Amazing little farm run by the sweetest family! I…read moreaccidentally booked our tour for the wrong day, but when we showed up, they were so kind and still welcomed us in. We were so grateful! The animals are clearly well loved--there were baby pigs, goats (one with her adorable kids), huge tortoises, a beautiful dairy cow, baby bunnies, and the sweetest donkey named Arthur who looked like he was smiling! My kids had such a great time. Their son Isaiah gave us the best little tour--he was so knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend this place for a wholesome, fun family outing!

This is truly a beautiful and unique spot up at volcano. If you are in the area, driving by, or…read morepassing through, I definitely recommend it especially if you have kiddos. The farm is a family owned and operated space. You will be able to interact and learn from each family member there. Take a moment to speak to them, you might learn something new. The petting zoo was the highlight of my kids day. We prepaid online, showed up, and went to feeding the animals our grocery store foods: baby carrots and lettuce. We saw another patron had brought cut apples and cut bananas with peels on. I saw another person with feed so I'm thinking they may give you stuff, but highly recommend bringing your own because it makes the experience so much better, especially for the kiddos. They had bunnies, ducks, turtles, turkeys, goats, pigs, a donkey, cows, and chickens. Food/drink: nothing included for the petting zoo tour but they have a tea tasting with scones and tour which I wanted to do but the days didn't line up with our stay. They had a bunch of drinks like coffee, tea, hot chocolate for purchase and a really nice tent area to enjoy it. The mother and daughter duo were behind the counter serving up drinks! Tour: very laid back in the tour. Not sure if there was a start or finish cause our little one ended up running straight to the petting zoo. However, We ended up getting a tour of their vegetable garden including a "she shed" set up for quick shelter during the passing showers that might occur while gardening. The beautiful garden was such a delight to walk in. We spoke to the husband/owner at the end and learned a lot about the farm. Really an amazing business and I hope they are able to grow and flourish! The quietness is breathtaking. The weather always a bit interesting up at volcano but it was nice and cool with a bit of a mist here and there. Recommend boots if you can because there is poop if you don't watch your step. There is a lot of space to roam about through the petting zoo and tables in the garden. Only tight areas might be the bunny pen and vegetable garden. Bathroom: porta potty. Make sure to bring some wipes or hand sanitizer for your hands after. Pretty clean considering. Parking: lots of space in their designated parking are. Be respectful of the drive up there because there are a lot of locals and no other attraction around. I wish I could give this place more stars. But if the Yelp elite community is looking for a fun event, this is the place!

What an overload for the senses. There are trails of all lengths and difficulty so plan well. Bring…read morelots of water, closed toed shoes and pack food if you plan to make a day of it. The view of the active volcano is spectacular and the rangers are helpful with answering any questions. The parking is sufficient although you may have to drive around for a moment if it's busy. We did the long hike and it was rigorous, but not impossible as long as you do not have mobility issues. There are stairs and steps at the beginning and the end, but walking across the lava field is amazing. Follow the rock formations for your directions. At the end, we wanted to wash our hands, but the only place for a sink is in the volcano house. All other areas are just out houses so plan accordingly. Every purchase in the gift shops supports the Rangers and the park so be kind and pick up an item or two and even feel free to give an additional donation when you check out. There are not many gas stations on the road to the volcano coming from the south around the bottom of the island. However, gas is cheaper when you do find it then you may find in Kona.

Amazing Must hike…read morethe volcano crater One of the few places you can hike on a real volcano crater Do not miss on the Big island

This is easily one of the best things we did on the Big Island. Luckily we saw a couple of You Tube…read morevideos that told us to bring a good flash light. We went by WalMart and picked up a decent power Flash light. Don't think you can do this with you cell phone light. The caves are not modified with railings and walkways and colorful lights. This is raw spelunking. At first it feels a little creepy but once you get in and start exploring the anxiety of being underground goes away. The floor is uneven and jagged. Don't come in flip flops. Bri g some sturdy sneakers or hiking boots. Water is constantly dripping from the roof but none of that matters cause you are so enthralled by the experience. You go through giant tubes carved out by lava you also enter giant cavernous rooms formed by the intense molten flow. Breathtaking is the best way to describe it. I wouldn't recommend little kids under eight. It is very hard to traverse some of these rocks. But go! Please go. You will thank me. Definitely Recommended.

