Today I’d like to share pics from our trip to the Big Island, Hawaii in February. I had planned this trip on a whim when I saw a news story that Mount Kilauea had erupted on the Big Island of Hawaii. I had seen this epic scene two years ago and it was magical! I wanted to experience it again.

We booked a quick trip to The Big Island this February and the plan was to lounge for two days on the beach and make a day trip to Volcanoes National Park in the town of Hilo to see the lava.

Here is a look at what we saw the last time we were on the Big Island back in January of 2023 – A couldron of lave – It was ethereal!

We went for a four- day holiday to the Kona Coast on the Big Island of Hawaii back in January of 2023.

Mount Kīlauea erupted the second day we arrived! We dropped every plan we had made and drove three hours to the town of Hilo on the other side of the island to see the lava.

Video of lava bubbling.

Since the volcano had just erupted the night before, the local newscasters were out to film the scene, and we were asked if we could be interviewed.

We were on TV for the first time in our lives LOL!

It’s the local reported who told us to stay until nighttime to see the lava at night!

We were planning on heading back content to have seen the lava in full form, but the reporter encouraged us to stay the day in Hilo and come back at night to the volcano park – he said lava at night is magical. We explored Hilo the rest of the day, had an early dinner at local Thai restaurant, and then headed back in to Volcanoes National Park at sundown.

Nothing prepared us for this magical sight at night at the volcano park! Once in a lifetime experience!

We parked a mile away from the cauldron of lava and hiked in darkness. It was cold!

Along the way we asked folks coming back if the hike was worth the effort. We got a unanimous “Yes! keep going it’s stunning.”

Approaching the cauldron.

Magical scene like no other!

We took videos of lava bubbling and creating rivers of red and yellow

This epic lava scene is what I was hoping to see again this year when I heard that Mount Kilauea had erupted again

We booked our tickets in February to spend two days on the beach and a day trip to head to volcano park and the lava. We spent the first day on the beach with beautiful blue skies and water during the day and stunning sunsets in the evening.

The second day we packed a lunch and left early for our road trip to Hilo and Volcanoes National Park.

As we arrived we wondered why the park was so void of people?

The volcano had erupted afterall and usually there are hundred of cars to see the sight at night. It was dead quiet and hardly anyone in this massive park. We finally stopped at the park office where the park ranger informed tourists that just that morning the volcano had erupted again and all the lava vents had closed up! It was pitch black – not even a little lava to see or any fumes in sight!

We consoled ourselves that we at least had memories of what we saw on our last visit. Truly feel blessed to have experienced something this special.

Here’s an important tidbit

As it turns out, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has a web site with information of all the lava activity that is monitored hourly with cameras on site. The web site is updated every hour with information on what eruption has occurred and if there is any lava activity to see. The day of our trip they had updated the web site to inform visitors that there was absolutely no lava activity to see! We didn’t check before our trip 😜.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Web Site

Beautiful blue waters and sultry sunsets on the beach is what we experienced on this February trip

Though we didn’t see the lava as we had planned, we did enjoy warm sunshine on the beach and beautiful sunsets in the evening. We really had nothing to complain about 🥰.

The Island of Hawaii

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park