Aloha!

Aloha!

The United States doesn't really have many tropical gems, being as we’re quite far from the Equator, but we do have Hawaii! The subject of many movies, stories, poems, and paintings, Hawaii evokes the desire to be surrounded by tropical beauty. From beautifully deadly volcanoes, palm trees swaying in the breeze, miles and miles of warm sandy beaches, brightly colored flowers growing everywhere you look and of course the tradition luau.

The birthplace of surfing, Hawaii has been a popular getaway for the west coast for years. Every airport has a direct-connect to the Hawaiian Islands to transport you to paradise in just a few hours. There are many things to see and do, and it’s a great outdoor destination for the adventurous. Fancy a breath taking display of Mother Nature? Take a volcano boat to witness the goddess Pele at her finest, as she greets you with hot glowing lava (from a safe distance, of course!) from one of her many volcanoes to say, “Aloha!”

Birds of every kind, gorgeous flowers of every color, and vistas to make your HD camera melt in your hand. This is the trip to invest in a good camera, for sure. Try the many different seafood dishes at the wonderful hotels found all over the island chain, while you gaze out at the sunsets when the sun goes down.

Hawaii has islands that appeal to a wide range of people. Family oriented resorts featuring shuttles to the aquarium can be found near Waikiki. Couples can find romantic seclusion on Kauai and Maui, beaches with many all-inclusive resorts that take care of everything including tours. You can even hike along lava flows, but beware, taking a piece of lava home with you from Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park is not only bad luck (hello, the tiki god episode from the Brady Bunch!) but it’s also illegal. Make sure you only purchase Pele approved lava tchotchke’s from the local tourist shop. You wouldn’t want an old school volcano goddess coming after you, would you?  =)

Food is a little pricey in Hawaii, and it’s certainly expensive to live there, but sometimes you just have to take a break in Paradise. Life calls for moments in the sand, learning to surf, snorkeling in crystal clear water, and watching Polynesian dancing. Sometimes you need your own reset button, right? Check into one of the many spa hotels catering to well-being for a fresh start. All can be found in my links in the top right corner of this. Make sure you read the reviews on both TripAdvisor and Booking.com.

Mahalo!


This photo of Kauai is courtesy of TripAdvisor
This photo of Maui is courtesy of TripAdvisor
This photo of Volcanoes is courtesy of TripAdvisor