitor the rift zones 24 hours a day. Before an eruption, the ground inflates rapidly and seismographs record volcanic tremor (underground magma flowing up towards the surface).”
Still, in case you’re staying in Zone 1, you must take heed. The University of Hawaii Hilo continues, “Although there is usually an increase in seismic activity and ground deformation for several hours prior to an eruptive outbreak, residents living in remote areas may have little warning and less time to evacuate themselves and their possessions prior to a fast-moving lava flow.”
Most necessary is to remain on marked trails and overlooks, and swiftly observe any evacuation directions.
7. Beware of poor air high quality.
Due to gases and ash launched by volcanoes, air high quality in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park can attain harmful ranges. Poor air high quality from volcanic sulfur dioxide gasoline and particulate matter might be detrimental to everybody.
Those with lung circumstances, nonetheless, ought to be particularly cautious. Don’t neglect to carry alongside an inhaler for bronchial asthma victims (like my son).
With these air high quality risks, pregnant girls and fogeys of infants and younger youngsters could wish to contemplate visiting Hawaii’s volcanoes at a later date, particularly throughout eruptions. Elderly guests and people with coronary heart issues must also take heed.
Check the NPS’s Air Quality Alert to find out the very best time to go to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park with children.
8. Book a Kilauea strolling tour with children.
It is unimaginable to see Hawaii’s volcanoes from the seat of a helicopter, nevertheless it’s additionally wonderful to discover Kilauea on foot.
To get essentially the most out of visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park with children, I extremely suggest reserving a Private Tour with Kilauea EcoGuide. Owner and lead information, Erik Storm, guarantees that the entire firm’s guides modify their excursions to satisfy their viewers’s wants. This means preserving issues fascinating for youngsters and teenagers, too.
Using easy-to-follow graphics, Erik defined how volcanoes type, why they erupt, and the reason for latest lava flows on the island. He blended classes concerning the historical past and tradition of the Hawaiian Islands with science to maintain us all captivated. Plus, since it is a non-public tour, we might additionally ask all of the questions we needed.
Our household took in views of Kilauea’s Caldera and walked previous steam vents, with clouds arising from the earth’s molten middle. We additionally discovered about Hawaii’s strongest god, Pele, the god of Mauna Loa and all volcanic exercise on the island.
It was a lot extra significant to discover this World Heritage Site with an skilled in Hawaiian tradition and geology than it might have been to wander round on our personal. This is particularly true because the Thomas A. Jaggar Museum closed as a result of instability from the 1000’s of seismic occasions that occurred in 2018. This museum as soon as housed geological and cultural reveals centered on the examine of volcanoes and Hawaii. It is about to be demolished.
9. Break up explorations to maintain children .
Kilauea EcoGuides is blissful to interrupt the tour into extra simply digestible chunks for households with children. So, in case you’ll be staying on the Hilo facet of the island for a number of days, I like to recommend asking if you are able to do half of the tour at some point and the opposite half the subsequent day.
Choose both a 3-hour or a 6-hour tour. Unless your children are loopy about volcanoes, the shorter tour might be adequate for households.
Book your non-public Volcanoes National Park tour now!
10. Go to the Kilauea Visitor Center.
Thankfully, right this moment you may go to the Kīlauea Visitor Center close to the park entrance. Especially if visiting the nationwide park by yourself, then the guests middle ought to be your first cease. It’s situated on the fitting facet close to the park entrance.
Park rangers and volunteers will likely be blissful to offer ideas for one of the best ways to discover the park. They will give suggestions for mountaineering trails, scenic drives, and different important points of interest.
Plus, the customer’s middle gives a present store, one thing my children at all times wish to peruse at nationwide parks. This is an efficient place to select up souvenirs like plush toys, academic video games, and collectibles. Best of all, gross sales profit the National Park System.
11. Participate within the Junior Ranger Program.
Make Hawaii Volcanoes National Park extra enjoyable for teenagers with the Junior Ranger Program. Pick up your Junior Ranger Booklets on the guests middle. Activities embrace a scavenger hunt, coloring guide, and arrowhead-making craft. Kids ages 7 to 12 can present their accomplished workbooks to earn a Junior Ranger sticker.
12. Dress appropriately to discover volcanoes.
Dress in layers because the temperature on the high of Kilauea might be 12 to fifteen levels decrease than at sea degree. You must also put on comfy strolling or mountaineering sneakers with tread for exploring trails.
Bring alongside rain gear, too, like ponchos and umbrellas. My household was fortunate to go to Volcanoes National Park on an unusually dry and clear day. Keep in thoughts, although, that it usually rains 300 days per yr within the park.
13. Plan forward for meals and snacks.
Keep in thoughts, there aren’t lots of eating choices inside Hawaii Volcano National Park. Therefore, chances are you’ll wish to pack snacks and a meal to your go to. Packing meals and drinks additionally saves cash on this costly island.
My household picnicked at Queen Liliuokalani Gardens in Hilo earlier than our helicopter trip. With a lot of picnic tables and nil entry charges, this Japanese-style botanic backyard makes a lovely and handy spot for a meal.
Erik, our strolling tour information, recommends the next eating places in Volcano, Hawaii for households earlier than or after exploring the nationwide park.
14. Drive throughout daylight.
Be certain to time your go to to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in order that your drive takes place throughout sunlight hours. This provides you with the very best visibility through the journey.
The island is house to Mauna Kea, the world’s largest area observatory. Therefore, to allow good star gazing, the island doesn’t have many road lights. Additionally, the journey from Hilo might be fairly foggy.
Check the time of sundown in Hawaii to your journey dates to create an affordable schedule to your go to. Give your self loads of cushion to make the trek, too, particularly if you have to drive again to the Kona facet of the island after your volcanic adventures.
After driving the 2 hours with white knuckles gripped on my rental Jeep steering wheel, I want I’d adopted my very own recommendation!
15. Stay on the Hilo facet of the Big Island.
Better but, I like to recommend spending a number of days on the Hilo facet of the island as an alternative of doing a day journey.
I anticipated Hilo to be far more like sleepy little Hana on Maui, house to lower than 1,000 residents. Instead, we discovered a vibrant metropolis, house to 45,000+ residents.
Plus, Hilo boasts some spectacular websites. Enjoy waterfalls like Akaka Falls and Rainbow Falls. Explore the celebs at Imaloa Astronomy Center. Enjoy plentiful black sand seashores. And Hilo is house to the one tropical zoo within the U.S. — Pana’ewa Rainforest Zoo.
To keep the night time inside Volcanoes National Park, you might have two decisions — At the Crater’s Edge (for adults solely) or Volcano House (youngsters below 17 keep free).
Explore extra of Hawaii.
Hawaii is the sixth Hawaiian island I’ve visited. I beloved the Big Island a lot, I would even say it’s the greatest island to go to in Hawaii.
Discover all of the wonderful issues to do in Maui with children.
Check out this record of the greatest lodge swimming pools in Hawaii, beneficial by journey consultants.
Ready to expertise conventional Hawaiian tradition, volcanoes, and different pure wonders of Hawaii? Take a take a look at flight costs with Hawaiian Airlines now! When you fly with Hawaiian, your trip and the spirit of aloha begin the minute you board the airplane.
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A Note from The Travel Mama: I obtained a small media low cost on our helicopter tour from TripAdvisor and our strolling tour was hosted by Kilauea EcoGuide. We paid full worth for every little thing else throughout our go to to the Big Island. All opinions are mine, as at all times. This story was initially written in 2018 and was up to date in 2023 to replicate modifications to the nationwide park.
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