Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Kilauea Volcano has been called a friendly volcano because of the manner of its eruptions, which are mild rather than explosive. Your biggest risk in a visit is probably air quality, which can be checked in advance on the park website. Kilauea is a shield volcano, which means that it has gentle-sloping sides, so it may not look the way you expect. This is in contrast to the more familiar cone volcano such as Mount St. Helens. I recommend that you begin your visit at the Kilauea Visitor Center to see the informative displays and a movie about volcanoes. Then you can continue your drive and actually see the caldera, which has a black asphalt look to it. You can do a quick drive through the park in a couple of hours, or follow some of the interesting hiking trails if you have the time. The park is open 24 hours a day, and you are more likely to see the glowing lava if you can stay after sunset. Volcano House, a hotel on the park grounds, has a restaurant with interesting views. The park entrance fee is $10 per vehicle.