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 …
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 …
Florida Power and Light Company’s Manatee Lagoon is a manatee discovery center that offers free admission to learn more about manatees. The discovery center is a beautiful waterfront 16,000 square foot building filled with everything and anything you need to know about manatees. These threatened mammals may be big but they are very sensitive, to …
Biscayne National Park protects the only living coral barrier reef in the United States (and the third largest in the world). The park protects mammals, invertebrates, reptiles, birds, fish, and coral. Diving and snorkeling offer a better glimpse of the underwater world inside Biscayne National Park but they were out of the question due to …
Everglades National Park is the largest tropical wilderness in the United States and the third largest national park in the contiguous United States. It was also the first national park ever created to protect an ecosystem (versus being established to protect geographic features like other national parks). After talking to park rangers at Ernest F. …
Everglades City couldn’t be missed. It is the stone crab capitol of the world, almost 400,000 pounds of stone crab claws come from these waters every year (approximately 1,000 times more pounds of stone crab that the city population). It is also the western Gateway to Everglades National Park. Everglades are defined as natural region …
Traveling with kids is not like traveling without kids. There is a balance between seeing what adults want to see and having a willing participant. Knowing that Zoo Miami participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (zoos and aquariums that we get free or reduced entry to being members of an associated zoo) we …