Hawaii is a vacation destination of choice for many on the US west coast, and for a while, I felt like one of the only people in California that liked to travel that had not been to Hawaii (not even once!). Hawaii, being that it is beautiful, tropical, and unique, is also very expensive and will make your wallet cry for help. Compared to the prices for other domestic trips, Hawaii takes the cake for most expensive.

But honestly, it was so worth the temporary bankruptcy! I had this idea in my head that because so many people visit Hawaii that it wouldn't be as cool to visit as people say it is because it would be too crowded or something. But now I understand why so many people go there in the first place! It is truly a unique and special place. And where else to see the unique volcanic quality and beautiful plants of the islands then in the Hawaii Volcanoes WHS?

Although the volcano was not erupting on my visit to the park, there is still plenty to see and experience that makes the park a joy to visit when the volcano is quiet. The park is located inside a beautiful rainforest with a nice collection of ferns and orchids. You can hike down into the volcanic area and walk over the crunchy lava. While I was hiking down there, some fog rolled in and made the caldera so mysterious. You can see the park in a day easily, but there are so many other sites to see on the Big Island that you need at least a few days to see it all. The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden was another highlight for me and has an incredible amount of plants to view!