Because the Big Island is rugged and covered in lava fields, a limited number of paved roads traverse the island. While Backroads strives to find roadways that are quiet and off the beaten track, many of the routes on this trip include highways with fast moving traffic. Of course, you're always welcome to jump in the shuttle to avoid the busier roads.

In order to bring you the full gamut of the Big Island's splendor, we spend more time shuttling on this trip than on many other Backroads trips. Our time in the shuttles will allow us to experience the incredible variety of ecosystems, scenery and activities that Hawaii has to offer. So sit back and relax, knowing that someone else is doing the driving, and enjoy the beauty of the journey.

The Big Island boasts an astonishing array of climate zones. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is famous for its renowned active volcanoes, rain forests and weather that varies with the elevation. Despite the tropical latitude, it can be rainy and chilly any time of the year during our stay near the National Park and visitors should be prepared for a wide range of weather conditions, including heavy rain and strong winds. The Kohala Coast also experiences powerful winds, which may make cycling coastal roads difficult or require us to alter our planned activities.

Kilauea Lodge is a fairly rustic property in a stunning location near Volcanoes National Park. Although clean and comfortable, the guest rooms are basic and are not equipped with phones or televisions.

The holiday and spring break months are a great time to travel; however, with days off and the desire to escape for sunshine many others have the same idea. While we always aim to get off the beaten path, during certain times of the year crowds and delays are unavoidable.