Very cool experience to walk through 2 caves…read more Bring a flashlight / headlamp. Your phone flashlight won't be as strong but can work if you have no options. Ideal shoes would be hiking boots but gym shoes will work. There are steep steps going down and then uneven rocks until the cave. The cave is uneven as well. Parking: maybe room for 10 cars, so parking could be difficult. When we went around 1pm on a Saturday, we didn't have a problem. Park and walk across the street to enter. Bathrooms: I did see some. Didn't use them though.

Perfect hike for relaxing vacation. Mostly flat and only up & down to get to the walk on the crater…read moreitself. 3.3 miles around the rim (include walking across the crater). Lots of great views around the crater from all angles. And it was fun to be in the crater itself. You have to follow a path of stacked rocks else you won't find the place to exit the crater. It's a very doable hike for beginners; unless it's hot. Then it might be more challenging. There are several parking areas, but I didn't know that, so ended up parking on the edge of a closed street and 'finding' my own trail to get to the main trail. haha.

This awesome 4 mile looped hike takes you to the bottom of a crater and provides beautiful views…read morewhile it takes you through changing scenery and varying temperatures. You can start this hike in a counter-clockwise direction at Kilauea Iki overlook, number 4 on your map. You'll find more available parking here during peak times. You can start your hike clockwise from Nahuku, number 3 on your map, which is also the same location as the Thurston Lava Tube. Due to the popularity of the Lava Tube, parking here can be difficult. The distance between the two parking lots is .5 miles. We started our hike at Nahuku around noon in December. This moderate level trail started with a chilly walk through a forest of ferns down stairs and over roots with muddy spots throughout. Once you reach the bottom, you can walk across the crater and over lava rocks. The weather at this point was windy. Once we reached the end of the crater and climbed our way back up to the trail, we took a break and had some lunch overlooking the crater. From this point. It was a 2 mile hike up to the top. The weather changed once again, and my jacket was no longer needed. Make sure you bring or wear the following: -Layered clothing to adapt to the varying temps -Hiking shoes with good traction -Hat -Water -Snacks or lunch -Sunscreen Restrooms are available at both starting points, but the overlook location are porta potties. I suggest using the restrooms at the lava tube. We left the location around 2pm and it was pretty crowded. Best to arrive by noon to avoid crowds. -

DO NOT BOOK! I booked a tour online and showed up at 5am and no one was there!! They did not answer…read moremy calls, texts, or emails. So I was stuck at the park in the dark at 5am by myself and very upset to not see lava. Still awaiting my refund ...

News of the recent Kilauea volcanic activity on the island of Hawaii reminded me that I still…read morehadn't reviewed EpicLava, and my phenomenal experience with John and his wonderful team this past Christmas. The word epic may not even do justice to the ethereal experience of watching these rivers of liquid fire up close; the flowing lava is 2,400 degrees hot! The 5-mile hike over pahoehoe lava fields starts at 4AM, so that by the time the blazing sun is in the sky, you're well-nigh finished with much of the exposed hike. These folks have an unwavering focus on the safety of the group; they pace the hike according to the capabilities of all the individuals in the group. John's passion about this geological marvel is contagious. John and Jessica advise visitors to wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, long socks, and sturdy, closed-toed shoes for the hike; they provide gloves (along with water and snacks) for the hike. This is because the sand particles covering the lava flow crust have the sharpness of broken glass, and can cause serious cuts if they come in contact with the human skin. By the time I had finished the hike, I had already planned my next trip with this team of lava explorers.

Have you ever wanted to take a walk on an alien planet? What a strange and beautiful landscape…read more There aren't a lot of tourists here, and getting here means turning off the Google Maps once you're near and using an old fashioned map with a little sense of adventure. I think most people end up in the parking lot wondering "is this the place?" Follow the home drawn signs and keep walking. Don't dress for swimming, this isn't a swimming beach, wear sturdy shoes, workout shoes with good support or even hiking boots. Wear a hat to protect your head and sunscreen before you get out (it takes a few minutes for sunscreen to work). There is no way I can prepare you for what you will see, it's not like anything else I've ever encountered. So bizarre, so uncommonly beautiful.

