A visit to the red-hot lava and old lava-tubes and smoking calderas is a must when visiting Volcano Village but you would be missing out if those are your only activities, and we recommend spending a minimum of two days in the village to get the most out of your time in Volcano.
Our activity guide is structures as follows:
Table of contents
- Activities and attractions that are specific to Volcano Village
- Outdoor activities that you can enjoy around Volcano Village.
Table of Contents
- Activities and attractions that are specific to Volcano Village
- Outdoor activities that you can enjoy around Volcano Village.
Activities and Attractions in Volcano Village
Volcano Village is located in a beautiful and lush rainforest, which makes a gorgeous setting for some of the local attractions. These are, for example, the volcano winery, the Akatsuka orchid farm, or a visit to see works from (one of) the many local artists that show their work in the Volcano Art Center or in their private galleries.
If you are visiting in the weekend you should definitely try to visit the volcano farmers market on Sunday morning (very early!) – a truly local experience. If you get hungry or want to pack lunch for your action packed day in the Hawaii volcanoes national park, stop by one of these restaurants in volcano.
For a different perspective on the area you can read this very well written guide describing things to do in Volcano Village and the surroundings (external link).
Akatsuka Orchid Farm
Hilo Is the orchid capital of the world, and a showcase of this is located on the road between Hilo and Volcano: The Akatsuka Orchid Gardens. This is a good place to pull over on a rainy day for a little stop and to admire the many beautiful tropical orchids.
Read more about the Akatsuka Orchid Farm.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
The Hawaii Volcanoes National park is the #1 destination on the Big Island. You can of course try to see the red-hot lava, but we also love exploring the park on foot or by car. Plan at lest 1 full day (2 days is better) to visit the park and see lava.
Read more about the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
Hikers cross the floor of the Kilaueaʻiki crater in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Find out more about this hike on our website.
Volcano Winery
One of the places where you probably do not expect a vineyard, is on the slope of one of the most active volcanoes of the world in Hawaii. The Volcano Winery is located just outside the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and is the most southern winery in the United States.
Read more about visiting the Winery in Volcano Village.
The Volcano Winery vineyard in Volcano Village Photo credits: Mike Neenan
A tea farm and a petting zoo
Next to the winery and the orchid farm (see above) you can also find a tea farm tour *and* a small petting zoo that also organizes lunch in Volcano Village. Read more about the Farm Tours in Volcano.
Volcano Art Center
The mission of the Volcano Art Center is to promote, develop, and perpetuate the artistic and cultural heritage of Hawaii’s people and environment through activities in the visual, literary, and performing arts.This makes the Volcano Art Center a perfect stop if you are interested in learning about Hawaiian heritage and arts during your visit to the Volcanoes National park.
Read more about the Volcano Art Center.
Volcano Village Farmers Market
The Volcano Village farmers market is the “social event of the week” in Volcano, and many locals come out to swap news, listen to the “coconut wireless” (big island gossip), and meet friends. If you are spending the weekend in Volcano Village you can start your Sunday early with a visit to this market to pick up some souvenirs for home and a lunch for later that day in the Volcanoes National park.
Read more about the Farmers Market of Volcano Village.
Puʻu Loa Petroglyph Field
The Puʻu Loa petroglyph field in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is the largest petroglyph field of Polynesia, and it is very easy to see once you are in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. A short hike takes you 0.7 (or 1.4 round-trip) miles to a boardwalk that encircles ancient Hawaiian petroglyphs.
Read more about the Puʻu Loa petroglyph field.
Trailhead of the Puʻu Loa Pertroglyph trail. To get here drive down the chain of craters road in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Outdoor Activities in and around Volcano Village
Volcano Village is located in a beautiful lush rainforest, and offers hundreds of miles of hiking trails, opportunities for outdoor camping. The village has a charming golf course, but most people come here for the activities related to the Volcanoes: Hiking, Biking, Lava viewing, Helicopter tours and Camping. There are even some possibilities to sign up to volunteering programs to help the nature of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Biking
There are bike trails in the Hawaii Volcanoes National park that you can use if you bring up a bike, but for the visitor it is far easier to explore the park by biking tours.
Read more about Biking on the Big Island.
Camping
There are two camping grounds and some back-country camping opportunities in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. If you plan on camping in the park make sure to bring warm clothes and rain gear, since weather can be cold and wet.
Read more about Camping in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
The Namakanipaio Campground in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park contains cabins and campsites (not shown).
Golfing
There is a golf course just above (west of) Volcano Village. The greens are not comparable with the world-class courses you can find on the west coast, but are worth a visit if you are looking for a day of leisure on the Volcano.
Read more about Golfing on the Big Island.
Golfing on an active Volcano is *almost* normal on the Big Island.
Hiking
The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park sports some of the best hikes of the Big Island. You can find trails for all levels of difficulty in the Park, with our hands-down favorite being the Kilaueaʻiki hike!
Read more about Hiking in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Part of the Halema’uma’u trail in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park that takes you from the visitor center down to the Halema’uma’u crater floor
Helicopter Tours
Technically this should not be in this section, since the helicopter tours leave from either Hilo or Kona. However, Helicopters are one of the best (and most spectacular) ways to see the volcano, and thus are a good option for your stay close to the park.
Read more about taking a helicopter tour on the Big Island.
Lava Viewing
Volcano Village is well suited to use as a base when you want to go and see the lava as it is located just around the corner of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Most of the time you can see the glow above the Halemaʻumaʻu crater lake and sometimes it is also possible to see red-hot flowing lava in the park.
Conditions can change quickly, so have a look at our guide to lava viewing to see where and how to see the lava.
You can visit the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at night to see the glow over the halemaʻumaʻu crater.
Scenic drives
A small detour to your destination can often open up a whole new face of the Big Island. Scenic roads close to Volcano Village are the Chain of craters road, the Mauna Loa strip road, and the Kapoho – Kalapana road.
Read more about Scenic drives close to Volcano Village.
The Kalapana – Kapoho road (also known as red road) is one of the most scenic drives on the Big Island