Kilauea Lodge is in Volcano HI

How would you like to live in a place called Volcano? Seems like I’d be asking for “it”.  But just outside the park is a little town called Volcano. Tourists stop at the post office to mail cards and letters so they can have a postmark “Volcano”. Also in Volcano is the Kilauea Lodge and Restaurant. That’s where we were headed for dinner. We’d turned in our dinner choices when we made our reservations for the tour. Dusk was falling and everyone was kind of laid back after our full morning and afternoon.

Nene Spotting

That’s when I spotted the Nene. It was on the left side of the road. The rain had started again and we had on headlights and windshield wipers. I said Nene and pointed . Zane said Where? But by that time we’d gone past it and I expect it had disappeared into the woods. I think Zane was skeptical but told me if I had seen a Nene I was very lucky because they were so rare. I was certain that was what I’d seen. Next time I’ll make sure to get a photo for proof!

 

The Restaurant at Kilauea Lodge

Surrounded by tropical gardens, this cozy, low-key lodge in a restored summer camp is a mile from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, 4 miles from the Thurston Lava Tube and 5 miles from the observatory on the rim of the Kilauea Volcano. We did run into a few problems with our handicapped guest. The lift on the stairs wasn’t working so Zane had to carry the wheel chair up to the porch while our guest had to slowly climb the stairs herself. Once in the restaurant the wheel chair didn’t fit in the restroom. After much maneuvering we did finally get it around the sharp corner and into the bathroom.

 

 

As for the meal, it was touted as gourmet at its finest. I guess I have a plebeian palette because I was not impressed. The steak was tough and the asparagus (one of my favorite vegetables) wasn’t just cooked al dente, it was hard and stringy. The vegetarian folks simply pushed their food around but didn’t eat it. The folks with the fish are the only ones to “clean their plates” They said the fish was excellent.

If You Go

Check out the International Fireplace of Friendship. The moment you walk into the Lodge restaurant, one of the first things that many notice is the fireplace. Centered in the dining room with a couch placed in front, you will notice this fireplace is not like most.Follow the link for the full story  https://kilauealodge.com/blog/2016/08/international-fireplace/