Take a Trip to Hawaii
Hawaii Vacations cannot be beat for a tropical getaway. From the active volcanoes to the world-class beaches, the islands are breathtakingly beautiful, and many people dream and save for years to enjoy a spectacular holiday in the Aloha State. Hundreds of islands make up the volcanic island chain, but the eight primary islands are located on the southeastern part of the archipelago. These eight islands are Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Niihau and the Big Island. Maui is called the “Valley Island” and is known for snorkeling, whale watching and nightly luaus with music, dancing, singing and food. Kauai is nicknamed the “Garden Island” for its dense, lush tropical rain forests. This island has the only rivers that are navigable within the state. Oahu Island is where Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial are located. Hawaii’s capital, Honolulu, is located here as well as the world famous Waikiki Beach. There is plenty more to see and do on the rest of the islands.
You have several Hawaii travel options. Many folks rent a car, but be sure to do this in advance. Rental vehicles are available on the main islands and may cost 35 to 50 dollars a day. On the Big Island, Hamakua Drive is a serpentine roadway north of Hilo that winds through the rainforest. The banyan trees have aerial prop roots that drop like huge fingers over the road. There is a lot more to see in your rental car. A lot of people take bus tours to explore the islands. There are day trips to Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial as well as tours to the volcanoes. Bus tours let you enjoy the scenery while someone else does the driving. There are also flights between islands in planes like the Cessna Grand Caravan turbo-prop. Special tours include snorkeling trips, helicopter tours and whale-watching cruises.
The main way to travel to Hawaii is by air. It is possible to find many good deals for discount air packages to the islands. Honolulu is a major air hub in the Pacific and a busy intermediate stop for flights between the US mainland and Oceania and Asia. Major airlines also fly to Maui and the Big Island. Years ago there used to be cruise ships that visited Hawaii from San Francisco or Los Angeles. These elegant cruises eventually disappeared thanks to the much faster commercial jets. There are still a few foreign-flagged ships, but you have to go to a foreign country thanks to the archaic U.S. Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886. This Act says that foreign ships must stop in a foreign country before delivering passengers between US ports.
