Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park worth going to from Kona?

[Honolulu21]

Originally Posted by OpenD

Another good place to eat is the Kiluaea Lodge, maybe 1,000 ft north along Old Volcano Road from Kiawe Kitchen, but it is a little more pricy. The chef is European trained, the food is Euro-Hawaiian Fusion, quite nice and the ambiance... old lodge style... is laid back, while the service is top notch. They make an outstanding "island margarita," with passionfruit essence instead of lime, and the glass rimmed with "lee hing powder," a popular red condiment in Hawai'i.

I love, LOVE Kilauea Lodge! I try to visit the Big Island at least once a year and always stay with my best friend who lives in Mountain View. I was there last January when my friend asked me if I wanted to go to a restaurant that has really high quality food.

She forewarned me that the prices at Kilauea Lodge were kind of steep, averaging about $30 or more for entrees. I told her I still wanted to go. WOW, I swear, it was the BEST restaurant food that I have had in the last 15 years!

We were a group of 3 and we shared a baked Brie appetizer. That baked Brie had toasted almonds, cranberries and other stuff served with the restaurants homemade bread with a papaya salsa. We were all exclaiming how DELICIOUS this appetizer was.

I ordered the roasted duck leg and every mouthful was like HEAVEN! Even the sides were cooked to perfection! Since I was staying at her house for 4 days, in appreciation I treated our whole group and the bill with cocktails came out to about $150. But man so worth it.

I eat out at fine dining establishments in Honolulu about 6 - 8 times a year, and Kilauea Lodge in my opinion has beat them all!

BTW, the restaurant's mascot named Meatloaf is a really nifty cat.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Honolulu21

BTW, the restaurant's mascot named Meatloaf is a really nifty cat.

When the weather is nice, I enjoy a leisurely digestif out in the gazebo, where you can often find Meatloaf conked out after dinner.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by OpenD

Personally I prefer Kiawe Kitchen for more frequent dining... it has a wood-fired brick oven for making gourmet pizza and roasted meats. The only problem is they tend to be quite busy.

UPDATE: Sorry to say, they have just closed and are "looking for another location." Since there are no other locations for 20 miles, it's Volcano's loss. Sorry to see them go.

[Big Island Cat]

Something most visitors do not realize is that visiting the Park after dark is a very different and surreal experience. It has been mentioned in other threads as something worth experiencing. The red hue of lava just lights up the area at night in a way you can't enjoy otherwise.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Big Island Cat

Something most visitors do not realize is that visiting the Park after dark is a very different and surreal experience. It has been mentioned in other threads as something worth experiencing. The red hue of lava just lights up the area at night in a way you can't enjoy otherwise.

What's more, when you have a clear night, the sky overhead is jet black and the stars are brilliant. The Milky Way is a clear it's breathtaking. Then when you see the glow of the caldera under all that magnificent sky, it's amazing.

Wear a warm coat... it's often windy and cold up there, at about 3,700 feet... and bring a flashlight, to help you find your way. The lights are deliberately kept dim so your eyes adapt to the dark for viewing the lava and stars overhead.

And if you bring a water bottle, there is a refill station of fresh, delicious water.

Oh, and if you hit the main gate after 6, the Park Rangers are off duty but the gate is left open and admission is free until the next morning.

[zacscott77]

It is an amazing place. We had a window of about 30 minutes to view the crater before the fog and rain rolled in on August 28th. This is what we saw.

[BigIslandBum]

Wow, fantastic photo Zachary!

[1hotnspicy1]

Uh, yeah! How can anyone come to the Big Island and not go to Volcano? Hellowww