Volcano Area
More about Volcano Village and the surrounding area
Also check out...
- Links - Other sites of interest!
- Driveways of Volcano - Snapshots of driveways in the Village
Volcano Village is a unique community in the upland rainforest next to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, on the Big Island of Hawai‘i.
Within this quiet village are two mom-and-pop stores, a post office, a hardware store with a laundromat, a Hawaiian Quilt store with lovely examples of this unique artform as well as a range of quilting supplies. Volcano Garden Arts is also a fun stop. Niaulani, the Volcano Art Center’s administration building, hosts classes and poetry readings and other performances, periodically, as well as a looped nature trail through its old-growth upland rain forest, which is open to the public. On Monday mornings, they offer a guided walk through the forest.
Dining options include four restaurants offering, variously, breakfast (in two restaurants), lunch (in three of them) and dinner (in all four) from casual to fine dining, from brick-oven thin-crust pizza to Thai dishes, from hassenfeffer to chicken tonkatsu.
Check out the Sunday Farmer’s Market at the village’s community center, which boasts a delicious array of produce, baked goods, and prepared dishes. Get there early, as it starts about 6 AM and is closing up by 8:30 or 9:00 AM. Visit the Volcano Winery and sample local vintages. Visit the studios of local artists and craftspeople, including the aforementioned Volcano Garden Arts.
The climate in Volcano Village can be cool and wet, so bring warm things, as well as tees and shorts. Sneakers and sweats are casual everyday wear in the Village, where comfort dictates fashion. Each cottage has umbrellas for guests' use and flashlights and gloves for exploring the volcano by night.
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is one mile west of the village, headquarters to the world's most active "drive-in" volcano. Stop at the Visitors’ Center to learn more about Kilauea, the east rift zone of which has been erupting more or less continuously since January 3, 1983. Visit the Thomas Jaggar Museum overlooking Halema‘uma‘u Crater, home of Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess. Drive miles of paved roads around and through Kilauea and Maunaloa, the world’s largest volcano, which looms over the Volcano area. Enjoy miles of great hiking trails through rain forest or mesic forest among giant tree ferns, lava desert dotted with the footprints of ancient Hawaiian warriors, ash dunes, freshly cooled lava (keep moving or your soles will melt!). You can even play golf with Maunaloa as a backdrop. Experience the magic of Volcano!
Volcano is a convenient, central location for exploring the districts of Hilo, Hamakua, Puna and Ka‘u, on the island’s eastern side, with many climate zones to experience and sights to see. Start from upland rain forest, travel through volcanic desert (HVNP) to turtle sanctuaries on shining black sand beaches (Ka‘u). Explore old downtown Hilo with its quaint shops and farmer’s markets, then up the lush Hamakua coast with beautiful waterfalls and rolling countryside.