I made this drive last year, and I would not hesitate to do it again. Saddle Road was no problem, and quite scenic. Upon our morning arrival in Hilo, we made our way to Volcanoes National Park, and spent much of the day there before continuing on to our hotel in Waikola Vilage. We arrived in the early evening, and flew out of KOA a few days later. In fact, if you are staying in Kona and want to visit VNP, I think arriving in Hilo makes the most sense.