A popular Big Island odyssey is a drive to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, where you can visit Kilauea (it's a must-see for good reason; how often do you get to visit an erupting volcano?). Most don't realize, however, that this is not just a short side trip. No matter your starting point — with the exception of Volcano Village itself — prepare for a full day of driving, walking or hiking, and some superb sightseeing. (See "Plan a great trip" below)

This impressive park, with two active volcanoes (Mauna Loa and Kilauea), requires about half a day to see. Of the two volcanoes, Kilauea is much more accessible and is the most active (it has been erupting continuously since 1983). Mauna Loa is for the committed outdoors enthusiast.

The Kilauea Visitor Center is the place to start your tour of the park. After paying your US$10-per-car admission fee and getting a map, walk over to the Volcano House for a first glimpse of the crater. The nearby Volcano Art Center exhibits high-quality works by local artists (phone 808-967-8222 for a schedule of events). The art center also rents tape players and an audio-tour tape of the park that's quite informative (US$10).

What to expect
Volcanic activity in the national park is unpredictable, varying from day to day (phone 808-985-6000 for recorded updates). In most cases you will be able to
Plan a great trip:

• Drive time, Kailua-Kona to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: 2 hours
• Drive time, Hilo to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: 45 minutes to 1 hour
• Drive time, Waikoloa to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: 2.5 hours
• Drive time, Waimea to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (via the Kona Coast): 3 hours
• Drive time, Waimea to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (via the Hamakua Coast): 2.5 hours

• BEFORE STARTING YOUR JOURNEY, call Volcanoes National Park (808-985-6000) for Park conditions and tips on what you'll need to take with you. Portions of the Park are sometimes closed to the public, due to shifting directions of the lava flow or inclement weather.

• Start driving in the morning. This will give you several hours of good daylight to explore the Park.

• Items to take with you, no matter what: water, sunscreen, umbrella, windbreaker and a sack lunch or snacks. The Park does offer a few places to eat, but if you're out on the trail to the lava flow or on another hike, you'll want to have food and water along.

• Though there are no marked trails, you might be able to hike across old lava flows to see the lava flow at night (the lava's orange glow is stunning in the dark). Be sure to wear long (light-weight) hiking pants and boots when hiking on lava — falling on lava is like falling on broken glass. Each hiker should take a backpack with 3 quarts of water, snacks, and a flashlight with extra batteries. Check with park rangers and read displays in the ranger station for more information about hazards.

observe lava, but in some instances you can get closer to it than at others. The prime place to see lava is at the viewing area at the end of Chain of Craters Road (the road ends because it, along with a visitor center, was wiped out by a lava flow). Routes over old lava flows lead to places where you can observe the flow; stick to designated areas at all times. Try to visit at dusk: The sun setting on the desolate landscape of hardened lava is spectacular, and the lava flowing into the sea can be best seen at night (flashlights are required to find your way back to your car). A brief visit to the area will take less than an hour, but those who are fascinated by the spectacle may want to allow two or three hours.

Crater Rim Drive provides access to most of the other viewing areas in the park. Worthwhile stops include Steaming Bluff; the Jaggar Museum (displays on the geology and physics of volcanic activity — note the olivine crystals in the building's columns); the Halemaumau Overlook (infants and those with respiratory problems should avoid this stop because of the sulfur); Devastation Trail (a forest killed in 1959 by a blanket of pumice ash); and the Thurston Lava Tube (a cave formed by lava that's in the midst of a cool damp rain forest).

Hiking trails abound in the park: into dense rainforests, around steaming calderas and along lava flows. One of the most memorable walks is in Kipuka Puaulu, called Bird Park because of the many native birds you can see flitting between lehua blossoms and high above in the ohia trees. You can also walk into the Kilauea Caldera on a well-marked trail that starts at the Volcano House. Ask the park rangers about other trails. You might also check before your trip with the Sierra Club, Nature Conservancy or the Audubon Society for information about their programs in the park.

If you're not up to touring the park by car or foot, take one of the many coastal cruises or helicopter tours.

• More Big Island Attractions