A hidden cottage on the Big Island's east side offers a rainforest respite

The early morning air was dense with humidity as I completed my run back to our vacation rental in the quaint town of Volcano. The rural community on the island of Hawai‘i’s east side is just five minutes away from the entrance of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park but makes for a wonderful experience that is far removed from the bells and whistles of the typical tourist vacation. We flew into Hilo International Airport the night before, then drove about 40 minutes through the countryside lined with tall mountains to arrive at our destination.

I was traveling with my husband during the autumn. Because we were staying for a week, when selecting our lodging, we wanted something with a bit more space, where we could have the option of making our meals and a separate area from the bedroom so I could work remotely to spread ourselves out. After poring through different hotels and rentals, we chose Volcano Mist Cottage because it provided a full kitchen, a bedroom and a living room with a daybed, along with a spacious outdoor lanai with a working fireplace. (Rates start at $440 per night.)

When we arrived, we were in for a pleasant surprise. Not only were the pictures and descriptions on the website accurate, we found that the house was at the end of a long, private driveway, which made it truly feel like a hideaway. The owners, who have a deep love of the area, know all the ins and outs, and provided a binder of great places to eat and sights to see (more on that later). They also made our trip more convenient by stocking up on staple breakfast accouterments.

What to do in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

During our stay, we visited Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park five days out of our seven-day stay. A parking permit can be purchased ahead of time on the Recreation.gov website for $30 and can be used for seven days. What a great deal! Even though the rental was a close enough walk, it would have taken at least 15 minutes; plus, we wanted to have the rental car nearby in case it rained. Volcano does see a good amount of rainfall; when we were there in the fall, it rained nearly every day, although it didn’t ruin our trip because it was a light drizzle, which in the heat and humidity was pleasant. Just remember to bring rain gear.

The national park offers ample opportunities for exploration, which is the main reason we chose this place to visit. The park is home to Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, "two of the world’s most active volcanoes," according to the park website. Although they weren’t active during our visit, Mauna Loa erupted at the end of 2022 and Kīlauea did so earlier this month; travelers should take care to note current closures on the park website before any visit. Park officials also provide plenty of information about viewing the eruptions.

During our visit, we chose Kīlauea Iki for a moderate to challenging all-day hike because it allows visitors to walk across the caldera, which is a magical experience. We started at the visitor center, which makes the hike about a 5-mile roundtrip loop and took us a little over three hours to finish. Depending on your fitness level, the hike can take up to four hours. 

Wearing hiking shoes with good traction is important. It’s best to start your hike in the morning because it will get hot when the sun comes out. Wear a hat, slather on the sun protection and also bring plenty of water with you. The visitor center is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily except for some holidays and stocks trail maps along with onsite guides who can give recommendations for hikes. 

The park is open 24 hours a day, which is great for early risers like me. Besides doing my running along the paved streets of the town, I enjoyed driving into the park to do trail runs. On some of my earlier treks, I was able to view the sunrise as a new day began.  

Where to eat in Volcano 

As you might imagine, there aren’t that many food choices in the tiny village, so during our stay we were lucky to have found ‘Ōhelo Café, where we dined three times. The restaurant is cozy with limited seating and gets busy, but does take reservations by phone, so it’s a good idea to make one. I was pleasantly surprised by the simple yet delicious Caesar salad, to which I added grilled chicken.

Additionally, the Neapolitan thin crust pizzas, which are made in a wood-fire oven, are very good. My husband ordered the pesto pie and we shared it, with leftovers to take home. The restaurant uses many fresh and local ingredients, and offers local beers on tap.

Things to do in Volcano

The farmers market takes place every Sunday from 6 to 10 a.m., and you are in for a treat if you decide to go. Held in the Cooper Center, which is a small building in the center of the town, local vendors sell fresh fruits, baked goods, flowers and crafts. For us, it was great because we were able to pick up ingredients to make some dinners back at the cottage, but it’s a fun time even if you just grab a coffee and amble around. The market is popular with locals, and you can pick up passing conversation about the goings-on in the village.

We spent the majority of our days outside and our nights lounging around the outdoor fireplace at Volcano Mist Cottage, eating our self-made meals such as fish tacos, fresh salads and burgers. Even though the cottage has a TV, we didn’t even turn it on! A mundane but surprisingly useful feature was the washer and dryer, which was a convenience for all the hiking and trail running we did.

On the last day, we hopped on the mountain bikes provided by the cottage to watch a brilliant sunset that lit up the sky in the national park. We sat for a long time listening to the sound of the birds flying overhead and feeling the gentle breeze of winds as day transitioned to night. It was an amazing sight to see and a great way to say goodbye to this pocket of heaven.