Episode 16 of the current series of Kīlauea’s eruptions was a sight to be seen. The eruption was at Halemaʻumaʻu crater within the summit caldera. The lava fountains reached heights of 600 to 700 feet. Hazards included volcanic gas emissions, windblown volcanic glass (Pele’s Hair) and tephra, so keeping the visit short and sweet was key. …
The Punalu’u Bake Shop is known for its Hawaiian sweet breads as well as being the Southernmost bakery in the United States. We partook in malasadas, sandwiches, bread pudding and more. They sell Panalu’u Bake Shop bread at Costco here in Kona but the options are so much better straight from the source. Punaluʻu Black …
Volcanoes National Park is made up of Kīlauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, the world’s largest shield volcano. The national park makes up about 13% of the Big Island and is one of only two National Parks on the entire Hawaiian Island archipelago. I have been following the USGS webcams for Kīlauea …
Although Hilo has been threatened by Mauna Loa eruptions, its main threat is a tsunami (Hawaii’s deadliest natural disaster). The risk doesn’t stop people from living here, as the Big Island’s most populated city, or from visiting. Hilo has a lot to offer, kid friendly swim areas, sea turtles, Kula Shave Ice with its organic …
Maku’u Point is a located just ten minutes from our Airbnb in Hawaiian Paradise Park. There is no parking lot at Maku’u Point but plenty of parking hugging the shoulder of Ala Heiau Road. Parked behind a lone fisherman we had this area to ourselves, where not so long ago was molten lava. Moku’u Point …
Traveling from one beach at 33N 117W to another at 20N 155W I wasn’t sure what quite to expect when we left Oceanside and flew into Kona on the Big Island. The Big Island isn’t just the biggest Hawaiian island, it is also the newest. And due to the volcanic activity as the tectonic plate …
The best thing about Jumbo Rocks is you don’t have to drive anywhere once you arrive. You can walk in any direction and explore everything that the landscape has to offer. And it has a lot to offer- endless scrambling, unique Joshua trees, and every shape rock your imagination can conceive. Joshua Tree National Park …
There is nothing better than camping, especially in a great a campsite at a great campground in a great National Park. We are fortunate to be within driving distance from Oceanside to Joshua Tree National Park, and to have a schedule where we can plan ahead and book a campsite exactly 6 months before our …
Some people say that timing is everything. This couldn’t be more true regarding visiting the tide pools. The lower the tide the more time you have to explore. The highlight today, besides all of the amazing colors, was the octopus. I wish we could find them every time, since you know they are there, watching …
Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park is an 8,000 acre preserve in Orange County. They offer pristine hiking trails, perfectly maintained campsites, a nicely designed nature center, a playground with metal slides, and organized star parties. It costs just three dollars per car to enter the park. Since this is our first visit we started at …
Florida has a lot to offer, so it is no surprise that two weeks in Florida is definitely not enough (even being that this was not our first trip). I would have liked to have spent more time in the Keys and in the state and national parks (and forests). And it would have been …
The 20,000 acre area of Lake Apopka North Shore isn’t a lake at all. It is instead a very effective restoration project. This area used to be part of Lake Apopka became separated by a levee in 1941. (Lake Apopka is still the fourth largest lake in Florida.) In 1996, a Florida legislature passed that …
Ponce Lighthouse was built in 1887 for $200,000. While it still operates to this day as a private navigation aid it is also a National Historical Landmark. At 175 feet tall Ponce Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in Florida and the third tallest in the United States. If you climb up to the top (which …
When Disney’s Hollywood Studios first opened it was a fully functional film and TV studio. Although it has since transformed into solely a theme park there are still aspects of “Hollywood” like at the Indiana Jones stunt show. My favorite parts about Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
We have transitioned out of the magic of nature and into the magic of Disney. We could not go to Florida without going to Disney World. Some people say that Disneyland is better while some say it is Disney World, but I can’t claim either. Disneyland will always have nostalgia which is a kind of …