After almost 10 yrs of planning our family of five adults went to Hawaii last week for the first time...and of course we chose the Kona coast on the Big Island and of course the volcano erupted the day before our departure. The danger and lava fountains were on the east side and had virtually no affect on Kona which is about 100k west. We really enjoyed our trip and did several activities including lots of incredible snorkeling right from shore, night time manta ray snorkel, kayaking with a big pod of spinner dolphins, coffee farm tour ( free except for the $100 we spent on coffee). We also took a drive to the other side of the island not near the lava and if you rent a 4 x 4 you can do a crazy drive to the top of the dormant mauna kea volcano and see a great view at 14,000 feet , although I did get a bit dizzy and light headed with 40% less oxygen. We stayed at a VRBO condo on the ocean and the complex was great with several pools and incredibly well kept grounds. Kailua-Kona is not a big city although there is a Costco and Walmart. There are many resorts, hotels and houses available. However with the volcanic activity increasing you may want to check out another island if planning to send your parents soon...
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