If you visit Volcanoes National Park, be sure to take the drive down Chain of Craters Road for some interesting sights. Just before the 15 mile marker, check out the great view of the mountain lava flow and a lava tube on the left. A mile up the road, near mile marker 16 you can walk over to the Pu’u Loa Petroglyph Trail to see some interesting rock carvings carved into the hardened lava surface. This is the largest petroglyph area in the state. A boardwalk takes you around the area so you can get a good look some of the nice carvings. A mile up the road at mile marker 19 is the Holei Sea Arch. The ocean might has carved a huge arch in the rock here. It is an interesting sight and only a few minutes walk from the parking area. You will most likely be able to see the steam plume from here rising into the air from the current lava flow into the ocean.
The Holei Sea Arch
If you are looking for a nice beach on the island of Kauai that you can take children to, try Poipu Beach park located on the south shore of Kauai. To gwt to this beach take Poipu Beach Road and then make a right on Hoowili Road to the parking lot. Keep to the left of the unique sandbar, called a tombolo, where the bay is semi-protected by the breakwater if you are looking for gentle waves and calm waters for children. The area on the right side of the bay is not as protected but can offer some excellent snorkeling for the adults. The facilities in the park are good and there is plenty of place to picnic. This is a popular beach so be sure to stake your claim early in the day to get parking and a good place to park your stuff.
A really fun thing to do when you visit Oahu is to hike up the trail of one of Hawaii’s most famous landmarks, Diamond Head. The trail is a popular activity so be sure to arrive as early in the day as possible to avoid the crowds. The trail to the summit of Diamond Head Crater or Le’ahi as it is called in Hawaiian, was built between 1908 to 1911 as part of Oahu’s coastal defense system. The trail is 0.8 mile one way and goes to an elevation of 560 feet. Although the trail is steep and portions of it are uneven, young and old do make the climb on a daily basis. A part of the trail goes though a lighted, 225 ft. tunnel and there are plenty of places to stop and rest a long the way. At the summit, there is an observation area and a lighthouse. Most people can make the trip up and back in about an hour and a half to two hours depending on how quickly you can climb the stairs and how much time you spend taking pictures of the gorgeous scene below. Take a small bottle of water and sunscreen for your trip. Wear sturdy shoes and a hat is also suggested for the trip. You can park in the parking lot off of Diamond Head Road between Makapu’u Avenue and 18th Avenue for $5 per carload. If you walk in or come on a tour bus, the entrance fee is $1. This is definitely a “must do” on your list of things to see and do on the island of Oahu.
If you want to get a feel for the island of Molokai and tour the historic Kalaupapa National Historic Park, taking a mule ride is a great way to do it. The island of Molokai served as home to many Hawaiians with Leprosy when King Kamehameha V set apart land on Molokai for the purpose of isolating people who had leprosy in 1865. On the this trail, you can visit Kalaupapa, formerly the “forbidden city” and see the grave of Father Damien, the Belgian priest who served the leper colony in the late 1800’s. Begin your journey down dramatic and hauntingly beautiful 1,700 ft seacliffs with check-in at 8 in the morning. Meet your sure-footed mule and head for the trail. Arrive in Kalaupapa, have lunch and then tour the Kalawao peninsula. Mount up and head back up the mountain to arrive by 3:15 in the afternoon for a full day’s adventure. Cost is $175 per person but the tour company is closed on Sundays. Tours book a couple of weeks in advance so this is one tour you will want to book well in advance of when you want to take this trip.