We loved the black sand beach with turtles coming in to rest. Not much sand mostly rocks and the…read moreday we went it was windy and I wouldn't swim.

The first lava cave I've ever gone through was in New Zealand, Rangitoto Island. It was a bit more…read morechallenging than this little lava tube. This was the second lava tube I've ever gone through, and it was quite easy and short. Easy that families and kids walk through it like nothin'! Inside, the trail is pretty flat and wide in some parts. The ceiling height isn't very high, but also wasn't too low that you'd have to duck down all the time. We came here on a rainy day, so there were a few small puddles we had to go around. The trail was lit up with lights along the path as well. So you won't really get lost. But I still ended up turning on my cell phone light just for safety. Walking through it was just basically making a big U shape from one end to the other. There wasn't a lot of people walking with us, compared to what others have reviewed. I guess we came at the right time. From the parking lot to the entrance (starting right), the paved trail headed downward to the lava tube was very green and very tropical. I was excited just being surrounded by all the plants and nature in general. After the lava tube walk, the greenery was a bit more open and woodsy as we looped back to the parking lot. We finished this walk in about 15 minutes. And although short, we all found it enjoyable from start to finish.

We explored the Thurston Lava Tube, a short 0.4-mile loop that took around half an hour. We had an…read moreelderly person with us, and while the approach to the tunnel is on the steep side, it was manageable with support. Inside the tube it was darker than expected, but you could still navigate without a flashlight. The trail through the forest has mini placards about native plants that offered both interesting info and natural rest spots. A great, memorable experience for anyone with limited mobility who still wants a taste of adventure.

Trail along a path of lava from an eruption n 1959!…read more The view from the parking lot of the crater alone is worth the trip to the trailhead. The lava fountain was among the tallest in history reaching a height between the Empire State Building and Burj Dubai! That is incredible. To have been there in person would have been powerfully awesome. The trail takes you through trees and along lava fields. It can get chilly during depending on the weather and time of year you visit, so dress appropriately. One of my favorite places.

From the 1959 eruption of Kilauea Iki it creates an interesting landscape on its surrounding area…read more One of that is the devastation trail. Example of it is the lava features like spatter effects & Pele's tears and hair. Currently this short hike has a paved trail for about a half mile over cinders. Good thing is that this trail is wheelchair and stroller accessible. Tourist should stay on paved trail and is advice not to climb not to climb the Pu'upua'i cinder cone. When hiking under the basking heat of the sun, do not forget to pat sunscreen and bring water to keep you hydrated. Be prepared on windy weather condition as well. Trailhead: From the entrance of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park a few miles to the west of the town of volcano village. Pass through the entrance an drive straight ahead for less than 100 feet & turn left onto crater rim road. Follow crater rim drive until it intersects Chain of Craters Road. Turn right and park at the Devastation Trail parking area. Mahalo for reading & happy juandering fellow yeeps!

This lava tube experience was awesome. It was a short hike. Though the lava tube had lights inside,…read morethere were still some areas that were dark such that one could step into puddles of water if one is not careful. Got to see different plants and flowers around that are unique to the area. Definitely worth checking out if you have time while in the Volcanoes National Park.

Short hike down to the cool tube. Restrooms are clean. Trail is beautiful…read more Must do for the volcano trip. Recommend to do that first. Parking is small and cannot turn around. Recommend to park in Kilauea iki overlook, take a pleasant 0.5 miles hike to the lava tube then hike back.

This spot is off the beaten path, with no real signs leading to the sight. Although I had…read moreresearched it, we really arrived by accident and were just exploring. Goats wandering around, beautiful views and a little hike to get to the water across burial grounds. The views were really amazing. We came here twice, once during a rain storm and the other on a beautiful sunny morning. This is a special spot that you should not miss. B

Fantastic. Can't say enough. Quiet amazing place to eat a dinner and watch the sunset. Ocean…read morecrashing into lava rock all around you. The view is outrageous.