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VACATION
WISDOM
The island of
HAWAII
schools a family
about our vibrant
planet — and
how to make the
most of a trip to
paradise.
BY MICHELE BIGLEY
A glow rose from the caldera
mere seconds after the sun
sank
into the Pacific. Eerily
red and orange, as if churn-
ing to escape Earth’s crust,
the
lava spit a firework into
the night sky.
My older son drew
his breath; no longer complaining
about the hours we’d spent walking
and driving to experience the world’s
most dependable volcanic display.
My younger boy reached up to
clasp my hand, his voice low, he
echoed the whispers around us on
the overlook, “It’s alive. Amazing.”
Frankly, “amazing” was an understatement. The
island of Hawaii (also known as the Big Island) might
just be the most interesting natural environment on
the planet. The largest land mass in the Hawaiian
chain is ever-changing: You can see an active volcano
spewing lava into the sea, a snowcapped dormant
Mauna Kea, and dazzling beaches hugged by lush
landscapes — all in a day.
However, the island’s sheer mass can overwhelm
visitors, especially those, such as us, on vacation with
young children. Like most parents, we desperately
needed some real relaxation. We fantasized about
hours lazing around white-sand beaches, swimming
in the warm ocean among sea turtles and reef fish,
and dining with the waves lapping nearby. Yet, we
also understood the island held a prime educational
resource for our children. Where else can you watch
new earth being birthed right before your eyes? So
we knew we had to brave the island’s size, add some
time and patience to our itinerary, and take a road trip
to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
But not until after we clocked some serious
beach time.
LAY OF THE LAND
Imagine this particular landmass as fraternal twins.
The rainy Hilo side, which is closer to the Kilauea
volcano, seeps with history. The ancients created
triangular farming regions meant to sustain the com-
munity on the lush mountainsides, and today, home
to one of Hawaii’s premier research universities, Hilo
Douglas Peebles/Robert Harding; Stuart Westmorland/Robert Harding
Hike the trails at Hawaii
Volcanoes National Park to see
plumes of smoke and bright
lava flowing from the Kilauea
volcano. LEFT: One of the most
active volcanoes on Earth,
Kilauea has almost continuously
erupted since 1983.